My Eighth Week in Crete: The Final Days

The last week of my internship in Crete felt very different from the previous ones. While we were still following our normal routine, there was always the thought in the back of my mind that our time on the island was coming to an end. After spending almost two months here, it was strange to think that in just a few days we would all be back in Germany.

Monday, 18 May 2026 - One of the Last Sunsets

On Monday, we went into the city after work and spent some time walking around together.

In the evening, we watched a beautiful sunset. During our stay in Crete, sunsets had become something I always looked forward to, but this one felt a little different. Knowing that this was one of my last weeks on the island made me appreciate the moment more than usual.

For the first time, I started to feel a bit sentimental. It felt strange to realise how quickly the past weeks had gone by. What had once felt completely new had become part of everyday life.

Tuesday, 19 May 2026 - Back in the Pool

On Tuesday, we all decided to spend some time in the pool together.

The weather was probably not ideal for swimming anymore, but we didn't really care. We knew that these were some of our last days together in Crete, so we wanted to make the most of them.

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 - Finishing What We Started

Wednesday was a fairly quiet day. We visited a bakery in a nearby village and spent some time exploring the area.

When we returned to Episkopi, we were greeted by another beautiful sunset. Over the past weeks, sunsets had become one of my favourite things about Crete, and I found myself appreciating them more and more as our departure got closer.

At work, our project was slowly coming to an end as well. Looking back at everything we had accomplished, I felt proud of what we had achieved together. We had spent weeks working on the project, solving problems, and learning new things. Seeing it almost finished made me realise how much progress we had made.

Later that day, we went to Heraklion after work and had a drink together. We spent the evening talking about our experiences and sharing some of our favourite memories from the internship. On the drive back to Episkopi, we were lucky enough to see another amazing sunset.

Thursday, 21 May 2026 - One of Our Last Evenings Together

On Thursday, we worked from home and focused on completing the final parts of our project.

It felt good to finally finish something we had been working on for so long. Once everything was done, we spent most of the day relaxing at the villa.

Later in the evening, we went out for a few drinks together. We talked about the past weeks, laughed about funny moments, and reflected on everything we had experienced since arriving in Crete.

When we got back to the villa, we played games together and stayed awake much longer than planned. At some point during the night, I realised how much I would miss evenings like this. Spending so much time together over the last two months had brought everyone closer, and it was strange to know that this would soon come to an end.

Friday, 22 May 2026 - The Last Beach Day

After work on Friday, we went to the beach one final time.

The beach had been one of the places we visited most during our stay, so it felt like the perfect way to spend one of our last afternoons in Crete. At the same time, it felt strange knowing that this would be our final visit.

Back at the villa, reality slowly started to set in. We cleaned the house, packed our suitcases, and prepared everything for our departure. It was a lot of work and quite exhausting, but everyone helped, which made things much easier.

In the evening, we had one last barbecue together. We used up most of the food we still had left, so that almost nothing had to be thrown away. Sitting together one final time, eating, talking, and laughing felt like the perfect ending to our stay.

Packing my suitcase later that night made everything feel very real. For the first time, it truly felt like the journey was coming to an end.

Saturday, 23 May 2026 - Saying Goodbye

On Saturday morning, it was finally time to leave.

We got up early and started our journey to the airport. Although I was not directly involved, there were apparently some problems with the rental car company when the vehicles were returned. Fortunately, everything was sorted out in time, and everyone still managed to make their flights.

The flights themselves were very relaxed. During our stopover in Vienna, there was an ice hockey game being shown at the airport. As a big ice hockey fan, I was really happy to see that, even though we unfortunately did not have much time to watch it.

When we arrived in Germany, everything went smoothly. Collecting our luggage was quick and uncomplicated.

One thing that surprised me was how warm it already was in Berlin. It felt like I had returned just in time for the beginning of summer, which was a nice welcome home.

Even though I was happy to see my family and friends again, it also felt a little strange to be back. After spending so much time together in the villa, I found myself missing life in Crete almost immediately.

Final Thoughts

I am very grateful for the opportunity that the Erasmus+ project gave me. Spending eight weeks in Crete was definitely a unique experience that I will never forget.

I am not the best with words, but if I had to summarise these eight weeks, I would simply say that I am thankful for this extraordinary experience. It gave me new perspectives on the world of IT, allowed me to learn many new things, and introduced me to so many kind and interesting people.

I had never been so far away from home before, yet somehow I still felt at home in a very special way. The people around me made the experience even better. I always felt safe, supported, and most importantly, I had a lot of fun.

I am grateful for all the conversations, the memories, and the time we spent together. Looking back, I realise that experiences like this do not happen every day. It was something truly special, and it is something I will always carry with me.

And of course, I will definitely miss our cat, Laki. I hope he does not miss us too much and that the next people staying at the villa will be just as kind and gentle to him as we were.

Thank you, Crete, for eight unforgettable weeks.