Omilo – Students reviews – Testimonials
What do our students say about their Greek course and Omilo experience?
We are passionate! Passionate about our Greek programs, the Greek Language, the Greek culture, nature, music… but most of all, about you, our students and guests!
Your feedback helps us to become (even) better in the future and adapt our programs to your needs. Feel free to send your remarks, comments or observations by email (info@omilo.com) on the Omilo Facebook page, or on google.
Participants from various countries all over the world,
also gave their testimonials on video, which you can watch on our Youtube Playlist, by clicking here
Since 2022 more and more reviews are given on video, or on google.
More feedback of 2023 will be updated below during 2024.
Do not just take it from us, read here below what our students from different countries write. Their feedback and comments were sent to us by email.
If you have attended a course at Omilo, or used our materials, of course you are very welcome to also write your review on Google.
For feedback about all 2024 courses, click here
(we gathered the feedback on a separate webpage)
For feedback about 2023 courses, click here
What a wonderful week I had, nervous to begin with, we were set tests to determine our level and I found myself in a lovely group with five other participants from Germany, England, Norway, Austria and France. We had two sessions of teaching every morning, conducted in Greek, really testing my concentration and listening skills and by the end of it I wanted to continue as I felt I was just beginning to loosen up. I so want the language to flow and it’s not there yet. After the moment, when I have time to think, I know exactly what I should have said but that doesn’t help. I become a bit tongue tied in class and forget the simplest, most common verbs. The teachers were empathetic, clear and inspiring. I loved the dancing and singing and finding more about the Easter traditions and of course meeting such interesting people, all with a common love for Greece.
Jintsi, Nafplion Easter course, 2022
Omilo are fantastic!!
I absolutely loved my time with Omilo in Syros!! The Omilo team are very friendly and welcoming. The classes were excellent and fun – the teachers are lovely, very professional with excellent teaching skills, and great enthusiasm, making the classes a lot of fun and great for learning. We were a great group of students – There was a real sense of community throughout.
Syros is beautiful – we stayed and studied in the lovely small non touristy village of Azolimnos by the sea. Local people in the tavernas and shop knew we were with Omilo and were very friendly, and supportive of our learning.
I thoroughly recommend Omilo!! And as I am addicted to learning Greek, I am so happy I found them and can’t wait to return next year!! Thank you so much Omilo!
Sarah. UK , July 2022 Syros
Good morning Maya & wonderful team,
Lovely to receive the photos of my Greek course in Syros. Great memories. Huge thank you for such an amazing time with you all in Syros.
It was a wonderful couple of weeks for me. You all put so much energy into teaching and entertainment, along with understanding. The tours were extremely informative and the dancing and singing so enjoyable.
Since back home I have been studying using the Λυδια reading book with the workbook and 71 verbs.I thank you all for helping and encouraging me to get on board and for instilling in me the confidence to keep going . Look forward to being in touch with online lessons. Warm regards
Rosie (Mary), Syros July 2022
Hello Maya
I haven’t had the time to practice with the ebook yet , however I already am a client and fan of your podcast Apples Istories sta Ellinika, The Easy Greek Stories Podcast, that I had discovered while surfing on the internet.
This is an opportunity to congratulate you about it. These lively texts are a great opportunity to listen to Greek and keep in touch with the language at all times. When I discovered the first podcast, I listened to it over and over again and I am pretty sure that I am now familiar with all the vocabulary contained in it ! Later I downloaded some notebooks and I am in the process of studying the texts one by one, noting the vocabulary and then listening again. Mostly while alone on longish trips in my car ! The fact that it’s accessible on Spotify is really great. I have actually listened to all existing podcasts and am eager to discover the ones to come ! I particularly enjoyed the story of the couple who met at Mount Parnassus. I did understand it all and how surprised and proud I was that a story told in Greek could actually make me laugh !
I recently discovered that sometimes your courses take place in Lefkada – that’s where I’ll be going! But really it is your podcasts that keep me closer to « fluency » in Greek. So please go on with them !
Congratulations for this good idea, and to all your nice team.
Kalo vrathi !
Easy Greek Podcast Stories, Isabelle (France)
My experience of Omilo in Nafplion was one that I’ll always remember.
The week was well organised and the Omilo team were extremely professional, the teaching was excellent and all the lessons were interesting and fun.
From the very first lesson I was able to relax and with encouragement from my teachers my confidence increased daily. To participate in an Omilo course is to be involved in something quite special.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone who attended and felt that my level of Greek had improved by the end of the week.
I will definitely book another course and I look forward to returning to Nafplion soon, as it’s a beautiful city.
Thank you to all of the Omilo team,
Best wishes,
Lisa, UK,
Nafplion, Easter 2022
Dear Maya,
Just a note to tell you how much I appreciate your newsletter, The Monthly Dose of Sunshine: something I look forward to every month.
Lots of love, Matilde, Switzerland
Hello Omilo-team
I would like to share how much I love your materials! Really and truly, I learn so much from them. Sometimes I’m too quick to read them once and move on, when I should stick with one story longer, practicing it longer. I have just about everything from your site. I really enjoyed the easy short story #12, about Φάνης και Ντίλαν. It made me laugh.
Thank you for all the work you all do to help us learn the beloved Greek language!
Regards,
Omilo Publications,
Lisa Efthymiou, USA
I took part in a one-week Greek intensive course from Omilo in Agios Nikitas, Lefkas, at the end of May 2022 and can recommend both Omilo (which I already knew from a course I had once completed in Athens) and the Greek Language course. Quite intensive learning (four hours a day), but always in a pleasant atmosphere, with small groups per level of about 5 to 7 participants). Conclusion: I really enjoyed it, made nice acquaintances and really improved my Greek; I would do a course with Omilo again at any time and I have concrete plans to do so, either in Athens again or, like this year, in Lefkas.
Walter, Austria, Lefkada 2022
(Original)
Ich habe Ende Mai 2022 an einem einwöchigen Griechisch-Intensivkurs von Omilo in Agios Nikitas, Lefkas, teilgenommen und kann sowohl die Sprachschule (die ich schon von einem Kurs, den ich einmal in Athen absolviert hatte, kannte) als auch den konkreten Außenkurs auf Lefkas uneingeschränkt empfehlen: Recht intensives Lernen (vier Stunden pro Tag), aber immer in angenehmer Atmosphäre, im Fall meiner Gruppe (es gab wieder nur Kleingruppen mit ca. 5 bis 7 Teilnehmer*innen) hat). Fazit: Ich habe es sehr genossen, nette Bekanntschaften gemacht und mein Griechisch wirklich deutlich verbessert; würde jederzeit wieder einen Kurs bei Omilo machen und habe das auch konkret vor, entweder wieder einmal in Athen oder so wie heuer auf Lefkas.
Walter, Austria, Lefkada course June 2022
I attended the Omilo course in Lefkada in May this year. It was a great experience to improve my Greek and have a holiday at the same time. The hotel we stayed in was about two minutes from the beach so a great location.
I really enjoyed the classes. We had two teachers everyday and my group had three hours of teaching in total per day. The teachers Eva and Myrto were very enthusiastic and engaging and I definitely feel that my Greek has improved.
In the evenings, the hosts Maya and Dimitris would put on various activities e.g. Greek dancing, visiting another beach, watching a film etc.
It was a good opportunity to meet people from all over the world with a common interest in the Greek language. Thank you so much to the Omilo team! I hope to book another Omilo Course in the near future.
Katarina, UK-Cyprus, Lefkada course 2022
I recently purchased the Easy Greek Stories Podcast. I am an intermediate level student and these stories are just at the right level for me. I understand quite a bit of the text but they also challenge me to learn more. I listen to the podcast whilst looking at the Greek text. It really helps me with the pronunciation of words as well as expanding my vocabulary more. Another feature I really like is that the podcast narrates the whole story slowly first then repeats it at a faster pace. I highly recommend these podcasts and accompanying texts.
Angela, google reference
I did a summer course in Syros last August and it helped me a lot in order to gain fluency (my Greek is at an intermediate/advanced level). Not only were the classes both fun (each and every teacher has a great sense of humour) and interesting (forget about the usual food/weather/weekend plans talks), but you could also feel the effort that they put into the evening activities! I believe that they are the best choice for any intermediate/advanced greek learner out there: just take a look at both their blog and their podcasts and see for yourself! Of course, this is also true for beginners: I wish I had them from the start…I would have reached my current level in half the time! I think that their classes are the perfect mix of new vocabulary/grammar/speaking activities as well as an invaluable way to learn more about Greek culture. I’m looking forward to next summer! Χαιρετίσματα από τη Μαδρίτη!
Francesca, Italy, Syros 2021
(Translated by Google) I’ve been doing skype lessons since October and I’m more than happy. My teacher, Myrto, is kind and patient. I think my Greek has improved since last year.
I also absolutely love the simple stories from the Omilo Podcast.
(Original)
Έχω κάνει μαθήματα στο skype από Οκτωβρίου και είμαι παρά πολύ χαρούμενος. Η δασκάλα μου, Μυρτό, είναι ευγενική, και υπομονετική. Νομίζω τα ελληνικά μου βελτιώθηκε από την πέρσι.
Μου αρέσουν παρά πολύ τις απλές ιστορίες από το Omilo Podcast.
Dear Maya!
It was a pleasure for me to write a Google review, which you can see online. I had really a great time. Everything was so well organized and the Omilo-Crew and the people were so nice. Agios Nikitas and the hotel is a perfect place. Everything is near and beautiful. I’m still thinking every day at the wonderful time I spent there…
I also would like to try Syros, but this summer I have no time left…
Now I have to repeat and to deepen, what I’ve learned in the course
Many greetings
Uschi, Germany ,
Lefkada June 2022
Dear Maya
As you know I am always happy with Omilo, and to me it is so nice to meet all these people from all around the world, with the same passion for Greece.
I had a very nice time in Lefkada, and my class was perfect I think, we had so much fun.
The boat trip was nice, to swim in the clear water, and I had a very nice lunch in Meganisi with Peter, Uschi and Elena.
And Agatha was a beautiful place, with the view and nice atmosphere.
ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ!
PS.Yes,it was a pity you had to leave, it is nice when you are around.
Χαιρετίσματα
Rønnaug, Norway, Lefkas 2022
Καλισπερα Δημήτρη, Μάγια, Μυρτώ και Εύα
Θα ήθελα υα σας ευχαριστήσω για μια πολύ καλή εβδομάδα στιν Λευκάδα.
I had a wonderful time in Agios Nikitas and, I believe, a very good grounding for the beginning of my conversational Greek. I hope to come and visit you again next year on Syros … at which time I hope you will see an increase in both my vocabulary and my speech!
Very best wishes to you all. Τα λεμε!
Jacqui
Without doubt, my experience of Omilo is overwhelmingly positive. Whether on residential courses or through Internet teaching lessons. The passion, planning and professionalism of the Omilo school and its whole team is exemplary. The teachers are professional, enthusiastic, patient, well presented, responsive and good humoured. Such organisations examine every aspect of what they do and seek to constantly refine and improve each element to advance the whole offer. This professional, personalised, high quality service is value for money.
Johnnie Littler, UK, Syros 2020 and 2021 , as well as Online lessons
_____________________________________________
Γεια σας! This was my first time on a course with Omilo. I was apprehensive about booking because I didn’t know much about the school. However, I can honestly say that I have had a fantastic experience. My Greek listening skills, vocabulary and grammar have improved but more importantly for me I feel far more confident about speaking Greek. The staff are extremely patient, skilled and have a terrific sense of humour. It is a chance to meet people from all over the world and hopefully make friends for life. If, like me, you are hesitant about booking, hesitate no longer and book! You will love it.
Julia Walsh, UK, Lefkada, June 2021
_____________________________________________
My Omilo Greek Language and Culture course was just amazing! So lovely and competent teachers, I learnt a lot in the small classes (especially talking!) and I also liked the culture programs in the evenings very much! Syros Island is very beautiful and I had a very nice time with the other students as well. I definitely will take other classes with Omilo in the future!
Bettina, Switzerland, Syros July 2021
_____________________________________________
Dear Friends from Omilo,
I really hope that you are all safe and in good health. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the photos and the video. These are wonderful memories of 2 phantastic weeks on the beautiful island of Lefkada. The course, the location and last but not least our lovely teachers. As co-classmate Julia said on the video, they teach with a lot of patience and a great sense of humour! I could imagine to come to Lefkada again next year, θα δούμε…
Best regards to all of you, take care.
Sabine, Germany, Lefkada , June 2021
_____________________________________________
Αγαπητή Maya,
Ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω πολύ για την φανταστική εμπειρία που είχα στη Σύρο! Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους τους καθηγητές!! Είστε όλοι πάρα πολύ συμπαθητικοί, ευγενικοί και ειδικοί. Μου άρεσαν πολύ όλα τα μαθήματα, με όλους τους τρείς καθηγητές που είχα. Αισθάνθηκα πολύ καλά στην Αζόλιμνο, ήμουν σαν σπίτι και, μετά τα μαθήματα, μπορούσα να κάνω εξάσκηση των ελληνικών με το ευγενικό κορίτσι στο Μεριδάκι, με την κυρία στο μίνι μάρκετ και με μερικούς οδηγούς. Οι συμμαθητές ήταν και πολύ συμπαθητικοί και ήξερα πολλούς διαφορετικούς άνθρωπους, καθένας με την δική του εμπειρία της ζωής. Μου άρεσε πολύ όταν κάναμε παρέα στις ταβέρνες.
Τώρα ξέρω μερικά άτομα με ποιόν μπορώ να γράψω στα ελληνικά και να κάνω έτσι λίγο εξάσκηση, πριν να ξαναρχίσω τα μαθήματα με την ‘Ευούλα μου’.
Σίγουρα την επόμενη φορά θα έρθω για 2 εβδομάδες!
Ευχαριστώ πολύ και χαιρετίστματα σε όλους!
Στο καλό. Paola, Switzerland, Syros July 2021 and online lessons
_____________________________________________
Thank you so much for this wonderful course that I have been on the island of Syros in august 2021. Wonderful teachers and I will return next year, see you all then, all my regards to you lovely people.
Steinar, Norway, August 2021
_____________________________________________
Maya and Dimitri, Omilo Team, thank you for these good wishes. Here is to a beautiful 2021! I miss this beautiful experience in my life which is the School and my intense desire with regard to the Greek language. The materials which you prepare with so much care and attention help immensely! I know how much work it takes. It is exceptional. There is no other school such as Omilo, anywhere!
Pierre, France, several courses in Syros and Nafplion
_____________________________________________
Γειά σας, αγαπητή ομάδα της ΟΜΙΛΩ
Ευχαριστούμε πολύ για το εφημεριδάκι σας με τις ωραίες φωτογραφίες των μαθημάτων στη Σύρο. Με πολλή νοσταλγία θυμόμαστε τις μέρες που περάσαμε μαζί σας φέτος. Εκτιμούμασταν πολύ την κινητοποίησή σας να μας διδάξετε τα ελληνικά και να μας προσφέρετε τη ζωή και τον πολιτισμό της Ελλάδας.
Μετά τα μαθήματα στη Σύρο περάσαμε τρεις μέρες στο ωραίο νησί της Ικαρίας. Ναι, και τώρα χαιρόμαστε για την επόμενη εβδομάδα στην οποία θα ερθεί μάλιστα το καλοκαίρι κι’εδώ! Θα δούμε. Σας χαιρετούμε εγκαρδίως
Bert και Katharina, Switzerland, Syros June 2021
_____________________________________________
Beste Maya, Dimitris & team Omilo,
Dank voor de nieuwsbrief, en mijn waardering en complimenten voor de wijze waarop jullie tegen de hele corona-periode aankijken. Ik proef duidelijk het bekende ti na kanoume, iets wat ik na 40 jaar jaarlijks Griekenland bezoeken (behalve 2020) me eigen had gemaakt, maar nu ik zo lang in NL moet verblijven begint het wel wat weg te slijten. Dus ben ik blij met jullie nieuwsbrief!!! Blijf gezond daar in my beloved Greece, en geniet van de zon, het leven en ..van elkaar. Met vriendelijke groet
Frank, the Netherlands
_____________________________________________
Dear Omilo team and future students of Omilo!
This was a very strange year for all of us and despite having registered for the Syros course beginning on September 6 2020 many months ago, I was unsure if I should travel to Greece this year. During summer, cases in Greece as everywhere else were on the rise…but in the end, I decided that you cannot stop living and came to Syros. I never regretted this decision! On Syros island, not only did I have excellent and very stimulating Greek lessons, but I was also able to forget about the whole situation for two weeks, enjoy the beautiful weather, the hospitality of the Greek people and the company of friends which I had sorely missed during the period of confinement.
I felt very safe throughout my stay in Greece – I stayed for a month, travelling to Tinos and Athens after the course- and it gave my morale a real boost.
Thank you Omilo team for still offering these courses despite the difficulties you face organising them during this time, I hope to see you again very soon!
Πολλά φιλιά από τη Γενεύη
PS. Also thanks for keeping in contact by sending us your newsletters!
Αndrea, Switzerland, Syros September 2020
Dear Maia, dear Dimitri, dear everybody,
sorry I’ll write in English, it’s too complicated in Greek with the Greek keyboard, and I must admit, I feel lazy…
I’m just back, yesterday, from Greece, and couldn’t write to you earlier.
I must admit that my traineeship was fantastic. I enjoyed every moment. The teachers are great, the courses were very interesting, the classmates were very sympathetic.
What else can we expect? I enjoyed especially the mixture of texts on Greek culture, and the oral moments when each one spoke about his personal life.
My only problem is that I don’t enjoy much swimming neither staying on the beach. I get bored very quickly, since I cannot read when I’m on a beach.
Μπουμπούνας είμαι…
I think next time I would prefer the traineeship in Nafplio or in Athens, even if Azolimnos is a very nice place.
It’s not very nice at the moment in Paris, with the virus which makes everybody very anxious. Let’s hope people will be clever and sensible enough to accept the rules…
I hope you’re doing fine, It was great to know each of you.
My best regards to the entire team
Thank you for everything, lots of love
Elisabeth, France, Syros September 2020
(Translated by Google) We have now attended a language course at Omilo for the fourth time and can recommend it without reservation. This school has earned the highest marks in every respect, both in terms of faculty and in terms of the material taught. The lessons are always very interesting, and fun at the same time. The hours go by in a flash and we will certainly book more courses.
(Original text) Wir haben nun bereits zum vierten Mal einen Sprachkurs bei Omilo besucht und können diesen vorbehaltlos weiterempfehlen. Diese Schule hat in jeder Beziehung die höchsten Noten verdient, sowohl bezüglich Lehrkörper als auch was den vermittelten Stoff betrifft. Der Unterricht ist immer sehr interessant und lustig zugleich. Die Stunden vergehen wie im Fluge, und wir werden sicher weitere Kurse buchen. Pia und Hans aus der Schweiz
Pia and Hans, Switzerland, Syros July 2020
Dear Maya and Dimitris,
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the online cultural course last week. I wasn’t sure what to expect but found the whole experience excellent and very friendly and relaxed. Each of the sessions was informative, interesting and presented in a way that was easy to relate to . The ‘breakout’ groups were a good idea giving us the opportunity to chat to the other participants, even for those of us with very rusty Greek.
It was lovely to see and hear the team again and I do hope that the OMILO summer courses go well. I will be envious of your being on Syros.
Also, the more I hear Greek the better it is for me so these Omilo Publications and eBooks with audio sessions are great for me (https://omilo.com/publications/)– and Marina and Konstantinos voices are so clear, I can imagine that I am in Greece attending an OMILO course. I like the multi-dimensions with the videos in addition to the audios and text in both Greek and English.
I enjoyed seeing the photos of the course in Syros. They made us both feel very nostalgic, we can’t wait to get back to our favourite island.
With best wishes to you all,
Angela, UK, ex-student
(Translated by Google) I have now taken an Omilo course twice, in Nafplio and on Syros, and both times have been very satisfying. All teachers are very passionate and enthusiastic. They know everything about the Greek language, they explain tirelessly and are happy to tell you about their culture. They create a pleasant, stimulating atmosphere so that you will enjoy sitting in class and your Greek quickly improves. The excursions, joint dinners and fun fellow students make it complete: I had a top holiday week in both Nafplio and Syros. In short, a must for any lover of Greek / Greece!
(Original text) Ik heb inmiddels twee keer een Omilo-cursus gevolgd, in Nafplio en op Syros, en beide keren is het me heel goed bevallen. Alle docenten zijn ontzettend bevlogen en enthousiast. Ze weten alles van de Griekse taal, geven onvermoeibaar uitleg en vertellen je graag over hun cultuur. Ze creëren een fijne, stimulerende sfeer waardoor je met plezier in de les zit en je Grieks snel verbetert. De excursies, gezamenlijke etentjes en leuke medeleerlingen maken het compleet: zowel in Nafplio als op Syros heb ik een topvakantieweek gehad. Kortom, een aanrader voor elke liefhebber van Grieks / Griekenland!
Jolanda, The Netherlands, Syros July 2020
(Translated by Google) I highly recommend this school and its summer courses. The teachers are very competent, friendly and patient. The activities offered are interesting and varied and what I like the most is that the experience combines the enchanting setting of the Cyclades and a very professional education, therefore stimulating but in a relaxed and holiday atmosphere !!!
(Original text) Je recommande fortement cette école et ses cours d’été. Les professeur(e)s sont très compétent(e)s, sympathiques et patient(e)s. Les activités proposées intéressantes et variées et ce qui me plait le plus, c’est que l’expérience allie le cadre enchanteur des Cyclades et un enseignement très professionnel, donc stimulant mais dans une ambiance détendue et de vacances!!!
Loic, Switzerland, Syros July 2020
Dear Maya, Dimitrios and Team,
I‘m so glad that I decided to do a language course in Athens and that I‘ve chosen your company! It was a pleasure to meet all of you and at the end a wonderful experience! Even if it was only one week at the end I dared to speak a lot in Greek! That was exactly what I expected to improve….
Also the framework program was very interesting and I’ve got to knew Athens from an unknown point of view! I really hope that I will join another course next year again in Athens.
Michaela, Germany
Athens course, October 2019
Dear Omilo team,
since two weeks I’m back to my daily life in Rio, back to my family and friends, back to work. My holidays in Greece, including the two weeks in Azolimnos look now like a nice dream I’ve had. The many good moments I had, some of them captured in pictures, are becoming memories. Like books in a bookshelf, those memories are composing now the library of my life. Sometimes comes to my mind the memory of a fact, a word said by someone, a taste, a smell, and I cannot stop the smile on my face, the smile of pleasure, like I was rereading a beloved book.
The Greek course was an adventure for me. It was the first time I was in a real classroom learning what, for me, is one of the most beautiful and challenging languages. By the hands of the Omilo teachers I had prose and poetry, grammar and communication, language and culture. By their hands I was guided, like Athena guided the heros, to a higher place. The classes I had, helped me to break a barrier. I feel that I can communicate and interact better than before. I’m not in Ithaca yet, but I know I can reach it.
I’m not sure, if we will see us soon. Between our countries there are continents and oceans… But my workplace (attached picture) will remember me every day, the unforgettable summer of 2019.
Χαιρετίσματα από τη Βραζιλία!
Luciano , Brazil
Syros course, July 2019
Dear all
Omilo had been recommended to me by a colleague at work as well as by the Greek teacher with whom I had 20 individual lessons in the Hague (in order not to arrive on Syros with no knowledge of the language at all).
The course has been an absolutely great experience for me. Starting with the information sent out before my arrival, which was very diligently put together and provided really all the details necessary, moving on to the accommodation organized by you and to the reception and dinner on Sunday before the course started-everything was perfectly well organized and marked by your very kind and attentive attitude towards all the students.
The course itself was also excellently well prepared and organized. The quality of a language school obviously depends on its teachers, and Omilo’s primary asset are indeed your teachers. Based on the very extensive experience all of you have, you were able to very quickly and accurately assess my level (as well as the level of the other students) and place me in a group where I could quickly feel at ease and learn at a pace which made me feel comfortable. I could only marvel at the limitless patience, enthousiasm and professionalism of Konstantinos and Terpsi, the teachers I had. The system according to which each teacher is responsible for two lessons per day and then the other one takes over proved to be ideal. Four hours per day is intensive, for the teachers as well as for the students, and this way we could benefit the most, I am convinced of that.
An added value which made it possible to get to know Greek culture were the side events organized by the school, about Greek history, music, poetry and dance. I very much appreciated the sincere dedication by all of you to open the doors to the incredibly rich cultural treasures of your country to us.
Finally, I am very, very grateful indeed for the quick and flexible way how it was possible to organize private lessons for me during the week I spent in Athens after the course on Syros, This was really perfect too, it allowed me to advance further and to learn a lot.
I will come back for more Omilo courses, that is absolutely certain.Thank you very much and best regards
Maria, Switzerland
Syros September 2019, and Athens private lessons
Kalispera,
I was once again very happy to be in Azolimnos this year. Thank you once more for the excellent organization and atmosphere and the commitment of all the teachers; I surely won’t forget Eva’s performance during the evening dedicated to learning songs nor the excellent presentations of Marina and Konstantinos. As for the courses, I have been with some people of my class for the third year in a row, it was interesting to see the own progress in comparison with the other participants (and their’s too of course!). We had a good time with Jenny and Eva and siga-siga, my ability to communicate in greek progresses with each course.
Thank you again for that, have a nice week in Ermoupolis.
Ta leme
Marie-Christine, France
Syros course, August 2019
Querido equipo de Omilo,
Muchísimas gracias por dos semanas inolvidables de curso en Syros. Aprender la lengua en el lugar en donde se habla es la mejor opción. Tomé el curso de principiantes y considero que en esas dos semanas aprendí mucho. La manera en que los cursos están organizados me parece excelente, buena combinación entre gramática y conversación, además tener dos profesores diferentes en cada curso hace que la clase sea muy amena. Me encanto el ambiente de la escuela, todo mundo es muy amable. Maya siempre está al pendiente de todos y uno sabe que puede recurrir a cualquiera del grupo de profesores en cualquier momento. Las actividades sociales y culturales que se organizaron por las tardes fueron muy divertidas. Además Azolimnos es un lugar bellísimo. Recomiendo ampliamente a quien quiera aprender griego o a perfeccionar su griego a tomar cursos con el equipo de Omilo.
Silvia, México
Syros, curso de dos semanas agosto/septiembre 2019
Dear team,
I first heard about the Omilo language course through facebook. When my fellow-student Britt told us that she wanted to participate I decided to accompany her and so did Liedwien and Erik. I also heard Eric Dolfen, who is in the same dance group as myself, he was very enthusiastic and I know that he speaks Greek very well.
I am very much satisfied with the course, though one week is a bit short but we learned a great deal.
Both Eva and Konstandinos are very good teachers, very encouraging and they are also sympathetic people.
I was glad to learn a good deal of new vocabulary and to be able to put it into practice. We learned the past continuous of all types of verbs and repeated the difference between personal and possessive pronouns.The room in pension Galaxy was very convenient and the hotelkeeper was friendly and helpful.
I also enjoyed the other activities, the dancing, the film and the excursion to Ermoupoli. Azolimnos is the perfect place for a language course. Life is cheap, the beach is not too crowded and there are some good restaurants.I definitely want to come back to Syros to explore the rest of the island.
Thanks a lot for a wonderful holiday. Kind regards
Bea , Belgium
Syros July 2019
Dag Maya
Het positieve punt, dat alles overheerst, is dat ik veel zin gekregen heb om verder Grieks te studeren. Dat dank zij de enthousiaste wijze van lesgeven van Konstantinos en Eva, elk op hun manier.
Of we wat meer of wat minder grammatica of woordenschat gekregen hebben, of we wat te veel of te weinig geschreven, geluisterd of gesproken hebben, doet er dan voor mij niet toe.
Als ik terugkom, zal het voor de 2 weken zijn, dan waarschijnlijk met mijn vrouw. Voor wie meekomt hoeft Omilo niets te organiseren, maar een blad met suggesties om te doen in de tijd dat de anderen de les volgen, kan interessant zijn.
Met vriendelijke groet
Erik , Belgium
Syros July 2019
Kalimera,
Truly enjoyed once again my syros experience. Ευχαριστώ πολύ.
For your info, here a copy of what I wrote on google reviews;
OMILO provides the perfect combination of excellence, fun and heart !!! I have been studying at Omilo for a few years now, it has made a world of difference in my life and on my language level. Classes are adapted to all learning preferences and levels. The staff is like family plus they are brilliant and incredible professionals. Intensive courses take place in amazing locations around Greece (Syros is my favorite 😉 ) : a GREAT way to learn while having an unforgettable vacation and meeting people from around the world sharing our love of Greece and greek culture.
Danae Mache, France
Syros course, July 2019
Dear Maya & Dimitris,
We again loved the course and especially the teachers. Everything was very well organized and the atmosphere was great.The teachers were brilliant, kind and very bright. I very much enjoyed conversation classes with Eva and very interesting grammar lessons with Marina. Also, other students were very interesting and friendly. However, I think that this year I would have learned more if I was a part of a more advanced group (last year I very much enjoyed my classes with Caroline).
Andrej on the other hand learned a lot and was completely satisfied with the level.
Give my love to Eva and Marina!
Marjan, Slovenia
Syros July course, 2019
Thank you all so much for such a brilliant week. I have returned to London and have been studying every day – you have boosted my enthusiasm and confidence so much.
I’m hoping to enrol on another course with you as I enjoyed the Nafplio one so much. If I don’t make any of this year’s courses then I will look at coming back to Nafplio next year. I wish now that I had booked the two week course as I felt the progress I made in the first week was really good (for me ??) and a second week would have reinforced everything. Anyway, ‘my brain was full’ by the end of the first week so maybe I had reached saturation level!
Many, many thanks again and I love receiving the email updates and Newsletters
Julie, UK
Nafplion Easter course, April 2019
Γεια σας,
Here is my feedback about Omilo..
It is a fantastic team, everybody seems to love the job, the spirit is high.
I used to be a college teacher for 34 years, so I know the your job: I can asure you, that you all are very professional languagewise and at the same time very much entertainig.
I guess Marina is one of best language teachers I`ve ever had. Also your homepage is outstandig compared to the other Athenian schools !
Max, Switzerland
Athens, March 2019
Dear Maya,
I sincerely want to thank you, Dimitri and all the Omilo team for the many years of fun, friendship and of learning Greek with you. It always felt as though I was with a family and the association with your amazing organisation has brought me much happiness and wonderful memories.
My passion for Greece and the Greek people will never die and I have started classes in Greek here in Perth. It’s rather amusing as I am in a class of eight women and I am the only non Greek. I so enjoy their company and we have a lot of fun.
I want to thank the entire Omilo team from the bottom of my heart for all that I have learned and for the truly fantastic times I will treasure forever. Much love
Sally , New Zealand
Lefkada & Syros 2012-2018
Ik volgde de ‘Alfabet cursus’ van Omilo via Skype. Dit was een zeer verrijkende en aangename ervaring! Dankzij deze cursus ken ik de basis van het Grieks.
De lessen werden via onderling overleg ingepland met de lerares Terpsi. Voor mij was 1x per week haalbaar.
Voor de les begon, kreeg ik ruim op tijd een e-mail met alle nodige informatie, voorbereidend video-materiaal en het cursusdeel voor de aankomende les. De cursus opbouw zat goed in elkaar! Voor je het weet spreek je en lees je Grieks. Tijdens de les had je voldoende tijd om extra vragen te stellen. Na iedere Skype-sessie kreeg je een opdracht waardoor je de aangereikte leerstof extra kon oefenen. De lerares is geduldig en motiverend. Ik zou deze cursus aanraden aan iedereen die Grieks wilt leren!
Julie, Belgium
Alphabet course, February 2019
Chère Maya,
Je suis en Crète depuis une semaine et, malgré la pluie, j’apprécie pleinement mon séjour! Je comprends de mieux en mieux la langue mais peine toujours à m’exprimer.
Cependant, je ne désespère pas, je suis consciente qu’à mon âge, apprendre une nouvelle langue prend plus de temps qu’à vingt ans!
Gardez le cap, Omilo est la meilleure école de langue que j’ai suivie
J’ai été impressionnée par la qualité pédagogique et didactique des enseignants, leur capacité à partir des apprenants, de là où ils sont dans leur apprentissage et de comprendre que chacun.e a une manière bien à lui/elle d’apprendre.
Merci à vous toutes et tous, je suis très heureuse d’avancer dans la connaissance de cette belle langue qui me permet d’être en lien avec les autochtones. Cordiaux messages,
Geneviève, France
Athens, March 2019
Excellent teachers, friendly atmosphere, stunning places, a fascinating language and culture. An addicting experience, to savour under the Greek sun 🙂
Looking forward to meeting the team next summer on Syros island, for my 5th intensive course with Omilo!
Ludovica, Italy
Syros, Athens, Lefkada 2012-2019
When I joined the Greek course in Syros, I had only been studying Greek for 3 months and I was nervous about being out of my depth during the course.
From the offset, the staff made me feel welcome and reassured. I found the teaching to be first-rate and well adapted to my level with the teachers excelling at making conversation flow.
Also, the 2 teachers set-up, whereby we would cover more grammar in the morning with one teacher, and continue with conversation in the afternoon with another teacher, worked very well. I enjoyed the excursions and the extra-curricular activities very much. And, just as importantly, I am delighted to have discovered a beautiful island and a place I actually would like to return to. The excellent teaching combined with the super friendly approach and the amazing setting can only lead me to highly recommend Omilo and Syros.
Toni, Switzerland
Syros, September 2018
Dear Omilo team,
Thank you very much for the time with you! It was the 4th time that I come to study Greek with Omilo and it was great again! Teachers are very professional and make me learn with pleasure.
Your program to come in touch with the Greek culture is always excellent.
I hope to come back soon again! Kind regards!
Sabine, Germany ,
1-week Athens course, November 2018
Dear Maya and Dimitri,
thank you so much for the course – I enjoyed it very much, and here below my feedback. I look forward to coming again as soon as possible! After the course, I had a beautiful week in Kini, and returned to England last night.
I felt much more confident about speaking Greek out and about, and am very grateful for everything you did, not only the course, but all the evening activities, the ballet, the concert, the dancing and so on, all of which were terrific.
I really benefitted from talking, and getting confident, thanks to the friendly and kind manner of both teachers, who were patient and diplomatic, and explained everything clearly, and didn’t rush us, but nevertheless kept us moving forwards. They made the classes interesting and fun.
I enjoyed all our activities, and the course location was lovely.
Very best wishes, I will be in touch soon about trying to organize Skype lessons. Have a good break – and see you again soon,
Helena, UK,
Syros July 2018
Proficiat met Omilo. Jullie doen dit zeer goed en zijn zeer bezorgd over ons welzijn. Jullie proberen het iedereen naar wens te maken wat niet gemakkelijk is bij zo ’n divers publiek.
De positiviteit die jullie uitstralen geeft energie en de goesting om verder te doen. De leerkrachten zijn zeer professioneel en geduldig. De vriendelijkheid en de goede sfeer bezorgden ons een mooie tijd met alleen maar goede herinneringen.. Σας ευχαριστούμε πάρα polu
Nicole, Belgium,
Syros August 2018
Καλημέρα Μαγα και η ομάδα Ομιλω,
Όλα καλά για μένα. H διαμονή μας στη Σύρο ήταν πολύ ευχάριστη.
J’ai apprécié la gentillesse, l’enthousiasme et l’implication de toute l’équipe d’OMILO, toujours de bonne humeur. J’ai aussi apprécié les activités culturelles proposées.
Ευχαριστώ πολύ.
καλή τύχη σε σας, Χαιρετίσματα
Lucile, France,
Syros September, 2018
Καλημέρα σας,
Thank you so much for everything, I literally loved every single thing about my course — next time I hope to stay for the full 2 weeks instead of just 1 wk.
The schedule was ideal, 10 am-2pm — it was quite intensive, but not too much so. The break from11:45 am – 12:15 pm was very welcome and necessary.
Quality of teaching was most impressive — Eva & Marina were just terrific: extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and adapted their speaking to our (intermediate level) by speaking more slowly and clearly — perfect for me.
I also loved the presentation on Bambakaris, rembetika artist. Also, since comprehension is the skill I need the most work on, it was very helpful to be spoken to first in Greek, then in English (Dimitri did this when addressing the group). Thank you for running such an excellent program — your professionalism and obvious care and attention to quality are most appreciated!
Ellen, UK
Syros, Intensive course, July 2018
Dear Omilo-team,
It was a lovely course again! Wonderful to get a 4 hours long Greek shower every day. Everything was perfect for me. I liked the flexibility that we, the students, always could ask questions, the teachers took the point, and gave a lot of examples in the theme. We did not feel that we disturbed by our questions. I like the oral part, speaking a lot very much, and the writing must follow and strengthen the learning. I like the small village, so that we did not lose each other . Perfect with your cultural activities in the evenings. I travelled alone, and made friends with the others. So not scaring to come alone to Omilo!
I am already planning the next course with Omilo, and I promise to work better / more on my Greek during the winter……Thank you! See you again!
Sidsel, Norway
Syros, Intensive course, July 2018
Thank you for a great experience!
Nice balance of language and culture….dancing, eating out, speaking, cultural nights, etc… Excellent teachers… very well run program. I also enjoy the emails with cultural notes throughout the year. I hope to return.
Constantina, USA
Syros, Intensive course, July 2018
Hallo Liebe Maja,
hallo liebes OMILO-Team,Ramona und ich möchten unser Feedback gern auf deutsch abgeben. Das war ja nach Syros im September 2017 unser zweiter Kurs mit Omilo. Wie immer haben wir uns sehr wohl gefühlt. Die Unterkunft auf Lefkas war hervorragend genauso wie der Service. Unsere Lehrer Marina und Konstantinos haben sich sehr viel Mühe gegeben alle Schüler mit zu nehmen. Wir glauben wieder einiges für unser Leben in Griechenland gelernt zu haben. Auch die anderen Aktivitäten außerhalb des Unterrichts haben uns sehr gut gefallen. Wir möchten uns an dieser Stelle auch noch einmal recht herzlich bei Dir liebe Maja, Dimitris und Terpsi bedankern. Sicherlich werden wir Eure Organisation in unserem Freundes und Bekanntenkreis weiter empfehlen. Sicherlich machen auch wir noch einmal einen Kurs bei Euch. Alles Gute und eine schöne Zeit auf Syros wünschen.
Ramona und Falk, Germany
Lefkada, Intensive Course, June 2018
Hello Maya, Dimitri and teachers,
I was very satisfied with the course and learned a lot of grammar as well as conversation. I loved Marina and Kostantino’s classes. They are excellent teachers and beautiful and kind people.
I learned way faster and much more than I could ever imagined. I also loved the cultural activities in the evening. Your long term experience doing these types of courses really shows. It’s to perfection.
Congratulations.
Celia, Brazil
Lefkada, Intensive Course, June 2018
Γεια σας Μαία και ΟΜΙΛΩ ομάδα!
Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ για φωτογραφίες!
Είναι ωραίο άλμπουμ.Γύρισα σπίτι στη Μελβούρνη πριν από μια μερα. Εδώ κάνει πολύ κρύο και βρέχει. Mου λείπει η Ελλάδα!
Thank you all so much for the two weeks of a wonderful learning experience as well as cultural and gastronomical discoveries!! The classes were excellently structured with great balance of grammar, writing, speaking and reading exercises. And of course, a humour which helped us a great deal to learn and remember, especially verbs conjugation!
Also, extracurricular activities we have done (taverna nights, walks in the glorious city of Athens, visit to Savros Niarchos Cultural Centre, “CATS” musical and presentation about renowned Greek bouzouki musician, Giorgos Zampetas) were all well organised, very enjoyable and inspirational. Overall, for me, it was one of the unforgettable lifetime experiences.
Looking forward to future return to the Omilo family!!Warmest Regards from the Down Under,
Biljana, Australia
Athens, Intensive Course, May 2018
Dear Maya, Dimitri and all staff,
It was a great pleasure to Anne and myself to share this week with you. As last year in Azolimnos (Syros) , also now the stay was well organized, very active and interesting, professional. The course location (hotel Agatha, the little village, the island of Lefkada) was a nice discovery.
Thanks for all that!
Anne and Benoît , Belgium
Lefkada, Intensive Course, June 2018
Αγαπημένοι φίλοι μου,
Σήμερα ήρθαν τα αποτέλεσματα των εξετάσεων ελληνικών ΚΕΓ. Και το αποτέλεσμα μου για το επίπεδο Β1 ήταν: άριστα!
Well, I prefer to continue in English to be quicker: I took your course in Athens in March, and I am sure this has helped improving my skills a lot! Would you please thank Marina and Vaso on behalf of me? I do hope to be able to come again next year!
Σας ευχαρισθώ παρά πολύ!
Cisca, The Netherlands
Athens, Intensive Course, March 2018
Dear Dimitri,
Many thanks for the photo album, which I received today. I have been wanting to send you some thoughts about the course for some time.
First of all, I want to thank you for introducing me to Nafplio which I fell in love with. A more beautiful place to have a course is hard to imagine. Everything about it was, for me, wonderful and just what a polis should be — small, intimate, cultural, on the sea, surrounded by mountains, with a stunning castle hanging high in the sky, great museums, and a fabulous square.
Coming to the course, which I loved. It was very well organised, the hotel where we stayed was excellent value, the school was very centrally located, the afternoon and evening activities were great, and your enthusiasm for everything was really infectious. Being Easter, it was also a very special time to be there.
Regarding the teaching, I felt that Constantinos was a quite exceptional teacher. Every lesson he presented was a model according to the methodology I had been taught by International House many years ago. It was a pleasure to be in his class. I also really enjoyed Terpsi’s class, especially the ones on culture.
So please allow me to congratulate you Dimitri on what you have so successfully built up over the years, and for your professionalism, enthusiasm, energy and obvious love of what you are doing. It was a pleasure meeting you and Maya, and all the teachers; I also met many congenial people on the course with whom I’ll undoubtedly stay in touch and, hopefully, meet again on another Omilo course in the future.
Thanking you once again for everything,
Yours,
Patrick., UK
Nafplion, Easter 2018
Liebe Maya, Dimitris und das ganze Omilo Teacher Team
Da ich in Griechisch noch ein blutiger Anfänger und in Englisch auch nicht unbedingt sehr sattelfest bin, hier in Deutsch:
Als erstes möchte ich unseren beiden Lehrerinnen, Marina und Terpsi meinen herzlichen Dank für die interessanten, kurzweiligen und lehrreichen Lektionen aussprechen! Ihr Engagement und ihre Freude am unterrichten waren wirklich toll, wir hatten auch immer viel zu lachen )und die Unterrichtsstunden vergingen wie im Flug! HERZLICHEN DANK!
Aber auch dir Maya und Dimitris gilt mein Dank für all die Vorbereitungsarbeiten und die tolle Organisation der Kurse und der Aktivitäten! Es hat einfach rundum Spass gemacht und ich habe mich sehr wohl gefühlt.
Ich habe fest im Sinn wieder zu kommen!? Ich wünsche euch weiterhin viel Erfolg und noch weitere so tolle Kurse im 2018!
Liebe Grüsse aus Bern / Χαιρετισματα από τη Βέρνη
Heinz, Switzerland,
Nafplion Easter 2018
Kalispera sas,
Thank you for the photo-album and hope you received my feedback. I was very satisfied with my course.
Meanwhile it was my fifth language course abroad (but the first in Greek). I regard it the best I attended so far. You have very skilled and ambitious teachers with profound knowledge, you can be proud of them. I was lucky to have them all as teachers. All different personalities: Terpsi the more serious, calm one, Konstantin as “Hahn im Korb” who has an special eye for the slower learning ones, Marina as experienced teacher with broad language knowledge and a great temperament, and Eva who uses her theater experience for a big benefit in teaching. Very lively, pushing their learners to do even more. Every learner will find his favorite type of teacher.
It is good, to switch between two teachers. Especially when the harmonize like they did. Both the teachers were always informed about the other’s lession. Good job!
The two weeks were perfectly organized (except of good Friday’s weather)
I would love to come back for a course on the island of Syros this summer.
Herzliche Grüße aus Heidelberg
Matthias, Germany
Nafplion Easter 2018
Dear Maya and Dimtiris,
I just wanted to give you some news of my courses in Athens this time ; it was just marvellous. The weather was very sunny and agreable and the courses, whaouh ! I was very happy with my private lessons and all the more because at first, when I saw last October that your projects for the courses and my own plans for travelling to Athens in 2018 would not meet at any period , I was very disappointed but now, I know it was a chance that I had these courses all by myself. I think, I had just reached the stage when it was an advantage. I made some visible progress, especially in the second week and it is a big motivation to continue learning in the same way. I had very pleasant hours with Marina and Terpsi and we had a lot of fun too, so I wanted you to know that at the end, it was all for the best.
All the best and many greetings, καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!
Marie-Christine, France
Athens, private lessons, Μarch 2018
Dear Maya ,Dimitri, Terpsi, Marina and Konstantine ,
thanks again for the photo Album of our February course. It had been a very intense and enjoyable week with lots of new impressions. Looking at the pictures here in incredibly cold Frankfurt, it makes me feel warm and happy and brings back all those beautiful memories which I already “collected” while staying with you in my so beloved Athens.
I know you like to get “feedback”, and if you want me to use a scale from 1-10, then you would get a 10+++++ without ending.
You are indeed not only meeting my expectations, but always exceeding them. And those are not only “nice words” and I will tell you why…It starts with the uncomplicated and always reliable organisation of the courses (thanks to Maya and Nina), followed by your letters full of information about the courses and the City of Athens including public transport, benefits and events, continues with your well chosen proposals for discovering the cultural Highlights of Athens (musicals, theatre, Museums etc.) and the “legendary” night walks with Maya and Dimitris, where you are always paying attention to letting us get some new impressions and taking care for special interests (f.e. the art walk, new influences in Greek cooking etc.) and ends up with staying in touch with us in a very familiarly manner by distributing the photo album, personal greetings and your wonderful Newsletter.
But of course, what really matters for students who want to learn Greek, is the quality of the lessons which are held by your teachers. In my opinion you provide the perfect mixture of teaching skills which are required to keep a student ambitious in learning your beautiful but difficult language. Terpsi, your calm and confident way of teaching spends a lot of energy and makes me feel safe and optimisic that one day I will make it. Konstantine, your smooth and personally adressing way of teaching and your strength in explaining Greek grammar in a simple way, opens my mind even for the “heavy stuff”. And last, but not least, Marina, your very challenging way of teaching (and you know it!!!) is the perfect and necessary counterpart, which I need to “stay on the ground” and unveal my deficits. In my opinion, all those teaching skills – creating confidence, introduce to the essentials and challenge, are the most promising “ingredients” to learn a foreign language. None of them must be missed. So thanks to all of you! And not to forget, that we are always having a lot of fun during the lessons, which should not be underestimated when talking about keeping motivation on a high level!
So, what could I say more than thanks so much to the whole team! You won’t get rid of me, even if you would like to (hopefully not ;)). And of course, whenever someone will need the perfect adress for learning Greek, I will write down: Omilo, Panagi Tsaldari, Marousi, Athens!!!
While writing, again this very special Athens Nostalgia is catching me up….Wish I could be there…So long, my best wishes and greetings from cold Frankfurt.
Stefania, Germany
Athens, Intensive Course, February 2018
Dear Maya and Dimitris,
I wanted to let you know that last year’s program was excellent. You added so many extra activities. You built a school, but after thinking about it, you created a family.
You, the teachers and the staff are caring and thoughtful. Compliments to everyone! Of course I would like to attend a summer program this year again.Θα τα πούμε,
Patrick, USA
Syros, Intensive Course, September 2017
Dear Omilo-team,
Thank you very much for the wonderful days I have spent in Syros. Thank you for helping me to start to learn a language I once thought I would never be able to speak and understand. Thank you Konstandinos and Terpsi for your classes, your intelligent lesson planning, your involvement, your gentle kindness, your perceptiveness, and for making me enjoy learning from the start. Thank you Maya for your attention, your advice, and perfect organization. Thank you Dimitris for your warm welcome into Greece, for your care for every aspect of our stay in Syros, and for the activities you coordinated and run. Thank you Marina for being there, even for those who were not your students-like me, for your encouragement and your smile. Thank you all for guiding me through this journey into your beautiful language. I will not forget the light of the Cyclades, the sea at all times, the bougainvillea flowers, the pleasant conversations, the walks and the people I met in and outside class, but what I most value above everything else is the excellent teaching I received and what I have learnt these days with you.
I hope to see you again.
All the best,
Eulàlia , Spain
Syros, Intensive Course, July 2017
Καλημέρα,
In addition to my responses to your student survey, I want to say I have particularly appreciated the contents of the course, the approach which is given to it, as well as the tools used during the course.
I have also appreciated the kindness, the enthusiasm, and the strong involvement of each member of the OMILO’s team.Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
Jean-Louis, France
Syros, Intensive Course, July 2017
So glad I inadvertently stumbled upon ‘Omilo’ while scouring the Internet for a Modern Greek course in the Los Angeles area! Without hesitation, I immediately inquired if space were available for the course I was interested in, then happily I secured a flight to Athens!
Fast forward, I enrolled in a two-week spring session in Nafplion. I was instantaneously and thoroughly impressed with the program, the professionalism, as well as the high caliber of instruction. To illustrate how pleased I was, two years later I enrolled in yet another course at the same location!
All of the instructors are native-speakers, enthusiastic, engaging, have energetic personalities, and are authentic and sincere in their interaction with all students. Their thoughtful method of instruction, coupled with small classes, speak volumes about how they genuinely care that all students learn. Each lesson is strategically geared for the level of the class, the delivery is at a comfortable pace, and the instructors instinctively and ongoingly check for understanding before moving on.
Additionally, the entire Omilo staff is warm, super friendly, and ‘top-notch’! Much attention is given to ensuring everyone is comfortable and enjoying his/her experience.
Many other optional fun and educational activities are included which immensely add to the comradery and enjoyment of learning Greek in Greece!
If it weren’t for the fact I live on another continent, I would happily be in attendance of more Omilo courses!
Joy, USA
Nafplion, Intensive Course, April 2017
Kalimera Maya and Nina,
Thank you for the link to the photo album of my course in Athens in May; they are a pleasant memory of a very nice week. I liked the course very much; at first, I was wondering how it would be having lessons all by myself but in fact, I had a great time thanks to Terpsi and Dimitri; I discovered that it was easier for me to speak than I thought and as I was compelled to use the greek language all the time during the lessons, it helped me a lot; last but not least, we had fun together. I also enjoyed all the visits and activities in the afternoons (the Dora-Stratou theater, the Narchos- foundation, the very nice walk to the Philopapous hill, the songs , quite a lot in a week !) and of course, the very friendly atmosphere of the school.
Big thanks to you and all the team.
Christine, Luxembourg
Athens, Intensive Course, May 2017
Beste Maya,
Ik wil even zeggen dat mijn cursus weer super goed bevallen is en dat de lessen weer goed en heel leuk in elkaar zaten. Lefkada was ook een super mooie locatie en wij zaten steeds buiten met ons klasje, dus dat was natuurlijk helemaal mooi!
Ik zou jullie cursus echt aan iedereen aanraden die Grieks willen leren! Het is gewoon net of je 1 grote familie bent, heel gezellig! Ik kom volgend jaar gewoon weer terug! Heel erg bedankt!
Madeleine, The Netherlands
Lefkada, Intensive Course, June 2017
Geia sas!
This was the first time I’d ever done a course like this- and it was amazing – thank you Omilo team. I enjoyed having two teachers in a four hour session teaching different things. The use of cards, games, and structured tables for the verbs were really helpful. The two weeks course has made me feel so much more confident to speak – it’s still a struggle but there has been an a huge improvement. I met great people, discovered another gorgeous place in Greece in Agios Nikitas, Lefkada and of course my Greek has really improved.
Thank you for making us feel so special and for organising our class and out of class activities – you work really hard and with good hearts – and I will be back!!!
Anita, UK
Lefkada, Intensive Course, June 2017
Dear Μάγια, Δημήτρη, Μαρίνα, Τέρψη και Κωστα
..όλα είναι καλά ..
Have been walking in Spain after the Greek course.. My head is an alphabet soup of Greek, Spanish and French.. When I want to say ‘yes’ in Spanish out pops ‘ναι’ and vice versa!I loved your classes and wished we had signed up for two weeks rather than one.. Perhaps next time?! I sincerely hope there will be a next time.I commend you all for your generosity and intelligence in teaching your beautiful language to us with such genuine warmth, energy and enthusiasm.I can say that I felt very excited to be at Omilo, and very happy that we had chosen your school amongst all the others when Irini and I were sitting at my kitchen table in Brisbane, plotting to go to Greece.. You are all ΚΑΤΑΠΛΙΚΤΙΚΙ!!! If I lived in Athens I would definitely be a regular!
Jennifer, Australia
Athens, Intensive Course, May 2017
Dear Omilo Team,
I am writing to thank you all for such an excellent Greek Language Course. It was enjoyable, interesting, engaging, informative and worthwhile! I will recommend Omilo to all my Greek-speaking English friends, and hope to return sometime for another course in Athens.
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ,
Frances, UK
Athens, Intensive Course, May 2017
Καλημἑρα
I thoroughly enjoyed the course in Nafplion and feel that the Omilo team do a good job and are very proficient and professional. I was only exposed to the beginners course which I requested . I grew up in Greek family life where Greek was spoken. My parents immigrated from Greece. I attended a community Greek school as a child which was taught by one of the Greek community elders. At age 10 years we moved to another city and Greek was seldom spoken, consequently I forgot much of the Greek I knew. For the past two years I have attended a Greek class given by the local Greek church but only 2 hours a week.
I learned more Greek in the one week class in Nafplion than I have in 2 Years at my local Greek Church. This is one of the reasons I am very motivated to try to continue. to study Greek through Omilo.
I have enjoyed your Newsletter and entries on FaceBook.
I am looking forward to attending one of the fall course after Skype lessons.
Regards,
Nick, USA
Nafplion, Intensive course, April 2017
Dear Omilo team,
I want to thank Terpsi and Constantinos for the excellent course they
provided for me last week. Omilo is a good school and I would
recommend the school to anyone who wishes to learn Greek. You are true
professionals and it was a pleasure to work with you. I look forward
to coming back sometime for more Greek study.Thanks.
Tony, USA
Athens, Private lessons, January 2017
Dear Omilo team,
Just a short mail to confirm my presence for the second week of the August course in Syros.
I also wanted to share with the teaching team a little good piece of news in this weird months Europe is going through… I sat and passed the official B2 exam for the Greek language last May! Special thanks to Marina, Kostantinos, Dimitri, Terpsi and Kostas who have all been my teachers in these past 3 years and fully contributed to this result!!!
Happy to see you all very soon and to start with you my trip to C1:)
Ludovica, Italy
Syros, Athens and Lefkada intensive courses 2013-2016
Γεια σου Maya,
Όλα καλά ;
Μου αρέσει παρά πολύ το Ομιλώ. Οι καθηγητές και καθηγήτριες είναι εξαιρετικοί και το κλίμα, έξοχο ! Θα ξαναέρθω σίγουρα ! Ποτέ ; Δεν ξέρω ακόμα !
Σας ευχαριστώ παρά πολύ, όλους σας.
Θερμούς χαιρετισμούς και φιλάκια από την Αζόλιμνο, πολύ ήσυχη τώρα !Τα λέμε …
Gérard, Switzerland
Syros intensive course, August-September 2016
Dear Dimitri,
Last week Petra and I returned home safely from Nafplion. We had a great time, even though I got ill. Both of us really enjoyed the Greek lessons. We think that you and your staff are very, very good teachers.It was a pity of course, that I had pneumonia and bronchitis, but I was lucky to find a good doctor very quickly, with your help. Because of the medicine he gave me, my temperature lowered within a day and the coughing got less, so I was able to come to school and join most of the classes. Despite my illness we have been able, I think, to enjoy the highlights of Greek Easter: Epitaphios, dinner in the Old Tavern, Anastasi and Easter lunch in Fougaro. We’d like to thank you for organizing everything so well!
And of course I’d like to thank you for the present you gave me on Tuesday, the day we left. In the plane I had the chance to take a good look at everything that was in the bag and I was pleasantly surprised! Nafplion is absolutely one of the most beautiful cities in Greece, with a memorable history. I’ll be reading the booklet on Kapodistrias soon and I’m planning to frame the picture and give it a nice place in my study. I’m honoured, I really am!Thank you again, also on behalf of Petra, for the lessons, for organizing not only the course, but also all the other activities and, of course, your great gift!
Give our love to Maya,
Warm regards,
Richard and Petra, The Netherlands
Nafplion intensive course, 2016
Dear Maya,
Thank you for your email with the link to the facebook photo-album. I just wanted to thank you for the two weeks in Nafplio, I had a great time! The whole experience was very enriching: To be in Greece during the Easter holidays, to meet and exchange with many interesting people from different countries and different horizons and the OUTSTANDING quality of the lessons. Not only did you manage to make us talk with the vocabulary and grammar each of us possesses, you also made us progress in great strides and we learned a lot more more about Greek mentality, culture and the difficulties of life today in Greece.
Please feel free to publish this comment on your website, it comes from the heart. I am also sure to see you again, because I will certainly come again next year. I would have loved to come to Syros in September, but I already have other ..Please say hello from me to all the teachers with a big THANK YOU!
Many greetings from Geneva,
Andrea , Switzerland
Nafplion intensive course, 2016
Αξιότιμε Ακαδημία Πλάτωνα :),
Dear Maya, dear Δημήτρη, αγαπητή μου Μαρίνα,
Κωνσταντίνε & Τέρψη!Τι να σας πω; Ευχαριστώ για μια υπερόχη εβδομάδα που πάλεψα με τα ελληνικά πάλι… στην Αθήνα αυτή την φορά! I was and Ι am still very happy with my idea to have a longer stay in The Big City – μου έδωσε lots of δύναμη!
Special thanks for giving us the whole four lessons, though being only the two of us!!
Special thanks to Maya for the most interesting walk in the city, Ι would not have found the lots of Street-Art walking just by my own, ήμουν στο Γάζι δεύτερη φορά, μέσα αυτή την φορά!
Special thanks to Δημήτρη for all the most profound and funny συσήτησεις!
Special thanks to Μαρίνα, for always introducing some poem – δύσκολο να καταλάβω το ολόκληρο νόημα των ελληνικών ποιημάτων μόνη μου – και αγαπάω τη ποίηση!
Τι να σας πω; Ήμουν στο αυθεντικό Μαραθώνιο στην αυθεντική Αθήνα στο αυθεντικό Παναθηναικό Στάδιο! Εντυπωσιάστηκα!! Συγκινήθηκα!!! So – that´s some very short ευχαριστώ.Να τα πούμε πάλι.. το ελπίσω… με πολλούς χαιρετισμούς!
Eva , Austria
Athens intensive course, November 2016
Bonjour à tous,
Tout d’abord je regrette de ne pas vous écrire en grec mais je n’ai pas encore réussi à installer l’alphabet sur mon ordinateur. Je vous envoie 8 photos de nos cours à Nauplie.
J’ai été ravie de vous connaître et d’échanger avec vous et je vous espère en bonne forme.
Merci à toute l’équipe d’Omilo pour son accueil et sa compétence.
Bernadette , France
Nafplion intensive course, 2016
Lieve Maya, Dimitris en natuurlijk het hele onderwijs team,
Ik schrijf dit nog even in het Nederlands omdat ik me op die manier gevoelsmatig nog het beste kan uitdrukken.
Ik ben nu aan het werk en mijn gedachten dwalen uiteraard af naar de fijne week die ik in Athene met jullie heb mogen beleven.Nogmaals wil ik jullie allemaal bedanken voor de fantastische organisatie en de enorme inzet van jullie allemaal. Jullie hebben deze week voor mij onvergetelijk gemaakt.
Marina en Kosta bedankt ook. ik heb ontzettend veel van jullie geleerd.Pola filakia kai ta leme fetos.
Corina , The Netherlands
Athens intensive New Year course, December 2015
Dear Omilo team,
I LOVED the Andros course!–it really exceeded my expectations. The town was wonderfully lively, but nice and small–and the views from the course location and from the hotel Blue Dolphin where we were staying were gorgeous. So yes, I think this is an excellent location for Omilo courses. I was very happy with the teaching and with what I learned, as well as with the activities. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the other side of the island to see Chora as we were so happy (and busy) in Batsi! We might have done so had we been on Andros longer.
I continue now my lessons at home and maybe I will even be able to do some work with Φύγαμε για ελληνικά, which you so kindly gave me in August.
Warm greetings from Switzerland!
Carolyn, Switzerland
Andros intensive course, July 2015
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Greek in Action, by Peter Thomas, USA
I knew I wanted to take some Greek lessons in Athens, since I was planning my walking trip in Greece. Only, I wasn’t sure where. Someone I knew suggested The Atens Center, and I looked closely at this school on the web. It was appealing in certain ways, but I decided to keep looking. My Google search took me to Omilo.
So I studied at Omilo, in Athens, for two weeks before heading for the hills. I took private lessons the first week, and a group class the second.
Although Omilo says—quite correctly—that they do not provide a homestay option, my experience was in fact very close to a homestay. The school arranged for me to stay with a very welcoming older woman in her large apartment, less than a ten-minute walk to the school. Kyria Ioanna made me breakfast every morning, and we chatted a little in my rudimentary Greek as I ate—and she was usually home in the evenings, so I would exchange a few words with her again then.
Another thing I loved about this arrangement was the proximity to Syngrou—the very large park in Marousi. This was a 10-minute walk from the Omilo school. What I usually did was walk there for an hour before class in the morning, and an hour after class (just before sunset) in the evening. (I love to walk!) When I needed to buy a special something, I walked through Syngrou to Kifissia, one of the wealthiest suburbs of Athens, where there are plenty of boutiques and high-end cafes. The walk to Kifissia from where I lived, through Syngrou, took about 45 minutes. Or sometimes I took the metro—just one stop.
My Greek lessons in Athens came to an end, and I said goodbye to my classmates and thanked the Omilo-team. (take a look at the video of the last day, with Thomas and his classmates)
My walking holiday now started.
One evening in the mountains, we were at a café in a small village. Everyone there was very simply dressed, but suddenly a man in expensive outdoor gear came in. He immediately came to our table and asked us, in fluent English, if he could help us in any way. We chatted for a bit, and—as we were chatting—I ordered something to eat. He then excused himself, and said, “You don’t need me! Manolis called because he thought you needed a translator—but your Greek is fine.”
I felt I had graduated! Thank you, everyone at Omilo—I’ll be back!
Peter Thomas, USA, Athens course , 2014
I’m a great fan of Omilo. Over the years, I’ve been to many of their intensive courses in Greece and for me Omilo’s learning methods are excellent and very inspiring. Therefore I’m very pleased that Omilo also offers various learning materials online, which is very useful, especially now in times of the Covid pandemic with its lockdown and quarantine. I use the Advanced Greek Workbooks. They reflect Omilo’s high standard of learning with a variety of exercises (comprehension, grammar, listening and also some fun) and make it a pleasure to continue learning Greek at home. For me, now that I’m stuck at home, it is a bit like ordering home delivery from my favorite restaurant. I get my favorite Greek lessons home delivered from Omilo.
Filakia, Anna, The Netherlands
_________________________________________
Dear Maya, Dimitris and team,
I hope that you are well. I have just seen the Lefkada 2019 album on Facebook and it brought back some really happy memories.
I had hoped to join you again this year in Lefkada, but sadly, due to covid, it is still difficult for us to travel from Scotland to Greece at the moment. My intention is to come to another course hopefully later in the year or if that does not work out I will definitely be booking to join you in 2022.
Thank you for staying positive and motivated and your newsletter is always informative and interesting.
I hope you all have a wonderful time this summer and I look forward to seeing the photographs of the courses…
Best regards
Janice, UK, Lefkada course, June
_________________________________________
Καλησπέρα, φίλοι μου,
στα Αγγλικά, είναι πιο εύκολο… I’d like to thank you for your messages, your optimism, your projects. You’re wonderful people. It’s difficult in Paris, we cannot go further than 10 km and we have to be at home at 19:00. I’m dreaming of a course with you once again, but we really don’t know what will happen here in France. Meanwhile I wish you the best, φιλάκια πολλά σε όλους
Elisabeth, France, Syros September 2020
_________________________________________
Καλημέρα Maya και Δημήτρη μαζί με όλη την ομάδα OMILO
Και εμείς σας λέμε: ΣΑΣ ΑΓΑΠΑΜΕ! Συγκινηθήκαμε πολύ από τα ηλεκτρονικά σας χαιρετίσματα, τα λουλούδια και τα τραγούδια. Χαρήκαμε να ακούσουμε τις φωνές σας και να νιώσουμε την ενέργεια και το θάρρος στην ζωή και σε ένα καλύτερο μέλλον αν και η κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα δεν είναι εύκολη.
Μας λείπει η κανονική μας ζωή, μας λείπει η θάλασσα, μας λείπει η ελευθερία να ταξιδέψουμε στην Ελλάδα και να σας δούμε από κοντά, να γελάσουμε, να πιούμε, να γιορτάσουμε χωρίς φόβο και χωρίς μάσκα.
Ευτυχώς που συναντούμε τον Κωνσταντίνο κάθε εβδομάδα μέσω SKYPE, χαιρόμαστε κάθε φορά που μας φέρνει την ελληνική γλώσσα και το χαμόγελο του στην οθόνη μας, είναι πάντα μια μεγάλη χαρά να κουβεντιάζουμε μαζί του. Φυσικά θέλουμε να συνεχίζουμε αυτά τα μαθήματα και φυσικά είμαστε σίγουροι πως θα σας δούμε κάποια μέρα στην Σύρο. ΦΙΛΙΚΟΥΣ ΧΑΙΡΕΤΙΣΜΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΑΠΗ από την Ελβετία.
Edith & Richi, Switzerland
_________________________________________
I’m a great fan of Omilo. Over the years, I’ve been to many of their intensive courses in Greece and for me Omilo’s learning methods are excellent and very inspiring. Therefore I’m very pleased that Omilo also offers various learning materials online, which is very useful, especially now in times of the Covid pandemic with its lockdown and quarantine. I use the Advanced Greek Workbooks. They reflect Omilo’s high standard of learning with a variety of exercises (comprehension, grammar, listening and also some fun) and make it a pleasure to continue learning Greek at home. For me, now that I’m stuck at home, it is a bit like ordering home delivery from my favorite restaurant. I get my favorite Greek lessons home delivered from Omilo.
Filakia, Anna, The Netherlands
Καλημέρα my dear Omilo family!
I wanted to thank you for all of your news, videos and newsletters. It makes me feel that we are still connected and that is important. I can see that despite these times you are presenting an attitude of positivity. Knowing you I would not have expected anything less. Bravo!
Of course, no overseas travel from Australia, in 2021, due to Covid . So I wish you, Dimitri, Maya, Marina, Kosta, Terpsi and the others my very best wishes for Spring and Summer as we here go into Autumn and Winter. Courage to you all.
Irene, Australia, several courses in Athens and Syros
_________________________________________
Jassu kai kalispera!
I’m very proud to let you and the Omilo-team know that my Greek colleagues are very impressed with the progress I’ve made. I have the courage to speak with some of them in Greek about everyday themes now and I think I’m doing alright.
Your posts on social media take me back to the wonderful time I spent in Syros. I’m thankful for the very pleasant experience and I look forward to returning as soon as possible. Needless to say that I miss the sea, the waves, the wind and the laid-back lifestyle of the Greek summer on the islands!
Of course, I will continue to learn Greek!!! My teacher here in Berlin is also very happy that I dare to speak now! Thanks, dear Maya, for keeping in touch, for caring so much about your students and your school, for all the love and dedication you put into your work!
All the best for you, Omilo and Masaresi for the second half of this crazy year! Na ste kala! Fillia polla stous olous!
Susanna, Germany, Syros July 2020
(translated by Google) The book “Φύγαμε για ελληνικά!” (Off we go to learn Greek!) offers a very good opportunity for Greek students from level B1 to expand their vocabulary and to use it through the very good and detailed exercises. A positive element of the book, in the opinion of my students, is that the listening dialogues are very realistic and clear. The 25 units of the book cover many aspects of everyday life and provide useful vocabulary. I recommend it.
(original text) Das Buch “Φύγαμε για ελληνικά!” (Los geht es mit Griechisch!) bietet eine sehr gute Gelegenheit für die Griechisch-Studenten ab Niveau B1 ihr Wortschatz zu erweitern und ihn durch die sehr guten und ausführlichen Übungen zu verwenden. Ein positives Element des Buches- nach der Meinung meiner Studenten- ist, dass die Dialoge zum Hörverstehen sehr realistisch und klar ausgesprochen sind. Die 25 Einheiten des Buches bedecken viele Aspekten des Alltags und bieten nützlicher Wortschatz. Sehr zu empfehlen! https://omilo.com/publications/fygame-greek-language-book/
Caterina Latsi Nazzaro, Greek teacher in Switzerland
Καλημέρα Μαia,
I am sorry that I couldn’t say goodbye today. It was a pleasure meeting you, Dimitri, as well as the great teachers. It was a challenge learning to speak a bit more Greek which I liked very much.
I would like to thank you for the perfect organization and efforts made to make us feel comfortable, the tours of Hermopouli and Ano Syros and last but not least, the great dinners at the restaurants. Great people, great food, great classes.
Kind regards,
Catherine , France, Syros July 2020
Liebes Omilo Team,
(translated by Google)
Actually, I would be on my way to Syros, I would be in Athens tonight with a delicious meal and would set sail tomorrow morning, and I would be so happy to greet you all in Azolimnos , Syros, and give you a warm welcome embrace (coronalike, of course), and after a familiar start to the first fantastic meal in the tavern, we would happily and curiously exchange ideas, of course about all the unfamiliar news of the past few months. But almost everything turned out differently, you will still start on Sunday, and I’m very happy for you, despite all the difficulties…. you do it wonderfully.
Instead, I will stay in Switzerland with a heavy heart. And I can tell you, it almost tears my heart apart, but under the current circumstances, it is just too risky for me … to fly, to be too close with too many people, etc. After all, I’m lucky enough to do that I can enjoy regular lessons with my teacher here, I’ll stick with it.
You have continued to work so creatively for months and made such great offers, made so many things possible online. I just want to thank you very much for that. In my thoughts, I am often with you, soon especially in the knowledge that you will do the same great job with a reduced number of students. I wish you a happy start on Sunday and of course, I hope that I can see and experience you again next year.
Filákia kai kaló kalokaíri
(Original Text) Eigentlich wäre ich jetzt unterwegs auf dem Weg nach Syros, wäre heute Abend wohl in Athen bei einem leckeren Essen und würde morgen früh in See stechen, und ich würde mich so sehr freuen, euch alle in Asolimnos zu begrüssen und herzlichst zu umarmen (coronalike natürlich), und wir würden uns nach einem mir zum Teil bekannten, vertrauten Start beim ersten fantastischen Essen in der Taverne freudig und neugierig austauschen, auch natürlich über all die ungewohnten Neuigkeiten der vergangenen Monate. Es ist aber fast alles anders gekommen, ihr werdet zwar am Sonntag trotzdem starten, und das freut mich sehr für euch, trotz aller Schwierigkeiten…. ihr macht das wunderbar. Ich werde statt dessen in der Schweiz bleiben, schweren Herzens. Und ich kann euch sagen, es zerreisst mir fast das Herz, aber es ist mir unter den momentanen Umständen einfach alles zu riskant…… zu fliegen, mit zu vielen Menschen zu eng unterwegs zu sein usw.. Ich habe ja immerhin das Glück, dass ich bei Christa regelmässigen Unterricht geniessen kann, ich bleibe dran.
Ihr habt nun während Monaten so grossartig kreativ weiter gearbeitet und so tolle Angebote gemacht, online so vieles ermöglicht. Dafür möchte ich euch einfach ganz herzlich danken. Ich bin in Gedanken oft bei euch, demnächst ganz besonders, im Wissen darum, dass ihr mit reduzierter Anzahl StudentInnen denselben Super Job machen werdet. Ich wünsche euch einen glücklichen Start am Sonntag und ich hoffe natürlich gerne, dass ich euch nächstes Jahr wieder sehen und erleben darf.
Filákia kai kaló kalokaíri. Allerherzlichste Grüsse an euch Alle
Mariette, Switzerland, ex-student 2018-2019
Γεια σας!
first of all, I want to say thank you for this wunderfull experience I had with Omilo! You have done an excellent job !
Organisation :
I have found you on the internet, not knowing anything about you. Was mir sofort gefallen hat: regelmäßiger mail-Kontakt sowie Informationen vor Kursbeginn, insbesondere was Anfahrt, Hotel … betrifft.
Auch vor Ort war die Betreuung hervorragend. Man hat gemerkt, dass es euch wirklich ein Anliegen ist, zufriedene Gäste – ja, nicht Kunden, sondern Gäste! – zu haben.
Course:
I was very satisfied with my teachers, and it’s a very good thing to have 2 of them. Every person has also a different way to communicate- das ermöglicht unterschiedliche Zugänge und Anknüpfungspunkte zur Sprache. Terpsi und Kostantinos haben ihren Job sehr gut gemacht. Terpsi, mit ihrer ruhigen und geduldigen Art, Kostantinos mit seinem guten Gefühl dafür, wie man Gelerntes praktisch umsetzen kann und aus uns Schülern das Beste herausholt.
Ich glaube, alle Kursteilnehmer sind sehr zufrieden gewesen mit dem Unterricht, auch weil alles drumherum so schön ist. Was den Kursinhalt anbelangt, so bin ich sogar mit der Balance zwischen Reden und Grammatik zufrieden (obwohl kein Grammatikfan). Ich glaube allerdings, dass man dabei Theorie zugunsten von Strukturübungen verlagern könnte. Sorry für meine sprachliche „Sprunghaftigkeit“,
Ich wünsch euch allen noch einen Rest von kalò kalokèri und freue mich auf ein Wiedersehen! Ta lème, xaipetismoùs,
Eleonora, Austria
Syros July 2019
Beste Maya, Dimitris en docenten Omilo,
Mijn beste wensen voor een goed 2020 !!Dank voor alle mailberichten die ik regelmatig van Omilo ontvang; ik probeer regelmatig Grieks te studeren, en volg nog steeds lessen in Nederland.Helaas kan ik er minder tijd aan besteden dan ik zou willen, omdat ik nog lesgeef. Ik weet nog niet helemaal zeker wanneer ik met pensioen wil gaan, maar daarna zal ik zeker intensiever Grieks gaan studeren.
Ik denk heel vaak aan de prachtige weken die ik op Andros en Syros bij Omilo heb doorgebracht, en als de tijd geschikt is, zien jullie mij zeker terug. De allerbeste wensen en we houden contact.
Vriendelijke groeten,
Ineke, The Netherlands
Andros and Syros courses
Dear Maya, Dimitri and dear all teachers,
Ime kala, poli kala .-)) Times goes so fast and I forget to write you about my Syros course.
I enjoyed it very very much and my teacher here said that I improved my greek. I don’t fear anymore to speak, it is not always accurate, but I enjoy.
At the beginning of the course in Syros I really thought to know more and was a bit disappointed to « regress » and go back to future and aorist. But after the 2 weeks I realized it was good for me.
I have to thank Marina for the 3-4 days devoted to the grammatical part which I enjoyed very much. I have also learned a lot of everyday vocabulary with Konstantinos which I thank as well, and songs with Terpsi.
I would like to also try another course in Nafplio but for now I am not sure if I can come and get holidays at work. Tha doume! If I can’t do it in April I will come for another course somewhere else but be sure I will come. My pleasure in learning Greek improved after last September in Syros , I am more motivated . So for now please send my best regards to everybody
Ta leme
Gorana, UK
Syros course, September 2019
Dear Omilo,
now I’m back in Northern Europe after some nice weeks in Monemvasia.
I really enjoyed the course! Our teachers were always well prepared and their lessons were interesting. We could make the same mistakes on and on and we never had the impression they thought, oh no, not again…. and we could laugh together….
I liked the concept with few students all staying in this nice hotel, having breakfast together, I could be alone, but I didn’t have to. From the moment we met on the first evening, I had the feeling being with friends in Greece.
I learned a lot and now I’m very motivated to continue to learn this difficult language!
During the weeks in Monemvasia I had so many opportunities to practice, made so many mistakes but somehow I lost my fear to speak.
I recommended you to some foreign friends who live there and want to improve their Greek.
Omilo is so different to other schools!!
I’m sure we’ll meet again next year! Greetings from the grey, cold and stormy Baltic sea
Tora , Denmark
Hermoupolis course, September 2019
Dear Omilo-Team,
It was again a great pleasure to spend time with you, to learn Greek, to have fun and to enjoy the Greek way of life!
We very much appreciated your never ending dedication and enthusiasm to teach us Greek. You never surrendered when we made the same mistake for the hundredth time.
We enjoyed the dinners at the tavernas, the blue sky, the turquoise sea, the boat trip, your presentations, the Greek music evening and last but not least your pleasant company.
We’ll meet again at Lefkada in June 2020! Best regards and thousand kisses to all of you,
Theresa & Peter Switzerland
Hermoupolis Syros course, September 2019
Dear Maya,
First of all I would like to let you and the whole Omilo-Team know how much I enjoyed the course on Syros! I had a fantastic time, made some
progress speaking Greek and I am very motivated to keep going. Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ!
Πολλούς χαιρετισμούς,
Ulrike, Germany
Syros September and Athens November 2019
Γειά σας. Εδώ το “feedback” (πώς το λένε στα Ελλινικά;)
For Google Review (I couldn’t figure out how to post it myself, so here it is)
I ventured to try Omilo’s 1-week intensive course on the Greek island Syros this past summer, and it was absolutely wonderful. My Greek vastly improved. The faculty was most competent, consummately professional, full of energy, had a marvelous sense of humor, and were exceptionally welcoming and patient. I got to listen, speak, eat, drink, dance, & sing, all in Greek. I highly recommend the experience for anybody at any level of ability in the language.
Stephen, USA
Syros course, September 2019
Dear Omilo,
Apologies for not replying sooner, time flies when you get back to normality!
I would like to say how very much I enjoyed my week in Syros with the Omilo team. What a perfect place to hold the course and what a calm, patient and inspiring group of teachers. I never felt foolish for making mistakes or needing to be reminded over and over about why what I had just said or written was not quite right.
The mixture of grammar and conversation was just right and the encouragement I received developed my confidence in speaking, partly because the tutors spoke slowly and clearly, allowing me time to process what I have heard – unfortunately this is not always the case with people in general which makes me hesitant to make an attempt.
The text book will be very useful to work through when I have time and am planning to listen to the CD in the car. I also have a copy of the little Lydia book that I am looking forward to reading.
I enjoyed the evening activities too. I have not played backgammon since I was a child and had forgotten how good it was, and I have never mastered any steps in Greek dancing before despite many attempts, so that was quite an achievement. The music presentation was a revelation as I love music from that era but had never heard of Manos Xadjidakis before.
The tour of Ermoupolis was just right but perhaps an opportunity to see a film at the outdoor cinema of Hermoupolis could be considered for another year?
I first studied Greek about 20 years ago but was unable to continue for various reasons, but I have always done a little revision if we have been travelling to Greece for a holiday. I came away this time feeling that I had reached the level that I was at when I had been learning all those years ago, and a wish that I had been able to stay another week with you, so that is a very positive outcome!
I would very much like to return next year, but obviously that depends on where life takes me in the meantime.
However I would like to repeat my thanks to all for such a wonderful experience, and best wishes for a good summer.Theresa, UK
Syros, June 2019
Hi Omilo team,
Thank you so much for an absolutely wonderful experience, I hope to be back in the very near future. Please keep going, it means to much to everyone who attended!I would be also happy if you could put the following paragraph on the website:
If you love all things Greek and would like more from your holiday than lying on the beach and visiting ruins this is perfect. My two weeks in Lefkada were amazing on so many levels.
I improved my language and knowledge of Greece (and Greek dancing!), all in the safe and supportive Omilo hands. I was surrounded by an incredible group of people from all over the world, all passionate about Greece.
I ate and drank like a king, talked and laughed, filled my soul, and yes, lay on the beach and visited ruins too! Couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Just go!
Have a great summer!Evodia, South Africa/Australia
Lefkada, June 2019
Dear Maya,
I had a wonderful time in Lekada. Everything was perfect. For me the course was the ideal combination of conversation and grammar – Dimitri picked up on my nervousness, and thanks to his and Eva’s encouragement during the lessons,
and talking with them and Constantinos and Terpsi in the evenings and the breaks, I overcame my fears, and for the last week since the course finished I have been talking happily in Greek –
Ag Nikitas was wonderful, and all our trips, the evening events etc were 100% great. Not too much, not too little, very interesting and entertaining. I can’t think of any way you could improve it, and I am already looking forward to next year.
You and Dimitri and the team have managed to create the ideal course – no wonder people want to return year after year. Thank you so much.
Very best wishes,
Helena, UK
Lefkada, June 2019
Αγαπητή Maya, αγαπητέ Δημήτρη,
σας ευχαριστούμε για τις φωτογραφίες από τη Λευκάδα.
Ήταν μία τέλεια ομάδα. Αυτό θυμηθήκαμε συχνά και ευχαρίστως.
Συμφωνήσαμε να έρθουμε πάλι του χρόνου.
Καλό καλοκαίρι
Γιοργκ και Κάριν, Germany
Lefkada, June 2019
Liebe Maya, Lieber Dimitris
Hier also besagtes Wort, welches mir beim Abschied gefehlt hat!
Aber ihr Alle wart nicht nur einladend, sondern gleichermassen zugewandt, aufmerksam, fürsorglich und interessiert. Wir haben uns jedenfalls sofort wohlgefühlt in eurer Schule!
Nach zwei intensiven Lernwochen, in denen wir so viel gelacht haben, wie schon lange nicht mehr – und wir lachen eigentlich oft! – sitzen wir nun etwas wehmütig in Kardamili und “verdauen” so nach und nach all die vielen Eindrücke und Erfahrungen. Derweil freuen wir uns jetzt schon auf Syros, wo wir euch ja alle wieder sehen werden, hoffentlich gesund und munter: ??e?a ?a ?p???e?!
Maya, Dimitris, Konstantinos, Terpsi und Eva: euch ein riesengrosses DANKESCHÖN für alles und eine dicke Umarmung für jede/n von euch!Von Herzen,
Theresa und Peter, Switzerland
Nafplion, Easter 2019
Beste Omilo-team,
Ik heb een fantastische week gehad in Nafplio, het was nog veel leuker dan ik had verwacht, dus ik kom zeker nog een keertje terug!
Mijn complimenten voor de docenten!! Allemaal even enthousiast, deskundig en geduldig. Ik vond het heel fijn dat de les zo veel mogelijk in het Grieks was, ze wisten zo waar alles zo simpel uit te leggen dat het goed te volgen was in het Grieks.
Jolanda, The Netherlands
Nafplion, Easter April 2019
Kalimera sas,
I had a really enjoyable week with Omilo. Didn’t know what to expect but it was a very friendly relaxed atmosphere from day one. The students all mixed well and there were many opportunities to socialise outside of the classroom. Good choice of cultural activities in the afternoon.
I liked the small classes and the amount of speaking activities we did. This for me was quite difficult but I know it is an area I need to improve on. The two teachers I had as were very patient and helped improve and extend my vocab and most importantly improved my confidence to speak.
Sometimes the pace was a bit fast and moments I did get lost but the teachers were always happy to make sure I understood.
The setting of the correct level on day one I thought was very good and creating a new class for the three of us showed how you are flexible enough to adapt to the needs of the students. Perfect
Thank you for a great week and all being well I hope to see you next year.Angela, UK
Athens, March 2019
Hello to the whole Omilo team of Hermoupolis!
We all talked a lot about Omilo during our pauses and we all agreed that the course was excellent. I am still on my way back home, with no access to my PC, which is why I use my mobile.
Here some feedback: I first heard about you through friends who were very enthusiastic about you and who advised me to try one of your courses. In Athens I met Susanne who is a former student of yours and who regretted that she had not been able to attend the Hermoupolis course! I was very satisfied with the course! It was really fun and it gave me inspiration and motivation to go on with my studies! The course had just the right balance of conversation and grammar. The pace was just right for me and the two others in my group. I am also very satisfied with the administrative services. Omilo is very well organized. The information that we got before and during the course was excellent. I have attended two other language schools and neither of them was as well organized as you are! Indeed you have found a good balance between classes and other activities. The Electra Hotel was a good choice. Clean, nice, quiet and the view from my window was something that I will not soon forget! Martha did everything she could for us. The taverna was equally a good choice. The atmosphere was friendly, the food delicious! But there was too much food. I wonder what happened to all we sent back? I have already recommended the course to friends and I will continue to do do.
To conclude: You do such a wonderful job and you are all wonderful representatives of your country and your culture, embodying the real Greek filoksenia!!! If Dimitris and Jenny will excuse me now, I should like to say a few words to Konstantinos and Eva: I really enjoyed being in your class. You are such dedicated and inspiring teachers! Having been a teacher myself I think I know what it takes. Your patience was endless and so was the will to explain to us the mysteries of the Greek grammar!
It was real fun! Penta-fun, actually! Me polla xeretismous!!
Einar, Norway,
1-week Hermoupolis course, October 2018
Dear Omilo team,
I came to the week’s course on Syros, Hermoupolis, without any prior formal instruction at all on modern Greek. However, over 40 years ago(!), I worked on transforming my ancient Greek enough to enable me to read/write and (barring for me the rather problematic ξ’s and ρ’s) to make myself generally understood with basic phrases on a handful of holidays in Greece. Over the few months before the course, I spent a fair amount of time self-studying and one of the things I wanted to get out of the course was an understanding of how far I had got. Unsurprisingly, the outcome was that I got a very realistic understanding of how much further I need to get!
My abiding take-away from the Omilo course is that the whole set-up is 100% professional; all the way from the pre-visit administration, through the quality of the individual tutors and the careful organisation of the evening activities to the attention with which their website is maintained. In one sense, the key product of the course is the tuition and I was really impressed by the patience, energy and professionalism of the tutors.
To be clear, the tutors are not just Greek people who happen to speak English very well: they are experts at their language with a deep understanding of grammatical structures etc which they are able to communicate very effectively to the students. As for the broader reach of the course, I have to say that I had some trepidation beforehand (Could I keep up? How would I get on socially with the other students on the course?) but I was really pleased to find that the whole group got on with each other really well. Everyone is there for the same purpose and it was fun getting to know each other. Fairly intense as the lessons were, the whole week was hugely enjoyable; there’s certainly enough downtime to relax and the evening activities were well prepared and very interesting.
Robert Hart, UK,
1-week Hermoupolis course, October 2018
Dear Dimitri, dear Maya,
Hope that you are doing fine and finding some time to relax.
After the course in Hermoupolis, we (Amy & me) are still in Athens. At the end of the course I asked myself: Did I benefit? And I said to myself: Yes. I asked three to four other participants, and with no hesitation, they answered: Yes, we did benefit.
The reasons for my benefit:
1. I lost my fear to speak Greek. One simple sentence of Διμιτρις made that possible: ‘If you don’t know the Greek term just go ahead in another language and keep on speaking’.
The course was encouraging to continue learning that difficult language.
2. One comment on the organization: the entire pre-course communication was close to perfection. No ‘maybe’, and no ‘we are sorry to…’.
The within-organization was also perfect. The schedules were very reasonable. And again no: ‘we needed to change the … because of …’.
3. The teachers, here Εβα και Κονσταντινος, made a great job, although both in a very different manner. Very likely, this was of high value. Also, the presentations of both of them were very welcome and very informative.
4. One little, quite different aspect from my side: The dinners were very nice (somewhat voluminous). One note to the ‘Electrical’ Hotel. This is an almost perfect concept. Almost all actions are on the same site. No waste of time due to walking from here to here. Maybe further improve the infrastructure, e.g. have larger οθόνη fixed at the wall or below the ceiling.
That it was. Αυτά ήθελα να πω.
Kind regards and many more fully booked coursesJochen, Germany,
Hermoupolis , October 2018
Kalispera Omilo team,
Once again, ‘mil gracias’ for a wonderful week in Syros (too short) and for all that you do to bring together such a great group of people 🙂
What I found most useful during the course was a. the exchange between the students promoted during the lessons – maybe helped because we seemed to be quite a chatty group!
b. the follow up to vocabulary introduced through reinforcement ‘games’ and exercises
c. the no-pressure approach with regard to homework – each individual can do as much (or as little) as he/she wantsIt is hard to think of anything you could improve! – OMILO has achieved a great balance between offering classes and activities without spoon feeding students.
I think that part of the ‘winning formula’ of OMILO is how you have managed to make us all feel part that we are part of OMILO. Orchestrating the OMILO team and such a large body of OMILO students is no mean feat. Re-meeting ‘chums’ from previous years or sharing the Greek language experience with ‘new’ chums and exchanging experiences all helps immensely in the language learning process. Can’t wait for next year’s course 🙂
Abrazos a todo el equipo desde la Ciudad de Mexico,
Maggie, Mexico/ Italy,
Syros August 2018
Dear Maya,
Thanks for the photo album, it was nice to get a glimpse of Azolimnos again.
I really liked my course. Although for me it was a bit slow during the first week, it was just right during the second week.
I found the learning environment in Azolimnos perfect. I was able to disconnect fully from my eveveryday life, forget my job and enjoy my summer holidays. The number of hours of classes was just st right, leaving me enough time to enjoy my stay. It was also a great opportunity to meet people frfrom different places.Kind regards,
Aleksandra, Luxemburg,
Syros September 2018
Herzlichen Dank euch allen. Ihr seid wunderbar.
So macht lernen Spass! Der Kurs ist ausgezeichnet gestaltet und professionell organisiert. Das Lernen findet in einer so schönen, herzlichen Atmosphäre statt, die Lehrerinnen und Lehrer sind alle so offen, zugewandt und verständnisvoll, ich habe mich sehr wohl gefühlt. Auch die Angebote ausserhalb des Kurses waren perfekt, eine ideale Mischung aus Sprache und Kultur und Feriengefühl. Und der Ort und die Unterbringung lassen eigentlich keine Wünsche offen. Ich bin begeistert und möchte an dieser Stelle euch allen nochmals ganz herzlich danken für diese wunderbare Zeit. Ich hoffe sehr, euch wieder zu sehen…..
Ta léme
Mariette, Switzerland
Syros, Intensive course, July 2018
Hello Omilo Team,
Όπως και η Cathie και o Larry, υπέφερα πολύ επί αυτές τις 2 εβδομάδες, ειδικά με “θα κλείσω, θα δουλέψουμε, θα ανοίξουν, Θα είναι, θα μείνεις, θα μάθω
vα μιλήσω, θα προσπαθήσω, θα κοιμάμαι, ανατολικά, δυντικά, απόψε, φέτος, πέρσι, του χρόνου, κ.λπ., κ.λπ. …..”.
Aλλά είμαι πολύ ευχαριστημένος με το αποτέλεσμα.Tο μάθημα τελειώστε, αλλά πρέπει να συνεχίσω να μάθω ελληνικά.
Θα είναι δύσκολο, αλλά θα προσπαθήσω.
Aληθινά !!!Kαι, αν ποτέ ποτέ , θέλω να επικοινωνήσω μια ώρα με Skype με έναν καθηγητή, πώς πρέπει να κάνω;
Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ και ακόμα για τα μαθήματα.
Θα σας δούμε σύντομα με το Skype.Nα στε καλά.
Jacques, France
Lefkada, Intensive course, June 2018
Καλημέρα!
Είμαι καλά, αλλά μου λείπει η Αθήνα και δεν μιλάω πολλά ελληνικά στην Γαλλία. I was very satisfied with the course and the course materials. It had just the right balance of listening/reading and talking/writing skills. The most useful for me were the conversation classes, especially once we were split in smaller groups (3 and 4 students). I really appreciated the cultural activities that were offered and the general «ambiance» at Omilo ! The whole staff was very patient, encouraging us and working in a good mood. Thank you very much again for this week at Omilo (and the car ride from centre Athens to Marousi in a nice French car!) , I hope that you are all fine! This was my first feedback, bit I will try to take some time to write a proper review later..
A bientôt j’espère,
Bertrand, France
Athens, intensive course, May 2018
Dear Demetri, Maya, Marina, Terpsi and of course my dear Konstantinos,
As our family wraps up a 14 months in Greece, I find myself often reflecting on the many weeks spent in the Omilo classroom and how much I learned. Our little beginner group and the lessons was the highlight of the six months from October to April.
When we came to Greece last June, our big goal was to learn the language. A year later, naturally, the children’s grasp of Greek and fluency is excellent, as they were immersed in it every day, all day at school. But … Demetri and I held our own, and that of course is thanks to you! Konstantino, you are such a gifted teacher and special person, and not just because of your great sound effects and spot-on sign language.
The Omilo ‘method’ is terrific: lots of interactive talking where we learned and reviewed, some of the book lesson, homework that was fun, and flash cards to give us the visuals of what we were talking about. I enjoyed every minute of the classes, even when I was utterly confused about when exactly to drop my s in the accusative.I see my Greek as fairly transactional, which is exactly what I needed for our everyday life. After 6 or so weeks in school, I felt comfortable in the supermarket, the bakery and asking a basic question of Kyria Soula or Kyrie Aleko απο το σχολικο about something for the next day. I didn’t always understand the answer. And then one day, our class (Barbara, Lucy, Diane and me) met near Syntagma for coffee and language practice when some tourists from India asked us if we knew where the tourist police was. We had just had the lesson about directions that week, so we were able to ask the staff of the nearby deli … and to my delight I understood what they said and we could help the folks outside.
The following, however, is what made me realize how much you had taught me. One day in the Spring I went to school to pay the boys’ basketball bill. It was shortly after we started the lessons for future tense. I walked in, greeted the front desk staff and asked in Greek, «Θαηθηλα να πληρωσω το λογαριασμο για τον μπασκετ, παρακαλο.» The school teachers and staff had always been gracious and patient with my Greeklish, but on this day, the Δημοτικο secretary hugged me and said what I understood to be that I spoke Greek so well and how over the summer I knew NOTHING. NOTHING! NOTHING! (Yep, τιποτα three times). And then she took me into the accounting office and told Kyria Xrysanthi the same thing and asked me to repeat my payment request. I felt ten feet tall and it was all because of Konstantinos. They wanted to know where I had studied the language and learned so fast and I was only happy to sing the praises of Omilo.We are so glad we found your wonderful school and we’ll return in the future for classes. I am just dying to know verb past tenses. And speaking of, Demetri’s stepmother is joining the Syros class at the end of August. Ο Παππους was so impressed with what we were learning that he convinced Sandy to try a class.
We send our love to all of you and wish you a wonderful rest of the summer and year ahead. And until we meet again, Demetri and I will be avid readers of the Omilo newsletter and blog. Να σε καλα.
Kristen, USA
Athens, 4-week courses, October-April 2018
Beste Omilootjes
Het concept van de taalcursus zoals door Omilo opgevat is heel geslaagd. Een mooie mix van lessen met daarnaast ook interessante en leuke ‘naschoolse’ activiteiten en dit alles in het gezelschap van medestudenten van over heel de wereld die samen dezelfde passie delen: Griekenland.
Ik heb genoten van de lessen die door enthousiaste leerkrachten werden gegeven. Hun geduld werd door ons – de studenten – soms op de proef gesteld, maar toch bleven ze steeds correct en zochten ze inventief naar andere manieren (al dan niet met een schepje humor) om ons een en ander duidelijk te maken.
Omilo is zeker aan te bevelen en ik maak al plannen om er een volgend keertje opnieuw bij te zijn, op één van de eilanden dan.
Ik wens jullie een heel fijne, warme, gezellige en fantastische zomer.
Τα λέμε
Έμη, Belgium
Athens, Intensive Course, May 2018
Kalispera,
I really enjoyed the week and getting to know Athens. The course was good revision and the teachers so patient. It was a good balance of listening, talking, reading in class. Additional activities also contributed to knowing more about Athens and Greek culture and an opportunity for socialising (important if you come on your own). I still have so much to learn so I think I will be back and might even consider Skype lessons.
χαιρετίσματα από την Κρήτη
Anne
Athens, intensive course, May 2018
Γεια σας Omilo team,
Σας εύχαριστω πολύ για την ωραία εβδομάδα στην Αθηνα!
Η φιλοξενία σας, οι ταλαντούχοι δάσκαλοι, η εντιαφέρουσα βόλτα, ωραία συναυλία κτλ.Συγχαρητήρια για όλα αυτά!
Ik heb genoten van de warme sfeer, de getalendeerde leerkrachten hebben mij zeer gemotiveerd en de activiteiten buiten de lesuren waren zeer goed gekozen.
Tijdens de lessen was er veel variatie : teksten, spraakkunst, muziek, en vooral conversatie waarbij elke fout in de gesproken zin wordt verbeterd omdat de theoretische kennis in mijn geval beter is dan de praktische. Zeer persoonlijk, voor mij hadden de lessen nog ietsje moeilijker mogen zijn, maar ik heb wel weer zeer veel geleerd.Ik kan jullie cursussen zeker aan iedereen aanbevelen.
θερμούς χαιρετισμούς,
Nicole, Belgium
Athens, intensive course, March 2018
Kalispera,
Efcharisto yia ola masi stin Athina. Itan thavmasia!!
Sorry for the greeklish- but I dont have a Greek keyboard at work.
It was great to meet the students from different countries, and of course also the teachers. The lessons were a great mix of talking and grammar. I learned a lot of new useful words and verbs.Also the combination of teaching and social activities was great. I will definitely come back.
Eva , Sweden
Athens, intensive course, February 2018
Bonjour Maya, bonjour à tous,
Merci à toute l’équipe, ce fut pour moi 2 semaines de rêve ! ! !
Le plus utile et le plus bénéfique ça a été de faire 4 heures par jour de cours pendant 6 jours : le rythme est soutenu et permet de garder en mémoire ce qu’on a vue la veille ou le matin. Difficile de définir ce qui a été le plus intéressant puisque tout était passionnant : les cours, les profs, les activités annexes, l’ambiance, l’hébergement etc, etc….
Je salue bien toutes et tous, un grand merci encore à vous….
Myrthis, France
Syros, intensive course, August 2017
Dear Maya, Dimitri, Marina, Konstantinos, Zyranna and Terpsi,
Back at home I would like to thank you for the nice week spent with you, even if I missed some lessons: I enjoyed very much the very good teachers and the nice schoolmates,
as well as the wonderful landscape of Azolimnos.Lessons by Omilo are a happy mixing of hard work (grammar, syntax, verbs) and listening and conversation. The teachers are very professional and very patient.
The whole team of Omilo is dedicated to the students, also by organizing events after the lessons.
Good feeling between the summates also in the free time.It is nice to know and to spend vacations with people of different countries and different ages that have the same interests and the same passion: Greece.
I wish to everybody of you good autumn and good winter and hope to see you again in the next year.
Best regards,
Luisa, Italy
Syros, intensive course, August 2017
Καλημέρα,
Happy to provide feedback on the course, although I found everything to be excellent! How do you improve on that? I’ll say this:
From the day we found the Omilo website and made enquiries, the contact with Omilo was clear and informative. A warm welcome from the Omilo team greeted us on day one, when we met our fellow Greek students and found we were around 14 in all and from many different locations, all united by the common interest in Greek language and culture. After a test we were out into classes. Such a feast of learning for me, but my Greek was so rusty! I needed to go back to the basics. Here is where I really came to see what a wonderful school this is. I quickly realised that the level was beyond me. A quick discussion with Δημήτρης and all was settled. I changed classes and found myself with Kostas and Marina. No matter what the level however, I could not have been happier. The teachers are highly professional and competent, blending their pedagogic excellence with warmth and friendliness. Teachers and students mixed comfortably and I feel I’ve made new friends The extra curricular activities which I went to were both informative and fun.
My only regret is that Australia is so far away, as I would be turning up at Omilo at least once a year if I could.
My very warm wishes to you all
Irene, Australia
Athens, intensive course, May 2017
Hallo toffe leraars en leraressen,
Ik heb met veel plezier deelgenomen aan de Griekse cursus en ik heb niet alleen veel bijgeleerd, maar ik heb ook een heel ontspannende tijd beleefd op Lefkada.
Als ex-leerkracht vind ik het belangrijk dat een leerkracht zijn of haar studenten weet enthousiast te maken voor zijn of haar vak. Daarom worden wij ook leerKRACHT genoemd. Alle vier waar ik al les van heb gehad, verdienen die titel.
Hun inzet, hun geduld, hun inlevingsvermogen en hun liefde voor de taal verdienen alle respect.
Doe zo voort, jullie verdienen op alle gebied een dikke 10.
Niet alleen voor de lessen, maar ook voor de leuke uitstappen, die we mochten genieten.
Veel liefs,
Maria, Belgium
Lefkada, intensive course, June 2017
Dear Omilo team,
I enjoyed my intensive course in Athens may 2017 very much.
Very impressed I was by the personal touch of the team, you know how to get a good impression of the level of each student before the start/kick off, and you are able to fit in the lessons accordingly.
We had a lot of fun but also we learned a lot, me and my student companian, as we were in a small group of only two persons, it felt like private lessons..
Terpsi and Dimitris were able to step down to our beginners-level, but still teaching Greek together with a lot of humor and amusement. Both have this ‘big smile’ while trying to learn us something, it’s really bazzling how they do it!
This is the strong point of Omilo, the personal touch and fun in combination with many serious moments to learn the Greek language and the Greek ways!
Do not change this perfect style..
Ta leme (Next year??)
Victor, The Netherlands
Athens, intensive course, May 2017
Dear Maya,
We loved Omilo’s philosophy, its program structure, and its dedicated instructors and staff.
No one can learn a language in 2 weeks; but it is certainly possible to acquire an appreciation for one’s status in that process and to understand the next steps necessary to make progressive advances. Omilo is expert in providing that training, certainly in the Beginner and Intermediate classes that my wife and I were enrolled in.
Not only would we recommend Omilo to others, but we already have!
All the best,
Jack & Arlene, USA
Lefkada, intensive course, June 2017
Καλησπέρα to all the Omilo team
It all seems such a long way from our time in Athens and I have been fretting since we left your wonderful country. I will dream of going back to do another course with you. It’s one of the best decisions Jenny and I have ever made and I enjoyed every minute of the experience. I thank you all for the learning, your dedication and warmth, for the delight of being with you. If I can find a way of repeating the experience, I most certainly will.
Many, many thanks to you all.
Irene, Australia
Athens, intensive course, May 2017
Dear Maya and Dimitris,
Gerry and I really enjoyed our time in Nafplio with you, taking part in Greek Easter celebrations and working on our Greek language. We were both very happy with our classes and our teachers. And Nafplio is one of our favourite towns in Greece; it makes an ideal base for your Easter course.
As we said in Nafplio, we would both like to attend your 2-week September course in Syros as well.
Best regards,
Val & Gerry, France-UK
Nafplion, intensive course, April 2017
Dear Maya, Dear Dimitri,
I wanted to thank you very much for the March course. I was very interested to discover “The School” in Athens at last after having heard such a lot about it. I enjoyed very much the concerts, the walks and the introduction to all aspects of the life in Athens you gave us with such enthusiasm, not to talk of all the opportunities to eat wonderful Greek food together.
The courses with Marina and Terpsi were also very enjoyable and I appreciated once more the very friendly atmosphere of the school.
Will be back in the May courseThanks a lot,
Ta leme,
Marie-Christine, France
Intensive course in Athens, March 2017
“Καλημέρα σας”
Μια καρτούλα για να σας πω χιλιάδες ευχαριστίες σε όλους σας για αυτή την ευχάριστη εβδομάδα που πέρασα στο Μαρούσι με το Ομιλω.
Ο ρυθμός των μαθημάτων μου ταίριασε καταπληκτικά, αισθάνθηκα πολύ καλά και δεν είχα στρες καθόλου…!!! Η Μαρίνα είχε επιλέξει ένα ωραίο πρόγραμμα, χωρίς πολλά διαβάσματα…!! Να μείνω στο Μαρούσι ήτανε μια καλή επιλογή: πιο ήσυχο από το κέντρο, μακριά από την τουριστική κίνηση, έκανα μια βουτιά στην ελληνική ζωή, ανακάλυψα το Μαρούσι και είχα την ευκαιρία να συναντήσω τους Έλληνες φίλους μου.
Ασφαλώς θα μου είχε αρέσει να συναντάω άλλους συμμαθητές αλλά το πλειονέκτημα ήταν πως δεν άκουσα καθόλου Αγγλικά και δεν έπρεπε να τα χρησιμοποιήσω…εντάξει, πολύ λίγα γαλλικά μόνο!! Αυτό το χρειάστηκα για να ξαναβρω λίγη αυτοπεποίθηση στα ελληνικά
Επίσης, κάποια “κεράσια πάνω στην τούρτα” : ένα ωραίο άνετο διαμέρισμα, ο καλοκαιρινός καιρός, οι δυο συναυλίες με παρέα σας…
Αυτά τα ιδιαίτερα μαθήματα ήτανε μια καλή εμπειριά που θα μπορούσα να την ξανακάνω, αυτή η διαμονή μου έκανε ένα “διάλειμμα” και δεν είχα κανένα χρόνο να βαρεθώ! Σας ευχαριστώ για όλα!
Agnes, France
Private lessons in Athens, 2016
Beste Maya,
Ik wou ook nog even tegen jou zeggen dat ik de cursus echt onwijs leuk heb gevonden en vooral erg leerzaam! Ik heb gelukkig durven spreken en vond het erg fijn hoe Konstantinos en Dimitris les gaven. Ik kon ze goed verstaan en ze waren erg duidelijk met alles.
Hoe ik er nu over denk ga ik absoluut volgend jaar weer bij jullie een cursus doen! Dan lijkt Lefkas mij erg leuk, ook van wat ik erover gehoord heb…
In ieder geval bedankt voor de fijne en leuke cursus! Jullie hebben het goed georganiseerd!Groetjes,
Madeleine, The Netherlands
Nafplion intensive course, 2016
Hey Maya, hey Nina,
Τα συγχαρητήρια μου για το υπέροχο Quiz!!!!!!!
Ik ben gisteren naar de quiz geweest. Maar ik was verbaasd als toeschouwer over de veelheid van thema’s, vragen, …. Dit is echt een huzarenstuk. Er moet ongelóóflijk veel tijd ingekropen zijn om al dat materiaal bijeen te sprokkelen, vragen uit te denken, de oude foto’s en filmkes om te zetten naar een formaat waarmee je die met behulp van een cumputer kon projecteren. Echt indrukwekkend! Het resultaat is fantastisch. En ik denk dat ik hiermee de mening van veel deelnemers weergeef, zoniet alle.Nogmaals gefeliciteerd voor dit knapper, schitterende werkstuk!!!!
Leen, Begium
Andros intensive course, May 2016
Hi Maya and Dimitris,
I always watch with interest the Omilo Facebook feed, and lately I’ve been acutely missing Greece — last night I dreamed of being in Syros again, and today has left me feeling disappointed I’m not there to enjoy my adopted second land. Please pass along a warm hello to the Omilo team; I’m really happy that I’ve had contact with all the Omilo staff, and that there’s no one I would be disappointed with to have as an instructor again.
I hope to come next year for two weeks. I’ve even found some sheet music for some dance music, and have begun wading into Greek folk music on mandolin and fiddle. It is a pale reflection of the wonderful live music at Petro’s tavern in Azolimnos.
Have a wonderful summer. I’m jealous of the island life you get to enjoy each summer.
Cheers
David, Canada
Syros intensive course, July 2015
Καλημέρα Omilo, and Τέρψη και Κωνσταντίνος!
Thank you all for an inspiring course. “Intensive” doesn’t even come close to describing how hard you worked us in the beginner course. I left Syros today and have arrived in Milos to join my Danish kayak club. This is our 8th year on the water In Greece, and now for the first time, I can actually communicate. I am really amazed at how much I have learned, and that it seems to be sticking!
For the first time I’ve been able to carry on a pretty good conversation with the husband of Φλώπα, our “Pension mother” here, who speaks absolutely only Greek.
And smiling from ear to ear he is determined that I pronounce everything right, so my lessons are going to continue – though on a more practical, hands-on level here. And when I asked Φλώρα “Πού είναι η Μαρία;” she told me she had finished cleaning for today (in Greek), but a little while later Μαρία appeared at my door and gave me a big welcome. We too are communicating now. Thank you so much! You have helped me open a rewarding door!
Ευχαθριστώ! Κάρολ, από την Δανία
P.S. Wish I could have written all of this in Greek, but maybe after next year …
Carol, Denmark, Syros course – August 2015
Carol, Denmark
Syros intensive course, August 2015
Kalimera!
many many thanks for giving us such a wonderful time. Maya and Terpsi you even got us started on greek dancing ! quite an achievement!
We loved the island of Syros and all its culture and our teachers and fellow pupils.
Very best wishes and kalo himona to all at the school
Jane, UK
Syros intensive course, September 2015
Bonsoir Nina ou /et Maya,
J’espère que vous lisez le français aussi bien que l’anglais, car je préfère m’exprimer dans ma langue maternelle pour vous remercier de tout ce que j’ai appris et vécu pendant le cours de langue à Athènes, au mois de juin de cette année. J’ai apprécié chaque moment et beaucoup aimé l’ambiance que toute l’équipe fait régner dans votre école. J’ai eu un immense plaisir pendant ces deux semaines de cours; encore un IMMENSE merci à Terpsi, à Marina et à Constantino pour leurs compétences, leur gentillesse, leur bonne humeur et leur chaleureux accueil. Merci à Nina, à Maya et à Dimitri pour la parfaite organisation des cours, des activités et leur engagement au côté des élèves.
En septembre ou en octobre, je souhaiterai suivre des cours par Skype. Je vous souhaite de joyeux cours sur les îles cet été, bon courage, et vous embrasse!
Myriam, Switzerland
Athens intensive course, June 2015
Dear Omilo Friends,
unfortunately my Greek isn’t good enough yet to allow me to express my gratitude for the Omilo course I attended in Syros in September. My knowledge has improved indeed and I can see it now that I’ve just begun my 2nd year here in Italy. Your way of teaching while letting your students feel comfortable and welcome is a great help in learning and I believe it depends mostly on your being Greek: that makes the difference! I hope to follow another course in Athens next Spring and meet again all of you.
Ευχαριστώ πολύ για όλα!
Laura, Italy
Syros intensive course, September 2014
Γεια σου Μάγια, γεια σου Δημήτρη,
είμαι η Ροδοθεά Σεραλίδου, η δημοσιογράφος που σας είχα γνωρίσει πέρσι τον Απρίλη, οταν έψαχνα για σχολή ελληνικών για την νικήτριά μας Αγκέλα από το Βερολίνο. Πρόσφατα σας είχα συστήσει στον συνάδελφό μου από τη Ζυρίχη, τον Φράνκο Μπαττέλ. Σημερα συναντηθήκαμε και μου ειπε οτι ειναι πολυ ευχαριστημενος, κάτι που με χαροποιησε ιδιαίτερα. Αν ξαναυπάρξει ενδιαφέρον, θα σας ξανασυστήσω.
Σας ευχομαι τα καλύτερα.Καλές γιορτές!
Φιλικά,
Ροδοθέα, Greece
December 2014
Kalispera!
Here an email to tell you that I loved the course and I think Omilo goes a very long way trying to accommodate individual people’s needs. The Omilo teachers always make sure that every person gets a turn in class, etc. To people who would like more individual tuition and ‘undivided attention’, I strongly recommend skype classes in between group courses. I benefit very much from the skype classes as 1) you set the time which is convenient for you 2)you cannot skip the class or day dream and 3) you can work on filling your individual gaps. I then enjoyed the group courses in Greece and hearing other people all the more, even when they struggled sometimes, as they bring in different vocabulary and broaden the range of topics.
Thanks again.
Gabriella, Switzerland
Skype course, 2014
Goeiedag Maya,
De reis terug uit Syros zit er op. Het was een mooi verblijf ginder, zowel Eric als ik zelf hebben het meermaals gezegd de voorbije dagen. De groep was fantastisch en voor mij kon het niet beter: Dimitris en Konstantinos als leraar. Nooit keek ik eens stiekem op mijn uurwerk of de les nog niet gedaan was. Ik heb enorm gewaardeerd de manier waar hij ons deed luisteren en spreken. Fantastisch gewoon!
Thanks again.
Annemie, Belgium
Syros intensive course, 2014
Dear Omilo Team,
Once more I wanted to thank you for the great Greek Easter course. I wish I could have stayed for the two weeks because I have the impression that I have learned more during these six days than in the previous six months.
The quality of the lessons themselves was outstanding but I do really appreciate the effort you put to organize the “afternoon activities”. During these activities one gets to learn a lot about Greek culture and traditions while at the same time having the opportunity the practice the Greek language with the teachers.
looking forward to seeing you again in other courses!All the best and my regards to all the team,
Daniel, Spain
Nafplion intensive course, 2014
Kalispera all teachers at Omilo!
Thanks for a great week on Syros from August 31 to September 7. Marina, you were a wonderful teacher who opened my eyes to the meaning behind the songs I sing. Eucharisto poli!
PS. I also enjoyed the cultural evenings with Dimitri’s lecture on the Greek crisis and Terpsi’s introduction to modern Greek. Very informative!
Gail, Sweden
Syros intensive course, 2014
Αγαπητοί καθηγητές μας,
Θέλουμε να σας ευχαριστήσουμε για τις φωτογραφίες και βεβαίως για τα πάντα ενδιαφέροντα και ποικιλόμορφα μαθήματα που απολάβαμε στο Ναύπλιο.
Θα θυμηθούμε αυτές τις μέρες με χαρά και θα έρθουμε σίγουρα μια άλλη φορά, ίσως στην Λευκάδα ή αλλού.
Σας ευχόμαστε όλα καλά και καλή επιτυχία με το σχολείο σας. Το κάνετε πολύ ωραία!
Χαιρετισμούς από την – τώρα, κατά εξαίρεση – ζέστη Ελβετία.
Pia & Hans, Switzerland
Nafplion intensive course, 2015
Hello! Kalispera!
I just want to thank you all for a lovely week, both the school, and the walks in Athens. Eating together in the taverns, and not to forget the Greek concert. I shall never forget it. I hope to be back next year. I dont know yet when. Maybe one of your courses on the islands.
Greetings to all,
Torun, Norway
Athens intensive course, 2014
Αγαπημένoi δάσκαλοι,
Ευχαριστώ για τα υπέροχα μαθηματα στην Σγρο τον Ιούλιο. As usual it was exceptional and, once again, I was so impressed with how you manage to look after everyone and bring them together like a family and make sure everyone has a great time. I know this is a lot of hard work but you all do it so well. Could you please send me one of the books, φύγαμε για Ελληνικά. I am also ready to start my Skype lessons , so could you please let me know what times are suitable for the teachers.
Να είστε καλά ,
Sally – Σάλη , Australia
Syros intensive course & Skype Lessons, 2014
Liebe Maya,
nachdem ich mich hier im Alltag wieder zurecht gefunden habe, ist es mir ein Bedürfnis, mich zu bedanken. …mein ganz besonderer Dank gilt natürlich dir – die nette und liebevolle Art und Weise, wie du mir “griechisch” erklärt hast, war einfach wunderbar und hilfreich! …der Dank gilt selbstverständlich dem ganzen Team, es war mehr als Unterricht – es war das zwischenmenschliche, das mir so sehr gefallen und gut getan hat!! …wie es Terpsi gelungen ist, melodisch, spielerisch das Tanzen leicht verständlich vorzuführen, war einfach toll!!
Für mich war es rundum eine fantastische Woche, die zu einer Bereicherung in meinem Leben beigetragen hat!! Die Geste, mir nach der Musik-Veranstaltung – zum Abschied – eine CD, mit den gespielten Liedern zu schenken, wird unvergesslich in meinem Gedächtnis bleiben!!Herzlichen Dank an alle und liebe Grüße – sicherlich wird es ein Wiedersehen geben !!
Alexios, Germany
Lefkada intensive course, 2014
Dear Dimitris,
Once again, thank you and all the Omilo team for the great and interesting Modern Greek course we received in the beautiful island of Syros. No doubt: I look forward to come back next September.
See attached the nice picture of the last day during the “graduation ceremony”. Let’s see how many Colombian students I will be able to bring to Omilo courses. I will recommend you as real professionals. No doubt about it.Thanks again, and please send my regards to Marina, to Terpsi, to Konstantinos, and to Kostas.
Andrés, Colombia
Syros intensive course, 2014
Kalimera sas to everyone in Omilo,
A belated huge thank you to everyone for making the Syros September course so enjoyable and I am really looking forward to going back next September :-))
abrazos a todos desde México,
Maggie, Mexico
Syros intensive course, 2014
Kalispera sas!
Ben weer thuis in een somber, regenachtig Amsterdam. Het is wel even heel wat anders dan de fantastische paaslunch vorige week. Het was weer allemaal fantastische georganiseerd en ik heb veel geleerd van de docenten die geduldig wachtten tot mijn Griekse zinnetjes woordje voor woordje eruit kwamen met fouten en al, maar er kwam deze keer meer uit dan de vorige keren. Wat ik zelf ook heel prettig vond te ontdekken, ik kon veel meer verstaan, vooral al die korte werkwoordsvormen die vorig jaar ruim vervlogen waren voor ik door had wat het was, gingen nu ineens ook beter. Heb ook nog een aantal grammaticale dingen, goed en systematisch uitgelegd gekregen. Naast de als altijd goede docenten heb ook wel erg geboft met mijn internationale groep die leuk was in de lessen en sociaal daarbuiten. Dan is twee weken wel heel leuk en goed.
In Athene in het hotel en in de grote boekhandel die ik gevonden heb, toch wel halve gesprekjes in het Grieks gevoerd, veel meer dus dan de vorige keren.
Nogmaals veel dank en heel veel groeten, ook voor Dimitri en de (andere) docenten,
Elseline, The Netherlands
Nafplion intensive course, 2014
A coffee “frappé” under the shining sun in Greece: €1.50. A complete dinner with Greek white wine: €15. A cocktail seeing the Acropole from a roof garden: €7. A course at OMILO – Learning Greek in Greece: PRICELESS!
If you want to see and learn something new, have a lot of fun and make new friends with the best teachers I’ve ever know. Don’t think it twice, go to Omilo!! Thxs to all of you for the amazing time we had together! See you soon, guys!
Σε παρακαλώ, πες στον Δημήτρη, γιατί δεν είχα ευκερία, πως ολλοί στην τάξη μου
συμφονήσαμε ότι τα μαθήματα του ήταν πολύ ενδιαφέροντα και ότι πέρασαμε θαυμάσια με
αυτόν.
Enaut, Spain
Athens intensive course, 2013
Dear Omilo team,
What can I say. only nice words come to my mind when I think of the classes, level of teaching, activities, students, teachers and of course Maya, and the great atmosphere in general. In March I visited Athens and had my first experience with Omilo. This summer I went to Andros and Syros and followed classes for three weeks. I watched people come and go and even felt like a small part of the Omilo team, it’s like family. Both Andros and Syros were perfect but I fell in love with Syros. The people, the food and the great offer of cultural activities in Ermoupoli.
From the first day I came back home I was thinking about returning to Greece and to Omilo. So for the third time this year I will! I look forward to seeing you all again in Athens this fall, as well as some of the other Omilo-students I met this year who will be there too.
Sabine, The Netherlands
Athens, Andros & Syros intensive course, 2013
ΤΙΣ ΠΙΟ ΖΕΣΤΕΣ ΕΥΧΕΣ ΜΟΥ ΓΙΑ ΟΛΗ ΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ ΤΟΥ ΟΜΙΛΩ Ο ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΜΕΝΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΠΑΝΤΑ ΕΝΑ HIGHLIGHT , ΣΩΣΤΑ ΜΑΝΤΕΨΕΤΕ , ΔΕΝ ΕΙΝΑΙ (ΜΟΝΟ) ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΩΡΑΙΑ ΜΠΑΝΙΑ ΣΤΗ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑ, ΔΕΝ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΝΟΣΤΙΜΟ ΦΑΓΙΤΟ ΣΤΙΣ ΤΑΒΕΡΝΕΣ, ΟΥΤΕ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΠΑΝΕΜΟΡΦΕΣ ΕΔΡΟΜΕΣ ΣΤΗ ΣΥΡΟ , ΑΛΛΑ ΓΙΑ ΟΛΟΥΣ ΣΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΟΜΙΛΩ, ΤΑ ΚΑΛΥΤΕΡΑ ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΑ ΣΕ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΗ ΑΤΜΟΣΦΑΙΡΑ. ΘΑ ΕΙΜΑΙ ΚΑΙ ΦΕΤΟΣ.
Verena, Switzerland
Syros intensive course, September 2013
Καλημέρα σας,
Σας εύχομαι όλους, καθηγητές και συμμαθητές της ομάδας Ομιλο, μια καλή χρονιά 2014 – να είστε όλοι ευτυχισμένοι και υγιείς. Περάσαμε ευχάριστες στιγμές μαζί στην Συρό το σεπτέμβριο του 2013 και οι αναμνήσεις είναι πάντοτε παρούσες.΄Ισως θα έχουμε την ευκαιρία να συναντήσουμε ξανά κατά ένα ταξίδι στην Ελλάδα !Γράφτηκα στα μαθήματα στην Λευκάδα το μάιο και χαίρομαι πολύ για την φιλική ατμόσφαιρα του Ομιλο.Χαιρεστισμόυς από την Γαλλία.
Marguerite, France
Lefkada intensive course, 2013
Hallo Omilo,
Please put my e-mailaddress on the list, I would love to hear from other people from my course! I had a great time on the Lefkada course! I think it was a great succes, also the location and hotel Agatha. Many greetings, tot ziens!
Bridget, The Netherlands
Lefkada intensive course, June 2013
Αγαπητοί καθηγήτριες/ καθηγητές και υπεύθυνοι του ΟΜΙΛΩ,
θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω όλους πάρα πολύ για τα ωραία, καλά προετοιμασμένα, ενδιαφέροντα, αστεία, ποιοτικά… μαθήματα που μας κάνατε σε εξαιρετικά φιλική ατμόσφαιρα τον Ιούλιο στη Σύρο. Όλα ήταν άπταιστα οργανωμένα, επίσης λαμβάνατε υπόψη κάθε έξτρα επιθυμία μας.
Και η κόρη μου κι εγώ μείναμε πολύ ευχαριστημένες και ενθουσιασμένες από ολόκληρη την επιχείρησή σας και απο την ωραία παρομονή μας στη Σύρο. Τα συγχαριτήριά μου στη Μαρίνα και τον Κωνσταντίνο για το πολύ επιτυχημένο βιβλίο ΦΥΓΑΜΕ.Πολλά θερμά χαιρετίσματα σε όλους σας!
Γκούντρουν, Austria
Syros intensive course, July 2013
Kalimera sas apo tin Elvetia,
I’d really like to thank you for the great time I had in Syros this year. I enjoyed the professional teaching, the perfect organization, the great company and the very friendly hospitality of all! Marina, Konstantinos and Dimitris, you were great teachers, Maya I liked dancing with you! I hope to have the chance to come back again next year.
All the best and greetings from Engelberg,
Regula, Switzerland
Lefkada intensive course, June 2013
Dear all at Omilo,
Really, I had intended to write this in Greek, but….
Anyway: Ευχαριστώ, Ευχαριστώ πολύ for everything! For the excellent teaching and the infinitely patient instructors, for the individualized teaching and the warm atmosphere…
And THIS time I firmly intend to study some Greek every day, and to try to findsomeone for conversation practice.Maya, a very special thanks to you for arranging accommodation. The room was nice and warm, staff very friendly and helpful, and the location was so practical.
Otherwise I am very distressed at the latest Greece/EU news… my heart bleeds for all the innocent people who will be affected.
With much love from
Susan, Norway
Athens intensive course, February 2013
Liebe Freunde von Omilo,
Den Intensivkurs in Maroussi habe ich in bester Erinnerung. Danke an Dimitris für den Tip mit dem Buch „Who Moved my Cheese“. Ich habe es gelesen. Danke Maya und Terpsi für ihre Hilfsbereitschaft und Marina und Konstantinos für den ausgezeichneten Unterricht. Danke auch Kiria Ioanna für die ideal gelegene Unterkunft. Ich würde gerne nächsten Frühling wieder an einem 14tägigen Intensivkurs teilnehmen. Kennt Ihr schon die neuen Kursdaten?
Εγκάρδιους χαιρετισμούς από την Ελβετία
Kurt, Switzerland
Athens intensive course, March 2013
Hello
I would very much like to leave feedback for you, so here is what my impressions where:
What most impressed me was your ability to combine absolute professionalism with
thesimple warmth of a “family feel”. quite magic and rare actually.
About my two beautiful teachers I can say that they of course know the subject they
are teaching, but have also a talent for explaining and paedagogic which blew my
mind and helped me understand so much in just a week.
On top of this amazing experience, the dancing lessons was a blessing and such a
great way to dive into the culture with you whole heart and feet !
thank you thank you thank you !Danae,
Danae, France
Andros Intensive course, July 2012
Να σας πω ότι πέτυχα στις εξετάσεις Ελληνομάθειας, χάρη στην διαμονή του Απριλίου με εσάς βεβαίως. Εύχομαι ότι η Αθηναῖκή ζωή είναι πάντα μια χαρά, παρά τα γεγονότα. Ακολουθώ τις ειδήσεις τακτικά στην ΕΡΤ και χαίρομαι να διαβάζω τα νέα σας στην ιστοσελίδα σας. Ακόμα ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για όλα.
Φιλιπ, France
Athens Intensive course, November 2012
Hallo Omilo-team!
Wij zijn terug in Belgenland. Koud en grijs is het hier en we hebben toch wat moeite om weer te wennen. Eerst en vooral, Syros was dit jaar een fantastische ervaring voor ons. We hebben genoten van de veelheid aan conversatie en het heeft ons echt deugd gedaan. Alle lof voor het ganse team dus, want het zit hem ook in de losse momenten waarop gezellig met mekaar gepraat wordt.
Op onze trip na de cursus hebben we de kans gehad om goede conversaties te hebben in onze hotelletjes. De eigenaars waren zo enthousiast dat we grieks konden praten dat ze er geen gelegenheid voor lieten voorbijgaan. Voor ons een zeer goede oefening.
Jammer, maar het is weer achter de rug en het wordt weer uitkijken naar de volgende reis. Ondertussen zou ik graag de Omilo Skypelessen doen. Heel veel groeten en dank aan de leraren voor hun geduld om wegwijs te geraken uit ons gebrabbel.
Paula and Frans, Belgium
Syros Intensive course, 2011
Dear Maya,
Although I learnt lots of Greek in Andros, I’m writing this mail in English
as it’s still much quicker for me to communicate in and less complicated as I don’t have the Greek alphabet available on my laptop (as yet).
I’d just like to thank you and your team for a wonderful week in Andros. I ‘ve really profited enormously from Dora and Kostas’ excellent teaching skills. They were really very patient and competent in dealing with my many weaknesses. As promised, the whole week was systematically developed – just what I had wanted and indeed needed. I now feel so much more confident when speaking and am a lot more fluent than previously. Indeed, in the meantime I’ve received numerous compliments from friends on Tinos and Ikaria on how much my Greek has improved. This gives me great satisfaction. I’d also like to mention that the course book used was very good and I’ll continue to work through it with my Greek teacher in Basel after the holidays. I was delighted to have met you too on Andros. Now I can put a face to the Maya I’m writing to!
I’m sure I’ll do further courses with Omilo in the future and am happy to recommend it to any friends/colleagues looking for a good school for Greek.
Many thanks once again for everything. You now have one more very satisfied client to add to your records of success. I hope you have a great summer.Very best wishes,
Kathleen, Ireland
Andros Intensive course, 2011
Hi Dimitri & Maya and Omilo-team,
Thank you all again so much for a wonderful program.
Dimitri – I trust you are rested after your programs – you deserve a medal for dealing with all of us different clients in such a wonderful way.Many kind regards,
Katia, Australia
Syros Intensive course, 2011
Hi Omilo-team!
I am back in my cold and wet Canada. Time flies! I am very happy with this whole Greek experience on the island of Syros, it has been really wonderful, I’m so lucky! Also wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed the movie “politiki kouzina”. This is what I call a real “feel-good” movie! So again, thank you very much for the birthday-gift.
Chantal, Canada
Syros Intensive course
Kalimera,
Muchas cosas bellas me ha dido la vida, unas de ellas , ha sido venire a Grecia y conocer a personas tan valiosas como son Maya y Dimitris. Reciban mi afecto, admiraciόn y deseos de Exito para todo lo que hagan.
Mercedes, Mexico
Hello,
Thank you so much for an experience of a lifetime! It worked out so great for me to be able to include my family and have my children take lessons also. The two of you are exceptional people and really special. It has been an honour to have met you. Thank you for your knowledge and patience.
Linda, U.S.A.
Goeie voormiddag,
Reeds dit: …………….. ik heb de laatste jaren nooit nog zo gelachen als de week in Nafplion. De humor in combinatie met de intensieve cursus, de internationale contacten, en de gezellige maaltijden waren voor mij fantastisch. Een korte evaluatie van de week taalcursus te Nafplion:
– internationaal gezelschap was interessant en aangenaam;
– voor mij als ondernemer was het ontspannend eens niet organisatorisch verantwoordelijk te zijn;
– Dimitris was organisatorisch zeer goed, was elke minuut begaan met elke deelnemer, en begaan met de kwaliteit van de taalcursus;
– Ankie was voor ons groepje de ideale taallerares, als we moe werden, slaagde ze er telkens in om ons met humor bij de les te houden;
– ze is een opgewekte en levenswijze dame; dat gebruikte ze op een verrassende manier in haar taallessen;
– vanaf de eerste lesdag werd inzicht gegeven in de Griekse grammatica, lessen werden inzichtelijk en systematisch opgebouwd;
– ik heb ervaren dat taalcursus in een Griekse omgeving veel beter is dan in een Belgische omgeving; zelfs voor beginnelingen zit het in kleine details zoals de sleutel vragen in het hotel, het kamernummer zeggen… – er was een goed evenwicht tussen groepsactiviteiten en individuele tijd;
– zeer goed handboek!Voor mij is deze taalcursus van hoge kwaliteit, zo ook de omkadering, het publiek, het lerarenteam.
Het enige minpunt: de woordenschat zou ook systematisch en bewust kunnen opgebouwd worden; zeker voor starters die amper drie woorden kennen. Maar daar werd misschien in de tweede week wel aan gewerkt.Tot mails,
Mieke, Belgium
Nafplion Intensive Course
Hello Maya,
for some reason I didn´t really say goodbye to you before you left. I was not aware of the fact that you were leaving before the course ended.
Anyway, this is a good reason to write a few words to you.
I enjoyed my time with Omilo very much (as usual), even more so because I was happy to be in the advanced course where, in spite of my lack of vocabulary, I had a great time and learned a lot! And what is more important: the classes gave me a lot of motivation to continue with my classes here in Germany and work on my vocabulary until next time. There was an excellent atmosphere in our group and I think Dimitris and Marina are absolutely perfect teachers who know exactly how to get the best out of every single student. That is a capacity you do not find very often!Travelling around on the Peloponnesε was also a very special experience. I got a totally different picture of Greece compared to the one I had from the islands I had visited before. Very impressive landscapes and so mountainous!! I hadn´t expected that! All in all I had a very good time and enjoyed every single day.
So I thank you for everything, good luck for all the upcoming events and summer courses and hope to see you again sometime this year or the next at the latest!Big hug for the whole Omilo family, take care,
Regina, Germany
Nafplion intensive course, 2014
Dear OMILO, kalispera !
I am trying to get acclimatized back home and also to reorder a bit the many things that I have brought back from Syros -physical one such as bookes, notes, CDs, but also emotional. I have some Greek friends here in Lausanne, so I really hope to be able to organize a Greek dance section I really thank you again for the nice organization and for all the activities that we had at our disposal once in Syros, not even mentioning the wonderful atmosphere and amazing teachers. It was a great experience to meet different nice people.
I wish you a good stay in Athens.Best regards and hope to see you soon.
Xairetismata,
Roberto, Italy
Syros Intensive course, July 2014
Lieve OMILO vrienden,
Het was weer een feest. Jullie lessen en gezelschap waren fijn en nuttig.
Vanmorgen voerde ik een gesprekje met een mede-honden-uitlater…een jager, net terug van de jacht…en ja hoor…in het Grieks…vast niet foutloos, maar wel gezellig. Weer een stapje verder. Ik gluur ernstig naar een weekje Naplion…We zien wel.Nogmaals dank en het allerbeste!
Joke, The Netherlands
Athens Intensive course, 2013
Liebe Maja, Marina und Terpsi!
Ich muss jetzt in Deutsch schreiben, sonst kann ich nicht ausdrücken, was ich jetzt unbedingt schreiben will und muss! Diese Woche bei OMILO in Athen war für mich ganz genial! Eigentlich war es für mich nur ein Versuch, weil ich mir dachte ich würde die Sprache nie lernen, weil ich leider kein Sprachengenie bin.
Aber in dieser Woche habe ich einiges verstanden und ich bin wieder hochmotiviert. Danke, danke, danke!!! Also Nafplio Ende April ist für mich schon fix, und Lefkada wäre natürlich auch super, …..und……. aber ein bisschen muss ich auch noch arbeiten.Ganz liebe Grüße an alle
Andrea, Austria
Athens Intensive course, November 2013
Hi there,
Because we left the course at Andros after the first week, we didn’t have
the opportunity to let you know our thoughts.
First of all, we’re (still) very satisfied. Not only because of the
subjects/themes of the course but also the (different) way of teaching by Konstantinos and Marina. Great job! The funny thing was that we were never too tired after the lessons and still had energy to do our homework!
We’re thinking about doing such a course next year at Syros and then the
full 2 weeks. The extra’s, like the history of greek music and the greek dancing, are nice, and makes it easier to get to know the other students better.Kind regards,
Jeroen and Diana, The Netherlands
Andros Intensive course, June 2013
Kalimera sas,
Schon bald sind es vier Wochen her, als ich zum ersten Mal in Maroussi erschienen bin! Die zwei Wochen bei Omilo sind mir auch heute, bereits mit etwas Distanz, in bester Erinnerung. Bei angenehmer Atmosphäre hatte ich (endlich) Gelegenheit, mich intensiv mit der griechischen Sprache, insbesondere mit Konversation, auseinanderzusetzen. Sie haben mir ein individuell angepasstes Programm angeboten, welches von sehr kompetenten (und auch sympathischen und geduldigen) Lehrpersonen umgesetzt wurde. Dafür möchte ich allen Beteiligten des Omilo-Teams in Leitung, Unterricht und Verwaltung bestens danken! Eigentlich war die Zeit viel zu kurz. Ich werde am nächsten Dienstag in meiner Griechisch-Klasse ausführlich über meine Zeit bei Omilo berichten, natürlich in Griechisch!Vielleicht werden sich unsere Wege wieder einmal kreuzen! Wer weiss?
Ich wünsche dem Omilo-Team eine gute und erfolgreiche Frühlings- und Sommerzeit!
Freundliche Grüsse
Edi, Switzerland
Athens Intensive course, February 2013
Γεία σου Μαyα,
Τι κάνεις; Δοκιμάζω να σου γράψω στα ελληνικά… Γύρισα από την Σύρο εδω και ένας μήνας και η «κανονική» ζωή ξαναρχίσα: δουλειά, οικογένεια, ελληνικών μαθίματα και άλλα ……
Το μάθιμα στην Σύρο πήγε πολύ καλά. Μου άρεσε ότι υπήρχε πολλές μαθητές από παντού . Κρίμα που έμηνα μονο μία εβδομάδα! Την εποόμενη φορά θα ήθελα να πάω στο Ναύπλιο το Πάσχα… θα το δούμε!
Στο τέλος είχα τα αποτελέσματα της εξετασης Β1 (μετά 4 μήνες): είχα 29/30, λοίπον όλα καλά.Πολλούς χαιρετισμούς σε όλους τους καθηγητές: είναι υπέροχες!!!
Φιλάκια,
Cris, Italy
Syros Intensive course, 2013
Dag Omilo team,
Telkens ik jullie e-krantje (Newsletter) ontvang bekruipt mij de zin om nog een weekje les te volgen in Athene. Maar ja, dit jaar even niet dus. Ik wens jullie een mooie seizoen met veel enthousiaste leerlingen. Hopelijk kan ik volgend jaar nog eens les bij jullie volgen, misschien wel op een eiland…Ik mis jullie enthousiasme voor de Griekse taal alsook de aangename sfeer tijdens en na de lessen. Zo zie je maar…. ζηλεύω λίγο ! (πολύ), καλή εβδομάδα !
lieve groet,
Nicole, Belgium
Athens Intensive course, 2013
Jia sou Maya, jia sou Dimitri,
eimai sto grafio mou kai pali kai elpiso oti echete poles mathites sti Syro.
I forgot to give you the Feedback-Sheet – so I will tell you now: I just participated for one week but I it helped me a lot. I didn´t study for one year and the course gave me new motivation and I realised in Athens with my familiy, that I could express myself much better and I understood much more than the week before the course.
Also the teachers were great as usual: Konstantinos kept us talking (I think this is the most important thing) and his lessons were extremely helpful for my capabilities to speak. In addition to that we had a lot of fun. Also Terpsi gave us a lot of input – I am still fighting with the amount of words – so I am prepared for the next weeks. As she is a young teacher, I was surprised how professional she organised her lessons. She realised when the lessons were too difficult for us and she adjusted the exercise and the “speed” of the lesson – when it was too easy, she brought us to our limits. The standard was always very high, the lessons very concentrated.
Accomodation was great as well. Thank you for the great time,greetings from Germany,
Volker, Germany
Syros Intensive course, August 2012
Efcharisto poli!
I really enjoyed the course on Syros. Even if when I came I was really burned out from too much work and didn’t do well on the first test, I feel I made a lot of progress because of your professional teaching techniques! I travelled on to Naxos as usual and my friends were impressed how much more I could communicate in Greek! Next year I will write this thank you note in Greek, but right now I just want to tell you how happy I am!
Kalo mina kai kalo diakopes!
Gail, Sweden
Syros Intensive course, 2011
Dear Dimitri, dear Konstantinos,
Thank you for your patience and your good humour. I enjoyed your teaching methods a lot. It is not always easy to encourage people to talk, but you are both very good at that, too.
One can also feel that you, together with Dora and Marina and Maya, are a fine team. You like each other and this creates a good and relaxed atmosphere.
Thank you – everybody – for the walks, the theatre, the dances and the songs!
See you again next year! Same time, same place….an ola pane kala!yours,
Gabriele, Austria
Intensive course, 2011
Dear Omilo team,
I just wanted to send you a quick message to let you know how satisfied I am after having participated in the course in Nafplio. Everything went wonderfully, totally in line with my expectations (and even beyond them). I only regret I could not stay for a second week.
The normal lessons were very good and I found them extremely useful. I really enjoyed them and they helped a lot to improve my skills in Greek (specially listening and speaking) as well as my knowledge about Greece.
The private lessons as preparation for the Certificate exam were absolutely fantastic. We were totally focused on practicing the exam and the different types of exercises.
And then of course, the other activities were really excellent. I really appreciate the way in which the teachers were involved in them, making their presentations in Greek and English and coming along to the other activities and trying to use Greek as much as possible, even with people in more basic levels.
I found all the activities very useful from a learning point of view (I don’t recall having ever spoken so much Greek for such a long time and also from a social point of view, as the whole Omilo team were extremely pleasant and friendly.
I don’t think I have ever found such a perfect combination of quality in teaching, relevance and usefulness of the cultural and social activities and such a friendly and relaxing environment. I have never seen anything like the “Omilo experience” before in any other language courses I have attended (Greek or otherwise).
I am looking forward to having a chance in the future to attend another course at Omilo.All the best,
Daniel, Spain
Nafplion Intensive course, 2011
Dear Maya and Dimitris,
Just back from your lovely course on Syros. I enjoyed it so much and want to come back next year. I’m babbling Greek at anyone who will listen – thank you so much for realising how much I needed the spoken language after so much grammar. I prefer the grammar, actually. It’s so much easier than talking. Yet you understood how much our class needed the practice in speaking. Thank you for your insistence on the most difficult part of language learning – to pull thoughts out of our heads and make us express them. My confidence in speaking to people in Athens afterwards had increased tenfold after the course. I was even talking politics to the taxi-driver who took us from Piraeus to Syntagma.
Your hospitality is warm and generous. And your teachers are magnificent.
What an amazing mixture of nationalities and people come to Omilo. I met Lilian and Erich next day in the new Acropolis Museum, Athens. We greeted each other like long lost friends. (We spoke, of course in Greek)Omilo, thank you and the best of luck for your future.
Love,
Brenda, UK
Syros Intensive Course
Geia sas paidia!! Ti kanete??
Just few lines to give you few news of mine… I got my official greek certificate!! Yes! well, it’s the first level, but I past it with “LIAN KALOS”…it was a big satisfaction and now I’m looking forward to do the next level;-) Then ..I joined a very special forum of Italian people who are crazy for Greece ..like meeee.. And of course I spoke about “la mia bellissima esperienza con Omilo”..my beautifull experience with Omilò..so probabily next year some more italians will join your school;-) Well, I hope everyone is fine there, I hope you enjoyed your summer and you re ready for the new season of lessons. I miss you very very much, looking forward to see you soon…
Sas stelno polla Xeretismata kai mia fotografia apo tin Bolonia.. Ciao a tutti!
Paola, Italy
Dear Maya,
I look back fondly on the language course in Nafplio. Both instructors were top-notch and I could easily have stayed there for another month of more of the same. I have a very high regard for the program you put together and the high class work you all do. Thanks again. Please keep me on your mailing list. If my schedule permits next year, I’d love to come back.
William, USA
Nafplion Intensive Course
Kalispera, once again.
I am sure that I am not the only one feeling that way Your newsletters really are something special: they teach us Greek, give information about Greece and, besides, are entertaining! Regards,
Seppo, Finland
Kalimera,
Just to say thanks to you all for a super week’s lessons with ‘Omilo’ on Syros in September. You have a really excellent group of teachers, each and every one, and you have managed to get the right mix: excellent grammar teaching with fun and lots of talking. The ‘proof is in the pudding’ as we say in English and I was able to have a pleasant conversation with the taxi driver when I left for the airport.
Bye for now fellow teachers & see you again soon I hope.
Jane, UK
Syros Intensive Course
Γεια σας!
Ευχαριστώ για τη γράμμα και χαιρετήσματα από τη Φινλανδία! Πέρασα πολύ καλά στην Αθήνα στο κουρ σας και it probably gave me the incentive to travel again more in Greece. Thanks to your course I was more able to speak with people στα ελληνικά και I enjoyed it a lot. Hopefully I’ll have the chance to come to your courses in the near future.
Anna-Maria, Finland
Athens Intensive Course
Kalimera sas!
Vooreerst willen we jullie vertellen hoezeer we genoten hebben van de taalstage of Syros! Eric gaat vaak heel fanatiek om met taal studeren en alles wat met Griekenland te maken heeft, dus voor hem was het een 300% geslaagde veertiendaagse! Ikzelf ben niet direct zo’n echte student, maar het concept was op mijn maat gesneden. voor mezelf weet ik dat ik de eerste twee dagen bij Dimitris tijdens de les geen woord kon uitbrengen van pure stress. Op het einde voelde ik weinig of geen stress meer, dus ook voor mij een geslaagd experiment.
Eric stuurt jullie ook vele “dansgroetjes”!
Eric & Annemie, Belgium
Syros Intensive Course