The 5am wake-up call came way too soon. After barely getting any sleep the night before, I was definitely not ready to get out of bed, but there was no going back to sleep, we were finally going home. We grabbed our breakfast boxes, loaded our suitcases onto the bus, and made our way to the Athens Airport for the last time. The bus ride felt strangely quiet compared to all the other rides we had taken throughout the trip. Usually, there was chatter, laughing, or trying to stay aware while Eleni explained whatever Greek topic we were learning that day. However this time everyone seemed to be realizing that this was our last few moments in Greece and our last bus ride together, possibly forever. I spent most of the ride looking out the window and taking in Athens one last time and replaying all the memories I had made over the past 12 days. Once we arrived at the airport, we checked in for our flight and said our final goodbyes to Greece.

Once we finally settled onto the plane, I found myself thinking back to everything that had happened since we first stepped off the plane in Athens. Somewhere below us were all the places we had visited: the Acropolis, the islands, the mountains of Delphi, the cliffs of Meteora, and all the little towns we passed through along the way. It was a strange feeling knowing that everything we had experienced had already become a memory. I was definitely excited to see my family and friends again, but part of me wished we could have stayed in Greece just a little longer. The trip may have been over, but Greece would be coming home with me in more ways than just the souvenirs stuffed into my suitcase.

Fast forward to today, a month after this trip on my couch, I still find myself thinking about Greece and wishing I could go back. I’m incredibly grateful that I had the life-changing opportunity to experience all of this with MYO, my friends, our teachers, Eleni, and everyone else who made this trip possible. I especially want to thank MYO and GrandTours for putting together an experience that I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life.