Blue upon blue best defines Greece. A country where the sea and the sky are both impossibly gorgeous colours and seemingly disappear into each other. A place home to the world's oldest olive tree and where olives have played a huge role in the country's mythology and history. Greek food is a tantalising feast for all the senses and will be a big part of your trip here. You can enjoy a slower pace of life, a focus on food and family and a land dominated by its relationship with the sea.
greece
Unfortunately, Greece, like many countries, is home to fast fashion companies. The fashion and textiles industries are the second biggest polluter in the world. Fashion is responsible for 10% of all carbon emissions and if we continue down this path, it will be 25% by 2050. On your GIA trip you will be working with non-profits which have an impact both environmentally and socially. Clothes can be re-used to reduce waste and this process provides employment opportunities for refugees and survivors of human trafficking. The final product is then distributed to other non-profits.
On your GIA trip to Greece, you also could find yourself helping out our four legged friends. Stray dogs and cats, prevalent in places such as Athens, are seen as a nuisance and deliberately poisoned on a daily basis. The shelters are overcrowded and under-resourced. They depend on volunteers such as you, to manage the day to day tasks. Ultimately you will have a huge impact on these animals, promoting their happiness and assisting in reducing abandonment rates. You will find yourself walking the dogs, involved in maintenance of the shelter and also be involved in campaigns to help raise awareness.
Greece is also home to sea turtles so you could get involved with our conservation project. You would have the chance to help protect their environment, monitor them, check their nests and do snorkel trips in the harbor to observe their behavior.
In your time in Greece you will also have the chance to take a trip to the islands of Kefalonia and Corfu, Crete and Santorini or Naxos and Koufonisia.
You will have the chance to swim, snorkel, learn how to cook Greek style, visit charming Greek villages and once again be totally immersed in Greek life. Opa!
