Week One - Arrival and First Impressions

Sunday, 29th March 2026

On Sunday, March 29th, my journey to Crete finally began. Fortunately, both flights went smoothly without any major delays. However, the second flight from Munich to Crete turned out to be quite exhausting for me. Due to my height of 1.93 meters, the limited legroom made the trip very uncomfortable. I had to stretch my legs into the aisle for most of the flight, which led to significant discomfort, especially pain around my shoulder blades. This made the final part of the journey feel much longer than it actually was.

After arriving in Crete, things became much more relaxed and organized again. We picked up our rental cars at the airport, and in addition, a free taxi was provided to help transport our larger luggage. This was a great help, considering the amount of baggage we brought for our two-month stay. For the duration of our internship, we are using Peugeot rental cars. While they are not particularly impressive in terms of comfort or performance, they are definitely sufficient for getting around the island.

The first real surprise came as soon as we entered traffic. Driving in Greece, especially around Heraklion, is quite different from what I am used to in Germany. Traffic feels chaotic at first glance—people often drive in ways that seem unpredictable, and parked cars frequently line the streets, making it difficult to recognize side roads or maintain a clear overview. It is also common for drivers to simply stop on the road with hazard lights on. Speed cameras are usually announced in advance, which seems to encourage many drivers to ignore speed limits altogether outside of those zones.

Despite this seemingly “wild” traffic environment, I have to admit that driving here is surprisingly enjoyable. It feels more dynamic and less rigid than in Germany, even though the road conditions are sometimes quite poor. Some streets are in noticeably bad condition, which requires extra attention while driving.

Our accommodation is located near Episkopi, about a 20-minute drive from the center of Heraklion. When we arrived, I was genuinely impressed. The property includes a large and beautiful garden, as well as two separate houses. Each house offers space for four people, with spacious living rooms, two bathrooms (one full bathroom and one additional WC), a washing machine, and a well-equipped kitchen. In total, we have two double beds and four single beds available. Fortunately, we had already discussed the sleeping arrangements in advance, which helped avoid any unnecessary complications after arrival.

Since it was already quite late on a Sunday, most shops were closed, so we decided to have dinner at a local restaurant in Episkopi. This turned out to be a great first introduction to Greek cuisine. The price-performance ratio was very reasonable. I ordered pasta with cheese, which was interpreted quite literally—but surprisingly, it tasted much better than expected. It was a simple dish, yet still enjoyable.

What stood out to me immediately was the friendliness of the people. The Greek culture feels very welcoming and warm. Even on the first evening, it was clear that the locals are extremely kind and open, which made settling in much easier.

Overall, despite the slightly exhausting journey and the initial culture shock in traffic, the first day was a successful and memorable start to my time in Crete.

Monday, 30th March 2026

On Monday, March 30th, the first night in our accommodation turned out to be a bit unusual. I share a double bed with Torben, and the sleeping conditions took some getting used to. The mattresses are relatively firm, and what stood out the most were the blankets. Since the climate here is generally warm, thick blankets are uncommon. Instead, the blankets are more comparable to thin sheets in Germany. If it gets too cold, people simply use air conditioning or heating rather than heavier bedding.

Later that day, we had our first official meeting with MD Hellas. During this meeting, we received important general information about living in Crete. One of the most important points was that tap water is not drinkable, so we were advised to always buy bottled water. Fortunately, bottled water is quite affordable here. Another major cultural difference, especially for us Germans, is how toilet paper is handled. Instead of flushing it, used toilet paper must be disposed of in a separate bin, which definitely requires some adjustment.

After the introduction, we were assigned to our respective companies and drove there to briefly introduce ourselves. This was also the moment when I truly experienced Greek traffic for the first time. I followed Sofia from MD Hellas, and it quickly became clear that keeping up can be challenging. This is partly due to the driving style, but also because of the many scooter drivers who move through even the smallest gaps, often ignoring right of way. Maintaining a safe distance requires constant attention.

Marvin and I were assigned to a company called MagicNet. Our supervisor is named Prodromos, and together with his colleague Emanuel, they run the business. Prodromos speaks English fluently, which makes communication much easier for us. Emanuel, however, only speaks Greek. Despite the language barrier, we still manage to communicate through gestures and by pointing at things, which often leads to funny and memorable situations. Both of them are very friendly, humorous, and welcoming.

MagicNet is a small repair shop where customers bring in various electronic devices such as PCs, printers, laptops, and sometimes smartphones. Their main task is to diagnose and repair hardware and technical issues.

Since our actual work only started on Tuesday, we had the rest of the day to organize essential things. One of the biggest tasks was grocery shopping for eight people, which turned out to be more challenging than expected. We went to a Lidl in the city center, which was very helpful since it is structured similarly to stores in Germany. In the end, we filled about two and a half shopping carts with food, cleaning supplies, and other daily necessities. We were surprised that everything only cost around 200 euros.

After returning to Episkopi with fully loaded cars, everyone was quite hungry. Torben and Victor kindly took over the task of cooking dinner for all of us. Even though it took them almost two hours—mainly because we had an induction stove but no compatible pots—the result was definitely worth it. We had pasta with tomato sauce and enjoyed the meal together.

The rest of the evening was relatively relaxed. We used the time to unpack our luggage, settle in a bit more, and prepare for the first real working day ahead. Overall, it was a productive day with many new impressions and small challenges to adapt to everyday life in Crete.

Tuesday, 31st March 2026

On Tuesday, March 31st, we had our first official working day at MagicNet. Marvin and I were quickly introduced to the daily workflows and were able to start working almost immediately. What surprised me most was the level of trust we were given right from the beginning. After a short explanation of the tasks, we were already allowed to work quite independently.

At first, this felt a bit unusual, since we were dealing with customer devices and naturally didn’t want to risk damaging anything. However, Prodromos was always nearby whenever we had questions or shared our thoughts. He guided us with small hints in the right direction without taking over the task completely, which made the learning experience much more effective.

Our main challenge that day was a MacBook with two separate issues. The first problem was that the user could not remember either the username or the password. Solving this required some research, but thanks to Apple’s relatively straightforward recovery options, we managed to reset the password successfully after a bit of trial and error.

The second issue was more complex and, at least for now, still unresolved. The integrated graphics unit of the Intel chip appeared to be faulty. The screen would randomly turn on and off, and even connecting an external monitor did not work reliably. Prodromos suggested using a heat gun to carefully heat the chip in an attempt to re-establish proper contact between the chip and the motherboard. Despite several attempts, this approach did not solve the issue. It is very likely that the APU itself is damaged. As a result, we have ordered a replacement and plan to swap and solder it in the coming days.

In the evening, MD Hellas organized a bowling event, which all eight of us attended. It was a great opportunity to relax after the first working day. At only 3 euros per round per person, it was also a very affordable activity. Overall, it was a fun and social way to end the day and connect with others.

Wednesday, April 1st 2026 - A sandy April Fool's joke

On Wednesday, April 1st, the weather forecast had warned of rain and strong winds. However, what we didn’t expect was how much sand would be involved. Around midday, the weather shifted dramatically from pleasant sunshine to stormy conditions with light drizzle and, most strikingly, an orange-tinted sky.

At first, we didn’t notice the sand much because the drizzle washed it away. But as the rain subsided, the sky turned increasingly orange and, in the afternoon hours, even intensely red. Visibility was severely reduced, making outdoor activities nearly impossible. After work, we gathered at the accommodation and simply let nature run its course.

Despite the disruption, the phenomenon created some truly impressive visuals. The surreal red sky provided great photo opportunities—even though my camera, clothes, car, and other gear didn’t appreciate the fine sand dust settling everywhere.

It was also reported on the Tagesschau news program in Germany:
Tagesschau

Thursday, April 2nd 2026

On Thursday, April 2nd, there wasn’t much going on due to the ongoing bad weather. It remained cold and rainy, with the Saharan sand still settling everywhere. Our shower got a thorough workout as we washed the fine dust from our hair, bodies, and clothes. While inconvenient, locals confirmed they had never experienced anything like this before, making it a truly unique natural phenomenon. I’m glad to have been right in the middle of it.

One practical step we took that day was getting SIM cards from Cosmote, the Greek telecom provider. They offered an unbeatable prepaid deal: 15 euros per month for unlimited data volume. All eight of us signed up for one to ensure reliable internet on Crete and stay in touch with friends and family back home.

One positive highlight came in the evening. At 7 PM our time, the results for my IHK intermediate exam (AP1) were released. After all the nervousness about my grade, I was relieved to receive a solid “2” (good). This was a major relief, especially while being abroad.

Later that evening, we went for a short walk. The air felt fresh after the recent rain, and the sand had mostly settled on the ground rather than floating in the air. However, it still felt quite dusty overall.

Friday, April 3rd 2026

On Friday, April 3rd, I didn’t feel well all day. Marvin and I had been working on an old Dell Inspiron 15 laptop for two days. The issue was that Windows was no longer recognized, and the laptop wouldn’t boot properly.

After extensive troubleshooting, we identified the root cause: a small CMOS battery on the motherboard was failing. This battery was resetting the BIOS settings every time the laptop was unplugged from power. As a result, the BIOS reverted to UEFI mode with Secure Boot enabled, which prevented the Windows installation from booting.

To fix it, we completely disassembled the notebook, replaced the CMOS battery, and manually set the BIOS to Legacy mode. After reassembly, everything worked perfectly—except the touchpad. It wouldn’t respond, and we couldn’t initially figure out why.

Upon closer inspection (as visible in the photo below), the small cable was loose. The problem was a missing blue plastic insulator/paper piece that conducts electricity and stabilizes the connector. Finding and resolving this took a long time, but it was a valuable learning experience in hardware diagnostics.

After work, while the others went out to celebrate and party, I used the evening to finally unpack my suitcase and recover from feeling unwell. Despite the challenges, it was still a productive day, and by evening, I felt much better.

Saturday, 4th April 2026

On Saturday, April 4th, we took a full day of recovery. The weather remained poor and stormy, so we stayed mostly indoors. We used the time to call family and friends, explore Greek TV, and make additional shopping runs.

Torben and I made the most of the evening by going for a roughly 6 km walk. Living relatively high up in the mountains near Episkopi offers phenomenal panoramic views across large parts of the island.

Fortunately, I brought my telephoto lens along, which should allow for some great shots in the coming days. For now, I only managed a decent nighttime photo with my phone.

The rugged Cretan mountains provide stunning vistas, especially from elevated spots like those around Episkopi, with valleys and distant horizons visible even at dusk.

Sunday, April 5th 2026 – Orthodox Easter Ahead

While Germany celebrated Easter Sunday, Crete follows the Orthodox calendar, delaying it by a week. We used the day to drive into Heraklion's city center for some exploration. At the harbor, we visited the Venetian fortress Koules (Rocca a Mare), though we saved the interior tour for later.

Despite shifting weather-sunshine alternating with rain-I captured some nice shots, especially portraits of the group who asked for photos. To respect privacy without publication consent, I'm omitting those here, but everyone was thrilled.
Late afternoon, frustrated by the rain, we debated further plans but opted to eat out instead. Prices were reasonable, though tourist spots were pricier. A highlight: unlimited free water refills and complimentary snacks, no upcharge-such a welcoming touch.