Greece

We arrived on the island on July 3. We were welcomed by Peter, a friend of Enrico’s, who showed us around the campsite and gave us some tips on where to go shopping. As our internship didn’t start until July 4, we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the beach. It was paradise, with white sand and crystal-clear sea.

 

The next day, we met with the association to find out exactly what we would be doing during our internship. In the afternoon, we met the interns who had been on the island for a month. They gave us a brief overview of what we would be doing.

 

During the first 10 days, our typical day began around 7 a.m. on the beach, where we collected trash for about two hours, followed by a quick swim or some reading while waiting for lunchtime. After lunch, we would sit in the shade and do some sewing and jewelry making. And when the temperature started to drop, we would go snorkeling to watch the fish.

 

The tasks involved sewing tote bags to provide local people                                                                                             with work during the off-season.

The aim was also to encourage tourists  to use reusable cotton bags rather than plastic bags, which are thrown away and can cause pollution.

 

When the scouts arrived, we left the campsite to join them on a vacant lot. We had to build toilets, a kitchen, and showers. We spent the rest of our internship alongside the scouts, continuing our various missions in their company.

We also helped clean up the island by collecting trash during clean walks. We did this along the roadsides and on the beaches. The most common types of trash were cigarette butts and plastic bottles.

Raising awareness about pollution among tourists and locals alike was very important to us in order to leave a lasting impression on the island.

During our internship, we had the chance to meet  some wonderful people with whom we were able to exchange ideas and forge strong bonds.