Chris & Sam's Blog

Chris & Sam look back over their first three weeks here:
http://itsallgreektous.blogspot.com/2009/03/its-been-few-weeks.html

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Earth Day in Vrahati

Lights are switched off to raise awareness of the need to conserve the Earth's resources, and the people of Vrahati gather by candlelight.

Lake Stymphalia

The area around Corinth has many sites of great natural beauty. With the three zoologists on the current course, we visit Lake Stymphalia, in the hills of Korinthia. Although there's still snow on the hilltops, the day is bright and sunny.















We walk along the shore of the lake observing the birds, insects and other wildlife.















Then we hike along the trail enjoying the views over the lake.















A late lunch in a taverna in the village of Stymphalia.
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Pool

Friday night at the Corinth Bowling Center, which offers several other games including pool and air hockey.

National Holiday

25th March is one of the biggest public holidays in Greece - the other being 28th October. The celebration of the anniversary of independence in 1821 combines with one of the holiest days for Greek Orthodox Christians, the Annunciation.

Given the highly intensive nature of the course, we don't take whole days off for public holidays, but we do cancel teaching practice so we only work for half the day.















In the morning we watch students from the local schools parading through the streets of Vrahati, followed by a display of traditional Greek dances in the village square.
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Week One Reflections

Trainee teachers discuss their experience of the first week of the TEFL Corinth course.
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Archaeology Tour

The drive from Vrahati takes us across the wine-growing area of Nemea.

Views across the grapevines and countryside of Nemea.

The first stop on the tour is the ancient site of Nemea.

The second stop is the ancient site of Mycenae.

Nafplio, the first capital of Greece.

Athens

View towards the Acropolis, with the Parthenon in the centre, and Lycabettus hill in the background to the right.

Welcome Dinner

From graduation party to welcome dinner again. It's a tough job but somebody has to do it :-)

TESOL Greece Convention

Peter Beech conducting a workshop at the 30th annual TESOL Greece convention.




Amongst the participants are dear friend and colleague Ted Worth (L), and Michael Hoey ( R), Professor of English Language at Liverpool University and award-winning author of Patterns of Lexis in Text.

Acrocorinth

Views from the castle of Acrocorinth extending across the hills of Korinthia.

Graduation Ceremony

Ancient Corinth

From the Byzantine fortress of Acrocorinth, the view North-West (L) along the coast to Vrahati and beyond. To the North (R), the flat coastal area where the ancient harbour was. Across the Gulf of Corinth, the headland beyond Lake Vouliagmenis, with the mountains of mainland Greece towards Delphi rising behind.















The view to the North-East (L) shows the modern city of Corinth, with a ship docked in the port. On the right is the entrance to the Corinth Canal, and on the opposite side of the Gulf of Corinth is the city of Loutraki, with the Gerania mountain towering above.

Looking further East (R), the Gulf of Corinth is connected by the Corinth Canal to the Saronic Gulf.















The view inland to the South.















Walking down the hill from Acrocorinth to the site of Ancient Corinth.















The fortress of Acrocorinth looming over the site of Ancient Corinth (L), and a view of the Temple of Apollo with the Gulf of Corinth in the background.








Text from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.

Week 3 Reflections

Trainees look back over the first three weeks of the course.
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Trip to Athens