It's really strange to be writing my final report when it feels like I've only finally settled inâ¦and now it's time to go. I'm grateful that things have worked up to such a positive ending. I feel like I'm finally living what I'd envisioned for myself last year before I ever set foot in Greece. With everything considered-- the accumulation of the year of settling in and my first year on my own-I feel lucky to have achieved by dreamy idealistic vision of what Greece would be.
I realized all this as I was in the taxi taking my mother to the airport after her month long stay, during which we did the traveling I'd been wanting to do since I first arrived. And so saying goodbye when I've finally gotten "out of the rut and back into the groove," to quote Homer Simpson, is all the more difficult because I don't know when, if ever, I'll make it back here. After 10 months, I can already tell you what the hardest goodbyes will be; they will be to my kids, the city I've gotten to know, the lifestyle I've adapted to, and the sense of adventure and possibilities being around each corner. And maybe that's the best way to do this report: just go ahead and be a little mushy and pre-nostalgic for everyone and everything I'm going to miss next year. SO⦠with no apologies, here it is:
My kids:
I'm not gonna lie (that's the modern way of saying, 'here's the truth:'), it's the younger kids that have made places for themselves in my heart this year. I've spent so much time with them: thinking up things to entertain them, helping them on their homework, tucking them into bed, hearing about, and offering advice on their feuds, listening to their jokes, answering endless questions, chasing them around outside, teaching them how to work the laundry machines, patching up their injuries, etc. etc etcâ¦. Plus, it's these kids who have consistently (whether they meant to or not) entertained me this year, they came up with some wonderfully poetic quotes, made me laugh, and really kept my spirits up at the low points of homesickness.
It's a special kind of relationship you get when you live with someone, and the dormitory is the kids' home, for at least part of the year. So what this living together aspect of dorm life means is that you develop a really distinctive and comfortable rhythm of life with some of the kids, or at least the ones who latch onto you. It kind of bothers me that I won't be here next year for them, to see them change, help them and, in general, see their antics.
This sentiment is especially true for the little 7th grade girls, Maria and Selena. These two are pretty much the only kids in the dorm still content to enjoy their childhood, that is, they are not in a huge hurry to be grown-up, or try to act grown-up. These two have reminded me of the importance of older mentors, or women role models. Both of these girls seem to need physical affection: they love getting tucked into bed with a kiss on the forehead, and they always want hugs. I love this about them, and forget how natural, important, basic this kind affection is as you're growing up and in general. I suppose they've brought out a bit of the mother in me.
THESSALONIKI and the way of life:
Saying goodbye to this city after nearly a year of learning to navigate it, and beginning to catalogue some of its secrets, nooks and crannies will be another difficult farewell. Moving straight to another maze-like city (Boston come September) and doing all this again is rather like starting another intimate relationship, which is tough, especially when you already like the relationship you're in...
This city is wonderful it's full of great food, the people watching is always entertaining, there are wonderful ruins from 500 BC with anarchist hipsters leaning against them, and cats using them as litter boxes and refuges. There are pools, boardwalks, the sea with the city build right up to it; there are coffee shops that are always packed, no matter the time of day. You can get out of the city easily-buses, and trains zooming out of the city to wherever you want to go.
It is all this without not catering to tourists, but only minding it's own business and enjoying daily life. Thessaloniki is simply itself, it's not trying too hard like some cities seem to. A sense of enjoyment is so apparent as you walk down the street (to see people at leisurely lunches for a couple hours on any given week day, or for all shops to close for naptime everyday) that you can see how central the attitude is to life on the Aegean. Not only that, but you can see how far it is from life in the U.S., where society is extremely work-oriented. Such a lifestyle certainly has its pros. But life here, while it may not be quite so frantically productive as life at home, has a sense of relaxation, enjoyment of the simple pleasures of life (food and rest for starters) and is very focused on society-both of family culture and the importance of friendships in every day life. It's something for me to try to import back with me at home, at least a little, right? I'm not talking about naps at work next year, but a general perspective of which I don't want to lose sight.
ADVENTURE/TRAVEL:
For most of this year I didn't have a travel buddy or the time to really do it right. So I sat tight in Thessaloniki, knowing that when my visitors came we would tour to exhaustion, and not even stop then. I was not disappointed either: my mother came for a month and we traveled for most of it: Athens, Meteora, Delphi, Aegina, Metamorphosi, and Istanbul (Constantinople to the Greeks still). It was a freeing experience really, especially after so many months of relying on Greeks to go anywhere or get anything done, I was finally able to conquer the transportation system (at least), which was very freeing and gave a wonderful sense of independence since it opened up the whole country to me. It also broke my routine and reminded me of all the opportunities for new experiences and places that are a train ride away-who knows when I'll have such opportunities again. With this insight gained I was able to proudly show Anna around and enjoy the freedom and distance we'll likely not have again, as we head home to the U.S., jobs, and the changes that sneak along behind these things.
I know that this year (what it's meant for me and how I've changed) isn't going to be clear, or at all processed in my mind until I come home to the states, get my footing there, and have a bit of time to think. Knowing this, I have to say that it's funny to be writing this last report when things here are still so thick and busy, and I'm in the middle of them. But writing this report is forcing me to begin saying my goodbyes and recognizing endings as they're approaching head-on. Of course I'm wise/old enough to know that saying goodbye's usually not forever, but still, that they're always harder when you don't know if, or when, you'll be back. For now I'm going to enjoy every day in one way or another so I can go home satisfied.
I need to thank a few people who have really helped me along this year. First, Mr. Antoniou and Ms. Platidou, who are the heads of the dorm. They have been so supportive of the staff and our decisions. Also, I want to thank Eva Kanellis: she has endless energy and ambition and helped give me much needed direction and purpose this year. Thanks to Vicky Zaroucha and Kay Bash for their kindness and generosity. Thanks to Jason Carpp, my counterpart, for his sense of humor and Georgia Proestopoulos for taking me 'round. Lastly, I must thank my two visitors, my mom and Anna Moseman; their presence can make me feel at home wherever I am.
A little trivia to help wrap up and summarize the end of the year: a game my mother calls "two truths and a lie". It seems a good way to see how some of the facts, figures, and knowledge acquired over the last year adds up.
Round One (Random Facts):
1) I've found 30 euro ($40) in public places during the course of the year
2) It is good luck to toast with an empty glass, or a glass without alcohol in it.
3) One of the exhibits in the Thessaloniki zoo is a house cat, it was slightly larger than normal size I guess, which maybe makes it more novel, or more of a necessity for it to be cagedâ¦I can only speculate
Round Two (The Things Kids Say):
1) Thomas (age 12) often began study hall by asking me in German accent if I had a rubber he could borrow.
2) "You should be shy to fight, but never to love"-said by Selena (age 12) to support my point about the backwardness of letting kids watch violent movies, but fast-forwarding through kissing.
3) Pavlos (age 17) trying to put off his bedtime by levitating for me
Round Three: (Greek proverbs and Idioms-this is the challenge round since there are more than the usual three choices. GOOD LUCK to you!)
1) Slow the cabbages
2) only children and the mad people tell the truth
3) do good and throw it in the sea
4) At the deaf's door, knock as much as you want
5) whoever walks at night steps on mud and poo
6) it's raining chair legs
ANSWERS:
ROUND 1: #2 is the lie. Both are very bad luck and people will yell at you if you try to toast in such a fashion.
ROUND 2: HA! I cheated; these are all true! (in reference to #1, 'rubbers'= erasers in Greece and any place with that sketchy English influence)
ROUND 3: #3 is the lie. This is a Palestinian proverb, but I've seen the Greeks claim it (and in reference to #6, I first thought that this was absurd, but then realized it's no more silly than it's English equivalent of "raining cats and dogs". Also, 'slow the cabbages' can be a real puzzler: I've been told it means "no big deal". Who really knows thoughâ¦..
