Antoine´s Story
In the following, Antoine, who is a volunteer in Praxis for 2 month with start in the beginning of May, describes what his journey to Greece and his first evening in Serres was like.
4:00 am, we are May 2 and I'm already stuffed. I probably slept something like two hours. I take my bags, my suitcases and jump in the car to reach the airport of Marignane.
4h30, Small check up in the car then direction a vending machine to withdraw some cash before departure.
4:40, Problem, in my wallet, I have my blue card but no ID ... Turn around, I turn to my room quickly ... no where.
4h50, I decide to take my passport and go to the car. I go to store it, open my bag and surprise it was hiding in my agenda...
5h20, It's the race to make the starting procedure but everything goes well, after a rush off like a shot, I feel calm now.
6:10, Now I'm on the plane, the lady sitting next to me asks me: "Are you okay? Is it your first fly? ". I realize that I shake like a chip and explains to her that it's just excitement.
7:50, Stage in Munich, the airport is huge and they have incredible relaxation areas with sun loungers and books from any language to dispotition.
9:25, Take-off, LUFTHANSA is a nice company, they give us a light snack and a refreshment and I do not know if it is just a stroke of luck but the hostesses are nice and welcoming.
11:15, Arrived in Sofia, it's great !!! I was supposed to arrive at 12:15 and take the bus from 5:30 pm to Serres, as the previous one was at 12:30 pm...
12h15, After reflection, I realize that I have to take into account the jet lag and add an hour to my watch. Okay, it's dead ... Bah, let’s go to discover Sofia.
13:00, After being kindly directed to my destination by people in the metro, (At Sofia airport, the receptionist did not even have a map of the city to the info area ...).
13h15, So I'm looking for a place to lunch, preferably a Bulgarian specialty. I ask a few people.
13h30, I'm still looking ... 2 possibilities:
14:00, Ok, after a long hesitation in front of a Mcdonalds, I decide to eat an Italian ice cream and then continue my trip to the bus area.
14h30, Arrived at the central station.
15:00, After asking at least 10 receptionists, I finally found the stop corresponding to my bus ticket. Well, two and a half hours to wait now and believe me with a heavy heat, no Wifi and nobody who understands me, I know it will be very long.
17:30, Departure of the bus, I confess, I am not quiet. The other passengers look at me strangely but I focus on the film that passes on the bus. A film in Bulgarian, subtitle in Bulgarian, obviously. An awful movie with Dolph Lundgren, in short, we did not arrive.
20:20, Arrived at the border, I do not understand anything. I got my identity card and then got down and back on the bus 5 times, it started to exasperate me.
21:00, Good, we leave. Just arrived in Greece, my mood is really low and I wonder what I'm doing there.
21h30, in Serres, I meet Anna, my Greek guardian who takes me to the residence of the volunteers who are waiting for me for a welcome meal. There is Maris the Estonian; Dora the Hungarian; Amel, my partner and Kilian the Spanish but the most important were the amazing Greek little women, the awesome Evenia gamoto kerato mou. They are all welcoming and when I finally find myself in my bed, it's with a smile.
23:00, The adventure begins now.
4h30, Small check up in the car then direction a vending machine to withdraw some cash before departure.
4:40, Problem, in my wallet, I have my blue card but no ID ... Turn around, I turn to my room quickly ... no where.
4h50, I decide to take my passport and go to the car. I go to store it, open my bag and surprise it was hiding in my agenda...
5h20, It's the race to make the starting procedure but everything goes well, after a rush off like a shot, I feel calm now.
6:10, Now I'm on the plane, the lady sitting next to me asks me: "Are you okay? Is it your first fly? ". I realize that I shake like a chip and explains to her that it's just excitement.
7:50, Stage in Munich, the airport is huge and they have incredible relaxation areas with sun loungers and books from any language to dispotition.
9:25, Take-off, LUFTHANSA is a nice company, they give us a light snack and a refreshment and I do not know if it is just a stroke of luck but the hostesses are nice and welcoming.
11:15, Arrived in Sofia, it's great !!! I was supposed to arrive at 12:15 and take the bus from 5:30 pm to Serres, as the previous one was at 12:30 pm...
12h15, After reflection, I realize that I have to take into account the jet lag and add an hour to my watch. Okay, it's dead ... Bah, let’s go to discover Sofia.
13:00, After being kindly directed to my destination by people in the metro, (At Sofia airport, the receptionist did not even have a map of the city to the info area ...).
13h15, So I'm looking for a place to lunch, preferably a Bulgarian specialty. I ask a few people.
13h30, I'm still looking ... 2 possibilities:
- I speak a rough English and they understand even less English than I do.
- They clearly have nothing to do with it.
14:00, Ok, after a long hesitation in front of a Mcdonalds, I decide to eat an Italian ice cream and then continue my trip to the bus area.
14h30, Arrived at the central station.
15:00, After asking at least 10 receptionists, I finally found the stop corresponding to my bus ticket. Well, two and a half hours to wait now and believe me with a heavy heat, no Wifi and nobody who understands me, I know it will be very long.
17:30, Departure of the bus, I confess, I am not quiet. The other passengers look at me strangely but I focus on the film that passes on the bus. A film in Bulgarian, subtitle in Bulgarian, obviously. An awful movie with Dolph Lundgren, in short, we did not arrive.
20:20, Arrived at the border, I do not understand anything. I got my identity card and then got down and back on the bus 5 times, it started to exasperate me.
21:00, Good, we leave. Just arrived in Greece, my mood is really low and I wonder what I'm doing there.
21h30, in Serres, I meet Anna, my Greek guardian who takes me to the residence of the volunteers who are waiting for me for a welcome meal. There is Maris the Estonian; Dora the Hungarian; Amel, my partner and Kilian the Spanish but the most important were the amazing Greek little women, the awesome Evenia gamoto kerato mou. They are all welcoming and when I finally find myself in my bed, it's with a smile.
23:00, The adventure begins now.
