I lived in Greece in 2001.

Thessaloniki was the city and I played professional basketball for a team called Megas Alexandros. I had a small apartment right across the street from a Gyro shop and  I ate them almost everyday with tzatziki, tomatoes, potatoes and ketchup. It was THE most amazing year of my life. I learned as much of the language as I could, drank hot tea overlooking the Mediterranean, danced to music I did not understand and dated a man from Manchester, who to this day, is the most romantic man I've ever encountered.

I love Greece, because I learned how to love there. The people taught me how to kiss perfect strangers on the cheeks, how to smash plates because happiness is more important than fine china and most of all, how to never turn my back on God. You see, wherever I go, I like to visit places of worship. Even in Greece, I sat through services although I didn't understand a word, but I did understand that when I left church, I had to walk backwards out of the door. Each Sunday I sat alone listening and following along, then when it ended, I, like everyone else, backed out of the door and down the stairs. It was their tradition. They believed that one should never turn his or her back on God. I instantly liked that tradition. In fact maybe I'll start doing it again here in the States :-).

Seeing all the news reports about the economy of Greece right now, makes me sad. I think about Angela, the daughter of the Gyro shop owner who taught me my best belly dance, John, my Coach there who couldn't speak a word of English but understood me and finally, my neighbor, the elderly woman whom I shared a clothes line with from my balcony. When I first arrived in the country, the currency was the drachma. They were preparing to switch to the Euro.

The people were not happy about it. In fact on the last day the drachma was in circulation, Angela said to me, "My family was rich, but with this new money, we will become poor." Ten years later, this has become the cry of the country. Do I claim to be a financial expert? Certainly not. But I do understand that sometimes when we strip people of their traditions, it ruins them.

My heart cries out to the people in Thessaloniki and all over the country that taught me to love. May God never turn his back on you, for you have been so faithful to never turn yours to Him.

"ο Θεός να σε ευλογεί"

Celia


 


Comments

Deborah
10/26/2011 18:24

Love this...amazing country and you are amazing for recognizing it :-)

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