July 15 - Sailing Optional Excursion

Today was the third optional excursion of the program, sailing around Syros. Since most students were signed up for the excursion, there was no class which meant students got a bit of a sleep in. Those who remained at the hotel were able to relax and treat it like a weekend day, which meant beach, pool, catching up on work, and fitting in a nap.

Students on the excursion went to Ermoupoli to get onto the boat. With winds being a little stronger than expected, students spent the initial departure fighting off some splashes from the waves until we reached our first destination. Within a little bay, the wind and waves were much calmer and students immediately grabbed their goggles and snorkels to get into the water. Many showed off their cannonballs, their front flips, and their back flips. Students encouraged those who were a little fearful, and very soon others were learning new tricks with help from some seasoned and confident jumpers. The boat moved to its second destination, where students swam to a nearby island to hang out on the shore and look through the gorgeous rocks and shells.

It was then time for lunch which was BBQ skewers, tomatoes, cucumber, french fries, and of course, fresh made tzatziki. After lunch, we moved onto our third destination, where students took advantage of more jumping and playing in the water, and finding spots on the boat to lay in the sun with the gentle rocking of the waves.

Students made it back to the hotel with time to rest and shower before dinner. After dinner, there was a sunset swim and volleyball game activity for those who wanted to make the most of the evening. Students enjoyed taking photos with the stunning backdrop of the mountains and setting sun, and enjoyed playing volleyball until it was too dark to see.