ARCHELON hosts around 500 volunteers from all over the world each year. Last year, we had a great increase of volunteers of around 25%. The volunteers come from a variety of countries like Australia, Bulgaria, Brazil etc. (please see the map). It is great opportunity for all of the people who work in a multiethnic environment to cooperate and interact with different people with different cultures and languages. It is amazing how they live and work together and they become one team with one target and same goals. A lot of lifelong friendships or even relationships have occurred during those years. The volunteers get an experience of a life time.

ARCHELON also hosts EVS volunteers who are the ones who stay longer and put much of their energy to each project, get involved physically and mentally into the particular projects since they stay the longest period. Most of them they get in touch so much with the project and the people they cooperate with, that it is not normal for them to go back to their home towns. The majority of the feedbacks we get refer that they will continue doing work for the nature or even the sea turtles wherever they are in the world.

At the moment we host 4 volunteers at the Sea Turtle Rescue Center and below you can find some of their thoughts.

About Sanne Bergman

Sanne Bergman-Swedish 20 years old “From the -30 Celsius in Sweden to the Greek sun. I will be working in ARCHELON Rescue Center for 6 months. Greece has everything that is close to me; ocean, sun, culture and adventure. And through ARCHELON I will get to do what I want to do in my life: Fight for animal rights.”

About Tuukka Peltonen

Tuukka Peltonen-Finnish 21 years old “I am from Finland, town called Kuopio. I chose Greece because I know much about Greek history, but not much of present days. So I wanted to know how the local people live and know the culture bette r, that is why I chose this project. The project lasts 6 months and ends in July. When I was choosing a project that I would want to participate, I wanted to do something that I couldnʼt be able to do back in Finland. I chose ARCHELON because it seemed to be a practical job. Work with the turtles and be close to them.”

About Katharina Salzl

Katharina Salzl-Austrian 20 years old “My home country is Austria and I decided to come to Greece because I had never been there and I would like to get inside the Greek culture and mentality. I will stay in Athens for 6 months and afterwards I want to go to a nesting project. Before I come to Greece I finished school focusing on social care management and I liked it, but I also wanted to see how the work with animals is. The description of ARCHELON on the youth in action home page was very interesting, so I sent my application to them and they accepted me. I really enjoy working and staying here in Greece so far.”

About Bauke Kwast

Bauke Kwast Netherlands 18 years old “I arrived in Greece during the winter, through EVS project. I am 18 years old, dutch and half denish. Here, in ARCHELON, I work with sea turtles with 3 other volunteers. They came all with EVS. The best thing here is, that you get contact with people from all over Europe. I noticed I lost some ideas about different countries, and also gained some. For the next 4,5 month I will be here in Glyfada at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre, and I am sure I am going to miss it.”