Goodbye in Greece
June 21, 2026
Hello Moondance Families!
Checking in from Greece to catch you up on our group’s final few days together 🩵
Our first full day in Corfu began with a classic blue sky, something we’ve grown so fortunately accustomed to. The activity on the itinerary was sea kayaking, and it gave our arms a run for their money! When we got to the stunning beach, we paired up and picked up a paddle to take on the sea. Alice and Greyson led the way from the start, absolutely crushing it. Catherine and Mary Claire weren’t too far behind as they played a fun categories game, describing people in the group based on what sea creature or wallpaper design they would be. It was certainly creative! The group paddled to a little cove where they parked their kayaks on the sand and had the chance to swim in crystal-blue water. Ella, Clay, Eugenia, and Ellie found it the perfect location to play mermaids. On the tiny beach, Mary Thomas decided to practice radical acceptance and embrace the sand without a towel. Hadley evidently did too, as Brittan constructed her a mermaid tail from the sand. The group decided to circle up and play our favorite game EVER called signs, and we proudly realized we were probably the first to ever play it on that little Greek island. Ellie invited our kayak guides to join us, and we laughed together before embarking on the journey back to the other shore, where our sandwiches waited for us. After relaxing back at our accommodations, we headed to our favorite beach and resumed the quest to read as much as possible. (The girls ultimately read 35 books in total!!!) With enough vitamin D for days, we returned home and divvied up cooking. Mary Thomas made an unforgettable salad, Eugenia perfected the pasta, and Ella and Ansley made the best chicken yet. After being out for the count for a few days, Olivia rejoined the group, and all was right again! All in all, it was a wonderful day.
Our next day in Greece took us rock-climbing, and it rocked! Our climbing guides were incredibly kind and helpful as we navigated different levels of the rock wall overlooking a surreal backdrop of the ocean, scattered with islands. From Ella and Gracen giving rock-climbing a go for the first time to Greyson and Clay scrambling to the top of the most difficult routes, all of the girls surprised themselves with how much they crushed it. To celebrate a victorious morning, the girls got ice cream at their favorite local grocery store before heading to the beach. It felt like a giant play date with Alice’s donut floatie and Clay pretending to be a mermaid. Dinner was a bit chaotic as dishes were prepared across the different floors, but the group grounded together at Moonup under the incredible leadership of LOD’s Greyson and Brittan. After discussing how everyone could maximize their last few days together, the LOD’s had each person share an embarrassing story. There wasn’t a shortage of laughs to go around!
Our fourth and final day in Corfu could not have been better. We boarded a boat large enough for everyone to sprawl out under the sun and then embarked across the sparkling sea. Our guides took us snorkeling, and Ellie spotted two starfish and sea urchins! Mary Thomas, Mary Claire, Margaret, Ella, and Anslie went paddleboarding and were mesmerized by the smooth stones on the sea floor. Back on the ship, the girls rocked out to songs like Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, Chicken Fried, and Chiquititas! The playlist felt like the soundtrack to our movie. After a successful day on the water, our group packed up again and headed to Old Town, playing Ella Langley the whole way. Getting to experience another side of Corfu was such a treat! Thanks to its colorful buildings, blue skies, eclectic shops, and live music strummed on every corner, Old Town has the jolliest vibe. The girls successfully found keepsakes for home before we headed to our 16-person reservation at the best Greek restaurant ever! Gracen had her first gyro, Ellie her first swordfish, and Clay her first baked feta. It was all UNREAL! After the feast, Margaret gathered the girls in one of the town squares to dance in a circle, and it was a joy-filled circle indeed. Moonup in a nearby park led by LOD’s Olivia and Catherine was the best way to end a group-favorite day of the trip.
The next morning, it felt like we had barely opened our eyes before we were landing in our final destination of the trip, the incredible city of Athens! Even though the girls may have accidentally set off an alarm in the airport, they proved to be PRO travelers. Once out of the airport, we hit the ground running and raced the other groups to the best gyro place around. We took our pita wraps to a shady spot directly next to ancient ruins, and it hit us just how cool our lives really are! After everyone’s favorite meal of the trip, we cracked open a few Red Bulls and spent the next several hours shopping until we dropped. Who knew the streets of Athens would remind our legs of the Albanian mountains! As a pick-me-up, Greyson got an XXL cotton candy – you should see photos – but it disappeared the second the rest of the group caught wind of it. For our banquet dinner, we dined at a Moondance-favorite restaurant and had the best service ever. Just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore, the staff brought out complimentary dessert for the girls! The magic continued as the girls practically skipped to Areopagus Hill to watch the sunset over the Acropolis and surrounding city. A legendary man with a drum set played songs for the crowd. Hadley and Alice asked him to play Landslide, and Greyson decided to get up on the microphone. Before we knew it, we gathered in front of everyone to sing! It was a moment none of us will never forget. Unknowingly answering Mary Thomas’s wish, the drummer began to play Mama Mia, and our beautiful group of girls danced together as the golden sun set over the crowd. It was the epitome of Moondance Magic. On our way back to the hostel, we followed Ellie into a restaurant for another dance circle and found ourselves cheering “Opa!” until our lungs gave out. While we searched for one last gelato stop, a girl stopped us on the streets to say that our Mama Mia dance had made her entire night. How incredible is it that our joy together was abundantly evident and contagious! Once back at the hostel, our lovely LOD’s Hadley and Alice led us in our final Moonup full of laughter and reflection of everything we learned together over the past 17 days. Here are a few of the things that were shared: Community is everywhere! Live in the moment! Radical acceptance has the power to completely transform your mindset and life. We can do hard things! We grow in uncomfortable situations. You don’t need your phone, and not having it for 17 days is easier than you would think. Everyone goes through their own trials, but when we join together as a team, they get easier. Things aren’t as embarrassing as you think. Be grateful for what you can do because others would love more than anything to do them too! We get to live an incredibly lucky life.
This morning, we headed to the airport and listened to Landslide together one last time🥲Before going our separate ways, we made sure to circle up one last time to play our favorite game of signs before hugging each other a billion times and saying goodbyes to our new best friends. Thank you for allowing us to spend 17 days getting to love and learn from your daughters! We love them so much and truly had the trip of a lifetime!
With so much gratitude,
Margaret and Mary Claire
Thank Yous!
June 17, 2026
Hadley – Thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip. I’ve had the best time ever and made some amazing friends!
Alice- Thank you for letting me come on this trip! It has been so much fun and such a great experience!
Brittan- Thank you so much for allowing me to come on this trip! I’ve been having so much fun! See you soon!
Gracen- Thank you so so much for letting me take a leap of faith and sending me on this trip. I’ve seen incredible views and I will never take this for granted. I love y’all!
Ellie- Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip of a lifetime! I am so grateful for all of it- the views, food, friends, it’s all so amazing, love y’all!
Greyson- Thank you guys so much for pushing me out of my comfort zone! Don’t quote me on this, but mom, you’re always right. Love & see y’all soon!
Mary Thomas- Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I will be forever grateful for all it has given me. I love you guys and can’t wait to debrief!
Clay- Thank you so much for sending me on another Moondance trip. I love these trips so so much and they mean so much to me. I’ve gotten so tan, or at least I think I have. Miss you so so much and can’t wait to see you. Love you and miss you so much! ❤️ tell Scoutie I miss him too.
Catherine- Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip. This has been such an extraordinary experience and a once in a lifetime trip! I’m so grateful. I love y’all and miss you! Tell Daisy I miss her ❤️
Olivia- Hi m&b! I’m making it!! Thank you so much for sending me on this!! I’m having so much fun! Can’t wait to get home and tell y’all all about it. Love y’all!!
Ella- hi!!! I miss you guys so much but am having so much fun and can’t wait to tell you guys all about it! I have the best friends and the views and food are so amazing. I love you and will see you soon! Can’t wait for Karma when I get back!
Eugenia- Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! It has been my biggest blessing, I have seen such beauty, met so many kind people, and have had so many adventures! Thank you! Love you!
Anslie- Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am so grateful for the growth, joy, and companionship I have found on this trip! I love you guys so much! I can’t wait for our adventures coming up and don’t worry I’ve been asking for updates on the college baseball World Series. I love y’all!!!
Greece Here We Come!
June 17, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
We’re back! We’ve been trekking around Albania and it was nothing short of stunning. Let’s get into what we’ve been up to since we last updated you! Our drive into Theth ended with a roller coaster-like climb up a mountain, a stunning cross over the peak where we could see the valleys on either side, and then a descent back down to the valley to our lodge. Greyson was sitting in the perfect seat to lean out the window and capture pictures of the scenes.
Our home for the next four days was a picturesque little lodge nestled by the mountains all around us. We quickly dropped our items and went on an exploratory walk to stretch our legs and hear each other’s crazy stories. Gracen had us doubled over laughing! After a scrumptious first Albanian dinner at our long dining table, it was time for a Moonup while we watched the setting sun on the mountaintops above. In the distance we could see a big white cross on a peak. To our surprise, we would be hiking to that very cross the next day.
The first full day in Theth was transformational for every single one of us. We quite literally conquered a mountain known as Maja e Zorzit, a breathtaking peak that demands an intense, uphill rocky climb in exchange for its wonders at the top. LOD’s Anslie and Brittan encouraged the group at breakfast before we set out on what would be the most challenging but rewarding day to date. At the base of the mountain, we were greeted by a smiling white dog we believed belonged to our hostel. It cut to the front of the line and joyfully joined us for the entirety of our hike, leading the way all 9.5 miles. From the get go, we realized our journey would be very physically and mentally taxing, but the girls joined together in keeping morale high. Anslie led the group in rejuvenating breathing exercises, and Hadley made Mary Claire laugh so hard that she forgot about her fear of heights. When sections of the hike got especially tough, Ellie and Eugenia dug deep, reminding the group of how lucky we were to be able to do hard things! Every time we thought we made it to the top, we had just a little bit more to go. Thankfully, Margaret encouraged us that “little by little becomes a lot.” Finally, just when our legs were l about to give out, we scrambled to the top and were greeted by a massive white cross, surrounded by the most glorious mountains from every side. Victory tasted like three giant bags of gummy bears, an abundance of fresh alpine air, and newfound confidence in our strength and capacity to overcome challenges. After refueling on Nutella sandwiches and fruit galore, we started the trek down the other side of the mountain, following the lead of our new friend, the little white dog. The route down was long, but more gradual, allowing us to tell stories, catch up on how we were feeling about the day, and relish in our accomplishments before we stumbled across an ICE CREAM STORE!!!!! Talk about a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Nothing could’ve topped off that challenging day as satisfactorily as ice cream and cokes did. We wrapped up our day just hanging out, happy to learn that the following day would be one of rest and recharging.
We began the next morning with a late breakfast in our pjs, and then had a relaxing, yet intentional morning of games like ships and sailors (shout out Clay for being a beast at it), freeze dance, and journaling, our outfitter, then took us out to lunch to celebrate yesterday. A beautiful white cat snuggled up next to Ella at the lunch table, reaffirming how welcoming her presence is to all. After a lunch full of hilarious stories from Greyson about her life at home, we began our walk over to ziplining! We had seen others soar over the city of Theth, so we were excited to get a chance to see the city we had so quickly fallen in love with from above. Hadley and Tena faced their fears of ziplining so bravely and Brittan, Gracen, and Olivia were joyfully cheering them on from the landing deck!! Following this adventure, we were excited for one of the best treats of all….LAUNDRY!!! We were nice and clean, prepared for the hike to Blue Eye the following day, as were all of our clothes…the perfect mid trip pick me up. Moonup was as all of ours have seemed to be: silly, long, deep, insightful, supportive, and so much more. We are truly blessed with this group of girls, and ecstatic to see what each new location and activity reveals about them individually.
Our following morning began with sunshine and hints of another beautiful day to come! No day has been a bad weather day on this trip! We had a trek to the Blue Eye, a scenic watering hole hidden in the depths of the mountains. The hike proved to be longer than expected, but Olivia kept us motivated! Once we arrived and scarfed down our sandwiches, it was time to go jump in the crystal clear water. What we didn’t foresee was just how freezing it would be. Imagine colder than ice water….it was that cold. That didn’t slow us down though! Olivia, Anslie, Mary Thomas, Gracen, Margaret, Clay, Ella, and Ellie all took the strong leap to jump in, proving to each other that we can do those uncomfortable things and fully dive into each of life’s experiences. Gracen was on cloud 9 for the rest of the day, elated from pushing herself to take the harder option of jumping in, and we were so happy to share in her joy. Once back at camp, it was time to pack up, as the next day would bring another road trip, this time to, a coastal town in Albania; our final stop before ferrying over to Greece!
The road trip was long, yet simultaneously flew by. Music was blasting the whole time, with song suggestions flying left and right. Mary Thomas surprised us with just how deep her Taylor Swift knowledge runs! She and Mary Claire were educating all of us on the meaning of certain songs and backstories. Once we finally rolled up to town, it was time to stretch those legs by walking to a nice American dinner of burgers and fried chicken sandwiches down by the city center at the beach. This town was quite different from our stays in Bosnia and then Theth, as the city is full of life and activity. We felt tempted to go into every shop we passed!! But alas, we were exhausted and knew we needed to rest up for our day tomorrow, which would include a local farm visit.
BotĂ« can only be described as the perfect hidden gem of Albania. When our van driver from California (the human reincarnate of Crush from Finding Nemo) picked us up, we had no clue what was in store for us. We were immediately greeted by sights of donkeys, goats, turtles, and the biggest spiders we had ever seen. Half the group set off to milk a silly goat named Babs, while the others began making Byrek, a traditional Albanian pastry. While Eugenia, Hadley, and Margaret had a little trouble not tearing holes in their dough, Catherine was in her element, putting her three years of culinary classes to good use. Our chef/teacher/farm owner, was teaching us both about cooking, but also about Albania itself, or should we say ShqipĂ«ria. We were taught that ShqipĂ«ria is the name for Albania that Albanians themselves use, meaning Land of the Eagles. The more you know! After both groups had cooked food, milked Babs, and fed all the other goats corn (oftentimes watching them wrestle with each other for it), it was time to relax until lunch time. We hung out by their natural pool, swimming, talking, reading, napping, and anything else under the sun. Hadley was being so brave with her fear of frogs, as they kept jumping in and out of the water all around us. The sound of the lunch bell was music to our ears and we raced over to the gorgeous pergola for our six course meal of watermelon and goat cheese (from Babs), cucumber bites, hummus spreads, mussels, potatoes, chicken, the byrek we had made, lemon cake dessert, and probably three more things I am forgetting. We could fill pages with how extravagant these meals have been, but instead we are just filling our bellies. Shoutout Alice for trying SO many new foods during this trip! Everyone’s adventurous spirit has carried over into mealtime which we love to see, especially in these countries rich with different cuisines and cultures. Almost too full to move, we sadly had to drag our feet back to the van to head back to town so that we could go see the beach again and get some more adventure in us before our ferry to Greece the following morning. Olivia and Gracen got beautiful matching bracelets from a local jeweler, and Greyson got a cute wallet. Steals all around! Dinner ended with us singing happy birthday to our outfitter, and thanking her for every little thing she does for us. We are truly so lucky to have her, and her love for our family of AMG 1C is evident daily. Off to bed we went, excited to reach our final country soon!
The ferry to Greece was stunning, and we are excited to report we have touched down and begun exploring the beaches. Tomorrow, we head to sea kayaking nearby! More updates to come later on! Got to go explore Greece now!
With love and gratitude,
Margaret and Mary Claire
Bonding in Bosnia!
June 10, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
We are coming to you from the most beautiful camp ever, which we’ve recently learned lies in the deepest canyon in Europe, and is the second deepest in the world behind the Grand Canyon. The water is crystal clear even at depths of 20+ feet deep, so we were so eager to get to rafting, but before we dive into that, let’s cover everything that has happened since you last heard from your 13 lovely daughters 🙂
After leaving the airport, we crossed the border from Croatia into Bosnia, and headed to a small town for lunch! We scarfed down a variety of food from pizza to chicken to sandwiches, ravenous after the long flight. Then we were on our way to our camp on the river. We arrived shortly before dinner and checked into our little cabin bungalows while exploring the property. There are about 8 cats, 6 dogs, and 3 puppies here…at least. Ellie immediately jumped in, getting to know the guides staying here too. Her curious spirit was infectious and soon everyone was asking the staff lots of questions about where we were and what to expect. After an intriguing dinner of a full fish, potatoes, and vegetables, we had our first Moonup and Greyson, Hadley, and Clay were great teachers, having experience from their Moondance trips last summer. We tucked in early because everyone was exhausted from all of the travel!
The next day began with a late breakfast so we could catch up on rest. Then it was time to head to rafting! We got all dressed to the nines in our wetsuits and gear and went on our way. The water was even prettier up close than the above view from our camp, so we were eager to get in. We spent hours rafting, laughing, and bonding even further. We rafted all the way until we spotted our camp’s lodge from below and then walked up the hill to a magnificent lunch of soup, chicken, potatoes, salad, watermelon, and more! Our two hour lunch was filled with stories! We had a restful evening in the hammocks and chairs with Mary Claire and Eugenia bonding over their similar music tastes. Then we had dinner and Moonup, where we got to hear all about Gracen’s Taco Bell obsession and everyone’s desire for a cookie skillet. Safe to say we were hungry again! We went to bed excited to hike the next day.
Day 4 was nothing short of magical or mileage! Our day began bright and early to a classically-scrumptious breakfast prepared by our lodge, family-style. The girls shared what they were grateful for and what they could do to make the day great, citing hydration and positive energy ahead of our first hiking day! Ellie, one of our leaders of the day (LOD), picked a quote for the day- “do it anyway”- reminding us all of the unique opportunity we have to experience life under the blue Bosnian sky and to seize every single opportunity with gratitude. Looking back on the rest of the day, I can say with pride and joy that every single girl took this to their core.
We roadtripped to the trailhead, adding group favorite songs like Valerie (thank you, Alice!) and Springsteen (thank you, Ella!) to the playlist. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we arrived, facing rolling green hills and wondrous mountains and wildflowers and white horses (another song added). Led by our incredible outfitters, we set out on our hike, with our other wonderful leader of the day, Mary Thomas, in charge of the group camera and capturing the magic! Anslie, Catherine, Ellie, Mary Claire, Alice, and Eugenia played two truths and a lie, discovering it to be an especially fun game when there is still so much to learn about each other. Greyson and Olivia fearlessly led the girls from the front, keeping morale high, and being the first to cross between Bosnia and Montenegro! Even during particularly challenging patches, Hadley and the rest of the girls clung to their morning goal of keeping a positive attitude, and they absolutely crushed it. We ate a lunch of paninis, nectarines, and Oreos by a heart-shaped lake, and it was as magical as it sounds. Sitting in a circle, we listened to Clay share stories from her life changing Northern Lights trip from last summer, and it made us especially thankful to be under the warm sun together. Our hike took us back the way we came, and it was somehow even more beautiful the second time. On the way home, we had a surprise stop at a gas station, and you would’ve thought we all collectively won the lottery given the girls’ reaction to get some celebratory ice cream and new Bosnian snacks! The surprises continued at dinner when our amazing guide brought out glasses of ice at our dinner table after overhearing the girls talk about how much they missed it. Gracen practically shed a tear of joy at the sight of her iced water, and the same went for Brittan when they brought out fresh tomatoes during dinner. It really is the little things that count! LOD’s Mary Thomas and Ellie facilitated both silly and meaningful conversation at Moonup, where we sit in a circle under the sky and laugh and deepen our connections to one another – an incredible end to an incredible day.
Our time in Bosnia culminated with another day of rafting crystal clear water. We began higher up the river and were immediately woken up with thrilling rapids. Once the river slowed down, we had ample time to play games and get to know each other even more. Among these talks were disclosures of phobias, along with Margaret’s raft all sharing one thing no one on the trip knew about them yet. Brittan proved to be a treasure chest of stories that kept us entertained all morning! All of a sudden our guides were encouraging everyone to hop out of the raft and go jump off a small cliff, which was seemingly perfect timing as Catherine had recently shared that one of her goals of the trip was to face her fears and go cliff jumping. She led the group up and was the first to jump. The pride we all felt for her success was immeasurable. Once back at camp we played celebrity, a game full of random people and characters and guessing what everyone else wrote. Anslie was highly accurate at guessing who wrote each character, which allowed her to keep growing her team. We had lots of fun all evening and were sad to pack up to leave Bosnia the next morning.
Now we are on to Albania… .We have passed the drive with LOTS of music and riddles, and Olivia and Ella continue to surprise us with how quickly they can figure out each riddle and game. We can’t wait to see what is in store for us next!!
Over and out,
Margaret & Mary Claire 🩵✌🏼
And now, a few words from the gang!
Eugenia- Dad, this is the most amazing trip ever, and perfect in every way. Mom, the water is so clear and blue it is insane. Rachel and Gary, I miss y’all!
Catherine- Hi everyone! This trip is so beautiful. The water is so clear and blue. The mountains layer on top of each other perfectly. Bosnia is so beautiful, y’all would love it. Mom, Dad, Will, Katelyn -> miss y’all <3
Olivia – Hi M&B! I miss y’all! The water here is so blue it looks dyed. It’s so beautiful & I’m having so much fun!! All the girls are so sweet & I can’t wait to tell you all our stories! Pet E.O. for me! Love y’all! Tell Hunter & Adeline I miss them!
Ellie- Hey y’all, I miss you so much! This place is so beautiful I never want to leave. I am so lucky to call these girls my new best friends & am so excited for our next adventures. The food has been so good, and I am so grateful for every little thing I’ve gotten to experience so far! Love y’all! Cheers to 2 years Lulu & Mccray!!
Greyson H – Hi everyone! Miss you guys so much but this is awesome! I miss my friends, but I can’t wait to tell them all about it!
Ella – Hi guys! I miss you! In the car heading to Albania from Bosnia. Love you and can’t wait to see you!
Anslie – Hi guys! This is insane. I’m so grateful for this opportunity! Thank you so much! I have so many stories and pics to share! Tell Sherlock I say hi!
Hadley- Hi guys! This place is so amazing! I miss you. Tell Aubrey, Reagan, and Ashton I love and miss them.
Clay- Hey guys! This place is so beautiful, it’s not real. Looks like a green screen, Can’t wait to tell stories and show pics! Tell Gigi and Adair I miss them and all my friends. Miss and love y’all!
Alice – It is so pretty over here and doesn’t seem real. Right now, we are on the way to Albania. All of the girls are so nice and we are having so much fun!!
Gracen T – Hello friends and family! I’m having the best time ever. I miss all of you and Taco Bell so much.
Mary Thomas – Hey Mom, Dad, and Jane! I’m having the best time here and can’t wait to come here with y’all at some point. I love and miss you guys so much!
Britt: Hi family! I’m having the best time! Love you guys! p.s. please bring the black straps for my duffle
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello AMG Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
