The "Memory Trails" is a group volunteering project taking place in Kryoneri, Corinthia (Greece), consisting of four volunteer group projects, involving 5 countries of the European programme (Greece, Italy, Austria, Finland, Spain) and 1 of the third countries associated with the programme (Turkey). The first volunteer team project took place in the period 2.5.-1.6.2023, the second round in the period 17.09.-16.10.2023. Our main focus in this project is memory, rural and sustainable development in terms of historical and environmental protection. Memory and environment as our cultural heritage!
Article by Lisset and Carmen (Spain)
"Kryoneri is a small village far from the city. We lived there for a whole month in a beautiful hostel with people from 5 different countries. At the beginning everything was strange. New people, new place, new culture and above all a new way of communicating with each other. We came here with an open mind but our expectations were exceeded. At the beginning one month seemed like a long time, but we saw from the result that it goes by very quickly. We shared our time with people who were initially strangers and now we can consider them friends, thus a small multicultural family was born that has lived and experienced thousands of moments. We were able to taste traditional dishes thanks to Dimitra, who is the best cook. We were eager to learn more about Greece, its culture and customs. A month may not be a long time, but it is enough if you know how to spend it and with whom."
Article by Lou and Florina (Austria)
"One month in Kryoneri, in the Greek countryside, taught us all a lot. Working on the trail we learned that all you need is good music to get through even the hardest working days. We learned that an old deck of cards can make any night unforgettable, that the only thing worth fighting over is feta cheese,and that souvlaki tastes better when shared. At Taverna we learned that Greek dances are much harder than they look. And after learning about Greek culture, we came to the conclusion that the best things the Greeks invented are Freddo Cappucino and siesta. On our trip to Nafplio we also realized that even climbing a thousand steps is easy when you have the right company. Even though our Greek teacher was very patient in teaching us Greek, we already decided that the only word we will use, regardless of the situation, is 'Kali Oreksi'."
Article by Emmaliisa and William (Finland)
"Moi! We are Emmaliisa and William, the volunteers from Finland! We have participated in the volunteer project "Memory Trails" in Kryoneri from 8.5-7.6 2024. We stayed at the Guesthouse "Elisson" and worked on the hiking trails around the village. Our main tasks were to clear the historical trails. Our favorite thing about the program was the multicultural group, with people from all over Europe. We lived, worked and spent our free time together and became lifelong friends. In our free time we played cards, watched Mamma Mia and travelled around Greece. This was a very important and educational experience for us, we are happy that Filoxenia made this possible for us."
Article by Greta and Giacomo (Italy)
"This time we spent in Kryoneri gave us many things. It was education, it was work, it was fun, it was difficulty, it was pleasure, it was strong emotions, it was personal growth, it was a lot of new knowledge and new doors opened, it was teamwork and individualism, it was focusing on the here and now, it was a month that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives, it was an exchange, it was an experience that broadened our horizons and left us with many feelings of freeing our heads from thoughts and filling them with peace and gratitude. It was healing. This program was one of the most beautiful experiences we have ever had. It helped us push our boundaries and opened up a new, unique and special world. We will carry in our hearts the people we met and their stories, the place we lived, all the activities we did, the bonds we formed, the places we visited and the things we learned. Thank you all for this wonderful experience."
Article from Su (Turkey)
"I came from Turkey as a volunteer. I am 24 years old. I work as a Mental Health Counsellor in Turkey. I had some worries when I came here because I was not used to working in nature. But it didn't turn out the way I thought it would. The project coordinators were very helpful. My friends were very helpful. I had a great month. Thank you to everyone who contributed."
Coordinated by FILOXENIA, Intercultural-Environmental Organisation
This project was supported by the European Solidarity Corps of the European Union through the National Agency “INEDIVIM”
