so, it is like violently growing up. what is changing fast, too fast is concepts and ideas about how we live. the country, greece, is being forced to change ways of thought and everyday practice with no time for the process of realisation and adjustment.
short history: Greece became a state in the middle of the 19th century, relying heavily on the support of richer European countries for its existence. very small and very poor this country has never been out of debt since it became a modern state. On top of that for the past century and a half we have embroiled ourselves in devastating wars, even a civil war after wwII, dictatorships and political unrest. the last junta fell in 1974, i'm old enough to remember that time.
In 1975, I think, we signed the treaty for becoming part of the European union.
Long before Spain and Portugal.
Once, flying over central Europe, it was in the year 2000 i think, Iwas looking at a huge area of well ordered and bordered fields. I was going to an EU funded meeting -15 countries. I told the people there, we were eating, not working, that during my flight I realised why Greece was made a member so early..even though we are a poor country and not politically stable or "mature"..to releive the immense boredom!!!!!!!!
I realised that it was very bad manners to say something like that when I saw the looks on their faces
but I still believe its true
Greeks can be brilliant and they can be very naughty..
I hate speaking of a nation with generalisations like that, but I am speaking now of our concept about ouselves, the beliefs that constitute our national identity
pair that with : resourceful, cunning, survivors, proud fighters
and then, in the past 35 years things have changed
we weren't poor any more. the nation, I mean..
we weren't immigrating, we were a receiving country
we don't work in the fields anymore, immigrants do that
most industries closed down or moved to other countries
everyone has a mobile phone, even kids
families have two or three cars
big houses,
no one is hungry
mountain villages are empty
wages became huge compared to what they were, prices rose accordingly
the dollar became cheap..in comparison to what it was
it became tremendously easy to get loans
back to what it's like now
more and more people are out of work, and those that do have a job work for much less money and in constant fear of losing it
people like my parents have lost 80% of their income
both have worked very hard and paid their taxes and had reached a certain level of affluence, and certainly did not expect to make radical changes in their way of life at 67 and 80 yrs old
the measures the government has been forced to take seem to focus on people who have been "good"..people who cannot evade taxes ..pensioners, civil servants, teachers, doctors who work in public hospitals etc, who are paid by the government..their incomes have been practically halved
private sector jobs are becoming scarce and badly paid
enterprises of all kinds are closing
workers, builders etc don't have work because construction, public and private has stopped
and people are angry
and scared
because it feels as if the measures, harsh as they are, are ineffective
and on top of that we have to be "good" and do as we are told
because, the story goes
1. there won't be any money for salaries in 15 days
2. European economy will crash
so people are angry. they feel cheated, and humiliated. There is violence, but also solidarity. There are moments when it is very scary
as for me.. I've been on the fringe all my life anyway, no backup, and, unfortunately some debt.
holding my breath..
I think it was a good idea to get eldest son out, and wondering what to do..
have to get real resourceful quickly
now I'm still a bit numb
it seems the future, even the near future is aa big question mark
but isn't it anyway?
on to the next voyage then.. see you soon!
on to the next voyage then.. see you soon!
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