Day 22: Last Day on Crete!
Friday, August 14th, 2026
Today marks the last day of classes for our program. We can’t believe it’s already been three weeks since we left Toronto!
Ms. Soleski’s English class gathered in the lobby of our hotel for their group presentations. Students not only had to present but also engage their classmates on their particular topic, either through discussion or a game. Their lively discussion piqued the interest of a group of Italian tourists staying at our hotel, and they were fascinated by how our classes were running. They had never seen anything like it before.
Ms. Ramos’ English class did their presentations in our conference room, while Mr. Peters’ Classical Civilizations class waited for their turn. While preparing for their presentations, a group of students surprised Mr. P with their newly purchased t-shirts bearing the image of their favourite Greek God. He loved the surprise.
At 11AM, we had to check out of our rooms. We then headed out for lunch and some last minute souvenir shopping. Many students are starting to wonder how all their newly purchased goodies are going to fit in the suitcase for the flight home.
Students spent the afternoon finishing up their projects and preparing for the final exam on Monday. A few students decided to pass the time by recording a series of TikToks, which made for many great laughs.
Before we knew it, it was 6PM and it was time for us to load up the bus and head to Heraklion. During the hour long bus ride, we enjoyed the views of our last Cretan sunset. Along the way, students were intrigued by the large crowds gathering in the small villages along the coastal highway. We explained to the group that August 15th is a very significant holiday in Greece, which involves entire communities gathering, feasting and celebrating in public spaces.
Upon arriving in the port of Heraklion, students were mesmerized by the cruise ship-sized ferry waiting for us. It was only fitting that the Minoan Ferry Lines vessel was called the Knossos Palace, given that we visited the historical site two days prior.
After dropping off our things in our cabins, we headed to the onboard restaurant and enjoyed our dinner. Afterwards, students had fun exploring the ship, and some even found the café that sells ice cream! At 11PM, students settled into their bunk beds in their cabins and let the gentle waves lull them to sleep.
We’re looking forward to our last weekend of the program and our last three days in Athens.
That’s all for now!
Bertan
Program Manager
