Goodbye Greece
Goodbye Syria
Goodbye Afghanistan
Goodbye my land
Every time I leave my land , I feel that I leave a part of myself here...
I am lucky I have the freedom to return to it. Every time I return to my birth place it has so many life lessons to offer that when I choose to leave I can carry them with me everywhere -
my roots treasures
Then I think of all these people that leave their land and they know that can never return. Families, women, men, children, elders that they put their lives and survival first, forced away from their land
I remember Maiteh, a single mother of four boys that I met in London, she fled from Sierra Leone and made it to London...We were walking at a park staring at a little stream of water, a little river and she told me "Everytime I pass from here, I stop and gaze at the water and it reminds me of my village when I was a child, where I used to play with my friends"
A month ago I volunteered for Doctors of the world who received and cured refugees. There was a Afghani boy around 15 years old, with his lips swollen and infected, without any family member accompanying him. During his journey he was attacked and his money was stolen. The doctor told him to wait for few days till his wound cures and offered to host him. Another refugee family was taking take care of the boy. It seems that humans during their struggle survival become more humane and more inclusive.
He did not accept the doctor's offer. There was fear and distrust in his eyes. For no reason, he would loose his "new adopted family". His health was a secondary concern. His goal was to continue the journey no matter what.
The navy officers that work at the reception points at the greek islands asked for psychological support - cause they can't handle to face everyday death and despair. The sea has become a tomb.
And yet after all this difficult and dangerous journey...Those that make it till the centre of Athens waiting for few days before they continue to head up north, in Victoria Square one can see the calmness in their eyes and feel hope in the air. It is not true nor fair to think of refugees as just a category of humans without acknowledging their strong driving force for a better future. It is just a state, not a category that we can all find ourselves into it.
In one of my previous posts I had asked this question and unfortunately it seems that there is no will for a real solution whatsoever.
"How to play this refugee game now that it is too visible and big to the world to ignore it and what is our political gain depending our move - will our voters or the world like us or not ?"
as if refugees just appeared suddenly out of nowhere, as if nothing could be done to prevent the crisis, or as if previous chess war games are not responsible for this everyday tragedy.
Their game is still on.
As if war just started and as if we were not responsible for the war in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and so on. The Paris attacks, the fear for imminent attack in other European cities.
Fear, Fear, Fear - the perfect excuse to perpetuate war -
"We will protect you with more army, more production of weapons, more wars and closing our borders" Most of the jihadists are raised in Europe and they are not crossing with the refugees, but because few may cross, then all should suffer the consequences.
I took some pictures of the paintings of Afghani children that were hosted at the Athens old airport. Drawings of their homes and families and messages for peace and love.
It seems that love for life is so much stronger than war.
Goodbye Syria
Goodbye Afghanistan
Goodbye my land
Every time I leave my land , I feel that I leave a part of myself here...
I am lucky I have the freedom to return to it. Every time I return to my birth place it has so many life lessons to offer that when I choose to leave I can carry them with me everywhere -
my roots treasures
Then I think of all these people that leave their land and they know that can never return. Families, women, men, children, elders that they put their lives and survival first, forced away from their land
I remember Maiteh, a single mother of four boys that I met in London, she fled from Sierra Leone and made it to London...We were walking at a park staring at a little stream of water, a little river and she told me "Everytime I pass from here, I stop and gaze at the water and it reminds me of my village when I was a child, where I used to play with my friends"
A month ago I volunteered for Doctors of the world who received and cured refugees. There was a Afghani boy around 15 years old, with his lips swollen and infected, without any family member accompanying him. During his journey he was attacked and his money was stolen. The doctor told him to wait for few days till his wound cures and offered to host him. Another refugee family was taking take care of the boy. It seems that humans during their struggle survival become more humane and more inclusive.
He did not accept the doctor's offer. There was fear and distrust in his eyes. For no reason, he would loose his "new adopted family". His health was a secondary concern. His goal was to continue the journey no matter what.
The navy officers that work at the reception points at the greek islands asked for psychological support - cause they can't handle to face everyday death and despair. The sea has become a tomb.
And yet after all this difficult and dangerous journey...Those that make it till the centre of Athens waiting for few days before they continue to head up north, in Victoria Square one can see the calmness in their eyes and feel hope in the air. It is not true nor fair to think of refugees as just a category of humans without acknowledging their strong driving force for a better future. It is just a state, not a category that we can all find ourselves into it.
In one of my previous posts I had asked this question and unfortunately it seems that there is no will for a real solution whatsoever.
"How to play this refugee game now that it is too visible and big to the world to ignore it and what is our political gain depending our move - will our voters or the world like us or not ?"
as if refugees just appeared suddenly out of nowhere, as if nothing could be done to prevent the crisis, or as if previous chess war games are not responsible for this everyday tragedy.
Their game is still on.
As if war just started and as if we were not responsible for the war in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and so on. The Paris attacks, the fear for imminent attack in other European cities.
Fear, Fear, Fear - the perfect excuse to perpetuate war -
"We will protect you with more army, more production of weapons, more wars and closing our borders" Most of the jihadists are raised in Europe and they are not crossing with the refugees, but because few may cross, then all should suffer the consequences.
I took some pictures of the paintings of Afghani children that were hosted at the Athens old airport. Drawings of their homes and families and messages for peace and love.
It seems that love for life is so much stronger than war.
We should not loose our smile, embrace life and love, laugh, appreciate, share, support and learn from those who are paying with their lives these inhumane cruel power political games.
The only hope I heard someone saying on the greek radio is in a mass peace movement.
Let's see if there is a counter mass reaction powerful enough to stop this insanity.
Χριστίνα