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.

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:

“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.”

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While I’m wittering on today, let’s return, in the photos, to Monday night’s boat trip party and excursion.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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)

Hey!                            Ahlan (sounds a bit like a-helenne)

Friend                          Sadiqi

See you later               Araka (araki if female)

Good bye                    Ma’a salama

What’s your name    Ma esmouk? Ma esmouki?

My name is…              Esmee

Good luck                   Bettawfeeq

For more go to http://www.linguanaut.com/english_arabic.htm which is where I cribbed that lot from.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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!”

Other messages come in too so you might want to check the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/solidaritysymi and check out the fund raising page http://www.everyclick.com/solidaritysymi/info where the stage three target is now waiting to be reached.

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.

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