A very white view of Brexit

In all the Brexit discussions, I have not come across any discussion of the similarities between the Greek and the UK referenda. There are so many similarities, at least to me, and I wonder how the great economics analysts have missed this point, or maybe they have glossed over it. Since I haven't found anything written about it, I'll give you my thoughts on it in this post. If I don't do it, who else will?

A friend recommended to me that I watch the 'Lexit' film (click here if you wish to see it: https://youtu.be/Z0kuJhkMLWs) made by UK left-wing thinkers that wanted a Brexit outcome (and they got it). It's probably the most balanced Brexit debate I've seen as it doesn't use scaremongering or immigration fears. Probably this is its greatest downfall: it bases all the Brexit arguments on trade and markets. That is not what the EU is all about.

Lexit is, naturally, very biased against the EU, but it reminds me uncannily of the Greek left's idealistic beliefs before SYRIZA came into power. Syriza kept highlighting its desire to stay in the EU, but essentially, Syriza was covertly against the EU. We all know full well how strongly Tsipras fought against everything the EU tried to get him to do, and he STILL supports the Greek public during strike action against his own government, when it passes measures to meet the EU's demands. SYRIZA/Tsipras couldn't state publicly that they were against the EU for mainly one reason: Greeks, generally speaking, do NOT want to leave the EU and they do NOT want to leave the euro and go back to the drachma. This should have been the first sign pointing to SYRIZA's feeble-mindedness: historically, it's always been the left that has been against the EU, in all parts of the European world.

In many ways, Lexit seems to make sense when it says that the EU is a choice between the market vs society. It's mainly right-wingers who will choose the market (ie the EU), while left-wingers will choose society. The film mentions some of the greatest UK advocates of society: Tony Benn, a staunch Labour MP, and Bob Crow, a trade unionist, are among them. Bob Crow reminds me of Arthur Scargill, another trade unionist who fought against Margaret Thatcher; he is also anti-EU. These men are all said to be pro-workers' rights, but in the end, they are/were in essence supporting 'closed shops', something Greeks know about quite well from pre-crisis times. Mention was made in Lexit about the loss of workers' rights, aka the rules that trade unions insist on for workers, which often go against sound business practices. Trade unions had great clout in Greece's recent past (pre-crisis); they could (and sometimes still do) bring the country to a standstill and hold it to ransom - but only because the country 'had' money back then. Now that the government is not free to spend the meagre resources it has available in a random way, trade unions' power has been broken. It sounds a little Thatcherite, doesn't it? Indeed: Greece was just 20-30 years behind the times.

Trade unions are just another form of a market, a less open one, with their own specific rules and regulations that support their own members. By supporting trade union policies, we were not really being democratic. Lexit argues that the EU is made up of appointed members, not elected members, so it's undemocratic. But for the most part, members from one state are appointed by the elected government of that state. Isn't that what we elect governments for? We elect them to get on with the job, and not to have to keep asking us what to do every time they want to do something. Sometimes they get things wrong, other times they don't tell us everything (Lexit claims that TTIP - another trade agreement - is being discussed in secret); but we should all know by now that politics is a dirty game, and at the present time, we do not have an alternative to traditional politics when it comes to running a country. Having said that, politics is much more transparent these days - technology (the rise of the internet) have really helped towards this effort.

The Greek referendum showed a clear split between the left and the right, which is not quite how the UK referendum turned out. The UK referendum also saw right-wingers that supported the LEAVE vote. Of course, there is a huge difference between the Greek and the UK referenda, the main one being that the Greek one was based on a question that was very open to interpretation: the question of the Greek referendum, which went something like: "Should the Greek government agree on a particular loan agreement?" got a resounding OXI (NO) outcome. So the government didn't agree to enforce that particular agreement... they decided to agree to something else instead... which to many analysts felt much worse than the 'original' agreement. Most people would agree that the OXI of the people was reinterpreted as a NAI by the government, giving rise to many photo memes based on phone conversations between David Cameron and Alexis Tsipras.

David Cameron is speaking on the phone:

Hi Alexi! If the British vote OXI to the union, could you make it NAI? 

What might have happened if the Greek referendum question had been 'leave the EU or not', or 'leave the eurozone or not'? The answer would probably have been REMAIN in both cases. Take note: I am remembering what the mood of the time was back then. Even as late as September 2015, during the second general election of the year (the third national election if you count the referendum), the candidates/parties wanting to see Greece out of the eurozone were not voted in. Things may have changed now almost a year later - but in my opinion, not by much.

In the Lexit film, Greece is regarded as crushed, with vicious austerity being imposed. If a country doesn't have money, even the word 'austerity' is being misused: Greece is BANKRUPT. It doesn't have the money to spend on basic state infrastructure, which led to a loss of jobs in the over-inflated public sector, which in turn scratched off the veneer: Greece looks so unkempt. Greece had been crushing itself before becoming bankrupt and begging others for money; in the past, money appeared magically whenever it was needed, but this is no longer the case. No wonder Greece's public assets needed to be 'flogged off' (as lexit claims). Greece's referendum result was also regarded as crushed by the EU. But OXI remained OXI - at least for the referendum question. The NAI was only given for another agreement - but that something else wasn't subjected to a referendum result! So the fireman-trade unionist is not just biased but blatantly misleading when he says that Greece was forced to sign an austere bailout package: Greece wanted more and more money by the time it had come to that stage!

In my opinion, Lexit looked more like a trade-unionists' opinion about the EU. I found that I couldn't trust everything the speakers said - they are using their own forms of 'popaganda' to make their claims sound believable. They used Varoufakis' claim that 'EU = terrorism', but they dislike Varoufakis' support for the EU. They insist that the ECB created last year's bank run in Greece just before the referendum. These British Lexiters are totally clueless about Greeks' love of hoarding cash. It really wasn't feasible to have millions of euros outside the banks, in homes, buried in fields. We are talking about 2015 - no Greek government till then had even attempted to engage citizens to learn how to use plastic money. And citizens on their part were preferred cash, a bit like King Midas: they liked to see it and count it - because they were not educated in how to do the same thing with their plastic cash. But even that has caught up with Greece now: as of 1st of August 2016, only plastic payments will be accepted in some businesses.

Lexit concentrates on the UK fishing industry and blames the EU for destroying it. With a Brexit, the UK will supposedly be able to build up their fishing industry to its former glory, and ports will start working again, and so will all those workers like porters and fish cleaners who now don't have jobs because the fishing industry has been decimated. I really wonder if the EU (if it were indeed at fault here) is truly responsible for the demise of the fishing industry. Young people move away form small towns because they aren't as exciting as big towns - in short, they don't want to live in small towns, and when they are forced to move back to small towns for economic reasons, they generally wish they were living elsewhere. Reviving coastal northern towns like Redcar, Hartlepool and Sunderland (which all voted overwhelmingly for Brexit) will take a lot more than building new homes and providing more state services: you have to make people want to go and live there, and from what I know of small Greek towns, I don't think there'll be many takers.

What's left in the UK is to pull the trigger and start the Brexit procedure. But no one is in a rush to pull that trigger. I don't even believe that the trigger will be pulled. It will have to be done by the head Brexiter (whoever that will be, once the Tories elect their new leader) ... who will be living and working in London... which voted overwhelmingly to BREMAIN, not to BREXIT! We are probably just about to find out that the Greeks and the Brits aren't much different after all; that Brexit just might have to be reinterpreted, so that it will end up looking like a Bremain. There may be huge differences between the countries of Greece and the UK, but since the UK referendum, it's pretty obvious that 'we all different, but we all froot'.

Brexit was not just a Lexit: it was also a Rexit - David Cameron was clearly a minority in his own party. Lexiters dislike banks, large corporations, capitalism - in short, they hate the right. But many people to the right of politics also supported Brexit. Left wingers don't want to associate with right wingers. So Lexit is actually ignoring its brothers in arms. Brexit has caused so many divisions in the UK - divided not just the country (Scotland wants to stay in the EU); it's divided traditional political groups - who seem to have similar ideas with each other. What is needed is to understand why the right also wanted to leave the UK - and who was actually voting for which side.



On the face of it, Brexit was a protest vote in much the same way as the OXI vote in Greece. Both referenda showed a very stark divide in the country. The groups who voted for OXI/LEAVE are very similar, as are the groups who voted for NAI/REMAIN:

• OXI/LEAVE = 'I have nothing to lose': angry, poor, stubborn, idealistic, casting aside globalisation, nationalistic, nostalgic
• NAI/REMAIN = 'I have everything to lose': elite, wealthy, anxious, scared of losing comfort, progressive

It's easier to understand why LEAVE won when viewed in this way:
- where is most of the money?
- where are most of the jobs?
- where are the most unemployed?
- where do the happiest people live?
- where do the most anxious live?
- which people in the UK have an inferiority complex?
- which have a superiority complex?
- where do most people who insist on making their main income from the arts live?
- how much will a person get if they sold their home?
- where do most 'educated' people live?
- what did expats vote?
- which areas of the UK do neo-immigrants go to for work?
- which parts of the country are the most exciting?
- which parts of the country are the most boring?
- which parts of the UK rely on the London bubble?
- which parts of the UK does the London bubble rely on?
The answer to the last question seems to be 'none'.

A shake up of old stagnant values isn't a bad thing. Every once in a while, we need a shake up. But what does Brexit tell us about the right wingers who want it? Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage were the main 'stars' of Brexit. On the one hand, we have a former right wing mayor of London; on the other hand, we have a UK MEP who heads a small far-right party that strongly opposes immigration. What made them decide that Britain will be Greater when it Brexits? I can only think of one question from my list above that encompasses their view: they have superiority complexes, and as politicians, they like to be heard - in short, they are power hungry. For some people, the incredible power that they have over weaker sectors of society is not enough - they want more.

What about immigration? Well, there was just a TINY bit of talk about that topic in the Lexit film. Immigration is not about blaming individuals, says Lexit: "free movement is, at its core, a neo-liberal attack on labour, on bargaining power, and on wage rates." That can really only mean one thing: immigraiton brings wages down. I guess that this is a bad thing in Lexiters' minds. No immigrant was given any air-time in Lexit. Why? Aren't immigrants a driving force in the UK? Are there no Lexiter British immigrants? Lexit shows no interest in them. Even the fireman trade unionist admits this: "Trade unions... have been far too silent about the issue." Lexit is totally biased pro-white British people. There was no BLACK speaker in the film: only Aaron Bastani had a foreign sounding name (apparently, he is of Iranian descent), but his accent was clearly British, and he had nothing to say about immigrants. Hence, Lexit is an ethnocentric view of Brexit. A claim is made that the EU underestimates 'our own people': white British people, I take it. The credits lists mainly English-sounding names (very few are non-English). Lexit is kind of racist, if you ask me.

I'd love to hear your views. I'd also love to add some more questions to the list I made above. But the end hasn't come yet. Article 50 has not yet been triggered. We all know what the Greek OXI vote ended up looking like. I can already see that I will not be needing to rush to get a passport issued. The UK will still be a part of the EU for a long, long time. Good luck, UK.

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Brexit

Greece crossed a similar line to Brexit almost a year ago, when it came close to Grexit. 

The only difference is that Greece was at the time like the lame child of Europe which needed to be dragged along by someone stronger. Thanks to the EU, Greece was propped up, despite the difficulties that this entailed for both sides. Respect is due to the EU for forcing Alexis Tsipras to stay in the meeting room in order to come to an agreement with the EU without a Grexit. 

Life is always harder on the disabled but they too have rights which can only be exercised in a supportive environment. Greece's bailout terms are tough, but that's because Greece was in a very very tough position. 

The UK is not regarded as being in a difficult position. Its not regarded as lame, like Greece.  The UK isn't being treated as disabled, like Greece was. Its being treated as pig headed. That's why the EU isn't happy with the UK - it didn't have to come to this, as the message of the song (which was playing on my local radio station this morning, right after the UK's referendum results were announced) implies:

We took the wrong route,

and don't ask how or why,

we found ourselves in this deadlock.

You might be to blame,

maybe I am to blame,

perhaps it was just meant to be.

Now there remains no other solution,

but only separation

and if a tear does appear,

time will dry it,

time will dry it.

I can't, you can't

go back in time,

to not make the same mistake again.

We now both see it,

from this impasse,

whatever we do to get out of it is too little, too late.

Now there remains no other solution,

but only separation

and if a tear does appear,

time will dry it,

time will dry it.

Bye bye Mr Cameron, hello money-loving and black-hating leaders.

Coming soon: Boris Johnson as PM, and maybe Trump to follow in the US (now that he got a bit of oomph from Brexit), two nylon haired tossers that will soon be ruling the world.

I hear Scotland wants another referendum now. The United Kingdom was never really united after all. 

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Foreign students in Hania: Constructive criticism

This article forms the second part of a two-part post that will be translated into Greek for dissemination among the Greek media. It will be edited at a later date, to include photos.

For the first part, click on this link: http://www.organicallycooked.com/2016/04/foreign-students-in-hania-lasting.html

The foreign students of Hania who find themselves living and working on an extended study visit at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) are a source of pride for the town. When MAICh recently asked them about their lasting impressions of Hania, their responses hinted at the many assets of the town: The Venetian harbor offers a refuge away from the stresses of the daily routine; the strategic location of the island does not compromise its safety; the climate and history of the town make it a magnet for foreign visitors; the open-mindedness of the community endears the visitors to the locals. The students' remarks are particularly revealing as to what should be preserved and maintained in Hania to ensure the town's sustainable survival in a very connected world, and specifically in the highly competitive tourist industry. At the same time, Hania should be capitalizing on its success in this respect, in such a way that its true assets are disseminated to a wider audience.

Keeping in mind that nowhere is perfect, the students were aslo asked to describe some of the problems that they encountered in Hania, and Greece generally, which they think need action to be taken for Hania to be an active member of the global community and a marketable Europe. Their comments could serve as a catalyst for further change where needed. Of course, it goes without saying that the local community already has some idea about some of the problems plaguing the town, but has not been provoked into making the necessary changes. The students of MAICh may just be the catalyst needed, as they force us to look at ourselves in the mirror. Their constructive criticism is particularly revealing.

Shopping hours in the town pose the biggest problem. It seems that Greek shopping hours are quite unique to the country:
"Even after two years of living in Hania, I cannot understand and I still always wonder when the stores open. I still do not understand shops' working hours!" (Walid, Algeria)
"The working hours of the shops are almost never written on the entrance door." (Bobi, fYR Macedonia)
"The working hours of the city are something which I could never understand. Several times I go to the city to get something and I come back with empty hands - it’s a real disappointment!" (Zahreddine, Algeria)

Tourism potential was also noticed by the students. Sometimes, Chania can be just 'too' peaceful:
"Regarding tourism, it could be better in Hania, since there are a lot of opportunities for more money can be made through tourism. It needs more development." (Ahmed, Morocco)
"What I dislike in Chania is the winter, where activities become limited and the population suddenly becomes less than in other seasons."(Abdelmalek, Tunisia)

The problem of stray animals that plagues all of Greece make a bad impression, as Walid (Algeria) points out: "Walking around the town, you see families having a quiet dinner and no one has issues with that - except the barking dogs! There are a lot of stray dogs all over the place."

The problems of the road network have not gone by unnoticed, as Ada (Albania) notes:
"I always enjoyed walking from MAICh to the centre of Chania, but I found the footpath too narrow."

While Cretan cuisine is known for its delicious fresh food, Haifa (Tunisia) thinks that the food choices could actually be improved: 
"The food is «not well diversified». If you don’t want traditional food, you can't find many international restaurants." 

Finally, Greek bureaucracy is notorious for its slow pace and confusing paperwork. Even MAICh students got a taste of it when they tried to use some services. Gohar (Armenia) thinks visa rules discriminate against foreigners:
"After two years of studying here I wanted to extend my visa. However, when I went to the immigration office, I was told that if I want to stay here there is only one way: to marry a Greek! Many of my friends have studied in other EU countries and after graduation they were able to get a visa for a year, so that they could look for work. No matter how hard the situation in Greece is right now, you have to give an educated immigrant a chance." 
Zahreddine (Algeria) describes how a simple procedure such as opening a bank account ended up feeling labyrinthine: "It took me more than 3 months to open a bank account. Most banks wanted to see my original birth certificate translated into Greek and stamped by the Greek embassy in my country, in addition to other seemingly unnecessary documents. Eventually, I found a bank that did not require so much paperwork, but I still had to wait for nearly one month to have this done!" 
The students were also asked about whether living in Hania helped them to understand Greece better, given that they are studying here during a period when the country is facing social, political and economic turmoil. Many students immediately grasped the similarities of their own cultures with Greece through their stay in Hania:
"Palestinians and Greeks are very similar. We share notions of hospitality." (Anas, Palestine)
"When I arrived in Chania, my first contact was with the taxi driver. I was already very surprised, as he physically looked like me! We had almost the same body language, mind and reasoning." (Walid, Algeria)

While Greece may be similar to her neighbors, she is also recognizably different:
"Greece is a portal for the oriental world through the eyes of the occident. By living in Chania and having Greek friends from all over Greece, I understand that Greece is a cradle for many cultures that have influenced it, but I can also distinguish differences between Crete and other Greek regions." (Abdelmalek, Tunisia)
"I believe that there is a slight difference in the mentality between Crete and the rest of Greece. In my opinion Crete and Chania are the no-stress zones of Greece, with an easygoing lifestyle. So in order to better understand Greece fully, Chania is probably not enough." (Bobi, fYR Macedonia).

The students are in Greece at a time when the country is going through great social, economic and political changes, so it is interesting to see how the Greek crisis has been interpreted by them:
Walid (Algeria) reminds us of how lucky we are: "The taxi driver told me that he has olive trees and agriculture, which sheltered him from the Greek crisis. In my country, we have been living most of our lives in a deep crisis, so I was surprised about the political situation in Greece because I cannot feel the crisis in Crete, least of all when I go out at night in the city!"

Haifa (Tunisia) agrees with Walid:  "I used to hear that Greece is in crisis and a lot of negative claims, but when I came here, I realized that it is not really that bad.You cannot actually feel the crisis as a MAICh student. The main problem is maybe with people's salaries which are lower than in other European countries, and I notice that some items of food or clothing are a bit more expensive than expected."

Zahreddine (Algeria) saw through the media propaganda against Greece: "Before I came to Chania, what I saw in the media made me think that the situation in Greece is unfavorable. Some friends even advised me not to go there. But when I arrived in Chania and saw the beautiful houses, the fancy cars, the nice roads, the supermarkets full of customers who are both locals and tourists, I realized that the perception I had was completely wrong. I don’t know if this is true only for Chania and Crete because there is a lot of tourism and agricultural activities. Chania taught me that Greek people, unlike my general perception of Europeans, are warm and friendly, and pay a lot of attention to family values."

Chaima (Tunisia) thinks that Greece has helped her to constantly look for solutions to any problem she encounters: "Living in Chania has allowed me to 'taste' the beauty and uniqueness of Greece. But what I understood by living here is how important it is to always search for solutions when considering the economic situation, not only just to survive, but to make the best out of life, enjoying in the hardest situations."

From their time in Greece, students learnt about the meaning of Greek hospitality, which they believe has influenced them a great deal:
Gohar's (Armenia) attitudes to the meaning of life changed because of the time she spent here: "Before coming to Chania, I was thinking only about studying and working hard to earn money and buy or have whatever I want. Living in Chania has changed my point of view. During the summer I saw many tourists coming for their holidays and enjoying two or three weeks here and then going back to their routine. So they work the whole year to earn money to come here and enjoy those few days. The Cretans don't have to do that, because they live one of the best places on Earth! Greek people do work hard, but they know for sure how to enjoy their lives. They know how to live right now, and to enjoy each moment!"

L'didja (Algeria) has also understood that special essence of life that Greece conveys: "Living in Chania made me understand how polite, helpful and kind the Greeks are. I understood that family, friendship, solidarity and generosity are values and principles of society in general. It is true that Chania is less harmed by the crisis, but I have seen places in Greece with complete roads of shops closed, looking like a haunted place, which might have been very lively in better times. But I have also seen how Greeks love life and try to enjoy it to the maximum. They always find a way to have fun and never miss a chance to gather, drink and dance all together."

Liliya (Russia) has noticed the warmth of the Greek people: "Greeks are very friendly and kind, they have such warm hearts, just like their weather in summer! Their life goes very 'siga siga'... They just enjoy it!"

It should be borne in mind that most of the students at MAICh are not from European countries. So my final question was about how their stay in Hania, as a part of Greece, has helped them to understand Europe better. Our wider European family might learn a thing or two about Greece when they hear what MAICh students have learnt about Europe through living in a small Greek Mediterranean town:

For Abdelmalek (Tunisia), Chania was the first European city that he experienced: "Compared to other European cities I have visited, Chania feels a bit different; it feels more oriental. But due to the huge numbers of tourists from all over Europe, especially from the north, Chania helped me to understand common European culture and something about the current situation Europe finds herself."

L'didja (Algeria) points out the more humane aspect of Greece compared with the image Europe is usually known for: "While the rest of the world starts to enter the selfish race where everybody cares only about himself, in Greece, your family cares about you, your neighbor ask about you and we still greet old people out of respect even if you don’t know them. I understand that the Greek participation to Europe brought opportunities to Greece such as funds, programs and the ability for youth to travel all around Europe freely. It’s also a curse in the way that European standards tend to homogenize everything. For instance, agricultural products such as the cheese, wine, even ouzo, must be packaged and labeled, while small traditional production units living with a small income can’t afford the process that raises the price of the product but spoils the product itself. This benefits neither the producer nor the consumer. I understood that the European ideal as planned in the very beginning was a utopia and that this colossus was actually built with the sacrifice of the weakest."

Zahreddine (Algeria) found the contrast between London and Chania overwhleming: "My visit to Chania is my second visit to Europe after London, and I was very surprised when I saw the huge difference between these two cities. Where London is so crowded and busy, and people are much more individualistic and self-oriented, I feel that Greeks have strong family bounds just like we do in my country. With this being said, I would say that life in Chania is much different than in Europe and I still have to learn more about Europe and other European towns."

Gohar (Armenia) notes the homogeneous nature of Greek society compared with the more obvious multicultural look of other parts of Europe: "The lack of immigration in Chania is what makes you feel that you are not living in a European country. Most MAICh students know at least 3 languages, among which are Russian, Arabic and of course English. These students are not being given a chance to become an asset for Greece's international development and international relations, even though they are highly skilled people. Most EU countries give these people more priorities. Of course, not all students will stay here after graduating but at least some of them could do so if they wanted to stay."

This contrasts sharply with Haifa's (Tunisia) observation that Greeks live harmoniously among foreigners:
"Chania represents Europe well Europe in the sense that you can see different cultures co-habiting together and accepting each other. You can really feel at peace here."

Anas (Palestine) mentions that Greece is really quite unique in Europe: "The idea that I had in my mind was that Europe is a great place full of opportunities and development and it's people are all working and living very decent lives, but I think it isn't fair to stereotype Europe by my visit to Crete since Greece nowadays is a really special case as a result of the crisis, which makes it really difficult to judge."

Walid (Algeria) realised how deceptively misleading the stereotypes of Greece and Europe are, as they are portrayed in the media: "Greece was my first contact with Europe, a Europe that I saw quite perfect in terms of working and earning money but not too human, with very cold relations between people because it's a very individualistic society, where everyone thinks only of himself, which is opposite to my own upbringing. Contrary to what I thought the Cretans are far from being individualistic. They live like one very big family. People are amazing - even when you do not need help. people will still try to help you, and it feels incredibly safe here."

Rhona (UK) worries that the European contrasts may break up the European Union: "I learnt quite a lot about how people live in other European countries from some of the other MAIX students, and also from the non-European students.The UK will soon vote on whether or not to leave the EU.  I don’t know whether it’s worse to stay in or go out, there are so many problems with the EU. But I really do worry that if either the UK or Greece leaves the EU that I will no longer have the right to return to live in Crete, a dream that keeps me going!"

This contrasts sharply with Valentina's (Italy) view about why Europe needs to remain united: "Living in Chania made me realize the true meaning of the European Union. Living among people going through an economic crisis which also affected my own country made me realize that it is precisely in times of crisis and difficulties that the sense of Europe and union must prevail rather than grandstanding by individualistic behaviour."

Perhaps Omar (Syria) sums up Greece's role in Europe in the best way: "For me Chania was such lovely town, in term of the connection between the Mediterranean I am familiar with and Europe which was new to me at the time of my arrival to Greece. It felt like I was somewhere in between. In the strteets you can see the European style so clearly, but suddenly you find yourself standing in front an example of oriental architecture. Now that I am living in Sweden, I sometimes really miss that Mediterranean air because it is completely lacking here. For me, Chania will be always the place which delivered me to Europe with Mediterranean hands."

Due to the unique nature of the city of Chania in Greece and Europe, MAICh's foreign students probably make the best ambassadors for Greece. Their study time in Hania plays a significant role in their career paths, as many Maich graduates go on to Ph.D. studies in renowned universities around the world, and not just in their own home country. Through MAICh, they have been given a chance to live in a unique European environment which will no doubt positively influence their life in the future, in a way that a European capital city, including Athens, could not have done so. MAICh students become a true asset in their community from their unique experience of living in one of the most unusual towns in Greece and Europe.

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Τα Χανιά είναι μια όμορφη μεσογειακή πόλη με μακρά ιστορία που ζωντανεύει μέσα από τα πολυπολιτισμικά μνημεία της. Εύκολα μας μαγεύει η ομορφιά της, ακόμα σαν μόνιμοι κάτοικοι, ξαναζώντας την ιστορία της πόλης μέσα από κάθε διαφορετική στιγμή που περνάμε σ'αυτή. Η μικρή της έκταση δεν είναι κουραστική αλλά ούτε και βαρετή. Συναντούμε παντού γνωστούς ώστε να μην αισθανόμαστε ποτέ μόνοι, ενώ την ίδια στιγμή, μπορούμε να κρυφτούμε στα σοκάκια της παλιάς πόλης διατηρώντας την ανωνυμία μας. Με την εκτεταμένη επαρχία της και τη μαγευτική ακτογραμμή, τα Χανιά προσφέρουν άφθονες επιλογές για να περνάμε όμορφες στιγμές, άσχετα ηλικίας και προτιμήσεων. Οι καλοκαιρινοί μας τουρίστες πιθανότατα συμφωνούν με τους ντόπιους - τα Χανιά είναι μαγευτικά, και θεωρούνται πλέον «προορισμός», όπως διαπιστώνεται από τα τουριστικά πακέτα, στις κορυφαίες επιλογές των Ευρωπαίων για τις καλοκαιρινές τους διακοπές.

Υπάρχει και ένας σημαντικός μεσοπρόθεσμος πληθυσμός στα Χανιά - άνθρωποι που έρχονται εδώ για την δουλειά τους ή για σπουδές, όπως οι φοιτητές του Μεσογειακού Αγρονομικού Ινστιτούτου Χανίων (ΜΑΙΧ). Προέρχονται κυρίως από Βόρεια Αφρική, Μέση Ανατολή, Καύκασο και Ανατολική Ευρώπη, με μια μικρή ομάδα από τον υπόλοιπο κόσμο, συμπεριλαμβανομένων της Ελλάδας. Κατά τη διάρκεια των μεταπτυχιακών σπουδών τους στο ΜΑΙΧ, μελετούν θέματα επείγουσας παγκόσμιου ενδιαφέροντος, όπως την κλιματική αλλαγή και την ανίχνευση της απάτης στα τρόφιμα, καθώς και την διαχείριση του αγροτικού τομέα. Στο τέλος των σπουδών τους στο ΜΑΙΧ, συνεχίζουν με διδακτορικές σπουδές σε γνωστά πανεπιστήμια σ'όλο τον κόσμο, και καταλαμβάνουν θέσεις υψηλού επιπέδου στον ακαδημαϊκό κόσμο, την κυβέρνηση και τις ιδιωτικές επιχειρήσεις. Δηλαδή γίνονται πρεσβευτές της Ελλάδα, δεδομένου ότι οι σπουδές τους εδώ διαδραματίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο στην σταδιοδρομία τους.

Οι ξένοι φοιτητές των Χανίων είναι μια πηγή υπερηφάνειας. Μας υπενθυμίζουν πόσο προνομιούχοι είμαστε που ζούμε σ'ένα σύγχρονο αλλά επίσης χαλαρωτικό περιβάλλον. Το παλιό λιμάνι προσφέρει ένα καταφύγιο μακριά από το άγχος της καθημερινότητας. Η στρατηγική θέση του νησιού δεν θέτει σε κίνδυνο την ατομική ασφάλειά. Το κλίμα και η ιστορία της πόλης είναι ένας μαγνήτης για τους ξένους επισκέπτες. Η ευρύτητα του πνεύματος της κοινότητας φέρνει τους επισκέπτες πιο κοντά με τους ντόπιους. Οι παρατηρήσεις των φοιτητών τoυ ΜΑΙΧ είναι ιδιαίτερα αποκαλυπτικές ως προς το τι θα πρέπει να διατηρηθεί στα Χανιά για να εξασφαλιστεί η βιώσιμη επιβίωση της πόλης σε ένα εξαιρετικά συνδεδεμένο κόσμο, συγκεκριμένα στον τομέα της άκρως ανταγωνιστικής τουριστικής βιομηχανίας, ώστε να αναδειχθεί ο πραγματικός πλούτος της πόλης στο ευρύτερο κοινό. Ας διαβάσουμε τι έχουν να πουν, στα δικά τους λόγια.

Η Chaima (Τυνησία) πιστεύει ότι τα Χανιά αποπνέουν μια ζεστασιά που δεν εκφράζεται εύκολα με λόγια: «Καταρχάς, η ηρεμία και ομορφιά των Χανίων είναι ο καλύτερος συνδυασμός για να απολαύσεις τη ζωή προετοιμάζοντας την μελλοντική σου καριέρα. Όταν γυρίσω στη χώρα μου, θ'αφήσω ένα κομμάτι του εαυτού μου εδώ. Αυτή η ζεστασιά που ένιωσα εδώ είναι πολύ ιδιαίτερη και δεν μπορεί να περιγραφεί εύκολα." Ο Abdelmalek (Τυνησία) λέει ότι τα Χάνια του έδωσαν την ευκαιρία να είναι πιο καινοτόμος: «Σπουδάζω κοντά στην ύπαιθρο σ'ένα ήρεμο και υγιεινό περιβάλλον που παρέχει έμπνευση για δημιουργική σκέψη."

Η Haifa (Τυνησία) παρατηρεί την ανοιχτόμυαλη φύση των ντόπιων απέναντι στους ξένους: "Οι Χανιώτες αποδέχονται τους αλλοδαπούς και είναι περίεργοι να μάθουν για αυτούς και την κουλτούρα τους, και πως έφτασαν εδώ. Ποτέ δεν αισθάνομαι ότι με απορρίπτουν επειδή δεν είμαι από εδώ."

Ο Walid (Αλγερία) αισθάνεται πολύ χαρούμενος που βρίσκεται στα Χανιά για σπουδές: «Το κλίμα, τα σπίτια, τα φυτά - όλα έχουν ένα ανθρώπινο μέγεθος. Βλέπω συχνά ανοικτές πόρτες και οικογένειες να τρώνε μαζί, που με κάνει να νιώθω ασφάλεια. Οι ντόπιοι δεν διαφέρουν πολύ απ'τη δική μου χώρα. Το παλιό λιμάνι είναι ένα από τα πιο καταπληκτικά μέρη. Μου θυμίζει το Κάσμπα του Αλγερίου: στενοί δρόμοι, πολλά λουλούδια, πολλές γάτες, ένα εκπληκτικό μείγμα αρχιτεκτονικών στυλ και πάνω απ 'όλα, μια έντονη ανθρώπινη ζεστασιά. Φτάνοντας στα Χανιά, θυμάμαι την πρώτη μου ανθρώπινη επαφή με τον οδηγό ταξί. Έμεινα έκπληκτος που φυσιολογικά μοιάζαμε! Εύκολα καταλαβαινόμασταν μεταξύ μας αν και δεν μιλούσαμε την ίδια γλώσσα. Αμέσως ένοιωσα ότι δεν ήμουν μακριά από το σπίτι μου."

Στον Anas (Παλαιστίνη) αρέσει η αναρρίχηση: "Προσωπικά μου αρέσει το φρέσκο ​​αεράκι που αναπνέω παντού στα Χανιά. Μου αρέσουν ιδιαίτερα οι ορεινές περιοχές των Χανίων. Θα μου λείψει πάρα πολύ όταν οι σπουδές μου τελειώσουν." Απίσης ο Ahmed (Μαρόκο) νιώθει ευχαριστημένος που διάλεξε να σπουδάσει μακριλα από μια μεγάλη πόλη: «Τα Χανιά είναι ένα βήμα στη ζωή μου που έχει διαμορφώσει το μέλλον μου, μακριά από τραπεζικές αυτοκρατορίες και την εκβιομηχάνιση." 

Η Ada (Αλβανία) γοητεύτηκε από την ευκολία με την οποία η φοιτητική ζωή συνδυάζεται εύκολα με τον τουρισμό: «Τα Χανιά είναι μία από τις καλύτερες τοποθεσίες για σπουδές. Μπορείς να κάνεις τον τουρίστα και τον φοιτητή ταυτόχρονα." Επίσης η Rhona (Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο) βρίσκει τα Χανιά πηγή έμπνευσης:. «Οι φιλικοί, ευγενικοί Κρητικοί ποτέ δεν γελούσαν στις προσπάθειές μου να μάθω ελληνικά, δείχνοντας πραγματικά ευχαριστημένοι που ένας ξένος έκανε τον κόπο να μάθει την γλώσσα του." Η Valentina (Ιταλία) πραγματικά αισθάνθηκε σαν στο σπίτι της στα Χανιά: "Τα τοπικά έθιμα ήταν κοντά στη δική μου πραγματικότητα, καθώς και η φιλοξενία των Κρητικών που με έκανε να νιώσω πολύ ευπρόσδεκτη."

Η Gohar (Αρμενία) παρατήρησε την ανθρώπινη διάσταση της επικοινωνίας: «Στα Χανιά θα αισθανθείτε σαν να είστε στο σπίτι σας από την πρώτη μέρα. Έμεινα έκπληκτη ότι έιδα γιαγιά και παππού να πίνουν μαζί το πρωινό τους καφεδάκι σε ένα καφενείο - δεν το βλέπουμε αυτό συχνά στην Αρμενία. Το ίδιο και οι νέοι: δεν συνομιλούν συνέχεια με smartphones, και απολαμβάνουν την συνομιλία με τους φίλους τους. Η επικοινωνία εδώ είναι πιο πολύ πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο. Σαν αλλοδαπή φοιτήτρια, δεν αισθάνθηκα ποτέ διακρίσει - μπορώ να πω ότι ένιωσα πολύ ασφαλείς."

Η L'didja (Αλγερία) θυμάται την πρώτη φορά που είδε το Ενετικό λιμάνι: "Μόλις μπείς στο χώρο του λιμανιού, μια καταπληκτική θέα σε χτυπά. Καμία εικόνα στο διαδίκτυο δεν μπορεί να σε προετοιμάσει για αυτή την στιγμή. Αισθάνομαι ασφαλής και αρκετά μακριά από το άγχος που θα αντιμετώπιζα σε μια μεγαλούπολη. Ο ιδιαίτερος πολυπολιτισμικός χαρακτήρας της πόλης δεν υπάρχει μόνο στην αρχιτεκτονική, αλλά και στους ίδιους τους Κρητικούς, την κουζίνα τους, και τις παραδόσεις. Νομίζω ότι αυτός είναι ο κύριος λόγος που κάνει τους Κρητικούς ιδιαίτερα ανοικτοί σε διαφορετικούς πολιτισμούς."

Ο Zahreddine (Αλγερία) αμέσως αντιλήπτηκε την Μεσογειακή φύση των Χανίων: «Όταν έφτασα για πρώτη φορά στα Χανιά, παρατήρησα ότι η φύση, το κλίμα και πολλά άλλα χαρακτηριστικά της πόλης ήταν εξαιρετικά παρόμοια με αυτά που έχω ζήσει όλη μου τη ζωή. Συνειδητοποίησα ότι είχα μόλις έρθει στο ιδανικό μέρος για μια επιτυχημένη διαδρομή σποδών. Είναι ένα μέρος όπου μπορεί κανείς να συναντήσεις ανθρώπους από όλο τον κόσμο. Υπάρχει κανείς που δεν του αρέσει το παλιό λιμάνι; Ένα από τα καλύτερα χαρακτηριστικά των Χανίων είναι η υπερυψωμένη θέση με θέα το γαλάζιο της θάλασσας, τη πανέμορφη μεσογειακή πόλη και τα ψηλά βουνά καλυμμένα με χιόνι, ένα σπάνιο μείγμα που υπάρχει μόνο σε πολύ λίγα μέρη του κόσμου."

Η Liliya (Ρωσία) τονίζει τη σημασία του κλίματος στην επιδίωξη της προσωπικής ευτυχίας: «Ποτέ δεν έζησε σε μια τόσο όμορφη πόλη όπου το καλοκαίρι διαρκεί έναν ολόκληρο χρόνο! Φαίνεται αδύνατο για τους φίλους μου στη Μόσχα να πιστέψουν ότι το Νοέμβριο τρώγω μανταρίνια κατευθείαν από το δέντρο, και να κολυμπώ στη θάλασσα!" Και Ο Omar (Συρία) θυμάται την φρεσκάδα της διατροφής:. «Τώρα που ζω στη Σουηδία, μου λείπει πραγματικά η μεσογειακή ατμόσφαιρα. Η χορτοφαγία δεν είναι εύκολο πράγμα στην Σουηδία - δεν τρως φαγητό που συλλέχθηκε από την ίδια περιοχή όπου ζεις."

Ο Bobi (Μακεδονίας (πΓΜΔ) επισκέπτεται συχνά την Ελλάδα αφού η χώρα του γειτονεύει με την δική μας και πιστεύει ότι τα Χανιά ξεχωρίζουν από τα άλλα μέρη που έχει επισκεφθεί: "Έχω μεγάλη εμπειρία από την Ελλάδα, αλλά η Κρήτη και τα Χανιά ειδικότερα είναι κάτι το ιδιαίτερο. Οι άνθρωποι εδώ είναι πιο ανοιχτόμυαλοι. Είναι το πρώτο μέρος στην Ελλάδα όπου έχω δει μιναρέ και καμπανοστάσιο στην ίδια εκκλησία. Οι άνθρωποι είναι γενικά ζεστοί, φιλικοί και εξυπηρετικοί, όλο με το χαμόγελο. Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι δεν αλλάζουν στάση όταν τους λέω από ποια χώρα κατάγομαι! Μου αρέσει που τα περισσότερα παλιά κτίρια εξακολουθούν να φαίνονται σαν τη στιγμή που χτίστηκαν. Αισθάνεσαι σαν να είσαι στην Ελλάδα, την Ιταλία και τη Μέση Ανατολή την ίδια στιγμή. Αισθανεσθαι την επίδραση του κάθε έθνους που έχει πατήσει το πόδι του στο νησί. Είναι ένα εξαιρετικό μέρος για χαλάρωση."

Μην ξεχνόντας ότι πουθενά δεν είναι τέλεια, οι φοιτητ'ες επίσης περίγραψαν μερικά από τα προβλήματα που αντιμετώπισαν στα Χανιά, και την Ελλάδα γενικότερα, για τα οποία νομίζουν ότι πρέπει να αναληφθεί δράση ώστε τα Χανιά να είναι ενεργό μέλος της παγκόσμιας κοινότητας και της εμπορεύσιμης Ευρώπης. Είναι αυτονόητο ότι και η τοπική κοινωνία ήδη ξέρει καλά τα προβλήματα που μαστίζουν την πόλη, αλλά ακούγεται διαφορετκά όταν μας τα υπενθυμίζουν ξένοι. Οι παρατηρήσεις των ΄ξενων φοιτητών είναι ιδιαίτερα αποκαλυπτικλες και χρησιμεύουν ως καταλύτη για περαιτέρω δράσεις, καθώς μας αναγκάζουν να ασκήσουμε πιο σκληρή κριτική στον εαυτό μας. 

Σχετικά με τις ώρες των καταστημάτων, υπάρχει μεγάλο πρόβλημα με τις ώρες λειτουργίας. Οι ξένοι φοιτητές δυσκολεύονται να καταλάβουν πότε οι Χανιώτες κάνουν τα ψώνια τους μέσα στη πόλη: «Οι ώρες εργασίας της πόλης είναι κάτι που δεν μπόρεσα ποτέ να κατανοήσω. Αρκετές φορές έχω πάει στην πόλη για να αγοράσω κάτι και γυρίζω στο ΜΑΙΧ με άδεια χέρια!" (Zahreddine). Αυτό επίσης σχετίζεται με την εμπορευσιμότητα των Χανίων ως προορισμό: "Θα μπορούσε να υπάρχει περισσότερος τουρισμός στα Χανιά, δεδομένου ότι υπάρχουν πολλές ευκαιρίες, οπότε χρειάζεται περισσότερη ανάπτυξη." (Ahmed). Ο χειμερινός τουρισμός σίγουρα αποτελεί μια λύση: «Τον χειμώνα οι δραστηριότητες μειώνονται σημαντικά, επίσης και ο πληθυσμός" (Abdelmalek). Το πρόβλημα των αδέσποτων ζώων που μαστίζει όλη την Ελλάδα κάνει μια κακή εντύπωση: «Περπατώντας γύρω από την πόλη, βλέπουμε πολλά σκυλιά που δημιουργούν προβλήματα με το θόρυβο που κάνουν. Ενώ υπάρχει ηρεμία και ησυχία στην περιοχή, Τα σκυλιά που γαβγίζουν χαλάνε την ηρεμία και γαλήνη της περιοχής" (Walid). Επίσης κακή εντύπωση κάνει η οπτική εικόνα του οδικού δικτύου: "Μου αρέσει να περπατώ από το ΜΑΙΧ στο κέντρο των Χανίων, αλλά ο δρόμος δεν έχει καλά πεζοδρόμια και είναι κάπως στενός" (Ada). 

Η ελληνική γραφειοκρατία είναι διαβόητη για την αργό ρυθμό της. Ακόμα και οι ξένοι φοιτητές πήραν μια γεύση από αυτό όταν προσπάθησαν να χρησιμοποιήσετε κάποιες υπηρεσίες. H Gohar πιστεύει ότι πρέπει να αναθεωρηθούν κάποιες διακρίσεις εις βάρος αλλοδαπών φοιτητών: "Ήθελα να επεκτείνω την βίζα μου, αλλά οι αρμόδιοι μου είπαν ότι για να μείνω παραπάνω χρόνο στην Ελλάδα. υπάρχει μόνο ένας τρόπος: πρέπει να παντρευτεί έναν Έλληνα! Πολλοί φίλοι μου έχουν σπουδάσει σε άλλες χώρες της ΕΕ και μετά την αποφοίτησή τους ήταν σε θέση να επεκτείνουν την βίζα τους για άλλο ένα χρόνο, ώστε να μπορούν να ψάξουν για δουλειά. Άσχετα πόσο σκληρή είναι η κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα αυτή τη στιγμή, θα πρέπει να δώσει ευκαιρίες και στους μορφωμένους μετανάστες." O Zahreddine περιγράφει τις δυσκολίες μιας απλής διαδικασίας, όπως το άνοιγμα τραπεζικού λογαριασμού: «Χρειάστηκα πάνω από 3 μήνες για να ανοίξω τραπεζικό λογαριασμό. Οι περισσότερες τράπεζες ήθελαν να δουν το πρωτότυπο πιστοποιητικό γέννησης μου μεταφρασμένο στα ελληνικά! από το. Τελικά, βρήκα μια τράπεζα που δεν απαιτούσε τόσο πολύ γραφειοκρατία, αλλά πάλι χρειάστηκε να περιμένω για περίπου ένα μήνα μέχρι να τελειώσει η δουλειά!"

Οι φοιτητές ρωτήθηκαν επίσης για το πως τα Χανιά τους βοήθησαν να γνωρίσουν καλύτερα την Ελλάδα, δεδομένου ότι σπουδάζουν σε μια περίοδο που η χώρα αντιμετωπίζει κοινωνική, πολιτική και οικονομική αναταραχή. Οι φοιτητές αντιλήφθηκαν τις ομοιότητες με τους δικούς τους πολιτισμούς, αλλά είναι επίσης εμφανώς διαφορετική: «Η Ελλάδα είναι μια πύλη για τον ανατολίτικο κόσμο από τα μάτια της Δύσης. H Ελλάδα μου φαίνεται σαν ένα λίκνο πολλών πολιτισμών που την έχουν επηρεάσει. Μπορώ επίσης να διακρίνω τις διαφορές ανάμεσα στην Κρήτη και σε άλλες ελληνικές περιοχές" (Abdelmalek). "Πιστεύω ότι υπάρχει μια μικρή διαφορά στη νοοτροπία μεταξύ Κρήτης και την υπόλοιπη Ελλάδα. Κατά τη γνώμη μου, η Κρήτη και τα Χανιά είναι οι ζώνες απαγόρευσης άγχος της Ελλάδα, με ένα πιο βολικό τρόπο ζωής." (Bobi).

Είναι ενδιαφέρον να δούμε πώς η ελληνική κρίση έχει ερμηνευθεί από τους ξένους φοιτητές: μας θυμίζει πόσο τυχεροί είμαστε: «Είστε πολύ τυχεροί στην Κρήτη. Ένας ταξιτζής μου είπε ότι έχει ελαιόδεντρα και ασχολείται με τη γεωργία, που τον προστατεύει από την κρίση. Στη χώρα μου, έχουμε ζήσει το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ζωής μας σε μια βαθιά κρίση. Έτσι μένω έκπληκτος με την πολιτική κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα, γιατί δεν μπορώ να νιώσω την κρίση στην Κρήτη, τουλάχιστον όχι όταν βγαίνω έξω τη νύχτα στην πόλη!" (Walid). «Συνήθιζα να ακούω ότι η Ελλάδα βρίσκεται σε κρίση, αλλά όταν ήρθα εδώ, κατάλαβα ότι δεν είναι ακριβώς έτσι τα πραγματικά. Φυσικά και δεν μπορώ να αισθανθώ πραγματικά την κρίση ως φοιτήτρια τους ΜΑΙΧ. Το κύριο πρόβλημα είναι ίσως με τους μισθούς που είναι χαμηλότεροι από ό, τι σε άλλες ευρωπαϊκές χώρες, και παρατηρώ ότι ορισμένα είδη τροφίμων και ρούχα είναι λίγο πιο ακριβά" (Haifa). 

Ο Zahreddine κατάλαβε ότι δούλευε κάποιο είδος προπαγάνδας στα διεθνή μέσα ενημέρωσης κατά της Ελλάδας: «Πριν έρθω στα Χανιά, αυτό που είδα στα μέσα ενημέρωσης με έκανε να σκεφτώ ότι η κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα είναι αρνητική. Κάποιοι φίλοι με συμβούλεψαν να μην έρθω. Αλλά όταν έφτασα στα Χανιά και είδε τα όμορφα σπίτια, τα καλά αυτοκίνητα, τα μαγαζιά με γεμάτα ράφια και πελάτες, ντόπιους και τουρίστες, συνειδητοποίησα ότι η αντίληψη που είχα ήταν εντελώς λάθος. Δεν ξέρω αν αυτό είναι αλήθεια μόνο για τα Χανιά και την Κρήτη, επειδή υπάρχει πολύ τουρισμός και γεωργικές δραστηριότητες. Τα Χανιά μου δίδαξαν ότι ο ελληνικός λαός, σε αντίθεση με τη γενική αντίληψη μου για τους Ευρωπαίους, είναι ζεστός και φιλικός, και δίνει πολλή προσοχή στις οικογενειακές αξίες».

Η Chaima πιστεύει ότι η Ελλάδα την έχει βοηθήσει να αναζητάει συνεχώς λύσεις για κάθε πρόβλημα που αντιμετωπίζει: «Αυτό που κατάλαβα με το να ζω εδώ είναι πόσο σημαντικό είναι να ψάχνεις πάντα για λύσεις σε μια δύσκολη οικονομική κατάσταση, όχι μόνο απλά για να επιβιώσεις, αλλά για να μπορείς απολαμβάνεις ότι καλύτερο έχει η ζωή, στις πιο σκληρές συνθήκες."

Οι φοιτητές έμαθαν για την έννοια της ελληνικής φιλοξενίας, που πιστεύουν ότι τους έχει επηρεάσει σε μεγάλο βαθμό. Η Gohar πιστεύει ότι το νόημα της ζωής άλλαξε για αυτήν λόγω του χρόνου που πέρασε στα Χανιά: "Πριν έρθω στα Χανιά, σκεφτόμουν μόνο για τις σπουδές μου, να εργάζομαι σκληρά για να κερδίζω χρήματα και να αγοράζω ότι θέλω. Κατά τη διάρκεια του καλοκαιριού στα Χανιά είδα πολλούς τουρίστες που έρχονται για τις διακοπές τους και απολαμβάνουν δύο-τρεις εβδομάδες εδώ και στη συνέχεια πηγαίνουν πίσω στη ρουτίνα τους. Έτσι λειτουργούν όλο το χρόνο για να κερδίσουν χρήματα για να έρθουν εδώ και να απολαύσουν αυτές τις λίγες μέρες. Οι Κρητικοί δεν χρειάζονται να το κάνουν αυτό, επειδή ζουν σε ένα από τα καλύτερα μέρη στη γη! Ο Έλληνας εργάζεται σκληρά, αλλά ξέρει σίγουρα πώς να απολαμβάνει τη ζωή κάθε στιγμή!"

Οι περισσότεροι φοιτητές στο ΜΑΙΧ δεν προέρχονται από ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Έτσι, το τελευταίο ερώτημα που τους θέσαμε ήταν σχετικά με το πώς η διαμονή τους στα Χανιά τους βοήθησε να κατανοήσουν καλύτερα την ευρύτερη ευρωπαϊκή πραγματικότητα.

Η L'didja ανησυχεί για το μέλλον του αγροτικού τομέα: "Αντιλαμβάνομαι ότι η ελληνική συμμετοχή στην Ευρώπη έφερε ευκαιρίες στην Ελλάδα, αλλά τα ευρωπαϊκά πρότυπα είναι επίσης και μια κατάρα με τον τρόπο που τείνουν στην ομογενοποίηση, για παράδειγμα, τα γεωργικά προϊόντα, όπως το τυρί, το κρασί, ακόμη και το ούζο, που πρέπει να συσκευάζονται και να επισημαίνονται, ενώ οι μικρές παραδοσιακές μονάδες παραγωγής με μικρό εισόδημα δεν μπορούν να αντέξουν οικονομικά τη διαδικασία που αυξάνει την τιμή του προϊόντος, αλλά χαλάει το ίδιο το προϊόν."

Ο Zahreddine βλέπει την πιο ανθρώπινη διάσταση της Ελλάδας σε σύγκριση με τον Βορρά: "Πριν έρθω στα Χανιά, πήγα στο Λονδίνο. Η διαφορά είναι τεράστια μεταξύ των δύο πόλεων. Στο Λονδίνο ο κόσμος φαίνεται συνέχεια απασχολημένος και οι άνθρωποι είναι πολύ πιο αυτο-προσανατολισμένοι. Στην Ελλάδα μετρά πιο πολύ οι οικογένεια."

Η Gohar σημειώνει την ομοιογένεια της ελληνικής κοινωνίας σε σχέση με την πιο προφανή πολυπολιτισμικό βλέμμα του σε άλλα μέρη της Ευρώπης: "Υπάρχει έλλειψη μετανάστευσης στην Ελλάδα. Ενώ οι φοιτητές του ΜΑΙΧ γνωρίζουν τουλάχιστον 3 γλώσσες, μεταξύ των οποίων είναι ρωσικά, αραβικά και αγγλικά, δεν τους δίνεται ευκαιρία να γίνουν ένα περιουσιακό στοιχείο για τη διεθνή ανάπτυξη της Ελλάδας, ακόμα κι αν είναι άτομα με υψηλή ειδίκευση. Άλλες χώρες δίνουν περισσότερες προτεραιότητες σε τέτοιους ανθρώπους." Το ίδιο αναφέρει και ο Anas: "Η ιδέα που είχα για την Ευρώπη είναι για ένα εξαιρετικό μέρος γεμάτο ευκαιρίες και ανάπτυξη. Η Ελλάδα σήμερα είναι μια πραγματικά ιδιαίτερη περίπτωση, ως αποτέλεσμα της κρίσης."

Η Rhona ανησυχεί ότι οι ευρωπαϊκές αντιθέσεις μπορεί να διαλύσουν την ΕΕ: "Το Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο θα ψηφίσει για το αν πρέπει ή όχι να φύγει από την ΕΕ. Δεν ξέρω αν είναι χειρότερο να παραμείνουμε ή να βγούμε άλλα πραγματικά ανησυχώ ότι δεν θα έχω πλέον το δικαίωμα να μείνω στην Κρήτη, ένα όνειρο που θέλω να πραγματοποιήσω."

Η Βαλεντίνα πιστεύει ότι η Ευρώπη πρέπει να παραμείνει ενωμένη "Από την εμπειρία μου στα Χανιά συνειδητοποίησα το αληθινό νόημα της Ευρώπης. Η οικονομική κρίση επηρέασε και την Ιταλία και σκέφτομαι ότι είναι ακριβώς σε περιόδους κρίσης και δυσκολιών που η αίσθηση της Ευρώπης και της Ένωσης πρέπει να επικρατήσει και όχι μια πιο εγωιστική συμπεριφορά."

Ίσως ο Omar συνοψίζει το ρόλο της Ελλάδας στην Ευρώπη με τον καλύτερο τρόπο: "Στα Χανιά σύνδεσα τη Μεσογείο απ'όπου και εγώ κατάγομαι  με την Ευρώπη. Ένιωσα σαν να ήμουν κάπου στο ενδιάμεσο. Οι δρόμοι φαίνονται καθαρά ευρωπαϊκοί, αλλά ξαφνικά βρίσκεσαι ανάμεσα ανατολίτικη αρχιτεκτονική. Τώρα που ζω στη Σουηδία, πάντα θα θυμάμαι τα Χανιά ως την πόλη που με παράδωσε στην Ευρώπη μέσω μεσογειακά χέρια."



Λόγω της μοναδικότητας των Χανίων, στην Ελλάδα και την Ευρώπη, οι ξένοι φοιτητές του ΜΑΙΧ κάνουν ίσως τους καλύτερους πρεσβευτές της Ελλάδας. Οι σπουδές τους στα Χανιά διαδραματίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο στην πορεία της σταδιοδρομίας τους, αφού πολλοί απόφοιτοι του ΜΑΙΧ συνεχίζουν τις σπουδές τους σε φημισμένα πανεπιστήμια σ'όλο τον κόσμο, όχι μόνο στη πατρίδα τους. Το ΜΑΙΧ τους δίνει την ευκαιρία να ζήσουν σε ένα μοναδικό περιβάλλον το οποίο θα επηρεάσει αναμφίβολα θετικά τη ζωή τους στο μέλλον, με έναν τρόπο που μια ευρωπαϊκή πρωτεύουσα συμπεριλαμβανομένης της Αθήνας, δεν θα μπορούσε. Οι φοιτητές του ΜΑΙΧ είναι ένα πραγματικό περιουσιακό στοιχείο για τα Χανιά.

On conforming

It's very hard finding a news site these days which reports the Greek crisis in a neutral/positive way, either in English or in Greek. This is very disappointing. Whatever web sites I browse through, I read about the doom and gloom that the Greek people face in light of the latest 'deal'. Very few news sites discuss the possibility of the great change taking place in Greek society, from learning to live with a compromise. A true compromise is when both sides are unhappy, and this is the case in the Greek deal.

According to polls taken in the last 2 days, 7/10 want the 'harsh' measures passed tonight, and 7/10 choose Tsipras as the most appropriate leader of the Greek people. Instead of taking into account the will of the Greek people, the articles being published abound with negative criticism of the measures, reasons why they will not work, a heavy emphasis on the possibility of early/snap elections and Syriza party rifts, a focus on the IMF's demands for debt relief, and a lot of Euroscepticism. The greatest proponents of the latter are the British press.

There is little being discussed about the united desire by the majority of the Greek parliamentarians - as well as the Greek people! - to save the country. Instead, there is a greater emphasis on how the country will never manage to pay off its debts. I find it difficult at this point in time to believe that such opinions are forming a significant minority, which is detrimental to political stability, especially for a country that seems to have FINALLY understood in its majority what a compromise means. Such things were said before. Why are they being repeated?

And worst of all, no one mentions that, finally, after five years of watching a highly divided country break up, Greece has formed itself a true centre through Alexis Tsipras. Tsipras himself does not paint himself a saviour. He has admitted his and his party's mistakes, and he acknowledges that some things had to happen, for the sake of the country. He has put party ideologies, personal beliefs and private interests BEHIND the country's issues.

I am starting to wonder if these rabble-rousers want to see the country fall, to prove their beliefs. It reminds me of the propaganda of the right wingers during the referendum. The Greeks did not fall prey to that fear campaign, and I highly doubt that they will fall prey to this fear-mongering lot either. I myself voted NO for many reasons: I was tired of hearing about needing other people's money, I was tired of being told by others how they were going to give it to me, and above all, I was tired of fighting about this issue with the Greeks I am surrounded by, so I let them have their revolution by agreeing with them. And what came out of that? We got a deal, and now, for the first time in six years, MOST people are happy.

I personally believe that Greece is 'finally' on the road to conforming to the reality of modern world living. Life is not easy anywhere. What might look like a coup to some people looks to me as something that was bound to happen eventually. What is happening in Greece is that we are catching up with the reality of the western world. Not nice if you are poor, but in Greece, our concept of poverty is not really the same as in the well-established Western countries. We have to learn to pay back our mortgages if we took out a house loan, otherwise we will lose our homes. We have to learn to pay taxes to the government so that the government can afford to fund our healthcare plans. We have to learn to stop venting our anger on others, and to pick up the shards to rebuild them. Above all, we have to take responsibility for our demise, and admit that we ourselves let our country go to ruin:

"Greece didn't get into all this trouble because its European partners took advantage of it; it went bankrupt because, after more than a generation as a member of a rules-driven, respect-based tight economic community, it never figured out how to play fair, how to fit in and how to build real value. It enjoyed the spoils of membership without ever trying to live up to its end of the bargain; it cheated, squandered, abused, begged for more... and the cycle continued until the financial crisis suddenly brought the entire country to the brink of bankruptcy. And even then, on the strength of charm and an endless stream of fake reform promises over the past half-dozen years, the money kept flowing in from its badly tricked Euro partners in the form of bailouts. And nobody was even humiliated or angry about that. Until now, of course." http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/andreas-souvaliotis/greece-here-is-why-thisisnotacoup_b_7796738.html

Anyone who does not agree with this statement is fooling themselves. If you have lived long enough in Greece, you will have seen this kind of flouting the rules so often, that you become immune to it. And if you are Greek, you will have broken the law silently on many occasions, because you decided to go with the flow. Admitting this is the first step towards fixing the situation:

I am writing to you to confess, to take responsibility, and to clear the slate. Your country is rotten to its core, bankrupt economically and morally, and your parents have had their role in helping it get to this point. I am sorry for never telling you that I am a thief and have been for 20-odd years, as I turned a blind eye to the implications and agreed on more occasions than I can count or remember not to want a legal receipt from the shopkeepers, doctors, dentists, mechanics, etc., whose goods and services were – and continue to be — cheaper without one. I partook in a system that supported corruption and I, too, in my own small way, was corrupt. The state of Greece now, totally septic and broken, is the result.  http://www.dianekochilas.com/a-radicalized-greek-mothers-apology-to-her-kids/

I see many positive things coming out of our new predicament. My optimism centred on being a part of the euro.  I'd rather be poor and in the euro, than poor and outside it. Thank you Mr Donald Tusk, for stopping Ms Merkel and Mr Tsipras from leaving the negotiating table until they agreed to compromise. Finally, both sides are unhappy, therefore the compromise can be nothing but successful.

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

On leaving the euro

- Why do people think we should go back to the drachma, mum?

- Do some people not like Greeks, mum?

- Is the euro better than the drachma, mum?

- If we leave the euro, will we be poor, mum?

These are just some of the questions that my children are asking me these days. Possibly also avoiding to ask me, because they have already sensed how difficult it is for their parents to answer these questions.


Today's Guardian website this morning: They really want us out (and I mean the UK). They wanted us out throughout the whole crisis. They present their ideas matter-of-factly, using all the facts and figures that point to this direction, as if it is a done deal. Now all they need is to see us out, so they can wear their facetious smiles and say 'about time, really', and read about something else instead while they take the tube to work and back home. They do not think that perhaps this is the reason why London is having its hugest tube strike ever.

It's now all up to what Syriza can speed through the system to 'save Greece'. Save Greece from what? Austerity? Whether we have euro or drachma will make no difference to the harshness of the times that we will be forced to live in. So it seems that Greece will not be saved after all, no matter what happens. We want to keep the euro because it feels nicer than the drachma. But at this eleventh hour, we need to be prepared for what we will be told by other EU countries, and we didn't really come out looking that good in yesterday's meeting in the European Parliament. The 'others' cannot for the life of them understand what exactly we are asking for: they think we are asking for more money without reforms. We don't even need Syriza to draw up a plan to get the economy running. Guy Verhofstadt (MEP for Belgium and a former PM for Belgium) did that for us in the European Parliament, mentioning things like taxing ship owners (a protected class) and the Orthodox church (another protected class). I wonder if he realises that unmarried daughters of former public servants STILL get a pension, just because their dads were public servants. They can still have their happy fuck and be in a relationship - just as long as they don't marry, they will continue to get that pension. In Greece, we are being  fucked by the ruling class from all sides.

So why did I vote NO last Sunday, since I knew that Syriza had made a HEAP of mistakes in its five months in office? It wasn't difficult to predict their massive failure. Here is why I did it: If national elections were called instead of a referendum, Syriza would have won outright. It would have been a GREAT way to get rid of the 'i-hate-immigrants' ANEL wankers that Syriza is in coalition with in one flat blow. But it would have taken a longer time to organise an election (perhaps). Time is not on our side. The referendum in my opinion gave the same result as an election would have: a clear win for Syriza, with the added bonus of a clear blow to Nea Dimokratia. PASOK was done away with in the 2012 election. Now Nea Dimokratia has suffered. I am truly GLAD of that. Syriza may be completely inexperienced, but it's NOT dumb. It has a long long way to go to become a party with a proven track record. I didn't vote for them in January 2015. But I am truly GLAD that we are not being ruled by the same names involved in Greek politics in 1981-2014. THEY were the ones that got Greece into this mess. I wont forget that when I tell my kids about the situation we are in, even if I was actually voting for those jerks in the past.

Oh, global capitalism. You've just been making it up as you go along, and now reality's caught up with you...


Greeks were heading for this crisis ever since they entered the EU in 1981. This week will signal the end of THAT crisis, and the start of a new one. It was never an economic crisis to start with, it was a crisis of values, identity, the things that were important to Greeks right from the start.

A Kiwi friend emailed me recently to tell me that he has problems explaining to his work mates why the Greeks voted so stridently in the NO camp: "All I could answer was what my conservative staunch very proud father used to tell me: ANY ONE CAN LIVE ON THEIR KNEES. My FU attitude must be genetic." That pretty much sums up why I changed my voting tendencies last minute. If we are not wanted somewhere, then so be it. We will continue to survive even without the euro.

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

In this eleventh hour

I may be speaking to Radio New Zealand National on Saturday night 11.40pm Greek time (Sunday morning 8.40am New Zealand time) about the political crisis Greek is facing with the announcement of the referendum, and how it is affecting people. 

Greece is continuing to make headline news at the moment because of the upcoming referendum taking place on Sunday. Greece is not blameless for her problems. But Greek people cannot forever be vindicated for the often secretive under-the-table agreements of corrupt politicians from all sides; this includes both Greek and European politicians. At the moment, a lot of the media portrayal of Greece outside the country is rather judgmental against Greece, making Greece sound like she created her own problems. This is true in part - even as a Greek, I cannot deny this - but there is also another side to the story: it seems that Greece's problems will soon become more global issues, and the whole world will then have to ask itself who created these problems. Greece is basically being told what to do by politicians of other countries, and people are being forced to look into their pockets for the answer to the upcoming referendum. No one really knows where this situation is going to take us; in Greece, we don't even know what tomorrow will bring. Things keep changing all the time. 

In fact, things are changing so fast that it's almost impossible to write a blog post about what is happening in Greece at the moment because by the time I have written and posted it, it will have been superseded by new news that may counter anything I wrote in the blog. We're living at the fastest pace that we have ever lived in Greece. While this is tiring for many of us, it will also stand us in good stead for the very difficult times ahead of us, which are coming right after the referendum results are announced. We will need that experience desperately as there will be no time to waste.

There is a lot of news flying about at the moment concerning the Greek crisis, but it is being disseminated in an overly subjective way. It pains me immensely to see this happening. Never before in my years in Greece have I seen such a well-organised attempt by one sector of society to sabotage another sector's views. But then again, there is a lot at stake. Realism has never been part of any previous election - this one is based on the reality of the day after, vs. the slight possibility that things could actually truly get better for once. It's the choice between the wrong yes and the right no, as described in a poem by Constantine Cavafy (1863-1933), a great Greek poet who lived both in Egypt and Greece:

Che fece...il gran rifiuto

For some people the day comes when they have to declare the great Yes or the great No. It’s clear at once who has the Yes ready within him; and saying it, he goes forward in honor and self-assurance. He who refuses does not repent. Asked again, he would still say no. Yet that no—the right no— undermines him all his life.

Translated by Edmund Keeley/Philip Sherrard

(C.P. Cavafy, Collected Poems. Translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard. Edited by George Savidis. Revised Edition. Princeton University Press, 1992)

Greece has always been a highly divided country. But in the past, we had more options to choose from among the different political factions. Now with the referendum, we have only two choices: a NO/YES vote (in that order!), on an incomprehensible and invalid question (as the Council of Europe recently decided). 

"Should the proposal that was submitted by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund at the Eurogroup of 25 June 2015, which consists of two parts that together constitute their comprehensive proposal, be accepted? The first document is titled 'Reforms for the completion of the Current Programme and beyond' and the second 'Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis'," the ballot reads on the left-hand side.



On the right are the two possible answers: "Not agreed/No" on top, and "Agreed/Yes" underneath.

The No is the answer Alexis Tsipras' government and Syriza party are campaigning for. "No, for democracy and dignity," reads the referendum poster issued by Syriza. But the question asked to Greek voters itself raises two questions. Firstly, what documents does it refer to? Secondly, how can voters take an informed decision on the content?

The two documents mentioned on the ballot are the agreement proposal put forward by Greece's creditors last week, and an analysis of Greek debt by the creditors’ institutions... The problem, however, is that these documents, even if considered still valid by the institutions, are not yet public, apart from the "List of prior actions" published by the commission, and therefore not available to the Greek voters who have to decide on them. Atop this, they were produced in English - the language used in the technical talks between Greece and its creditors. Even if they are made public they would remain unfathomable to a large part of the Greek electorate.

https://euobserver.com/economic/129369

The global mass media shows many images from Greece as a way to portray what is happening to the country. In my opinion, I find that nearly all the photos shown in the media are accompanied by biased opinions. They often emphasise a situation to provide evidence of the view that is presented in the article. Even an article that extends compassion towards Greece shows biased photos. For example, when there is a lot of solidarity being expressed towards Greece, the article will be accompanied by the very wrinkled face of an elderly person, which is interpreted as a very poor/desperate person. When an article writes about the poverty levels of Greece, it may be accompanied by a photo of people gathered around a truck from which a person is throwing bags of food at them. The media portrays the human pain of the crisis in a distorted manner, leaving people misinformed about the real problems that Greek people are facing. Pictures tell a thousand words - but you have to see beyond the picture to understand a situation fully; you need to read between the images. 

The divisions of Greek people will now come to a head as society clashes, wearing either one or another banner. People have equated the referendum question with EU/€ membership: so if they vote NO to the referendum question, it means YES to EU/€ membership, but if they vote YES to the question, it means NO to EU/€ membership. It's a curly way of seeing the whole issue of what the EU/€ means to Greeks. I think these divisions stem back from the divides of our society. If people wanted to know what was really going on in Greek people's lives, they should consider the various divisions in society which will affect the way each one of us sees things. These divisions, in combination, hold the key to understanding how people will vote:

- do they live in an urban setting or a rural setting? (NO -YES)

- are they in paid employment, public sector, business owners or pensioners? (YES - NO - YES - YES)
- are they unemployed? (NO)

- do they live in a family home or a rented property? (YES - NO)

- are they in debt in some way or do they have savings? (NO - YES)
- are they young or old people? (NO - YES)

My answers aren't definitive: they are an indication of the people's personal interests. I imagine that if you asked people whether they prefer to listen to the radio rather than watch television, you'll probably get a NO voe out of them. What few people are willing to admit at this stage is that:

"There's no good choice, just a frying pan and a fire. On Sunday you'll get to choose exactly how you'd like to burn." 

Despite the immense divisions that seem apparent in Greek society, I firmly believe that people are actually searching to find the same kind of stability. They are simply trying to achieve the same goals in life in a different way. I recently came across a prominent Greek's reasons for voting YES:
1. I will vote yes because Greece is European
2. I will vote yes because Europe is Greek
3. I will vote yes because Greece needs to become a proud modern society, producing things and ideas valued by the world
4. I will vote yes because I am sick and tired of government inefficiency
5. I will vote yes because I loathe corruption and a system based on favours
6. I will vote yes because Greece needs to attract Greek treasure - money and talent - back to Greece
7. I will vote yes because Greece should not lose its brightest and smartest and most talented young people
8. I will vote yes because we need courageous, creative thinking inside Greece
9. I will vote yes because I prefer that we have a constructive rather than a destructive role in contributing to a better Europe
10. I will vote yes because children are afraid of the dark
https://www.facebook.com/economidespeter/photos/a.258615077559789.63649.258563417564955/847002698721021/?type=1&theater

I would say that I could vote NO for all these reasons too, except the first two - by voting NO, I believe that Greece will eventually become more European, and Europe will also become a bit more Greek. Greeks are very far behind Europe in understanding what it means to be European.

If someone were to ask me how the crisis has affected not just my life, but the life of the people I am surrounded by, I don't want them to ask me questions about how much food we have to eat or whether we have enough clothes to wear. These, in my opinion, are ridiculous questions. Even the poor will have food to eat in Greece: we are not a starving race. We don't have to spend so much on food for many reasons. Second hand clothes shops, while considered an oddity only five years ago, now abound in many Greek towns, even in my town which is considered a richer area than other places in Greece. As for work, some of us are in paid employment while others don't. But if you live in a rural region, work is not necessarily conceived in the same way as work in a city. Again, we are misleading people when we talk about work opportunities if we do not specify the environment that we live in. 

There are also some questions that deserve more merit than those being answered by the global media at the moment, which focus mainly on figures and numbers expressed in US currency. I would personally prefer to answer questions of this sort:

1. Greece did not make a scheduled payment to the IMF which caused the country to default. How have people reacted to this default? What does default mean to the Greek people? What were the immediate effects of the announcement of default on society?

2. The Greek banks have been closed in the past week. Has this situation affected you personally? How do people feel about the banks being closed? 

3. Hania is a summer tourist town. How has the referendum affected this? Have you been able to speak with tourists about what they think of the situation? 

4. Greek people seem to be equally divided about which way they will vote in the referendum. What is the greatest division in Greek society that will sway their vote? 

5. What help has been provided to people in these past few days to overcome potential difficulties? How have you been able to help others? 

6. What is the Greek media portrayal of the referendum? 

7. How have your children been affected by the change in the political situation? What kind of questions do they ask you? Are you able to provide suitable answers for them? How has the crisis affected you psychologically?

8. You have dual citizenship in Greece and New Zealand. While we are hearing of Greeks fleeing their country to escape the crisis, what has made you decide to stay in Greece at this time? Would you ever consider coming to live in New Zealand?  

9. Most analysts present a return to the drachma as the worst possible scenario, pointing out that the currency would have a worthless market value and people's euro-savings would be greatly eroded. What do you think may be a danger of staying in a euro world? 

10. If there was one thing that you could change in your life now, what would it be? 

11. How do you feel about Europe? What do the concepts of a European Union and the eurozone mean to you?

12. Your parents did not live to see the crisis. How do you think they would have voted if they were still alive?

13. Do you see a positive outcome to the crisis? What is your greatest fear? 

Greece is facing turbulent times, with only a glimmer of hope, no matter what the outcome of this war of economics will be. As I listen to Farewell, a composition by the late Greek musician Manos Hadjidakis from the soundtrack of America, America (1963), I hear the silences of uncertainty interrupted by the cacophony of sirens and twangs. Turbulence is broken by the peals of those glimmers of hope.  

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