Tuesday thoughts

Going on in my world today: A strong breeze, to say the least. It’s showing force six at the moment, rising to seven and eight later, and the temperature is down to four degrees, from about 17 a few days ago. All the shutters are closed, and the draft excluders are up or down depending on where they go. I am currently wearing thermals, a light jumper, an Aran sweater over that, and a hoodie, and I am inside the house near a heater. I’m glad I don’t work outside.

I have started gathering my bits and pieces needed for my biometric residency card in April because I like to be organised. I asked my accountant for ten years’ worth of proof of tax… thing, and she sent them through by return. I just need to print them nearer the time. I have ordered a bank statement from one bank and can print statements from the other nearer the time, and I don’t even think I need to do that, but I am playing safe. It seems different offices ask for different things depending on your current state and whether they’ve had their coffee, so I am gathering everything and anything I can think of to show I have lived here permanently and officially since 2002, or 2003 when I got my first card, or at least 2008 when my current card is dated from.

Panormitis in Yialos can and will do the photos and the CD copy they need, and that’s also for nearer the time. The electricity bill is now in my name, though I’ve not had a bill yet, but am expecting one, so that’s the utility bill sorted. I will also take my civil partnership document, registration at the town hall after marriage thing document, the house contract in my name, a sworn affidavit I have that states my address from a couple of years ago, Greek driving license, my passport, and maybe even Paddington Bear in case anyone needs cheering up. We’re not going until the end of April, but as I say, once a boy scout… I was only one for a term at prep school, but what the hell. Neil, of course, doesn’t need to worry about any of this because he is Irish and they, sensibly, are still in the EU.

Meanwhile, we’re hearing more reports of people being asked to provide tax papers and pay import duties on parcels from the UK, even gifts, and the amounts being asked for range from €30.00 to over €300.00, though that’s not all on Symi. Others have said they have received things with no extra charges. These are a couple of the Brexit fallout that have come to light since the New Year.

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Monday at home

A couple of photos from home today. I’ve just sent a book off to be proofread, and so, can start on the next; thus I will be at the desk most morning jotting notes. The temperature has dropped, and it’s a day for staying home and keeping warm. For now, the rain has passed over, leaving a clear sky at the front of the house, but gathering grey cloud at the back. Actually, what we call the back is the front as that’s where the gate to the outside world is found, and the front is the back, but it overlooks the harbour, so it feels like it should be the front. Then again, everything is back to front around here; light switches are upside down, the keys turn the ‘wrong’ way in the locks, and I am never sure which way the window handles work, but I get there in the end. On the windowsill today is a rose Neil bought me on Sunday from the village flower shop, and it’s currently enjoying some sunlight before we have to close the shutters. Windfinder.com tells me the wind will be up to force eight on Tuesday, from the north and north-west, and the air temp will be down to four degrees. Now, where did I put those thermals?

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Stavros Tou Polemou

A quiet weekend at home finishing off a book, watching some TV, taking a stroll, preparing for a cold front that’s allegedly coming our way this week… Not much going on but rumours of this, and possibilities of that…

So, as there’s no news, I thought I’d share some more of Neil’s photos from his walks. Today, it’s a long walk up to Stavros Tou Polemou, the highest monastery on the island. Leaving from Horio, this took about five hours there and back, pausing for photos along the way, and covered just over 11 miles. Here are a few of his photos.

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Photos and Chitchat

I’ve had a dip into my photo collection today to see if there’s anything there with sharing, so it’s a bit of pot luck in the image department today. Meanwhile, what’s going on at our house? Well, Neil has a day off from wandering the island and has started to read my latest story. I need to give it one more read before sending it off to be proofed, and I need to chasse up the cover designer. Also, in breaking news…

We were told that the flying doctors are due to arrive on the island to start administering the vaccinations. I’ve not read this officially as yet, but we’re hoping it’s true. They’re not ‘flying’, of course, there’s nowhere to land a plane here apart from on the sea, but they come by boat. I’ve also heard that some older folk have already had their first jab, which is good news too, and as soon as I know any more, I’ll let you know. The plan is that as long as you’ve registered at the KEP office and given your AMKA and mobile phone number, you simply wait to get a text giving you an appointment time and place. If you’ve not registered, you can ask for advice, and if you don’t have AMKA, then I guess… I don’t know. Also ask for advice.

While all that’s going on… the weather remains warm for the time of year. I can’t believe I’ve only once had to wear my fingerless gloves while working in my office, and I’ve only had to wear a jacket on one occasion too. I was down in Yialos the other day in only a t-shirt and hoodie, which I had to open up on the walk back up, and yet we’ve not had to water the plants for some time either. So, good weather, calm seas, people staying home and (in the main) staying masked when out. I suspect, though, many are rather bored as well, but all seems to be going according to plan with this year’s two major issues: vaccinations for all who want them, and new biometric residency cards for those who need them. Let’s hope I’ve not spoken too soon.

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Oh, Dear.

I’m writing this only a couple of hours after I wrote yesterday’s post because I want to get ahead of myself. As only two hours have passed, you’d think that not a lot has happened. Actually, since 4.30 this morning, apart from the sun coming up on a more or less cloud-free but grey dawn, the Blue Star has been in and gone out, the coastguard and other patrols have either set off for the early shift or returned from the night shift, and the cockerels have finally hushed up while their take their first breakfast. Neil has set off for a walk to the highest monastery on the island, I’m on my third cup of tea and roughly the 3,000^th word of the day, and I’ve ordered an online statement from my bank. I must soon think about breakfast.

The bank statement is in readiness for April when I am going to do the paperwork for my biometric card. I was browsing through a Facebook group earlier (I have time for that now and then) when I noticed a post that made my eyes go wide. This was in a group for people who are British immigrants in Greece, and where experts generously give free advice. Over the last couple of years, it’s been clogged with questions about post-Brexit regulations, expectations, issues and news. I’d consider it the go-to place for anyone unsure about where they stand now we are third party nationals. So, you’d think that by now people would have realised that the regulations have changed thanks to Brexit and we can’t go on living here as European citizens. Well, the post that made me gasp was one that popped up with Captain Mainwaring style bluster saying, ‘What’s all this about having to change our residency cards? I only got mine last year and was told it was good forever. This is ridiculous! Bloody bureaucracy…’ Or something along those outraged lines. I mean, where have you been?

My suspicion is that the person who posted either hasn’t been online or read a newspaper for some years or has not thought about this subject because they only come to Greece for extended holidays. Maybe they rent a property for six months at a time and being damn British y’know, have never had to worry about their status. I don’t know, maybe they just bury their head in sand for fun. Either way, the reactions to the post ranged from helpful to disbelief to the ‘shocked’ emoji, mainly because the poster was so outraged that something had happened without his/her knowledge as if it was someone else’s fault. (It is, actually. It’s the fault of those who voted for Brexit, but let’s not go there.) Let’s go here:

Anyway, the situation is something like this: If you are British and want to live in Greece or stay for longer than three months at a time, you need to have had permanent residency established before the end of 2020. Even if you have a card, you now need to change that card to a biometric one, and you are entitled to apply if Greece is your permanent home. To prove that, you will need to prove five years of Greek tax returns, your address, that you have health care coverage, and that you are you, so passport and original residency card are needed, plus photos. Now a disclaimer: There are other things needed or not needed for other people, especially around health care and income, S1 forms, age and other things that don’t apply to me and which I don’t know about – so do your own research. But, the point is, as I see it, you can’t expect to carry on as you are without this card, and you can’t get one if you only ‘live’ here when you feel like it. I think I’m writing this here (badly) because I wanted to write it on that post, but, frankly, I couldn’t be bothered with people who huff and puff like we did when we still had the Raj, and blame it all on Greek bureaucracy when, in fact, the fault lies firmly at the feet of those who voted to leave the EU. And on that note, I shall leave you with another stunning photo from Neil and continue with my editing.

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