Five round-the-clock services away from home... In a big city... With teenagers... With a lot of expenses out of your pocket... E, not the best deal either! That is why there is no great willingness among the teachers, but one must appear brave. They are waiting for it, how and how, although fed up with excursions in recent years with the various programs. Every year one or two multi-day excursions inside or outside Greece. Hey, we at your age... Let it go, I won't start the excursion with a cliché...
I reach the meeting point and anxiety, knocks on my door early. My suitcase is a third of the colleague's suitcase. What did I forget?; What did I forget?; Ah yes... the gym uniform for the daily walk at six in the morning, as I would later find out… Boarding the bus, where though morning, I meet happy living faces. An eye-popping contrast, compared to everyday school mornings.
After a few hours drive, a red light on the bus dashboard winks at us. The landscape is frozen, but the bus engine feels very hot in the Metsovo location... With all our strength we reach the village to eat and decide what to do. Phone calls from parents rain. But everyone has a corolla and they have not heard of any breakdowns or repair work; The die was cast and after endless negotiations another coach, from Thessaloniki, will pick us up.
So an extra three hours in Metsovo. I hope they all sit in a shop, don't turn in the cold. As I also hope for world peace, but between the two, the second is probably more likely... A natural consequence is the late arrival in Thessaloniki in the evening and instead of going out to eat, order from outside the hotel. And yet, 3 hours later some were still hungry or simply remembered that they were hungry... The delivery guys worked overtime until one in the morning and we the porters...
The next morning the tour guide tries to find a good listener to describe the sights of Thessaloniki: Rotunda, Saint Dimitrios, White Tower, Heptapyrgio. Not necessarily in order of visit but in order of importance. Always...subjectively. My first choice is the Rotunda because all the history of Thessaloniki is in a circular building. Unfortunately, without the students seeing the interior. Nor did they see the catacombs at Agios Dimitrios. But they did admire the view from the heptatower and were given the opportunity to satisfy their unquenchable need for insta flex…
Shortly after, a student's chest pain, a stop at Gennimatas also panics us. The fellow will stay with the student most of the day, doing free intensive courses on how the National Social Security works in Greece…
No more songs, in the evening it is time for dinner in a shop that also serves penies. Excessive enthusiasm for dancing squeezes many on the dance floor, while others he lifts them on the shoulders of their classmates to dance as if they are celebrating a championship. Saint Demetrius help us, don't revive the old reputation of the area and let's get up and leave Ladadika...
The celebrations for the championship continue the next day in a boat in Kerkini... Who do they have a patron there to invoke; Although I don't have time for appeals, because a schoolgirl wants them all gathered on one side of the boat to take their picture! My composure and the stability of the boat were put to the test... But who does Physics at school?;
Let's see near the lake and the water buffaloes. It's cowboy time, because some think they will adopt them, or even worse they will learn to rodeo…
Day four finds me spending it at the hotel tending to sick students, while the rest visit the Pozar baths. (I will come back to the next travel tip about these.) Rest but also stress for their health. After a full day's watch, which reminded me of my years in the army, the evening finally arrived for me to go out of the hotel again. Food and return all together on the back foot.
But why should we turn careless?, quiet and cuddly; A little adrenaline never hurt anyone… A student does not miss an opportunity and strikes up a conversation with a stranger at a bus stop at night! And what an unknown… Dressed in a suit, holding a drink in a glass with ice cubes... I mean dax... Sense of danger below zero... 'Let's go we're late' and I pull him by the sleeve so I don't shake his hand and turn on Makedonia TV...
Below I stop some others as they were leaving a mini market holding half a dozen eggs... 'What do you want?;’, I ask. For breakfast, for protein sir', they answer. Further on, others holding eggs... For an omelette, for protein sir'... Let's go well; I accompany the national weightlifting team; As we found out afterwards, the eggs were served on an adjacent sidewalk in a croque madame recipe. The unforgivable mistake of the pavement; That he was hosting OPAP's agency on him that was left unexplained in the betting results…
Just before we leave the hotel for the return, they also inform us of two damages to the rooms... Fortunately for them 25 euro each. Small talk for my large students. But who does Economics at school?; I'm trying to 'save' one, citing student testimony that the cleaner dropped the laptop. The manager shows us the laptop broken into ten parts... It had become like a robot with joints, he would comfortably star in transformers. Thareis would come alive and dance. So cut the queue and board...
Last adventure the snowy landscape in Valia Kalda, thankfully no slippery slope, with the attention on the dashboard for a yellow indication.
Account: All present able-bodied, 50 euro damage, closed necks, lighter by a few tens to hundreds of euros each, very happy and full. With tighter ties renewing the excursion date for after their exams...
Last but not least, my question... Would you accompany;
Really kudos for the amazing narration. Thank you for making me laugh on this difficult day! Well done again!!!
Glad you liked it!
You describe them very well, Konstantine. Bravo for your courage!!
Thank you for your kind words… Okay for our courage too…
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Thanks to Triklopodia for the republishing…
Brilliant narration and description . You said it very nicely and in fact quite restrained and composed in relation to the sword of Damocles that hangs over the heads of the attendants in such cases. I would expect nothing less from a person of your majesty's stature. Until we meet again.
Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty… You have more experience and the word weighs on you…
Big responsibility but if all goes well…it is a unique experience. Unforgettable memories filled with knowledge are created, feelings and experiences. All students and teachers become richer emotionally and mentally.
It is exactly as you say. That's how it is with children…
Exhaustion hits red and we 40+/50+ I don't know how long we can last. Glad you exist too, with the humor and tenderness that the broken ones need! The greatest truth, that you bond and make precious memories and relationships!
I like that it “cracked” is widely accepted… So is, if all goes well, you are left with good memories and strong bonds…
Always, when the subject of the five days was discussed in the teachers' association and who are willing to accompany those thirsty for fun (see aberrant) our away students, there was a dystocia on my part. I have always greeted this attempt by victim-teachers with a guilty denial. After sufficiently descriptive and “painful” your narrative I felt certain that my refusal to participate would henceforth be vertical and forever. Thank you for all the arguments you armed me with.
Indeed, the stress and responsibility is great… But in this job the big one “profit” it is the bonding with the students, that unless something serious happens, the five-day period strengthens it… And in this fortnight, despite the humorous style with the eutrapelas, sign is a big plus! I thank the children and fellow attendants for this. In any case, follow your instincts…
What instinct proves unerring here….
Maybe it was instinct, maybe faith that everything will be alright, maybe courage…
Probably ignorance of danger, because one…we stick to their youthful madness with the work we do! Answer now to your final question: Yes, I would accompany again!!!
Maybe it's this youth craze they're sticking it to us, we stick it to them, I do not know…