Dynasty, Dallas, Coronation Street, Eastenders or just Greece

The past week has been enough to last a lifetime.  I really do not have the time to write up on my blog, as over the past seven years I have been working 2-3 jobs, 360 or so days a year.  Not the point, though.  This morning, as I tend to do every morning, I quickly read through the news headlines, ciphering through encoded politicians messages, sarcastic journalists remarks and I fell upon an article about the furious husband of a journalist who felt insulted by a politicians remark on her show.  Reading on, I realised that the politician is married into a right wing political family - in fact she is married to the grandson of Mr Mitsotakis, one of the prime culprits of us being where we are now.  Anyway, as I am rarely in front of a TV, I seemed to have missed that episode of the Greek crisis.  I chuckled a little and went on to read another article.  It was a mini article on which celebrities have publicly signed petitions on what they will be voting on Sunday.  Another chuckle as I browsed through the names of the Yes voters. 


It suddenly hit me that as I was going through articles, in English, in Greek, in German, in whatever language, I went back in time to my childhood days.  Soap operas were the thing then, and, I can still remember not wanting to miss an episode, feeling lost if I had.  It's a bit like that I thought.  Then, I recalled the characters of the shows - great business moguls with their eccentric families made up of alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, great looking mistresses in mini skirts and high heels and under dressed wives with a plan of revenge.  The handsome bad guy, who you always wanted to hate, but he was just too cute and clever that you never could (OK - no Greek politician has got that role yet).  The great empires that were hanging on a string due to corruption, lies, blackmail.  The pretty little girls that attracted the pretty little boys.  The poor guy, the crusader,  working his way to the top, battling against wealth and power.  Bearing his cross and going forward.  A David in a world full of Goliaths.  Then it dawned on me - I am actually living in a real-life soap opera.  An eerie feeling came over me - maybe this is not real life.  Perhaps this is all a facade, a "Truman Show", and if I get into a boat I will reach a wall with a door that will take me out into the true world, the real world and the cameras will be on me when I realise that I was living a lie.

Unfortunately though, reality hits and I am suddenly aware of the fact that this is real life.  It is a soap-opera version of real-life.  The characters are not characters.  Neither are they people, because people, in fact, learn- from their mistakes or otherwise.  They are puppets, their strings are pulled and they just follow their course.  Some remind you of characters from war movies, brainwashed into what they say.  I also realise that I would never be able to be a politician.  I was never a good actress - a good singer maybe, but never a good actress.  Everything I feel shows through my eyes, and I know that my eyes well up at the smallest proof of injustice or abuse.

I have lived in Greece for 20 years now.  Never have I felt that I have lived in a fair, uncorrupted society.  Never have I felt secure, either in my job or in my life.  Never have I felt that I fit in.  However, I live here, and I wake up each day doing things to make this the country it should be.  It is a democracy, and for the first time, a leader wants to make a democratic decision.  That, if anything, has to be supported.  The poor guy, the crusader wants to make a statement, so I believe it is my duty to help him make that statement.  Yes, it is definitely the wrong time of year to be making that statement, it is definitely a strong statement, and in this world of Goliaths he is definitely a David.  But, in this world gone wrong, I would like to place my bets on that David, because like me, he has nothing and everything to lose.

Dynasty, Dallas, Coronation Street, Eastenders take a back seat because Greece is just about to premiere. 

A Giant Rat

There are some wonderful Greek entrepeneurs, scientists, teachers and normal every day folk around the world, getting on with their lives, living their dreams, existing and surviving.  Living in Greece has become a very difficult fact of life, and a true struggle is now developing as to whether we should allow our future and the future of our children to be determined by events and decisions beyond our control.  In view of the new austerity measures and the poor quality of life, people are now desperately searching for new avenues to explore.  With the financial crisis looming over our dreams and determining our destiny, it is, to say the least, most worrying to have disturbing messages conveyed from other countries within the Eurozone. 

The German Newspaper, The Bild,  is so concerned about the Greek crisis that during May and June, months when people are still mulling over their holiday destinations, it warned all German's that if they travel to Greece they will be welcomed by angry mobs, empty banks and racism.  I am certain that no German faced these problems while holidaying here.  On the other hand, I am quite certain that if the entire staff of the Bild newspaper were to choose Greece as their destination for this year's holiday, it would be a good idea to keep their occupation a secret.

The British Prime minister seems to be agonizing over the crisis so much, and is so determined to help resolve the problems that his empathy towards Greece has been ringing in the Greek nation's ears all day.  His solution to the problem is to close all doors to Greeks if their country should leave the Eurozone.  A reality too  harsh to believe, because obviously the first thing that the Greek citizens will do is pack their bags, close up house, emigrate to another country and start from scratch.  Of course their first port of call would be the UK, as it is so close to home.  Mr Cameron does not seem to mind the already established Greek High Society of London,  who have invested their secret fortunes on England's green and pleasant lands, though.  I wonder why ?

This great interest in the Greek crisis and the willingness of all these people in all these great nations to "help", is actually leading many people to ask questions as to why all this is happening.  The fact is that there is actually very little hostility towards any other nation in Greece.  Any bad feelings are towards the government, its ministers and the more obvious than ever corrupt political system.  Furthermore, if anyone were to ask if Greeks would be willing to leave their country, their homes, their families, their businesses I think that, for the most, people would be very reluctant. Difficult times lead to complex circumstances and, sadly, emigration may be mandatory in some cases - but Mr Cameron, I really don't think that the whole of Greece is going to come knocking, and if they do, you will be getting the best of the best.

All in all, yes there is a crisis.  The middle and lower classes are facing taxes on top of taxes, wage reductions, a poor health and education system.   The weakest link in the Greek System is its politicians and the "turn-a-blind-eye" attitude they have adopted over the years.  Its strengths, though, are immense and if I were looking at the situation here from an outsider's point of view,  the propaganda, panic mongering and economic warfare that continues to burden our society  would lead me to believe that something is not quite as it should be.  I smell a giant rat, but unfortunately I am too small a cat ...

Looking forward ?

Over the years I have written about the strange feelings that I have had living in Greece. Today, having been bombarded by the news over the last 24 hours, I have come to realise that I was never wrong about Greece. I have posted about the incompetence of the governing bodies, I have posted about the corruption, I have posted about the inadequacy of the whole system and today I realised that now, after so many years, some people have opened their eyes and see the problems. This changes nothing, of course, because the reason that people have opened their eyes is not because of the great concern about the country's people or its future, but because of the fear of the consequences on the other European countries. The past has been a case of "looking the other way" and "filling our pockets" as far as the rest of the world and Greece's politicians are concerned. As Europe now judges Greece's political system and its incompetency at dealing with its debt problems, it does not judge its own disregard of the country and its own "use" of the country in the past. Going into details is a long and tedious road, but as today's leaders "tire" themselves out behind closed doors looking for answers, nobody can see a future. The people of Greece are really not stupid. Many have been shouting and screaming about the problems for years, but unfortunately nobody listened. At the moment, most of the nation is just sitting and watching its politicians putting on a tragic theatre performance, which, by the way, is not even entertaining. Greece does have problems but it also has many attributes. I agree with the fact that Greece has a lot of negative points, but I also know that if the Greek people are willing to change and create their future, this country's prospects can be limitless. The European Union has "put up with" Greece, as they put it, but Greece must find the right leaders, use its strengths, work on its weaknesses, and find its true identity within a correct and just system. Only then will it flourish.

Recession or depression ?

As the months pass I realise that I have not blogged, and the reason is quite simple. What wonderful things are there to write about ? Not many really. As you may know all of Greece is undergoing drastic changes, and these changes are not good.

The Greek Economy has been an issue talked about and raved about all over the world. Experts in economy spend hours each day writing about it, discussing it and frankly basking in the glory of knowing all about it. Greek television has spent hours of quality viewing time analysing the political scenarios of how Greece will be able to endure this economic crisis, greek newspapers have wasted incredible amounts of ink informing the public of the ins and outs of all the supposed government expenditure and cuts, and what must really be said is just left unsaid.

I live in a country that has allowed itself to rot. Millions upon millions of euros, dollars and any other type of currency that was ever worth anything has just simply disappeared over the years and no-one has the slightest idea why. Well, the reality is this - corrupt politicians, deals behind closed doors, underqualified workers in top managerial positions, pocketing of the state's money and many other illegal acts which have never been revealed have led to the disintegration of a country which has so much in its favor.

Today, the least of Greece's problems is its national debt. If you ask your typical pensioner, student, small businessman about these problems, they would probably shrug and say that their problems are much more severe, and the truth is that they are much more severe.

The world's economic problems have had much more impact on Greece. The Greek people have known for years about the sheer apathy and constant corruption of their leaders. This is not today's news. Today's news is that Greece is now home to thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants, refugees trying to find their way to a brighter future somewhere on the planet away from their already destroyed homes. Today's news is the families and businesses that are being destroyed and torn apart because of decisions made by affluent men and women around foreign tables. Today's news is how to keep their homes and families safe from the increased criminality. Today's news is how to get by on so little money. Today's news is that the banks have not become more lenient to their borrowers (most of whom never knew what a loan meant until the kind banks started their telesales). Today's news is how to survive depression and everything it entails.

What has the government done for its people? Nothing. For the past twenty to thirty years - absolutely nothing. What is it doing now? Draining every ounce of energy from every one of its citizens and leaving them with nothing. Honest, hard-working decent people are being drained of any dignity, any dreams, any ambitions and any hope that they had.

The Greek Government had better act quickly and find solutions before its own citizens become the thousands upon thousands of immigrants seeking refuge within another government's borders.

Greater times to come ??

Due to work and other commitments my time is very limited but I just had to find the time to keep you updated on what is happening in Greece.

Well, the story so far is that the planet's economic crisis is just not enough to keep this country in order, although for all you out there who believe in conspiracy theories, I do believe that this must be one of the biggest and best. You just need to look at the logical sequence of events, government spending and do a little math to see how much we pay in taxes, where it goes and why we don't see the half of it, to understand that the whole panic tactics are covering up a great deal of other things - but that's just my way of looking at it. Anyway, back to Greece. Summer is here, and you would think that this would be the best time to work at selling our greatest assets - the sun, the heat and the great seas. Well, it seems not !!!

Apparently it is the best time to strike, and who is striking - the truck drivers who deliver petrol. What is their problem? It seems that the austerity measures that have been taken by the government ( I say this with a lot of hesitance because there are conflicting theories about which government of which country is actually taking these measures) has had a devastating effect on this industry. Which industry? The most profitable industry in the world - the oil, petrol and transport industry - an industry which actually controls everything everywhere in the world. The truck drivers are protesting because licenses are now being given to companies rather than to individuals. But, this is apparently the best time to strike - with tourism having fallen around 25%, and August being the busiest month of the year in this industry - it is the best time to strike.

The reality of Greece, for all those who do not understand what is going on, is that politically, Greece is a country which went from absolute dictatorship to absolute democracy but with no sense of right or wrong. In a world full of conspiracy and invisible puppeteers who pull even more invisible strings, it will be very difficult for Greece to stand on its own feet.

My opinion on this whole matter is that there are a lot of competent people out there who can make a difference and make this the country that it is supposed to be - and this should have been done years ago. As for strikes, we should all look at the root of the problem and not the surface - the people of Greece should start to understand you never never "bite off your nose to spite your face" !!!!!!

Greece 's Hidden Treasures (1) - Velvento Kozani

A recent business trip to Thessaloniki became the reason for me writing this post. Of course, Thessoliniki is a beautiful city, with lots of things to see and do, but I must admit that the nicest part of my trip was a stopover at Velvento, a small village near Kozani.

Now, getting there is very simple indeed. It's about a 30 - 40 minute drive from the new Egnatia Highway, and hidden from all eyes, you will only grasp how beautiful it is once you get there. Velvento is a village with about 4000 residents. The main income is from the peaches, which are some of the best in the country, but as I was told when I was there, they are mainly grown to be exported. As you climb the southern side of the Pieria mountain, you are surrounded by the beautiful forests, and below you the view of the Polyfotos lake enchants and calms even the most tired of eyes.

Once you reach the village, you suddenly feel that history and mythology become one. The houses are distinct, having the shape of an eye on their external walls. The streets are narrow, reminding you that you are in a rural area, and along with the sound of running water and the wind rustling through the leaves, you feel that there could be no other place on earth quite as calm and as beautiful as this.

Along its long winding roads, you will see small churches scattered (there are about 80 in all) and something which seems unique to this place is that each church has a small outhouse next to it, fitted with a kitchen, hearth, spit, tables and chairs. I was informed that lots of families meet here on weekends or holidays, and cook and eat next to the churches, paying homage to the saint whose name the church holds. At one church we stopped at, the spit was actually turned by the running water coming from the stream running along the road. I had never seen this before. The family who had been having their Sunday picnic there, welcomed us with a glass of tsipouro and a piece of home cooked revani ... two great Greek delights.

As you ascend the mountain from the village you can actually walk up to the Katafygi waterfall. I must admit that we did not reach the observation post to see the waterfall, only because it was starting to get dark, and we did not know how long it would take. From photos, though it did look spectacular.

Velvento is one of those areas of Greece that has not been hit by commercial tourism. It is a walkers and hikers paradise, a paradise which can be enjoyed every season of the year. Its residents seem to be prepared to go the extra mile to make you enjoy your time there.

So, if you are ever near Kozani, make sure that you take time to visit one of the most scenic places in Greece, and find your peace near the home of the Gods.

My title links to the official site of Velvento.

(Special thanks to Sakis and Annie, who dedicated their time to show us this wonderful area)

Greek Summers ...

Lots of people from all over the world, have enjoyed summer holidays in Greece and still enjoy them. The tourist industry, more than most industries, has taken a great blow this year, and it is still uncertain whether this will be the first of many uncertain summers. In this unsettled climate, the pressure is on all areas within this industry to weather this storm, but the signs are that this may be more of a downpour than a mere shower. In this area alone, most of the hotels opened their doors to custom today, the first of June. Hotels that have been running for years, and have been opening since the beginning of May, as in most areas, found it more economical to remain closed, rather than open for the few tourists that were around. A difficult choice in difficult times. Another amazing fact that with the Orthodox Whitsun Bank Holiday around the corner, some hotels will remain closed and will open at the end of this month, waiting for the high season to arrive so their costs are kept as low as possible.

What are your thoughts on Greece as a tourist destination? It would be great to hear your views.

Enough is never enough

As you may all have seen and heard, the news from Greece this week sets us apart, yet again, from all other civilized countries.

On Saturday evening, a 15 year old boy was shot to death on the streets of Athens. What was to follow was, to say the least, a wave of crime and violence all over Greece. The fury of the public has reached a peak, and no-one has even an ounce of humanity in them to accept that what we have witnessed over the last few days is not only screams of rage for an unacceptable crime, but also the consequences of living in a country where corruption reigns.

Whilst watching scenes of cities burning all over Greece, I could not decided whether I wanted to be there, in the streets, fighting against injustice, or whether I would prefer to merely write about this so called "just, democratic system", or whether I wanted to scream for there to be a god who would give Alexander his life back. I realised then, in all my fury that nothing is right. I have lived through a lot of pain. My parents have lived through wars, through military governments, through hardship... but now, at this very moment...nothing is right. When our world collapses, it's different. It's different because there is always the bigger picture. The whole world around us is the bigger picture. Lives continue, people go on. But what happens when the bigger picture collapses. Where do you go from there?

At one moment, hearing the news that the the Dean of the University of Athens had handed in his resignation, a terrible thought went through my mind. It was a thought that I wish I had never had, but one that has possessed my mind during the night. What if this was all a set-up. Maybe I have watched too many movies, but what if the rioting and the burning and the looting were all part of a different plan. A plan to take our attention away from the reality. The reality that a young life had been put to an end even before it had begun.

I have never seen a city collapse so quickly. I have never seen Greece pillaged and torn apart, and those were the scenes we witnessed last night. So terrifying and destructive that nothing could take our attention away from them...nothing...

The leaders of our country are no longer leaders, as for almost seven hours the countries heart was being torn apart and nothing was being done. Today our leaders are declaring a war against those who rioted, those who destroyed, those who burnt down people's businesses. Today, those people have decided to, basically, do nothing. Nothing to take back any ounce of the corruption that is seeping its way through Greece's veins. Nothing to make any sense of the death of a 15 year old boy.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"... or in our case ..."Give a man a gun and you make him feel safe. Teach a man to shoot and you make him think he's God."

In memory of Alexandros Grigoropoulos.

Sometimes losing means winning.

"Imagine all those people coming home."

A while back I wrote an article about the Hellines who live abroad. Today' s post is a little about me, about them, about you.

With the current economic situation ruling our lives, I took a step back from the news, and the aftermath of the world's worst nightmare, and decided to think. Again, I am a dreamer, so I will ask you to dream with me - imagine once more. This time, my imagination took me to a different world, maybe a world far from yours, called "My home, my choice". In my experience, the choices that we make, are the ones we have to live with. Now, I have made a decision to change this. the choices that we make are just choices. Nothing in the world can stop us from making different ones. What will happen if we do? Will the world suddenly come to an end. Will we all suffer in despair for changing things. No. Choices are choices, and once they are made they can't be unmade. But they can certainly be changed.

Many Greeks have made their homes elsewhere. Financial security, better living standards, more opportunities are a few of the reasons decisions were made. In my previous post I discussed the possibility of returning to a homeland, which seems unimaginable, but today, with the unbalanced global view, it may not be impossible.

My heading "Sometimes losing means winning" is also the motto of this post. Think about it. What would you lose if you gave up a life elsewhere to return to what most people call "patrida" - home. Let me tell you what I "lost" when I came here. Firstly, I lost my nationality. I was born in the UK. Secondly, I lost my prospects, I had been headhunted for a position in a multinational company. Thirdly, I lost my worth. The list is actually endless, and can go on for pages, but that's not what I want to dwell on. Losing can mean winning. The amount of things I have lost in my life will probably remain lost. When I lost these, though, there was always something to be won. Today, I looked at myself in the mirror, and realised that life is not about losing. It's not even about being afraid to lose. It's about winning. We only get one chance at this, so we should start getting good at it. I'm not talking materially, I'm talking fulfillment. Winning means looking at life in the way we are supposed to look at life. I came here with dreams and I am not going to give them up. Looking around me, the blue skies, the green mountains, the fertile land, the deep blue seas were once something worth fighting for. People have lived and died for this piece of the world. We have been respected for preserving our heritage and our history, so why do we not respect ourselves for it.

Greeks are winners. They are proud, and they are winners. All of you out there, living all around the world, remember who you are. This country does not have the leaders it should have. They are not responsible enough, and don't care enough to do any of us any good. They have also lost something - they have lost their way. Maybe we all have. There are so many traps out there, who wouldn't. It's time to find our way back, though. You may all have something that is needed here. You may have everything that is needed. Doctors who love saving lives. Teachers who love teaching. Builders who love building. Leaders who love their country enough to lead. Life is not about losing. It is about loving and respecting who you are, where you are and why you are there. This is what this and any country needs.

We need to protect what makes us different, and that is our heritage. Cultivating our crops in a healthy manner. Giving back what we have been given - a country which we should be proud of, not robbing it of everything it has.

What we lose - maybe a bigger wage, a better house, the best TV, the fastest car. What we win - life. Maybe it's not just a dream.

Working...and cleaning!!

This week is rather a hectic one, and each day just seems busier than the one before. Yesterday was a Greek national Holiday ( I should really write a post about this - but not today ), and in the evening the citizen's group, that I am fortunate to be a part of, had a meeting with the deputy minister of economy and finance, with regards to the pipeline I have previously written about. Nothing new there, unfortunately. The problem really is serious, but my understanding is that our battle is against more people than we had originally expected. It is a constant battle, and one which will go on for rather a long time, as I can see.

As I clambered out of bed this morning, I tried to organize my day in my mind. First I would have to deal with the housework. Now as all working wives and mothers know, this is not one of the easiest jobs. During the winter months, though, I am fortunate enough to work after midday, so my mornings are "free" (in inverted commas because I have more than enough to do apart from the housework.) Anyway, as I started to go through my routine, I thought that I could maybe share some tips, and get some tips from readers, too.

About two weeks ago I decided to change some things in my daily routine. The first was the fact that I left all the housework to be done on the weekends, something which I really hated. So I have now spread my chores over two (sometimes three) mornings. On the first morning I do the bedrooms - change sheets, dust, sweep and mop. That leaves the bathrooms, living room and kitchen for the second morning. Whilst doing all this, I also manage to cook the daily meal before I leave the house and also do some ironing. All of this means that I can spend my weekends with my kids, and I also don't tire myself out in one day.

It is really important for me to have a clean house. It's not only personal hygiene, but also wonderful to smell the fresh air going through the house. Greeks are generally renowned for their housework, and you will rarely visit a Greek house and see things lying around for days. Apart from daily chores, that involve tidying, washing and ironing, most Greek women will take out their carpets, sweep and mop on a weekly basis. Some do so more often, but for those of us who also work full time, it is a question of finding the time.

Anyway, that was just half of my day today... now I look forward to the next half...work!!!

Lessons learnt ... lessons to be learnt

Now that autumn has set in, and the summer season has come to an end, I have found the time to set about writing up some posts. Today I would like to look back on the previous season, and tell you about what has been going on... do some catching up.

Well, to begin with the summer was a great learning experience. I had a wonderful, but tiring, time getting to know the hotelier business, and believe me I now know only about one tenth of what I should. I think the best things that came out of this summer were the people I met, and the relationships which started. I know that, whatever else, I am a better person from all this. Firstly, I met a wonderful lady, manager of a hotel in a nearby area. She was able to help me in things I did not know about, and also in a way I could not have imagined. The hotel guests though were the main positive aspect of the summer. I felt a surge of energy whenever I could be of help, and whenever I could spend time just talking to everyone. It seemed that everything was meant to be... you know, when everything just clicks into place. I must admit there were times when I thought that I was about to collapse from all the pressure, and believe me, every day had a new problem, a new "something to be done", but it jsut felt right.

I think that I mostly enjoyed sending people in the right direction. I loved that people felt relexed and were able to enjoy their holidays in peaceful surroundings. I loved being able to solve problems and finding solutions to every day issues. I loved looking at the potential of this area, and knowing that I was helping it become recognized as a great holiday destination.

The learning curve, though, did not end there. The negative aspects also have to be considered, and they were probably the most beneficial parts of my summer. Mu guest book is full of wonderful comments, bu there are also the parts where the guests, confident enough to be able to express themselves, left any negative feelings. One thing that they definitely could not accept was that the area lacked sign posts, lighting, good roads, public transport and generally public services which are lacking in the area.

Unfortunately, the season here is still quite short, and government funds are not adequately invested ( although it can be said that nobody is sure what actually happens to government funds which come into the community).

One thing I have definitely learnt is that I do love anything to do with the travel industry, and I am looking forward to spending more of my time looking inot what I can do to get this area recognised for its natural beauty.

Anyway, as I strive to learn, I would just like to say that the experience was one of the best I've had.

Greeks, Food and Drink

There is nothing more pleasant than enjoying a good meal. I don't know about you, but since I have moved here to Greece, I have found great pleasure in enjoying evenings out with friends at nice - economic - restaurants.

Last weekend, I felt the need to go somewhere and relax for an evening with a cousin and my husband. We decided to hit the nearby village of Sivota. It is a beautiful, magical village which is built along a small harbour. If you have never visited this area, it really is worth paying a visit to this village, merely to enjoy a typical Greek sunset.

Anyway, a friend, who has become a good friend over the past months, has a hotel and restaurant near the harbor, called Filaka. We all needed something to pick us up on Saturday, and this seemed to be on of the better ideas that were flying around (of course it was mine). So we set off, for that quiet evening out. When we reached the restaurant, it was almost full. Live music was playing and as we sat at our table, I got that feeling that this was going to be one of the more relaxed evenings of the week. We decided to order mezethes (a variety of Hors d' oeuvres) as we wanted to get a taste of everything available. We opted for a local wine, and sat to enjoy the atmosphere.

At some point my cousin and I were asked to sing a few songs, and so he, with his bouzouki, and I , with my voice (which was not up to standard due to a cold) picked up a few oldies and let the stress of the week flow out.

We all had a wonderful time, and I must admit, that I will make a habit of this, whenever I can. If you are ever in the area and feel the need to relax, pop in, order some wine and let the Greek music take over your mind.

Missing out ...

A few days ago I celebrated my 37th birthday. I have no qualms about my age, in actual fact I rarely even think about it. What I did discover though, this year, was that my overall attitude to life has changed a lot over the past year. The only thing I could think about on this birthday was that I feel that I have let myself down. Things I wanted to do, but never did...people I wanted to spend time with, but never got around to... time I needed to spend with my children, but had to work instead. Philosophising was the name of the game this year, and believe me, it was no fun.

I wondered, as everyone around me was drinking to my health, how I managed to get myself into such a rut. Where had the free spirit gone? Where was the dreamer, the ideologist, the perfectionist - those parts of me that made me ... me? The answer was nowhere, and the only thing that I wanted to do was to look back on this year. A year of sheer hard work, even getting up in the morning had become arduous. What had I achieved ... to my mind ... nothing. A quick run through of the year went something like this:

1. Working hard for peanuts
2. No holiday (for the sixth year in a row)
3. Less free time
4. More stress
5. Bigger bags under my eyes
6. No pick me ups
7. Aches and pains in unusual places
8. Still working on an unfinished book
9. Battling to save natural areas like the one I chose to live in

On the plus side:

1. My kids are well
2. I walk a lot
3. I'm still singing
4. I'm still writing poetry and songs
5. I have met a lot of new people through my blogs
6. My mind is still in one piece

I've never really had a birthday like this one. It was different. I somehow feel more lost now than I have ever felt, although it shouldn't be like this. I'm at a point in my life where I should feel more secure and I don't. The reasons are many. I have even felt that I must have managed to attract sadness and misery at some point throughout my life, and now I just can't seem to get rid of it. Somehow I seem to have lost my way, and now it's like wading through a muddy river, always getting stuck, watching life pass by and knowing at the back of my mind that I am missing out on something ...

Anyway, I blew out the candles on my cake, making a wish, and believe me this years wish was from deep within me. I let a teardrop fall, and thanked the lord that it was dark, and no one noticed.

I hope your birthdays are a lot better than mine ...

Greek Traditions and Customs (i)

Something you may not be aware of is that this time of year is a very busy time here in Greece, as far as customs go. This time of year is called Απόκριες(Apocries) in Greek. It means staying away from meat, which is the general notion of fasting. It is a Christian celebration, beginning 4 Sundays before lent, and ending on the day we call here "Clean Monday" which is the first day of Lent. It is never at a specific time of year, as the dates depend on when Easter falls. The origin of the customs and traditions are not certain, but one thing is sure, it is really worth visiting Greece at this time of year.

Most of the festivities begin two Thursdays before Lent, called "tsiknopempti". Celebrations vary depending on what part of Greece you live in, but the main idea is that people gather together and eat barbecued meat. It is a sort of thanksgiving for all the good things that God has given us, and a way of eating what we are going to be giving up during the fasting period. In many areas people dress up. In my village, it is a day of masquerading with masks, so that your face is hidden. You see lots of groups of people dressed so that they are not noticed, some dancing, some playing the fool and others playing jokes.

The Sunday after this is the "Small Apocries". Nowadays it is associated with a children's carnival, where the younger members of the population wear their costumes and parade the streets.

The main event is the last Sunday of this celebration. It is a day of clearing the houses of all meat and dairy products, as Lent begins the next day. It is also the day of magnificent carnival parades all around Greece. In most places the parades take place in the afternoon. The streets fill with onlookers, and those in costume dance through the streets to the rhythms of all kinds of music. Most parades end with a bonfire. Although traditions vary all around Greece, this last Sunday has an essence of death and rebirth, as lots of costumes depict. The end of Winter and beginning of Spring is another of its essential factors.

"Clean Monday" is the first day of Lent. Again a communal celebration in many places, people gather in the countryside and feast on vegetarian dishes, singing and dancing. Again traditions differ around the country, but kite-flying is one of the national customs on this day.

Wherever you are, visiting Greece at this time of year is really worth it. It may not be the Greece of the hot, lazy summer days, but it is the Greece of traditions and celebrations.

Greeks Everywhere...

My post today is more of a request really. What I'd like is information. I'm doing some research on Greeks who live abroad. My main aim is to get feedback from Greeks who live in other countries, their thoughts on their homeland, and the reasons they stayed or stay where they are and do not return. I'd like to know your thoughts on the Greek system, the way of life. What are the things that would attract you to returning to your homeland or the land of your parents? What would you change? I'm really interested in getting all this information together, so please send me your thoughts at allgreek1@gmail.com.

Thanks a lot....

PERDIKA - GREECE - WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!!

I know that many of my posts have been about the area I live in. I love it, that's why I write about it. Our village is now faced with a dilemma. It has been decided that a natural gas pipeline will pass through our village in order to transport gas to Italy.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a great increase in tourism development in the area, in keeping with the natural beauty, and this has led to an increase in visitors to our area.

This has been a slow development, but each and every resident in the area, are now part of this industry. Hundreds of families depend on the summer tourist season, as this is sometimes their only form of income. Now we are told that one of our most beautiful areas is going to be turned into a construction site for the next few years, in order to build a pipeline, from which nobody in this region, or in any part of Greece, will benefit. Not only that, but once it has been built, we will then have a compressor station in the centre of all the main seaside resorts.

Our problems are now the risk of a seaside resort being destroyed, not by a natural disaster, but by a man made disaster, that may easily be avoided. Hundreds of families are now looking upon a future living next to an industrialisation zone, and the fear of losing their hotels, rented rooms, restaurants, and small businesses now lies alongside the fear of pollution, destruction of fauna and flora, among other ecological problems.

I am not an expert. I do not know the consequences of such a venture. All I know is that a feeling in my gut tells me this is not right. Something tells me that the results will not be positive. What I need is expert help. Our village needs to know what we are up against. The photo I have on today's post is of the beach which has been chosen for the compression station. Please, send me any information you can so that we can be well informed about this and if possible, stop it.

A review of yesterday's meeting in Greek at http://www.thesprotiabloggers.blogspot.com/

Education in Greece

Lot's of people ask me why I have a language school in Greece. Let me just tell you a few things about the Greek Education System, and the way things work here.

The public school system is in an undesirable state at the moment. Some key problems are that when the school year starts in September, most schools are lacking teachers and books, so the actual school year really begins towards the middle of October. There is no such thing as coordination, as teachers are not employed be the school but be the Department of Education, who distribute their teachers all around Greece. This accounts for many of the problems in the Education system, as there is a lot of searching for ways to get out of being sent to a place far from home. The actual social effects of the system are more disastrous than anything else. Many families are split up for most of the year, as parents who are teachers traipse around the country, usually with one or more of their children. The implications are immense. The family unit slowly shatters, the family budget comes under unbearable strain as there are usually two households to maintain, and teacher's children are never in one school long enough to integrate into a community. Another major implication of the system as it stands, are the continuous change of teachers. I must admit that in this area, teachers in secondary education may change up to three times in one year.

Another aspect that must be looked at is also the permanency of teaching positions, and the amount of re-education the actual teachers have. There is no fear of losing your job, as it is considered permanent from day one, so basically who cares if students learn or not. This is a problem with all state jobs around Greece.

Another factor to take into consideration is that most people want to become educated to then find a state job!! Another amazing fact about Greece, again due to the permanency of positions and the fact that a lot of jobs and positions are filled in questionable ways!!

So in answer to the question why I have a language school, and why there are so many language schools an private evening schools is quite simple. People, and above all, children, need a sense of continuity and comfort in their lives. Unlike what the government, and any government, seems to believe, children like organisation. They want to learn. They have a right to reach high standards, and have goals in order to become strong adults like us...better than us. The stability they feel in environments such as ours is much more than the stability they feel in their schools at the moment.

Greeks around the world

So, let's get personal. Having had a difficult day up to now, and it's only 11 am, I have to get my thoughts into perspective and try to make a new beginning. New beginnings are always difficult, but today I feel like I have to. I won't go into the bad points of the day, suffice to say that a sleepless night due to one of my kids illnesses, and two phone calls from the bank calling in their dues were only the two of the five things that made this a bad day. When I got to my computer I actually wanted to write about last weeks elections, maybe give you some insight into politics in Greece, but even that didn't make me feel better. Anyway, I thought, politics are the same wherever you live. It's a question of too few being in control of so many. So, on opening my e-mails, my mind wandered to what I was going to write about. An e-mail caught my eye, and as I read it my day was suddenly better. It was as if someone had started to take away the burden.

I don't know if you know about the Greeks and the evil eye. From a young age, whenever I was feeling under the weather or had a headache, my grandmother would say "ehis mati...tha se xematiaso"or in Greek"έχεις μάτι...θα σε ξεματιάσω". This meant that someone had seen me, and cast his or her evil eye on me and grandma, having been taught some words, had the power to send the evil eye away. If you have gone through this process, it actually does work. You actually do feel better. Please don't ask me if there is any truth in this. I have no idea, but when grandma said those magic words, boy did I feel better.

Anyway, back to the e-mail. It seems that my post is being read!!! Yes, although I did not believe it myself, I received an e-mail from a wonderful lady in Chicago (Thank you so much for you kind words). It is not the first e-mail I have received, but at that moment I had a great feeling of happiness, surprise, pride and satisfaction. It also gave me an idea. I would love to know more about all of you. I would love to hear your stories. Which parts of Greece and Cyprus are you from? What do you do in the country you are currently living in? Do you need any information from Greece, that maybe I could find out for you? Are you from other countries living in Greece? What would you like to see on this post...Anything...

The "let's get personal" part of this is my story. You see I was born a giver. I'm not sure if it is due to my star sign, Pisces, my upbringing, or just my nature. I just love the look on people's faces when something I have said or done fulfills them. Unfortunately, and this can be verified by the banks and my pocket, this will never make me rich, but I still enjoy giving. I am still lost on my life path, not knowing where I am actually going annoys me. I have a job in which people, and this happens a lot in Greece, continually owe me money (sometimes I think that they will start paying me in kind as they did back in the good old years). I have a degree that I worked so hard for, but is not even respected here. I have loved and lost. I have two children who have to be brought up properly, with a mother who was raised so differently. I have debts (who doesn't...??). I have to find a second job soon. The one thing that I do have is optimism. I believe that solutions and opportunities are out there. We just need to open our eyes and look for them, and unfortunately, here in Greece, it helps if you have binoculars!!!! But this post is not about me... it is about you.

Please send me your stories. Let me know about you and your lives. Maybe I can help you with something. Maybe you can help me on my life's journey. Again I would like to thank the lady (the reason I am not mentioning names is that I do not know if she would want me to) who gave me a smile on a very difficult Wednesday morning.

E-mail : allgreek1@gmail.com

The flames still burn

It has been five days since the fires started burning the southern region of Greece. Today, there are fewer flames, less smoke, but the skies are still not the clear blue colour that we are all accustomed to, and for those villagers who lost their homes, their livelihoods, the skies will never be the same.

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with those who have suffered and those whose lives have changed within a matter of days, hours, minutes. The scenes we have seen on TV have caused shock and dismay, not only in Greece, but all over the world, but as the fire dies out, the finger of blame is pointed in many directions.

Having lived in Greece for 12 years I have observed the changes which it has gone through over these eventful years. One thing that seems to have remained the same over the years, though, is the inability to think ahead.

Prevention is better than cure! This phrase has been embedded in my mind since my early childhood. It is, in fact, one of life's unwritten rules. Why, then, in a country renowned for its lush green forests and nature reserves, a country with so much heritage and archeology, do the local authorituies, governments and individuals not seem able to look at a situation from all angles. Is it so ridiculous to think of preservation, survival in cases of emergency.

Many theories are being thrown around tables today. Theories of terrorism, conspiracy, land development companies seeking to build, farmers clearing areas for their animals, or just plain arson. Maybe the finger of blame though should be pointed at us. We are responsible for our past, present and future. We elect those who govern us, locally and nationally. We have to react to decisions made in all aspects of our lives. It may take a tragedy to make us look deeper at our lives, but this does not bring those who have died back. It does not make suffering easier. It does not lessen the pain.

Prevention. A few simple steps could have made the firefighters jobs easier. Did we know about these steps? Could the fires have been controlled by taking preventitive measures? Another fact is that many people refused to leave their homes, even after being told to evacuate areas. Camera crews in the area have shown us scenes in which we see villagers fight the flames although evacuation has been announced. Prevention, a word we should learn by heart.

Once again, say a prayer for those who have lost their lives, for those who have suffered, for the land that has been destroyed, but this is not the time to blame. Lessons must be learnt.

Forest Fires All Over Greece

The last three days have put pressure on the population of Greece, as forest fires spread over most of the southern regions. People have been left without homes, and for a region which is mostly agricultural, many have seen their farms and land go up in flames in a matter of minutes.

The Greek Media has been at the forefront of the fires, broadcasting real time images with journalists travelling to many of the most dangerous areas, reporting on the state of the fire at each place. Although the images we have seen over the last 72 hours will probably remain embedded in our memories, this is one of the few times that I feel I must take my cap off to the Greek Media. It is one time where I haven't been able to find the strength to judge the channels and their handling of the subject. On the contrary, watching the reports coming in and understanding the difficulty of the Greek Fire Department as fires spring up within minutes of eachother, I feel that this time, more than any other, the TV is actually aiding a situation which is out of control.

Telephone helplines have been set up so that people can phone in, a helping hand in a very trying hour of need. No, this is not a time to judge. It is a time for action. Villagers battle alone to save their homes, their lives. As windspeed increases, and the fires spread quickly, this real time reporting must help the authorities, who need all the help they can get in this true to life Greek Tragedy.

Some of Greece's most beautiful regions are being tested to their limits at this time. The people of Greece are in mourning for their country, for their heritage, for their livelihoods, and most people fear that the consequences will be even more tragic.

Who is responsible? A question on everyone's lips.

As a Greek Citizen I thank all the countries who reacted so promptly to our mayday. As an onlooker, I feel helpless as I watch lives being destroyed. As a human being, I feel disgusted that somebody could have done all this on purpose.