Day 6: Syros Sailing Day!
Wednesday, July 30th
We started the day by celebrating Amelia’s birthday. We spent the rest of the day sailing on our own private boat around the beautiful island Syros.
Today’s Blog is brought to you by Harper in Ms. Hrvatin’s English class. Enjoy!
Student travel blog
Almost every student who has done the Syros sailing optional excursion has said it’s been their favourite day of the program, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Even the first few minutes of the day were unmatched by any other so far, because we got to sleep in until 9! Usually we would have classes during the week, but because we have such a great balance of experiences we were really encouraged to have fun and enjoy the day. Most of us still did some work – we took photos that could be used for our English culminating assignment! After breakfast, we drove to the Ermopouli Marina and got on our pirate ship, well technically our sailboat, but it felt like a pirate ship. From there we sailed to some of the bluest water we had ever seen, where we got the chance to swim and sunbathe. Then we got back on the boat and headed to a beach where my friends and I practiced cheer stunts in the water. After another round of swimming, we enjoyed a traditional Greek lunch on board: freshly grilled chicken souvlaki skewers with crispy fries served under the Grecian sun.
Highlights
Looking back at this day, I remember so many amazing moments that will stick with me long after the program. If I had to highlight a few, they would definitely be when we passed by a church that was literally built inside a cave, and when we lounged at the front of the boat, with little worry about getting sunburnt. First, as we neared the end of our excursion, our skippers took us to look at the beautiful Agios Stefanos Church inside a cave surrounded by the sea. The church was in great condition and radiantly lit by the bright sun. The water was as clear as a swimming pool, if your pool had fish and ancient ruins in it. Both students from the Classic Civilizations course and the Photography course said that the crystal-clear water was the highlight of their day.
Another highlight would definitely be tanning on the front of the boat while we sailed around. This stood out to me because it was a great experience to learn more about the people on my program: mutual interests, school goals and ambitions, their thoughts on everything so far. It also allowed us to bond with new people as we shared this amazing experience together. And I can’t forget to emphasize the clear blue skies, warm weather and the sun that followed us all day as if it was curious about where we were going.
Post excursion thought
Throughout the excursion, I felt truly relaxed and at home. It was such an amazing experience, one where I genuinely had no worries. From laughing and growing closer to my friends, to jumping in the clear water, there wasn’t a moment of unhappiness. I think it taught me a lot about the lifestyle in Europe and how to just enjoy my surroundings and let my brain rest, rather than stressing out or constantly planning every detail.
I learned a lot about the people on my program and got closer to many of them which was awesome. I also had fun with a lot of the friends I already made, strengthening our bond and bringing us closer together.
Something I definitely took away from this experience is that it’s okay to slow down and relax. Especially with school programs like this where we are constantly on the move. It can start to feel overwhelming. That’s why I really appreciated this excursion and the peace and calm it offered.
Overall, I had an amazing time on the sailing day and would recommend this excursion for anyone planning to come to Greece with GSA!
Next up we have the Mykonos excursion to look forward to, which you can read about in tomorrow’s blog post.
