What a Ride!
July 10, 2025
Family and friends of AMG 2A students,
What a ride it has been! This group has made the last 17 days truly unforgettable. The final week has been packed to the brim with travel, exploring, and going from friends to family. Let us recount!
Leaving Valbona was hard, as it was one of our favorite places we stayed. Whether it was the views, our host Fabian, the time spent hanging out with one another, or just the delicious food-everyone found something to love about our time there! But we packed up early and jumped in the van to head to the capital of Albania, Tirana. It was a long drive, but we got to stop and try some different Eastern European snacks along the way. George especially enjoyed sampling the different brands of energy drinks-trying a new kind every chance he got during our journey.
Once we arrived in Tirana, we got settled at our hostel and walked over to an Albanian cooking class! Our instructor, David, was extremely knowledgeable and well-spoken, helping guide us through several delicious recipes we crafted for dinner. While everyone tried new foods, our David found a new passion for cucumbers! Maddie, Sam, and Ben polished off the olives and jams.
After the class, we stopped at a monument and had that night’s Moonup in the park!
The 4th of July was anything but uneventful. Waking up to the group’s favorite song, Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue, the day kicked off with high energy. Sporting USA colors, we hopped in the van to continue our cross-country road trip. In the spirit of the holiday, Ben and EC led USA trivia, getting everybody involved. Our drive led us to Sarandë, a coastal town in southern Albania. You could see Greece across the water, and the kids were pumped, to say the least. We spent the afternoon on the beach before heading out for the most American meal we could find-burgers. The taste of home was much appreciated on the big day.
The night didn’t end there-we hosted the First Annual AMG 2A Watermelon Eating Contest right on the beach. Split into three groups, the kids were all in on this impromptu and hilarious bit. Saying we laughed would be an understatement. David’s team absolutely demolished and took the W. Sparklers were also a hit as we celebrated in a land far from home.
Our early ferry ride the next morning was goofy and a great way to head to our final country of the trip. After lots of time spent in the mountains and various Albanian cities, the group was so excited to make it to Greece! We sat up top, taking in the views and were surprisingly chipper for the early morning start.
Upon arrival to our accommodation in Corfu, the group couldn’t believe the Pink Villa was ours! Our house sat high on the hill and was a favorite, with plenty of space to hang out, swim in the pools, and spend most of our Greek portion of the trip.
We hit the beach to soak up the sun and get a lay of the land. After some watermelon and grapes, the kids took out pedal boats in the cove-a definite highlight of the day. They’ve been dying laughing about it ever since. After their pedal boat adventure, we grabbed a much-needed lunch and returned to the Pink Villa for a quick recharge.
Once we were a bit more rested, we got to put our cooking class skills to work. On the menu tonight: chicken pesto pasta topped with feta and coupled with a Greek salad! Martina and Julia prepped the chicken, Molly cooked the pasta, and Stella and Maddie prepared the salad. The meal was delicious-it’s always fulfilling to prepare a good meal with friends.
After our cooking escapades, we went on a sunset hike to a monastery overlooking both bays we were staying between. We reached the viewpoint just before sunset and took plenty of funny pictures. Molly taught us one of her favorite dance games to keep things lively, while George took in the views and snapped photos with Sam-capturing a beautiful sunset.
After the sun dipped behind us, we trekked down to the beach for Moonup. We recounted the day’s adventures, and to close it out, leaders Emma Cutter and Ben took a surprise dip in the ocean before we all headed back to the Pink Villa for a well-earned night’s rest.
Our trip’s Euro Summer truly commenced with our boat and beach day! After a quick breakfast at the Villa, we met our boat guide Alex-who quickly became a fan favorite among both leaders and students. Once acquainted, we ventured onto the boat and toured the surrounding beaches and cliffs. It was stunning and a highlight of this leg of the trip. At one point, we stopped at a cave and jumped into the deep blue water! Sam was an especially gifted jumper who moved with grace.
We got dropped off at a beach where we explored the island-Marks and George especially loved seeing the different views. Later, we snorkeled around our rocky beach to a small cave we swam into!
After snorkeling, we had lunch on the beach. Our guide Alex was truly awesome and even made us hummus and sandwiches with various fruits. After lunch, Julia and Stella discovered underwater caverns to swim through, and the whole group joined in! After many adventures, we headed home and then out to an Italian restaurant for dinner-it was absolutely scrumptious.
Sea kayaking was a TIME. We arrived at another bright pink home to meet our guides and hit the waves! Tandem kayaks were a hit, and the kids named their boats and really got into it. On our journey out, we stopped at a jumping point and did cannonballs to cool off. Molly and Ellie’s zigzagging kayak had us all giggling.
David and Stella persevered through a mayday sinking kayak fiasco-Ben saved the day! Ellie caught arguably the best photo of the session: Ben on the sinking kayak. We made it to the island, hiked to the top for some snacks and views, and soaked it all in.
After some much-needed rest and AC, we headed back to the beach to explore a cave across the cove. Kirkman was our group acrobat, diving into the water from the cave’s edge. After a great swim, we crossed the cove and frolicked around.
Taco Tuesdayyyy (even though we’ve lost track of what day it is) was a spread. All seated around our wooden tables in the yard of the villa, we feasted on food chef’d up by yours truly. David made incredible pork skewers while Kirkman led others on chop duty for the ingredients.
Our last big activity was highly anticipated: rock climbing! We’ve got some daredevils who went all the way up without hesitation. David had the whole group cheering him on as he conquered the most challenging route-and others followed his lead. Ellie climbed all the routes, while Ana Collins and Lucy posed triumphantly at the top. We found another cave, climbed around, snapped some pics, then were off to Old Town Corfu for our final night!
Corfu Town is the perfect size to walk and explore. The old city looks so well preserved, with shops in ancient stone buildings. We had many successful shopping sprees-the girls got Greek sandals, and the boys snagged souvenirs. Marks found a watch he was pumped about and wore it out to dinner.
We dined outdoors on the most European little street, still in disbelief we were actually in Greece! Greek salad and gyros were the top orders as we soaked up our last night on the island.
Our last day was a huge endeavor. We left island-time Corfu for the largest city in the Balkans. After arriving in Athens, we dropped our bags and went out for our fave: Greek gyros! We just couldn’t get enough. Then we explored Athens, shopped for souvenirs and banquet outfits, and popped into churches and markets to cool off.
We got dressed up and ready for our Banquet Dinner!! To celebrate a phenomenal session, we had one last Greek feast-tzatziki, moussaka, and pita bread galore.
After dinner, we walked up to the Acropolis, and the group couldn’t believe its size and preservation. What a way to end the trip-looking out over all of Athens at sunset. After a photoshoot, we made our way down the mountain and got gelato one last time.
To celebrate Julia’s 18th birthday, we surprised her with a waffle cone and party hats as the group sang-she was so surprised! This group never misses a reason to celebrate.
Our final Moonup, led by Stella and George, was under the most Greek-looking building we could find in the botanical gardens. We recounted all our memories together.
Now, sitting in the airport, we’re teary-eyed and already missing your kids as they head home. They made this session so special. The energy they brought from day one never faded. They bonded and conquered so much in just 17 days.
If time flies when you’re having fun, then we were on a supersonic jet this summer. As they make their way back to you and their corners of the world, we can’t help but reminisce.
Thank you so much for sharing your kids with us this summer! It was a joy to get to know and love them!!
2A, Y’all rock!!! We love and miss you already!!!
One last time,
Emma Cutter and Ben ❤️
Trekking, Birthdays, and Bonding
July 4, 2025
Hello! Since we’ve last updated you we’ve been trekking our way through the Albania Alps and having a ball! !
We began our day by saying goodbye to our Tara river canyon rafting camp and making the drive through Montenegro to Albania! We set off early in the morning after getting a full breakfast and loading the van up with all of our gear. We had the opportunity to stop along the way and explore the different snacks that are offered here in the Balkans. Sam and David especially enjoyed trying the Dubai chocolate during one of our stops!
Once we made it closer to our destination we got to stop up at a viewpoint high in the Albanian Alps. Our group got to take in the views and get some pictures! Sam, our group photographer, was getting all the shots we needed. After our quick stop we jumped back in the van and arrived in Theth! It’s one of the most breathtaking guest houses we get to stay in during our trip. While Emma Cutter and Ben were getting checked into the hotel, the group all played games in the lawn. Hacky sack was a hit and Maddie was especially skilled! The group also got a quick game of soccer in and George and Marks were the star players.
Once we got settled into our rooms we had fabulous dinner coupled with a fresh salad accompanied with cucumbers and tomatoes. Ellie said it was her favorite salad she’s ever had! For our next course we had feta cheese, mushroom cream soup, and various meats. After dinner we had Moonup led by David and Maddie around a fire where we recounted the day and prepared for our first day of trekking.
First day of trekking was met with high anticipation! Waking up in Theth, we truly felt so engulfed in the Alps. The view from our guesthouse never gets old! Today we would be hiking to the Blue Eye, a waterfall watering hole. This day was also especially exciting because it was Stella’s Birthday! Our breakfast table was decorated with balloons and a banner as well as a special friend, a ballon unicorn that Stella named Delilah, who would trek with us over the next 3 days! After our quick celebration LOD Molly led the group in stretches and got the group prepped for our day on the trial. After our stretch circle we made our lunches and set out to conquer the day with our guide Martina.
On our journey we crossed bridges, creeks and rivers until we got to our main elevation climb. It was quite challenging for some of the students but us leaders were surprised by how well the group stuck together and supported each other. Once we made it to the blue hole waterfall we all took a moment to appreciate it before getting changed and jumping into the shockingly cold mountain water which took everyone’s breath away. After our quick swim we sat together on the riverside to eat our packed lunches. After we ate our fill the group got changed and tracked there way down the mountain and back to our guest house for a birthday dinner.
To celebrate Stella, Emma Cutter laid out party hats and birthday noise makers before everyone came down for dinner. Julia fawned over the owner’s baby and gave him a birthday hat to be in on the celebration too! After we finished another delicious Albania meal, the guesthouse brought out a cake that said Happy Birthday Stella topped with 18 candles. Ben cut some monster pieces to which the group was ecstatic.
We circled up in the field and a thoughtful MoonUp was driven by Molly and George, forging our connections deeper and preparing us for the day ahead tomorrow!
Day 2 of trekking is most definitely the biggest day we have! The Valbona Pass connects Theth, where we have been staying, to our next destination Valbona. The epic pass includes a summit, so the group got hyped up to conquer the mountain!
With an early start, we made our way through the town to reach the base of the peak. The uphill incline for as far as we could see was intimidating, but the group took it on with no hesitation. Looking around to see the mountain tops get closer and closer kept us going, along with lollipops and music. One thing that made this hike so special was how the group stayed together. They were each other’s motivators on the way up, supporting and encouraging one another so naturally.
George motivated the group with positive perspective and inspiration, while Sam captured all the views on his camera. Kirkman kept conversation flowing while David had the speaker strapped to his pack. Ellie kept the pace up front as LOD and made sure everyone was doing alright! We made it to a meadow with the most stunning view yet and took a minute to take in all that surrounds us and snap some pictures. The further up we climbed, the closer we got through our shared challenge! As we were refilling our waters at a stream, donkeys crashed our party, leaving everyone laughing. Just past the stream we paused at a mountain restaurant for some fuel and a lesson on water purification led by Ellie! After our rest, we had the last push to the top. It was a solid 45 minutes of straight up that would lead us to the rewarding summit. Encouraged by passing hikers, we knew we were close when the front of our group spotted an Albania flag. Ana Collins said her favorite part of the day was the last 10 steps, as the view from the top unfolds in front of your eyes with each step forward. Lucy exclaimed how excited she was to see the top as we scrambled up the last stretch. Stella carried Delilah (Unicorn) all the way to the summit, exemplifying her caring and determined nature.
Upon arrival, the PB & Js and Nutella tortillas made their way out and we relished in the moment of achievement. Many of the students brought cameras to document our trip, with Maddie’s being a group favorite.
We made our descent, took in the views, hiked through many different terrains, and finally after 9 hours of hiking made it to our guesthouse in Valbona. With some relief and happiness, we got all cozy and ready for a much needed meal. Our guesthouse is situated even further into the Alps, with no other house in sight. Sore legs and tired eyes hit the hay for some rest and recovery.
Sleeping in felt AMAZING! Julia and Molly found Emma Cutter and Ben having morning coffee and helped wake up the rest of the crew for breakfast. A slow morning was much appreciated by the group, with many games of cards played by midday. Today’s trek was a nice hike around the surrounding area to another guesthouse to have lunch. More homemade bread, salad, and soup filled us up and a few of us (Ana Collins especially) devoured their renowned specialty- iced coffee! More games of President, dominated by Marks, took us into the afternoon. Lucy and David played chess with Fabian while AC Molly and Ben took part in “lizarding”, soaking up the sun. We spent hours at this guesthouse, hanging out and enjoying each other’s company! We hit the trail which surprisingly led us to….ice cream!!
When we made it back to the guesthouse, an exciting arrival via helicopter entertained us. Ben played badminton with Fabian, while yet another game of presidents started up with much competitive energy from Kirkman and Julia.
To close the day, we enjoyed a fire under the stars. Some giggled on the bean bags while others played with Fabian, taking in our last night in Northern Albania.
We said goodbye to the picturesque Alps early in the morning to make our way to our next stop! We cannot believe it’s already our 10th day together. Time has flown, though the ground we have covered will be full of stories for your kids to tell you. Until then!!
Catch you on the flip!
Ben & Emma Cutter
We know you’d love to hear from your kids, here’s some shoutouts!
Molly: Hi Familyy!!! I hope you had a great Fourth of July, and a great last week and a half! I’m having an amazing time, and couldn’t be more grateful for this experience! Please bring me a quarter pounder and large fry and Diet Coke when you pick me up! Love you can’t wait to see you!!!
Lucy- Hey family! I am having so much fun on my trip and have made the best friends! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to experience this trip, and I can’t wait to see y’all soon! Love y’all! Tell my friends I miss them too!
Julia- Hey Mama and Dada! I miss y’all so much and the dogs. I hope y’all are having a good time. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I’ve loved every second of it and I love my group everybody’s so nice! I can’t wait to give y’all a big hug when I get home! Love y’all more than anything!
Jujee/Bug❤️
Stella- Hi family! Thank you for allowing me to embark on one last Moondance adventure before college (as a student). The scenery is beautiful here and the people are making it even more magical. As you probably guessed I am dreading leaving these incredible places to come back to the states but I can’t wait to see y’all! Please give Wilson hugs cuddles and kisses for me. 🐾❤️
George- Hey mom and dad. Hope all is well on your end! The trip is going so fast but I’m loving every second. This is by far my favorite trip ever. I’m so thankful for all the planning and sacrifices that went into this because no words can describe how unreal this is. We have been stopping at a lot of gas stations so I’ve been getting snacks. We are going to corfu tomorrow! Hope all is well. Tell Oreo and Jeff I said hi!
Sam- Hey guys, I miss you but I’m having a lot of fun on this trip. Send Earl my condolences and hug him for me. This is by far the best Moondance group I’ve had, the other guys on the trip are awesome. I’d like to ask if you guys could somehow set up a paintball or air-soft game for this upcoming lake house trip; otherwise, I’ll be home in about one week. Love you guys 🫶
Maddie: Heyyyy!!! Love and miss you all so much and I am so excited to see you so soon! Hopefully
Aiden/Liam/Kaitlin are ready and the pool is heated 🕺🕺This group has been the best and every single day has been so much fun. Unlike anywhere I have ever been!!! We are off to Greece tomorrow and I can’t wait! So grateful to be here, I’m taking it alllll in 😘
Ana Collins- Hey Mom, Dad, Henry, and grandparents!!! 💌I’m having so much fun and I love y’all so much! We are in Albania for one last night before leaving for our last country tomorrow, Greece!! Thank y’all for sending me on one last final summer with Moondance & I miss y’all so much but I know y’all know I am obviously having a great time making new friends and mems! We’re already thinking of visiting at colleges!! Have a happy 4th and see y’all in a week❤️❤️ Also mom can’t wait to see you in the airport!!
Kirkman- Hey mom and dad. I hope y’all are good and I hope Graham is having fun in Croatia. I have become best friends with everyone on this trip and I’ve had way more fun than I thought I would. Thank y’all for encouraging me to do this and step out of my bubble, and I look forward to seeing y’all soon. Tell everyone at home I said hey and I’m looking forward to getting back on the lake.
David- Hello mother, I’m having a great time here so far. I got some amazing pictures while hiking. I’ve made really good friends and hope to “reunite” with them again someday after Moondance.. If not then all good no worries. Love you lots and can’t wait to tell y’all all about it!
Marks- Hey mom and dad! Just wanted you to know that I am alive and all is good! I have been enjoying my time in Europe making new friends and good memories. Do not worry about me because I will be home soon. Lastly just wanted to say Happy 4th of July!! Love you!
Ellie- Hey Mom, Dad, Laney, and Caroline(!!) I am having the absolute best time and have really enjoyed the trekking part of my trip the best. The mountains are so beautiful and we are headed to Greece tomorrow. We got to cliff jump while rafting and I have had so many Greek salads. I promise I’m wearing sunscreen, and I can’t wait to see you all so soon! Thank you so much for sending me on one final Moondance!!! I love you all!
Adventures on AMG
June 29, 2025
Hello from the Balkans! Our 17 day adventure has begun and we cannot wait to tell you how it’s been so far! Since you last hugged your kids goodbye, they have gained 4 new passport stamps & many new friends and stories.
Coming from all over the States, the group made it to Dubrovnik safe and sound with lots of energy upon arrival! Ben, EC, Marks, & Maddie greeted the rest of the crew and made the first introductions. We met our guide, Martina, who will be joining us for the next two weeks, and shortly hopped into our van that would take us to our first destination. The scenic drive took us through the hills, mountains, and lakes of rural Croatia that led us to the border of Bosnia! Along the way we stopped for dinner at a local restaurant that the kids said looked like the lodge from Frozen. Fueled and ready, we continued our journey! Despite some unfortunate car sickness on the windy roads, we arrived to our camp with much anticipation!! Our rafting camp sits on the river that divides Montenegro & Bosnia. Wooden bungalow cabins under the stars and mountain tops would be home for the next 4 nights.
Waking up to see the vast view in the daylight was a wonderful way to start the day. Breakfast consisted of homemade bread, jam, meats, eggs, & cheese, and was given an A+ by all, especially Sam who was curious about “Bosnian Breakfast”.
Fitted up in our wetsuits, helmets, & booties, we loaded up the vans to take us to our put-in spot along the river. On the ride, George posed some great questions for the group to continue getting to know one another which made time fly.
Upon first glance, Stella exclaimed that the water was crystal clear and neon blue. We got our first feel of the frigid water dunking into the river, ready for our rafts! Ben and David captained one raft, while Marks and George took lead on the other. We stopped along the way and found a spot to jump off of, and Kirkman was the first to send it!
After we all plunged into the fridged clear water we climbed back into our rafts and paddled down the river! At one point the two boats turned on each other and started splashing each other. Ben jumped on the other raft to cause havoc and Kirkman form tackled him off protecting his group. After the skirmish, Ellie and Molly jumped ship and switched places, keeping the guides on their toes! Then we paddled back to camp and sat down for another delicious meal where we shared an awesome conversation spearheaded by none other than Maddie and Julia!
Then we had some free time at the camp so filled our time by getting the whole group involved in a friendly game of volleyball! Lucy became a track star sprinting down the long hill to the river after our ball! After our game, Marks, George, and Kirkman took a dip in the pool and threw the football around. While others tried their hand at pool! It was Ellie’s first time ever playing and she won a game! Lucy taught the whole group the card game Presidents and it’s been a hit with our squad so far. After our different activities we came together for dinner and Moonup to close the day and get ready for the next day!
With a day under our belts, we were ready to tackle day two of rafting! Ana Collins and Lucy kept convo flowing on one raft, discussing norms of where we are from and funny Moondance stories. Today we made a stop at another rafting camp to eat some snacks. Julia and Stella made new friends with the many kittens roaming around the deck.
Three on a couch, a group game, kept us entertained post rafting until dinner time. We have been spoiled with the wonderful homemade meals from our host Pile, his nickname is chicken! Post dinner, Marks and Julia took a night swim to cap off the day and take full advantage of our rafting camp.
Our last day of rafting was a fun switch up as we went in the late afternoon! We spent the morning playing games and hanging out. A full group game of Spoons, in which Ana Collins came out as winner, entertained the crew for a long while. We played a few rounds of hacky sack and George took the win! Maddie had some juggles that impressed the group and showed her soccer skills! Fish bowl was a hit, with Molly being a pro & most rounds ending in giggles.
On the way to the last day of rafting, Stella stumped the van with a riddle that we are still trying to figure out! Upon arrival, David got his whole raft hyped up with war paint on their faces by rubbing rocks together. It was quite fitting as our guide’s nickname is Solider!
We of course jumped off our favorite rock spot & made our way down the familiar canyon. On the other raft, Sam took over as captain and acted as the rudder, steering the group flawlessly.
One thing we can confidently say about this group is that it is full of adventurous people!If there is any opportunity to jump out and swim, they’re in despite the freezing water! Floating down the rapids outside of the boat was a hit and most definitely an adrenaline rush. EC & Sam linked arms on the float down and could not stop laughing as they dodged rocks left and right. By the end of the day, Julia and Ellie were deliriously giggling at anything and everything which kept it interesting as we made it back to our camp.
Stella and Kirkman led a really well thought out and silly Moonup for our last night at our camp which ended by a variety of animal noises being belted out.
Our rafting section is coming to close as we head to our next destination: Albania! We begin trekking tomorrow and can’t wait to update you next week. This group has come together exceptionally fast! Ben and EC have enjoyed getting to know each of their personalities and goofy nature.
Until next time!
Emma Cutter & Ben
Let the fun begin!
June 25, 2025
Hello Albania, Montenegro + Greece Families!
We heard from our leaders and the group has landed safely! The group is so excited to start their adventure together!
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
