The Study Tour brings together the coursework, the readings, the discussions –
synthesizing and bringing alive the wonders of Greece, past and present.
Dear friends,
If you crave meaningful conversations with educators, authors, illustrators and librarians who are passionate about children’s literature, and would be interested in pursuing those conversations while exploring one of the most beautiful places on Earth, there could be a chair waiting for you in THE EXAMINED LIFE one-semester graduate course.
I occupied one of those chairs this winter and embarked on an online odyssey through Greek history and literature with internationally renowned scholars from Harvard University, Brandeis University, Boston University, UMass/Boston, and Wellesley College. The webinars led to lively discussions with fellow students in the program’s internet forum.
Our coursework culminated in a physical journey to the land of Odysseus and Orestes, Agamemnon and Alexander, Helen and Hera, Antigone and Aphrodite, Medea and Medusa, Socrates and Scylla, Python and Plato, and all the other personages we studied for a semester that have been peopling mankind’s imagination for millennia. Guided by the incredibly knowledgeable and outrageously fun Mara Kanari, it was truly the trip of a lifetime.
So, if eye-opening academics and world-class travel in the company of people dedicated to improving children’s understanding—whether through crafting curriculum or creating books— appeals, I invite you to learn about the program and join us.
Ellen Reagan, past Greek Fellow
ExL’s next Study Tour of Greece is currently planned for April 2027.
| Friday |
Arrival of Fellows 4:00 p.m. — Meet and Greet with Mara Kanari in hotel lobby — Welcome and introductions New Acropolis Museum Welcome dinner in the Plaka Herodion Hotel, Athens |
Saturday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Walk to Acropolis and Parthenon On to Marathon and visit to the Tumulus Memorial. Lunch by the seaside in Marathon. Drive to Nafplion. Grande Bretagne, Nafplion |
Sunday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Visit Mycenae and Epidaurus Return to Nafplion 5:00 p.m. gathering of Greek teachers at hotel Grande Bretagne, Nafplion |
Monday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Morning visit to Harvard Center for Hellenic Studiesin Greece. Presentation and tour of the resources available. Photo op at Palamidi Fortress (time permitting) Drive to Olympia Dinner at the hotel followed by Greek dancing and music after dinner ASTY, Olympia |
Tuesday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Visit Olympia site and museum. Lunch near the site. Drive to Athens Herodion Hotel, Athens |
Wednesday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Day trip from Athens — destination to be announced 6:00 p.m. — Book discussion at the hotel bar Herodion Hotel, Athens
|
Thursday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Early morning visit to Vraron and the Sanctuary of Artemis Flight to Mykonos Mykonos Archaeological Museum Dinner on your own Hotel Porto Mykonos, Island of Mykonos |
Friday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Boat to Delos for tour and exploration — onsite museum Explore Mykonos Late afternoon flight from Mykonos to Athens Herodion Hotel, Athens |
Saturday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Day in Athens Mid-day visit to the Benaki Museum for tour and lunch Early evening gathering on the rooftop to say goodbyes Herodion Hotel, Athens |
Sunday |
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Fellows — return flights home Extensions — TBD: possibilities — spend the week in Bologna, Ravenna, and Venice, Italy, exploring Byzantine masterpieces or Crete Extension returns home May 1, 2027 |
We strive to keep the cost of our academic program affordable.
ExL offers financial support for educators new to our program.
Graduate and professional development credits are available for ExL participants.
To join our academic program, complete the registration form. Upon submission, an acknowledgement letter with further instructions will be sent to you. Once registration is completed, each registrant will receive a letter of welcome to the program as a Greek Study Fellow with full details on everything needed for achieving graduate credits and joining the Study Tour.