At the cultural centre tonightSymi taxi boats got to and from all beaches through the day
I wanted to give you some lighter side of Symi life images today, and thought boat people would be a topic. So, here are some photos of people on boats and people who came in by boats and some stats I found while inter-webbing, or whatever the term is these days. We’ll be spending the weekend doing our bit at the old post office for Solidarity Symi, on Saturday morning as usual, and also seeing friends who have arrived for their holidays while, no doubt, getting on with life as one must.
You find them on the west end of the harbour (the flat bit of the horseshoe)
I don’t want to over-do my posting of my views about the refugees arriving in Symi, I don’t want to deter visitors who might not approve of the humanitarian aid locals are providing (though they are the first on my list of people not to take out to dinner), and the over-saturation of a story in the media leads to a dulling of the problem as we know. That’s why sensible charities and organisations post to the point when necessary rather than all the time. But, I will give you this snippet of info:
Comfy, fun and popular! (The boat, not the lady with the long hair, though she may well be.)
“Latest estimate from the UN is 140,000 [refugees from Syria] heading through Turkey for the Dodecanese this month. Considering Greece only had a total of 130,000 from January to August, I think you can see that that’s a rather big increase.”
Gullets moored up in the weekMore of themAnd private sailing boats and hired ones tooThe unfinished new jetty being put to use harbouring used refugee boatsCaptain Yialnnis and his boat, with evening excursion guests aboard
While I’m wittering on today, let’s return, in the photos, to Monday night’s boat trip party and excursion.
Sunset on the boat
There continues to be a lot of chatter on Facebook and other places about the BBC, and others, and the use of the word ‘Refugee’ Vs ‘Migrant’ and I’m not going back into that argument, except to say both should be used appropriately. But the on-going debate does keep alive the story and the work that is going on, on Symi (and elsewhere) by residents of the island. Actually, it was some other posts that got me to thinking too, ones where UK citizens are calling for their Government to do something about the situation. I saw a nice analogy which said that all of the refuges currently in the UK could fit on one underground train. Makes you think.
Sunset from the boat
But I was thinking: it’s interesting, am I an ex-pat or a migrant worker, or a migrant? I suppose one is really a migrant when one is migrating, so if you are on the move you are a migrant of some sort and, as I am well established on Symi, I’m not migrating at the moment. If I chose to live elsewhere I would be while I was getting there. I am not a displaced person either, as that suggests I was displaced by something and not through choice. Nor am I a refugee in any sense other that I might be running away from the banality of my home country’s television, the complete breakdown of intelligence that some of my home country’s newspapers suffer from, a society that bays like wolves every time one of their ‘country’s favourite newspapers’ (that have very little news in them) starts a witch hunt against a pocket of society and the breakdown in discipline that, in my old fashioned view, emanates from the lack of authority allowed by schools.
Agia Marina in the gloaming
Oh Lord, I am sounding like an old fuddy-duddy. But what was I saying? Oh yes. That’s the reason I am a refugee but not because of war or persecution; though I still fit into a part of society, in any country in the world (with perhaps the exception of Holland), that is open for persecution thanks to the stirring-up of ‘newspapers’ referred to above.
And as seen from the sea at night
This is one of those posts that’s rambling more than the head of the Outdoor Rambler’s Association on National Ramblers’ Day, so let’s change the subject. What else is going on on Symi at the moment? I have no idea, I don’t get out much – there’s a restraining order on me these days, called ‘Novel writing and other work.’ But I did get out yesterday morning at 5.45 and went for a walk up the hill to the ravine. It is good to see that this is relatively rubbish free since the council got in special equipment to clear it out a few years back.
Super before the dancing started
There was some cloud about in the early morning and it felt a little fresher. Let’s hope the weather doesn’t change drastically though as it’s only early September and the family won’t have finished holidaying until half way through October. We know October can get cold and windy, even wet, but it can also stay warm enough for swimming and sunbathing. It’s all a game of ‘wait and see.’ The rest of yesterday was filled up with listening to the neighbour drill away on some small project, sounding like a dentist on a mission, and seeing friends in the afternoon and evening. The day boats came in, as did the gullets, I could hear their engines and the sound of the horse and carriage, the bell of the train and the clapping of holidaymakers as they drove past the tents and destitute by the clock tower.
And so the world ticks over like a time bomb on a slow countdown.
Can I help you to a mixed bag? Here’s are some random thoughts from me to you. To start with, if you want to say ‘Hi’ in Arabic, you say Salam, and if you want to say ‘Welcome’ as a greeting, you say Marhaban. (I can’t be much help with pronunciation I’m afraid. I learnt Arabic for a year back in 1875 or something, when thinking of a job in Egypt, but that’s all gone out of the نافذة (window). Here are some more useful phrases you might need if visiting the old post office on Symi:
How are you Kaifa haloka/ haloki (female)
Thank you Shokran (thank you very much: Shokran jazeelan)
Meanwhile… We were treated to a feel good factor in the village on Tuesday evening. We’d popped out for shopping but you know what that means, so we were having a glass at the Rainbow when a group of Australians came up with their guide. They were heading for the Lemonitisa road and the view, and so off they went. A little while later the sound of the kids playing football in the square suddenly became louder. Turns out the young Australians, on a sailing holiday around the area, had decided to play too, so an impromptu game of football started up. I think they lost 3-2 to the Symi boys, but everyone had a great time for half an hour or so. And it also gave them a thirst for large beers at the Rainbow, which went down well on all fronts.
International football in the village square
Elsewhere, the number of refugees arriving at Symi continues to climb on a regular basis, though many have now left on the next leg of their journey. The navy boat was out on the bay yesterday, circling around and waiting for some kind of action. The coast guard boat had also been out, I saw it coming back in around 7.30, and it stayed in the harbour all morning.
No one seemed to know what the rules were
The charity, and us, and everyone here I guess, is still receiving offers of help from all over the place which is great. A lot of people are asking what they can bring and are making the most of their 20kg luggage allowance – bring donations and then use the extra space to fill up on Symi Christmas gifts; great idea. Everything is needed but what seems to be most needed at the moment are men’s shorts (as a lot of the guys have nothing to bathe in, or wash in the sea in), and toiletries. So, if you are doing a stop-over at a hotel on your way to Symi and you notice those handy, small, shower gels and soaps and shampoos, well, I’m not inciting you to theftery or course but they are the perfect size for individuals needing to wash after being in the sea for 12 hours. That’s better than dishing out big bottles to one person.
Monday night’s orange moon
That’s just a thought. Here’s another one. You can check out more news about what’s happening with the refugees (please note, BBC and others, not everyone in this mass migration is a migrant or illegal immigrant – Euronews use the term Refugee, to their credit) then check out Adriana’s blog page http://adrianas-symi.blogspot.gr/ where you will get more Symi news and updates direct from Symi Visitor, one of the main organisers of the charity.
You need to take a break from everything from time to time and we were lucky enough to be invited out on a birthday bash, on the Poseidon on Monday night. So, today’s photos are some of mine, taken on my underwater camera, out of the water and some were taken at Ag Marina at night, so not the best quality. (Will post those at a later date.) We were taken to Ag Marina for dinner on the jetty, dancing and a few drinks under the stars and the moon.
Yialos as the sun goes down
I’m hoping Neil has some shots of the moonrise as it was pretty spectacular, coming up in the East over Turkey, orange and nearly full. The reflection on the water reached all the way from one continent to the next. It’s interesting, when we first moved here 13 years ago there were hardly any lights visible on that part of the Turkish coast; now there are plenty. I guess they can probably say the same about us over here. When we first visited Symi there were no lights on the main road. Completely necessary of course, and the road is much safer now, but there will be more light visible on Symi from Turkey now than 13 years ago.
Mum surprises daughter with a boat trip for her birthday
The night was still and the sea very calm. The boat cut through it steadily and the water looked like oil when the boat’s lights were out. There were plenty of stars too, even though the moon did steal some of their light. But I still would not like to have been on an inflatable with 50 other people, traveling without light, and in secret, and in danger of capsizing.
Yes, that’s Neil in a Spartan helmet
The charity, Solidarity Symi, has reached its stage two target now and is continuing to give out water, fruit and biscuits to over 400 refugees still here at the moment. More come each day. Some are leaving for Rhodes on the afternoon ferry as there are more connections to Athens from Rhodes than there are from Symi and, while they are traveling, they can wash and use the facilities, whereas here they are stuck with the meagre facilities available – that’s one of the charity’s aims, to improve the sanitary situation. Mind you, it’s only those with enough money who can add on the extra cost of Rhodes and then Rhodes to Athens.
Enjoying a drink on board
Yes, many of the people coming here have money, so why give out free water? Well, it’s simple really. The money they hold in their hands has to last them until… You have a guess. Six months on the road before finding family in a European country? Ten months? Six weeks? Who knows? And who knows what may come along in the meantime: sickness, loss of clothes (hence the charity giving donated clothes), other emergencies? You would want your available cash to last as long as possible as who knows when you will get another aid station or anther meal, and once you run out…
So, the great efforts by many people continues down at the old post office. Holidaying doctors are giving up hours to run a makeshift surgery, other visitors are giving up holiday time to do what they can, as are locals and residents on Symi – and not just ‘on site’ but also behind the scenes, doing laundry, publicity, spreading the word, driving cars… Here’s the charity’s message from yesterday: “UPDATE (1.9). Very busy again down at the old post office and port police station this morning giving out water, biscuits, and clothes. We’re still needing lots of Wet Wipes, Nappies, Plasters, and Men’s Shorts. If you can help, please drop off either at the old post office, Symi Visitor Accommodation, or The Old Markets. THANK YOU!”
And, on a lighter note. My nephew George is booked to come and visit us in October – we’ve not seen him since (I think) 1998 when he was three. He’s now 22, so that’s going to be a bit of a shock! Can’t wait.
I must thank everyone for your messages and comments on yesterday’s blog post. People have been saying how good it is to read about the situation over here, and to see the refugees described as refugees and not ‘Migrants’ – a word which seems to be upsetting a lot of TV viewers and newspaper readers. There has been some discussion about this choice of words, so here is some clarification.
Refugee: (Noun) A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. [Origins C17 French] (Oxford English Dictionary)
Migrant: (Noun) A person who moves from one place to another so as to find work. (Also O.E.D.) If you want the Dictionary.com extra you can also have: “Also called migrant worker. A person who moves from place to place to get work, especially a farm laborer who harvests crops seasonally.” No idea why crop harvesters get singled out but this misspelling of labourer will give you the clue as to what country that dictionary comes from.
Day trippers and refugees together
So, you can see how Refugee is appropriate in most of the cases we are seeing coming through Symi. And you can also see how to be a ‘migrant’ implies that you’ve got a choice about it, you’re simply ‘doing a Tebbit’ and getting on your bike to find work elsewhere. That’s not what the 900 refugees we’ve seen here in the past seven days or so are doing. Yes, when they find safety and security they will want to work, but they didn’t wake up one morning and say, ‘Hey babe, let’s take the kids for a walk and get a better job shall we?’ and then set off on a 499.5 miles (distance from Damascus to Rhodes, or 803.8 kilometres) or the 2,160.7 miles (3,477.4 km) to Oslo, which is where some are headed. Those distance are as the crow flies (it’s always the same crow, he must get a bit tired). You then need to add in the twists and turn in the road, the sea, the border controls, the lack of support and so on, and there you go. Yes, there are probably some migrant workers moving from country to country around the world too and I dare say some illegal immigrants in the group trying to get into the UK. But everyone I’ve seen here is definitely not here through choice.
Coastguard bringing an empty boat to the jetty
But let’s not dwell on the wider issues, that’s for those who had the choice to stand for election to deal with, or not. I just ‘report’ what I see from here at home. And yesterday Neil saw another new group of, well, too many to count, he said. They were being delivered to the Port Police side of the harbour where they wait until the two police officers on the other side are ready to do their paperwork. This can be a day or more waiting on the steps and by the road – someone is going to get hurt soon, it’s not the widest part of the harbour road to be waiting at. This new group were coming in on the bus from Panormitis, which means they may have been picked up at Marathunda. I saw a boat being brought in, empty, by the coast guard in the morning, presumably having already dropped people off.
Meanwhile, Symi festival, dancing in the square
On Sunday night we went down to the harbour to take back the bags of washing we had done. Wendy Symi Visitor was in the old post office in the dying light (no electricity to the building) with some volunteers making sandwiches. That huge consignment of water you might have seen in yesterday’s post had already been distributed. The porta-loos were there but can’t be plumbed in until the council approves the work, hopefully that’s been approved by now, I’m waiting to hear. And there were some women and children waiting outside and asking us for water. As the aid station wasn’t ready to re-open we went and bought a six bottles (€2.00) and gave them out to those who were there, reminding myself that I should learn the Arabic for ‘share.’
Everyone welcome to join in
There was a guy there too who was asking for Panadol Cold and Flu tablets, which raises the question, should you give people medication? Some say no, unless you are a doctor of pharmacist. I say, two Panadol cold and flu tablets aren’t going to be enough to push someone over the edge into a coma, and in fact I doubt a whole box would be enough to end it all. So I went and bought him a packet, intending to give him six tablets to see him through, but when I got back he’d gone.
Sunday night saw a dance in the village square to which locals, Greeks and tourists, were invited to bring donations. As the dancers from Rhodes did their thing and then got some tourists and locals up to dance, 27 bags of food, clothes and donations were delivered to the square. And then later to our house, and then the next day by car to the aid station.
Sunday night’s donations from the village
Finally (I could ramble on all day but I know you have things to do), people have been asking what they can send from the UK, and other countries and how. Well, if you do Facebook then look up https://www.facebook.com/solidaritysymi click the Sign Up button and you can make a donation. Or, if you don’t do Facebook, you can go straight to the donation page http://www.everyclick.com/solidaritysymi/info and donate there – it’s costing around €1,000 per day to give each refugee €2.50 worth or water, fruit and bread. And if you don’t want to do that but want to send something, send it to Solidarity Symi C/O Symi Visitor, Symi, 85600 – or C/O The Old Markets Hotel, Symi, 85600, or you can even send it to Symi Dream C/O 12 The Post Office, Symi 85600 (you can see where I go the title for the book from now can’t you?) I’m off, see you tomorrow.
