By Amelia Tsilfidis, 15 years old
In the 2024 September school holidays, 18 young members of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) set off on the inaugural Greek Youth Camp to Athens, Greece to immerse ourselves in the Greek culture and improve our connection to the area and our heritage.
In Greece, we were welcomed as guests of the Governor of Attiki to the Army Summer Resort Agios Andreas Attica, our base for our time there. Every day was jam-packed with trips to bucket list destinations like Delphi and Poros, amazing food like the lunches overlooking the Acropolis at Dionysos Zonar’s, and free time to explore with our friends.
My favourite memories were streaming and singing along to music from my friend’s speaker at the back of the bus on the way to whichever amazing destination was planned for the day, surrounded by the beautiful scenery and our friends.
Visiting Nafpoli, with the glittering blue waters and quaint pastel buildings, and the cruise of the Greek islands where we tasted the pistachios of Aegina and met the donkeys and horses in Hydra, were definitely my highlights. It wouldn’t be possible without our amazing guides Meg, Tass, Andreas and Kelly, who allowed us a rich view of the region while keeping it fun and exciting.
I’d personally never been to Greece before, so I was so lucky to have the support of the GCM for this trip – an opportunity to experience Greece both as a tourist, but also for the education and culture as part of a group with friends and as guests of the Governor. It gave us access to some once-in-a-lifetime adventures like staying at the Army Summer resort with the most incredible facilities.
Even though I didn’t speak any Greek, my friends did and they helped me learn words as I went, introduced me to Greek music and translated anything I didn’t understand – it enriched my time there and made us all closer as a group.
Everything about this trip was amazing:
- Incredible food – moussaka, pastitsio, souvlaki, pita, tzatziki, Greek salad every day
- Awesome weather – sunny and warm, 30C
- Fun with friends your own age
- Breathtaking destinations – Acropolis, Delphi, Nafplio, Hydra, Poros, Aegina
- Friendly and fun hosts
- An unforgettable itinerary
- Immersion in true Greek culture, dancing and language
My only hardship was that I didn’t know Greece served soft drinks without carbonation, so I accidentally ordered a Fanta with no bubbles!
It was incredible to visit and experience the thrill of Greece, especially with a group our own age. It allowed us to build lifetime friendships and connections, and I’m so honoured and excited to be an ambassador for Attiki with my friends.
To anyone offered this opportunity in the future, I would urge you to absolutely apply and attend – you won’t regret it!
 set off on the inaugural Greek Youth Camp.){kind=link}