Kateríni, Greece (November 2022)

From Wednesday, November 9th to Tuesday, November 14th, the Erasmus exchange trip to Greece took place. With Mrs. Dahmann and Mrs. Akdag accompanying us, seven students flew to Katerini to reunite with the four partner schools and represent our school. At Thessaloniki Airport, we were welcomed by the Romanian group and then drove to our hotel in Paralia, Macedonia. We spent the evening together at a local snack bar.

The following day, we explored the city of Katerini and the school. Since the Polish group unfortunately arrived late and couldn't join us in Greece on Wednesday, we first explored the surroundings and the city center of Katerini. During the city tour, we learned about the central town square and the schools in Greece. For example, it is customary in Greece for public schools to be numbered, while private schools have names. After a short walk in the park and a brunch, we headed to the school.

The Platon School is a Greek private school with both a preschool and secondary levels. There, we, along with Romanian and Turkish students and our hosts, created a "Wish Tree." We wrote our wishes for the future world on muffin liners and made small butterflies that we hung on the Christmas tree. During both the crafting and the lunch break, we had the opportunity to interact with the students and engage in our first conversations.

We all visited the school together again on Friday and began the "17 Sustainable Development Goals" project. We divided into groups and tackled one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. In mixed groups, we collected causes and proposed solutions for our chosen goal, discussing them in the context of our own countries and the political situations and approaches in various other countries. Thanks to the new contacts made the previous day, the lunch break was filled with interesting and stimulating conversations. In the afternoon and evening, we explored a different side of Katerini as we strolled through the narrow streets of the city center. We also enjoyed regional dishes served in welcoming restaurants in the heart of Katerini. We returned to the hotel safely and comfortably with the host school's buses.

On Saturday, we focused on the surroundings of Katerini and its history. We began by visiting the archaeological museum in Litochoro, where we could view artifacts, statues, and tools used by the Greeks thousands of years ago. We also visited the Christian Orthodox women's monastery (insert name), where we admired the church, courtyard, kitchen, and garden. Afterward, we ventured into the suburbs of Litochoro. Following a meal to replenish our energy, we hiked up Mount Olympus, a mountain known for its role in Greek mythology. At the end of our trail, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the waterfall (insert name), enjoying the scenery from an elevation of over 1000 meters.

Sunday was our last full day of activities. We visited the waterfalls in Edessa and got a glimpse of a small stalactite cave. After a quick snack, we headed towards the thermal springs. We made a stop at a tavern where we were enchanted by local dances and enjoyed another small meal. In the late afternoon, we arrived at the Pozar thermal baths. Surrounded by the springs, we relished the fresh evening air near the baths, where there was a cozy café and seating. After an eventful day, we gathered at a hospitable restaurant and mentally prepared ourselves for the farewell the following day.

Our final morning was spent at the school. In the computer room, we used the online module "moodle" to compile our results and photos from the past few days. After a collective summary, we sadly bid farewell early, as we had to make our way to Thessaloniki Airport. Reflecting on the beautiful places and friendly people, we left Greece with expanded horizons and new contacts.