tales of wander
Greece
Adventures of a Voluntourist: Greece
WorldNomads contacted me to see if I was interested in contributing stories about voluntourism to their Responsible Travel page. I was pleased to do it and my first (of four) stories appears on WorldNomads. “We will not be needing you.” This was said in heavily accented English by a grumpy man who I later discovered … Continue reading
A whirlwind week in the Peloponnese
Due to the magic of the Internet, a whole week in the Peloponnese has already passed. You see, this week has been my one chance to get caught up in my journals once-and-for-all, so I have been cramming over two weeks of entries into one. This entry will have to cover all of the Peloponnese, … Continue reading
Saying farewell to Aegina and the hospital
Morning is my favorite time at the hospital. Since our shifts don’t start until 9:00 am and most volunteers sleep in until shortly before, that means that waking up at 6:00 am affords me several hours of alone-time to have my coffee, read, say ‘kalemera’ to my favorite animals (which means ‘good morning’), and savor … Continue reading
Learning new skills
Last night several animals were brought in (every day many animals come to the hospital via ferry), one of which was a stork that had collided with some electric lines. The accident sheared off a wing, paralyzed part of its body, and amputated the bottom portion of one of its legs. The bird flailed around … Continue reading
Falling in love again
I’ve fallen in love. Never in a million years did I think it would happen here in Greece, least of all with one who doesn’t even speak the same language. His name is Sheldon—I know, not a Greek name, but as it happens, Sheldon’s family came to Greece from Northern Europe, so he’s not actually … Continue reading
Releasing birds and things that only seem to happen in Greece
Life at the wildlife hospital is an adventure. Despite the routine, every day seems different because of new arrivals, new diseases to treat (the center’s pigeon population is currently experiencing a chlamydia or salmonella epidemic, Mirena isn’t sure which), and the occasional event to spice up the week. Recently, another volunteer and I attended one … Continue reading
Life at the wildlife hospital
I’ve been volunteering at the wildlife hospital for over a week now. The hospital was formed 20 years ago by some college students because no facilities existed in Greece to rehabilitate wild animals (though there are now some other organizations that care for wild animals, the wildlife hospital is still the oldest and best-known). The … Continue reading
Sans camera, but good news
I’ve been able to put some much-needed sleep between me and what happened with my camera. I can’t say I feel a whole lot better, but I feel slightly less self-pitying about the situation. More than anything, it’s not about the camera, which was insured. It wasn’t even about the pictures, most of which had … Continue reading
Ahh, paradise…
Took a fast boat from Crete to Santorini, only 2 hours north (on a fast boat, that is). I don’t have a Thesaurus with me, which is troublesome because all of the adjectives I know are not fit to describe this place. To say that it is ‘breathtaking’ wouldn’t quite explain it. Santorini is paradise. … Continue reading
Plan B? What’s Plan B?!
I’m still working on Plan B and find it difficult to accomplish in Crete. Alexandra, my Greek cabin mate on the boat to Crete, offered that the difference between Greeks and Americans is that Greeks are slower from the heat, while we Americans—most of whom live in a colder climate by comparison—move faster, get more … Continue reading
tales of wander 