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Path to Nature – Discover Greece in a way you have never imagined.

Come to Greece for a practical life changing summer course , starting Monday the 13th July 2020 to Sunday 19th 2020 designed to take place in the magnificent field of Evritanika vouna – mountains (so called The High Mountains), all outdoors , through breathtaking trails, waterfalls and mountain streams as well as picturesque little villages.

Everyday choose a different activity that will give you the opportunity to live together with another 100 Greek teachers from all over Greece a unique experience for 7-days. Our well experienced guides will take you, to explore secret and magical paths to discover environmental educational, sustainability, self-sufficiency food organization, folk Greek tradition, music, Greek food, positive education techniques and lots more. During the course you will also be introduced to mindfulness as an opportunity to train your mind, drive attention to present moments, relax, achieve goals, and boost a certain level of self-awareness.

This summer course is based in Karpenisi – Evritania in the greater area of Mount Pindus for the 6th year and every summer brings together for one week teachers from all over Greece. This year will accept teachers from other countries and accommodate for European and International interchanges.

The course aims to provide participants with tools, ideas and best practices as well as practical experience and first-hand knowledge on how to integrate mindfulness , outdoor , environmental and positive education techniques in formal education. It is addressed to teachers and does not require extra skills or equipment other than the desire to walk in rural and open mild mountain landscapes to dance, to make new friends , to live and to explore the mountains or not.

For more information send an email at : pathtonature2020@gmail.com and at the web site https://pathtonature.mysch.gr/

Average cost (including accommodation, food, transportation from Karpenisi to the different fields for the activities- travel to Karpenisi is not included and has to be self-catered)

N.B. The course is self funded and it cannot provide a certificate of attendance.

1. 1. Plan A Sleep in the hostel dormitories with 3 beds/room and common bathroom outside the room, total 6 nights, per person, 30 euros (including breakfast) and optional one more night on the 12th July , free of charge. (in case you want to come from Sunday the 12th July 2020).
   2. Plan B Sleep in nearby 3-star hotels in the nice mountain town of Karpenisi, per room / per night 40 euros double and 35 euros single, breakfast incl.

• Food expenses ( 6 main meals and one light meal(sandwich) : between 70 -90 euros

1. Transportation cost to the various fields of activities : It is calculated per kilometer and its organized on a car-poll basis approx. 25 euros in total (travel to and from Karpenisi is not included and has to be self-catered)
2. Insurance cost is not included and participants take their own full responsibility for participating in the activities of the program (outdoors and indoors).

What else we can do : We can help you organize a longer stay , in case you wish to visit Athens and/or Delphoi, Thermopyles, Olympia etc preferably before the course .

Deadlines : Please send your first application as an expression of interest from now on,  final booking application will be about 13 Jun 2020.

Furthermore :

The general aim of this course is to foster excellence and innovation in education by equipping teachers and education staff with the basic knowledge and skills to integrate outdoor education activities in their education programs as well as to equip them with the ability to organize positive activities for their classes and to learn how to enhance positive thinking, reducing negative self-talk, personalizing and catastrophisizing, practicing gratitude, humor and mindfulness.

The participants will:

• Will be introduced to mindfulness as an opportunity to train their mind, drive attention to present moments, relax, achieve goals, and boost a certain level of self-awareness.
• Learn and discuss the principles and the cultural aspects of outdoor and environmental education in situs;
• Learn how to design, plan and deliver inspirational outdoor and sustainable education activities in action;
• Experience and practice environmental and outdoor education working methods and approaches;
• Get to know and experiment practical activities and group games that could be used and integrated in a real course;
• Learn how to use outdoor education for personal, social and relational development (e.g. self confidence, team building, leadership…);
• Exchange best practices and share experiences about outdoor and environmental education with teachers and education staff coming throughout Europe;
• Network with individuals and organizations working in the education field in Europe through everyday cooperation and Learn how to practice positive communication with ourselves, our students and colleagues, learning how to convert a negative, disruptive, ineffective communication in a virtuous circle of positive relationships,
• Practice and enhance positive thinking, reduce negative self criticism, practice gratitude, humor and mindfulness;
• Gain positive knowledge and life skills based on a holistic perspective of the classroom (in order to flourish in life and beyond!);team-building activities.