Maria-Zoulien has been with METAdrasi for a few months. She began volunteering shortly before the summer, teaching English to adult refugees and migrants. Education has long been part of her professional life: she works as a freelance English teacher and is also a psychologist.
Her connection with the English language developed through her work providing learning support at an American school. When she learned that METAdrasi’s Education Department urgently needed volunteers, she decided to put her knowledge and experience to good use.
At first, however, she had been drawn to a different area of METAdrasi’s work.
“I was interested in the protection of unaccompanied children, so that was the area I initially applied to volunteer in. There were no openings at the time, but I still wanted to volunteer with METAdrasi. When the team told me that there was a great need in education and that my experience was a good fit, I began teaching English.”
A first day she will always remember
Maria-Zoulien’s first day in the classroom was memorable for more than one reason. Alongside her students were two young people from the United States who were completing an internship.
“I will always remember my first lesson. It was a fascinating experience because two interns from the United States were there as well. While I was teaching, I was also helping them see how we teach English to refugee students here.”
The different teaching approach caught the interns’ attention. As Maria-Zoulien explains, grammar plays a different role in English-language instruction in Greece than it does in the American education system.
What stood out most, however, was the students’ response.
“It was a wonderful class. I loved how receptive everyone was and how eager they were to learn.”
A moving final lesson
Over the months that followed, the classroom became a place not only for learning, but also for personal connection. The bond between Maria-Zoulien and her students was especially clear during their final lesson together.
“My students brought me gifts, which was very touching. Afterwards, we all went out together and had ice cream.”
That simple outing after class brought their shared journey to a warm close, marking months of effort, interaction and memorable moments.
From the classroom to escorting unaccompanied children
Maria-Zoulien’s wish to become involved in METAdrasi’s work protecting unaccompanied children was eventually fulfilled. As a volunteer, she took part in a large escort mission from Kos to Athens.
“We travelled to Kos, where we met the children and accompanied them to Athens. It was a large escort mission with quite a few children, but everything went very smoothly. It was another fascinating experience.”
That first experience of an escort mission ultimately opened a new professional chapter. Maria-Zoulien is now preparing to join METAdrasi’s Escort Missions Department as a staff member, while continuing her work as a psychologist.
Her move from volunteering to a professional role grew naturally from her participation in METAdrasi’s activities, her contact with the people it supports and her close understanding of the organisation’s work.
Beyond first impressions
For Maria-Zoulien, volunteering with an organisation that works with refugees can challenge assumptions that are often far removed from reality.
“At first, people may form an impression that is simply not close to the reality. The people you meet are very warm and want to build their lives here. It is nothing like what someone might imagine from the outside.”
The supportive environment she found at METAdrasi has been equally important. As she stresses, volunteers are not left to manage the demands of their role alone.
“The atmosphere at METAdrasi is very warm. People are welcoming, they listen to what you need and what you want to do, and they help you. Every volunteer receives support.”
In just a few months, Maria-Zoulien has experienced several aspects of METAdrasi’s work: adult education, contact with people seeking to build a new life and escort missions for unaccompanied children. These experiences brought new relationships and perspectives and ultimately led her towards a new professional path.
Her message to anyone considering volunteering is simple and direct:
“It is worth coming and experiencing it for yourself. You will gain so much from it, and you may discover things you never imagined you would enjoy.”
