The Greek Summer program, created in 1970, promotes intercultural exchange between Americans and Greeks under the sponsorship of the American Farm School, an independent, nonprofit school serving the rural youth of Greece and the Balkans.

The program is designed for young people who are enthusiastic about immersing themselves in another culture, contributing to the quality of life in a rural Greek village, and having the opportunity to make great new friends. Through the years, the American Farm School has built a tradition of helping Greek villagers meet their evolving needs through community service projects carried out by Greek Summer participants. During Greek Summer, young Americans undergo their own metamorphosis of thought and spirit as they work to accomplish set goals. The intensity of the experience leads participants to realize new potential and discover resources within themselves and each other.

Program Dates for 2010: June 27 through August 6.

Location

The home base for Greek Summer is the American Farm School campus just outside Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki. The community service project and homestay are hosted by a different village each year, located within a 2-hour radius of Thessaloniki.

Itinerary

Orientation
A three-day orientation session introduces participants to each other and to Greek language, dance, folk traditions and social customs. It also includes time for Aegean sun and surf.

Discovering the American Farm School
Based at this renowned agricultural school, participants experience the daily operations of the dairy, poultry unit, orchards, olive groves, vineyard, field crops, greenhouses, and vegetable gardens. Farm School instructors teach them about Greek folk music and traditional instruments, Greek cooking, beekeeping, and ecological issues. They undertake a supervised service project on campus, while getting to know the museums, shops and cinemas of historic Thessaloniki.

Community Service in a Greek Village
The heart of Greek Summer is the community service project and village homestay. Each participant lives with a host family, and works in a team with the other participants on a building project that will beautify and enhance life in the village.

Travel
A ten-day trip through Greece by chartered bus, boat and hydrofoil is a journey of discovery of Delphi, Athens, Ancient Nemea, Mycenae, and other wonders of Ancient Greece, as well the natural beauty of Greece and its Aegean Islands.

Climbing Mt. Olympus
The culmination of Greek Summer is the two-day ascent of Mt. Olympus, the highest peak in Greece and the home of the Olympian Gods.

Staff

The Head of Student Life at the American Farm School serves as Director of Greek Summer. Reporting to him is the Greek Summer Coordinator, the Head Counselor and three Counselors. The participant to counselor ratio is 8 to 1.

Medical Care

Well-staffed and equipped government Health Centers operate throughout rural Greece, and Thessaloniki has a network of major university and government hospitals providing health care and emergency treatment. Participants submit a medical report from their doctor with the application, and parents must cover medical insurance. No special inoculations are required, although a tetanus booster is encouraged.

Applying to Greek Summer

Students who have completed grades 9 (however they must have had their 15th birthday by June 20th), 10, 11 or 12, are eligible to apply. Requests for applications are welcome at any time. Applicants submit biographical information, essays, and school recommendation forms, and are interviewed by a Greek Summer representative. A rolling admissions policy is used, and early applications are strongly recommended.

Enrollment

Enrolment in Greek Summer is limited to 35 participants.

Costs

Total fees: $6,000. Of this amount, a $1,600 deposit accompanies the application to guarantee a space in the program pending review of the application materials, and is refunded if the applicant is not selected.

Airfare is additional. Participants usually spend between $300 and $500 in pocket money.

Transportation to/from Greece

Participants meet at New York City’s JFK International Airport for a chaperoned roundtrip group flight to and from Thessaloniki, organized and fares negotiated by the Greek Summer program.

Download

To apply to Greek Summer, please download the application forms, complete, and forward to:

Greek Summer Applications
Ms. Rena Karypidou
American Farm School
12 Marinou Antipa Str, P.O. Box 23
Thessaloniki, Greece
Tel: +30 2310 492 890
Fax: +30 2310 492 727
rkaryp@afs.edu.gr