Week 2
The second week began with warmer weather so we continued work down at the fountain and the footpath in the valley woods. We cleaned all the leafs and dirt away which was covering the paved area of the footpath. This week we also began laying down fallen branches along the edges of the route of the footpath, a thick branch is placed at the side of the path then pegged firmly into place with 2 smaller bits of wood. One of the objectives in the construction of the environmental footpath is that the materials used are all sourced from the woods thus making it more environmental. This week we also began helping students in the English school in Krioneri, we carried out basic speaking activities such as questions and answer excercises and role playing situations.most of the students had never spoken to native English speakers before and were nervious that they wouldn't be able to understand us, but they were happily suprised when they discovered they could talk to us in English. We kept busy most of the weekdays this week with work on the footpath and in the English school but by midweek the evenings were starting to get slightly boring has we were isolated in a small village with no access to the city.Busses here in Krioneri are only twice a day during weekdays and also very unreliable.
By friday the isolation and boredom was getting worse but we were saved at the weekend by Alexis who owns the house near the footpath. Alexis works in Athens but comes back to the village on weekends. Alexis who is a former youth mentor took us on an excursion in his jeep around the mountains of Korinthos. We visited some beautiful places such as lake stymfalia and the huge mountains which surround it. We also visited St Georges monastery and a nice little village called Goura where the tavern was lit with gas lamps and we tried some traditional cheese. On the way back from the Stymfalia to Krioneri we stopped at the tavern of Krazy Mike
and had some Greek food. This saturday was one of the best days so far while we've been here.
For me, the next day was also a good one as I began the morning by riding with some local kids from the Greek school up a mountain to a nuns monastery, the route was picturesque, as were the views from the monastery. The monastery gardens were nice,it was a very quiet and peaceful place. I could sit there for hours looking at the views. From the monastery we cycled back down the mountain, the route back was all downhill so there was a bit of a race on. A short while after returning me and Matt met Alexis and went back on another excursion to Stymfalia.In the village of Stymfalia we got bread from a local traditional oven, then on to a cheese factory which had coachloads of people arrriving to try the regional cheese, from here we went back to lake stymfalia where we sat in the ancient city ruins and tried the cheese and bread which was very tasty. Afterwards we then took a walk around the lake and even found a wile tortoise along the track. The weekend visiting the mountains was a much needed break from the isolation of the village.
Week 2 tasks:
Monday - Further cleaning of Ottomon fountain, Removing the mound of mud and leafs piled up the day before,continued raking awaking dirt around edges.
Monday - Cleared fallen branches, litter and debris from the fountain stream down to the main stream allowing faster flow of water.
Monday - Helped students in English school, carried out questions and answers excercises from text book.
Tuesday - Further cleaning of paving area at the Ottomon fountain, thowing pales of water over paving and brushing away smaller bits of dirt.
Tuesday - Helped children in the English school using interactive projector screen.
Wednesday - Removed branches and leafs blocking flow of water in the first section of the stream allowing clearer flow of water and reduction of future blockage.
Wednesday - cleared thick mix of mud and leafs blocking water flow in a contributory stream to the main stream.
Wednesday - Re-positioned a wooden bridge which had previously fallen into the stream during a heavy flow of water.
Wednesday - Began laying down branches to form the beginning section of the footpath from the fountain area into the woods.
Thursday - constructed wooden signs for botanical garden.
Thursday - Did a question and answers session in the English school.
Saturday - Cleared mud and overgrown grass and weeds from the beginning section of the footpath which curves around the house through the old village.
John, short term EVS volunteer in Greece.
Project part of INCLUSION FOR ALL
and supported by the British Council
and the Youth in Action Programme
We will publish in the next few days, his next testimonies. Keep a look on Turn Up The VOLume
Discover the 2nd week of John, who did an European Voluntary Service in Greece for one month in the mountain village of Krioneri in the Korinthos district. The volunteering involved working in the forest on a footpath, working in an English school helping students with their English. He also spent one week doing an arts project in the village Kindergarten with the local children.
