Our delegation (group) consists of 17 West Michiganders and 2 leaders, myself and Randall Domeier, as well as 5 students from northern Michigan with leader Dorothy Johnson, and 17 additional delegates from New York with Francine Martella and Janet Bird. We also have an international delegate from Germany joining us this year, Charlotte Gehrke and our lovely delegation manager from Austria, Sabrina Wunsch. In total that is 47 people traveling to Greece, Italy, and France for 20 days!! 
Everything went well at the airport- all flights were on time and everyone got his or her luggage in Greece. Unfortunately on the airplane we were split up into seats all over and most of us did not sit together. I somehow got stuck next to 2 screaming toddlers to my side with a baby in front of me and a baby in the back = no sleep due to screaming/crying all night. For the first time ever I got out my earplugs (I have packed these for years but never actually used them!) and they did help slightly. Nothing like someone pulling on your chair and slamming your tray table down over and over while you are trying to sleep!!
When we arrived in Greece, we met our delegation manager (tour guide) who will be with
us for 20 days. From there we drove to the hotel to drop off our luggage and then we had some free time in the markets before having our first Greek meal together. Here are some pictures of the market we visited.
Our first meal was awesome!!! We had traditional gyros with a Greek salad and a pastry for dessert. Yummy!
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped at the local church for a group photo. By this time you can see we are still in our airport attire, and we are tired!
We had a few hours of free time at the hotel, so some went swimming in the pool while others went to the beach (our hotel was located on the beach). After relaxing, we went to a turtle sanctuary where we learned about turtles in Greece as well as how turtles are rescued and nursed back to health.
Our group had an amazing opportunity, as we were able to send a turtle back to the sea! It was very appropriate considering it was July 4th, America's Independence Day, and we were liberating a turtle! Here you can see that students helped lift the turtle out of the pools to be transported by car to the beach to be set free.
Once we packed up the 2 turtles to be set free, we boarded a bus to drive to a beach to let them "go home." It was about a 40 minute bus ride, as the turtle rescue sanctuary wanted as few people to be around as possible so the turtle could swim free. Here are pictures of the turtles being set free, as well as a group photo of us on the beach.
It was overwhelming watching the turtles crawl to see and swim to their freedom! They were now healthy enough to live and swim on their own! Unfortunately, one of the two turtles had a hard time swimming, so he was brought back to the rescue center for more therapy, but the other turtle made it on his own and swam home!
Our first day in Greece was awesome! After the turtle liberation, we went back to the hotel for dinner and then went to bed after and exhausting arrival day!
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