Read all about my account on the sea turtle conservation programme in Greece.
My name is Millie and I signed up to volunteer in Kefalonia, working to conserve loggerhead sea turtles. I chose this because I was looking for interesting experiences to do on my gap year, and thought that volunteering with these amazing creatures would be a unique, fulfilling and fascinating experience, and I was right.
The pre-departure information given to me by TMR was incredibly helpful, including a packing list, what to expect during my experience and details about the area I would be in to prepare me for my trip. When I arrived in Kefalonia, I spent a night in a hotel from which I was picked up by the local team and taken to the accommodation in Argostoli.
"My favourite memories were of course being hands on with the turtles, but it was truly the people that made the trip incredible. "
On the programme, we were set a rota each week with shifts that we would attend, typically travelling on foot or by bicycle to nearby beaches. At the time I went, these shifts included beach cleans, beach surveys and profiling, harbour patrolling, data inputting and most importantly, tagging mornings during which all volunteers were hands-on with the turtles themselves.
During tagging, turtles would be caught and brought to the beach to be measured, given health checks, tagged, microchipped and released. It was so rewarding to be making a difference in these animals lives, particularly when the turtles were in need of medical attention, such as the removal of fishing lines and hooks.
In my free time, I spent time riding a bike around the area and exploring, hanging out with other volunteers at nearby beaches, and enjoying the shops and restaurants of Argostoli town. We also had days out exploring nearby attractions such as the Melissani and Drograti caves.
There were around 20 other volunteers working alongside me in Kefalonia and I became friendly with all of them. In particular, my roommates became incredibly close friends and we still speak daily.
My favourite memories were of course being hands on with the turtles, but it was truly the people that made the trip incredible. The staff were amazing, organising games, challenges, and evening activities such as sunset swims, quiz and movie nights, and pizza and souvlaki nights.
They were kind and helpful every step of the way, encouraging us to work hard and help one another. The other volunteers, in particular my roommates with whom I have formed lasting bonds, also made my trip better than I could have ever imagined.
Thank you to everyone for the most amazing time!
