LIFE & CULTURE

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Thursday, 14 May 2020 15:23

Life After Lockdown - 3 Greek Words To Help Us Move Forward

Artwork by Myrto Makri
During the COVID-19 lockdown, our friend and XpatAthens content contributor Eleni Meraki went into absolute solitude for a couple of days with no internet, no books, and no human connection—not even with herself through the mirror. Absolute solitude. Pure silence.

She chronicled some of her experience in an article written for the Elephant Journal where she describes her three major insights through the Greek words Kairos, Philotimo, and Gnosis.

Eleni's journey will surely resonate with many and we've captured some of it here for you:
 
"Exactly four years ago, I did the same in a silent meditation retreat in Mexico. I craved to connect with myself, touch the mystery of the universe, feel that safe place within, find answers, and gain the required inner strength for my journey ahead. I had just quit my job and was about to emigrate to Greece with no solid plan in place, following a “calling” that didn’t make much sense to my rational mind. Spending my days in self-contemplation, meditation, and listening to teachings, I connected with the timeless teachings of the Greek philosophers, poets, writers, messiahs, the various monotheistic religious teachings, Eastern and Western philosophy, and, most importantly, with the inherent wisdom of myself. It was one of the most life-altering experiences of my life.
 
On May 1st, I embarked on the same journey, this time from my apartment under the Parthenon in downtown, and locked down Athens. I went back to that place of silence, but this time not with the aim to touch the mystery of the universe, but rather to honor my last four years of searching for truth and freedom. My intentions were celebration, honor, and gratitude for my life’s path and being alive. With all that is happening in the world, I also felt the need to connect even deeper, to hear clearer, and listen carefully to what it is we are all here to do, and how to do it.
 
I had my initial thoughts, but I just wanted to “know” for sure. We are living unprecedented times, and people like me, and many more in this world, feel like we’re at the forefront of this big change. Not from an ego-centric point of view, but just because we—therapists, coaches, healers, visionaries, artists, writers—are somehow already walking the talk, and have answered the call to support others on their journey toward happiness, health, joy, and freedom."

So, in this article, I’d like to share three major insights I received during this time in silence, about the post-COVID age.

1. Kairos - the rightness of time and space that creates the best conditions for action. Time is becoming relative.

In Greek, we have two words for time, chronos and kairos. You and I have been brought up with the time reference of chronos, a.k.a. chronological time. Now, though it has served a practical purpose in these timelines, it has also taken a lot away from us.

Chronos is linear, made for and from the mind. To make sense of it all. Think about it—our age, our working hours, our careers, all our systems, are built on chronos and, quite frankly, giving us all quite a bit of stress and anxiety, which, by the way, is the number one cause of illness. What we are called to do is not let go of chronos all together, that would be a utopia, but instead learn to integrate kairos into our lives. It’s hard for the mind to grasp this, but this is what’s needed right now. 

Kairos is the new time measurement by which we have to live. In fact, with everything we’re going through, we have no other choice than to live by kairos, the right moment, the opportune moment, the surrendering to time to some extent. Nature does that. We just have to look at what nature does, and we’ll understand. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make goals and plans and try to achieve them—we have to stay flexible with time, that’s all I’m saying. We have to untie ourselves from operating only in chronological time and allow for kairos to take over when needed. We control what happens to us through self-sovereignty, but there are things we simply have to allow for kairos to bring into our lives.

Kairos is not linear; it’s the timing of the heart and soul. Chronos is mind; kairos is heart. When the time is right, with your right intention and actions, the time will come. And when the time is there, it’s your conscious decisions that will make things happen in your life. And that might be even quicker than you initially would have thought with your chronological mind.

2. Philotimo - taking responsibility for yourself as a human being and acting in accordance with righteousness and honor, regardless of the consequences. Life and work are changing for the better.

Let’s face it—we lived in a world that didn’t make much sense. And it went from not making much sense to being quite mad. And we haven’t seen nothing yet! With old systems collapsing in front of our eyes, the only way to handle what’s coming is by personal (and professional) metamorphosis.

We welcome you to continue reading this article in full on the Elephant Journal.

Artwork imagery by Myrto Makri

Eleni Meraki (MA, BSc)

Eleni Meraki is a life & business coach, multiple online entrepreneur, and writer, and has devoted her life to assisting people on their journeys to living a more authentic and happy life. She has coached and interviewed hundreds of people on their journeys of transformation towards a more meaningful life and conscious business making. Walking her talk, Eleni has undergone multiple life-metamorphoses herself, built a coaching & lifestyle platform for conscious women, a storytelling platform, is partner of a conscious business agency and created several roadmap life and metamorphosis coaching programs.

 

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Monday, 11 May 2020 07:00

Putting The Covid-19 Crisis Into Perspective

Putting The Covid-19 Crisis Into Perspective
COVID-19 has changed our lives. Things are not what they used to be. All of a sudden we have been faced with unexpected obstacles that have taken us away from our goals and have caused unforeseen damage in various areas.
 
A friend who had planned her wedding on a beautiful Greek island this June was forced to reschedule it for next year, hoping that the situation will get much better.
 
Many people agree that we are going through a crisis. I believe we have all gone through at least one or two 'crises' at some point in our lives. For example, someone has failed the university exams or a relationship has ended the moment they least expected it or someone has missed what was considered a big opportunity.
 
Does it scare you when you hear the word "crisis"? Truth is the current situation is particularly intense because it affects all areas of our lives: health, finances, careers, relationships. Relationships are a challenge in themselves, even more now that cohabitation with our loved ones is on a mandatory 24-hour basis. Not only is this one of the most difficult things to do but we have forgotten how to do it and we may have even been alienated from each other. If we add that it's necessary to cook more than before, wash more, clean more, play teachers for our kids, etc etc, the equation gets much heavier. This whole situation has brought a lot of uncertainty, anxiety and loneliness.
 
Whether we like it or not, such is life. Unpredictable, with its ups and downs. What makes the difference is how we are going to deal with this situation. Do we whine while at the same time do nothing about it or do we accept the new conditions and move forward with courage?
 
And once we accept the situation, as it really is and not as we would like it to be, it is very important to realize that we do have choices. All of us. Because every situation or event acquires the value we give it, resulting in as much stress or pain as we allow it. 

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If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!

 
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Friday, 08 May 2020 17:32

Ways To Support Us

XpatAthens has been serving and connecting the international community in Greece since 2007. True to our mission and values, we are commited to connecting people with information, resources, and services that contribute to their personal and professional journeys in Greece.

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Friday, 08 May 2020 15:46

Mission & Values

Our platform is all about creating and inspiring real, honest, and authentic connection, where honorable work gives life, health and happiness to everyone. We aim to live globally, connect people, bridge cultures, and share knowledge. 

We believe that sustainable community creates sustainable economy, which provides us all with a sustainable existence. Our organization creates community, provides community, and supports community – globally and locally – virtually and physically.


                                      We love living globally and contributing locally!
 
 
OUR MISSION
 
Our mission is to create and support, connect and develop local communities - their people, businesses, educational systems, social structures and organizations.
 
OUR CORE VALUES
  • Consciously, sustainably, and creatively building physical and digital community.
  • Global connection through local living.
  • Respect and acceptance of all local cultures, their land and their people.
  • Moving about the globe respectfully, with care, awareness, and with low impact on local communities and our Earth.
  • Balance, harmony, excellence, responsibility of self, and compassion for others.
WE BELIEVE IN
  • Global citizens with unique cultures.
  • The ease of communication and understanding, and the growth of knowledge between all people and their cultures.
  • Bridging people, knowledge and information.
  • The continued improvement of our lives and the lives of others in the communities that we live in, as well as the communities that we visit.
  • Sustainable communities to create sustainable economies to create sustainable existence.

Learn about ways to support us or get in touch with us directly.

We welcome you to join us and become part of the community in Greece!
Stay connected with us through our newsletter, on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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Thursday, 07 May 2020 21:07

5 Greek Masterpieces Found In Museums Abroad

5 Greek Masterpieces Found In Museums Abroad
When the word “Greece” comes to mind, one image can describe it and it involves marble statues. For centuries, Greece has been globally famous for its mythology, architecture, and marvelous statues. However, throughout the course of time, many of these artifacts have either been destroyed, lost or taken from their homelands and given new homes in different museums, scattered all over the world. Here is a small list of artifacts that can be found abroad.


1. Venus De Milo, Louvre Museum, Paris, France
 
Venus, originally named Aphrodite by the Greeks was the goddess of beauty and love. This statue was sculpted by Praxiteles around 130-100BC and represents the perfection of Greek female beauty. It was found later in 1820 during the Ottoman Empire, amongst the ancient ruins on the island of Milos. Her arms for unknown reasons were lost and this is the form of the statue we know today.
 
2. The Red-Figured Water Jar (Hydria), British Museum, London, United Kingdom
 
Date of creation 420-400BC by potter Meidias and assembled by Sir William Hamilton who sold it to the British museum in 1772. The vase is divided in two zones. The upper zone illustrates the story of the abduction of the daughters of Leukippos by the Dioskouri and the Goddess Aphrodite conspiring in the abduction. The lower zone portrays Hercules’ final labor, Cerberus the guardian of the gates to the Underworld.
 
3. Statue Of Zeus Enthroned, National Archeological Museum, Naples, Italy
 
This 29-inch statue, who’s sculptor’s identity is unknown, was influenced by the 40-foot tall statue by the sculptor Phidias made by ivory and gold in around 430BC. The statue was displayed in the temple of Zeus in Olympia and was deemed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
 
4. Apollo The Python Slayer, Cleveland Museum Of Art, Ohio, USA
 
This is another statue by Praxiteles, made in the 4th century BC. This statue is made in bronze and portrays the god Apollo, god of the sun, poetry, and music. According to mythology, Apollo slayed Python, a dragon-like serpent, sent by Hera to harass his mother Leto, while she was pregnant with him and his sister the Goddess Artemis. Python had them on the hunt for a long time, until many years passed and when Apollo was old enough, he went after him and slayed him with the bow and arrow given to him by the God Hephaestus.

5. Caryatid, British Museum, London, United Kingdom
 
This statue is one of the 6 pillars of a temple named Erectheion (or Erechteum), located on the north side of the Acropolis in Athens, that was built around 421-406BC. In the early 1800s, Lord Elgin had one of the statues removed from the temple and sold to the British museum. Today, the remaining 5 statues can be found in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

This content has been sourced and prepared by Codico Lab

 


Published in Greek Language & Culture
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Thursday, 07 May 2020 07:00

Greece Aims To Open-Up For Tourists By July 1

Greece Aims To Open-Up For Tourists By July 1
Greece is undoubtedly one of the most appealing travel destinations, but amidst the Covid-19 crisis, the idea of a summer vacation in Greece sounds like an unlikely scenario! Or maybe not, according to Greek officials.
 
And that is because Greece appears to be a rare coronavirus success story. The safety measures and a strict lockdown was enforced very early, keeping the death rate extremely low compared to European countries.
 
This week, some small businesses–such as hairdressers and bookstores–were allowed to re-open for the first time after the long closure. This gradual lifting of the lockdown measures may be a model for welcoming back some travelers this summer, thinks Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
 
"The tourism experience this summer may be slightly different from what you've had in previous years," Mitsotakis told CNN's, Nic Robertson. "Maybe no bars may be open, or no tight crowds, but you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece – provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path."

However, opening up to tourism unavoidably means opening up to travelers possibly carrying the virus. Currently, every international traveler is screened for Covid-19 upon arriving in Athens; however, the Prime Minister is hoping for something more comprehensive such as global, or at least European standards that set the same travel protocols for all countries. "I would assume that people will be tested before they get on a plane, not after they arrive here. They can only get on the plane with a negative test, or with a positive antibody test," he said.

All going well, Greece will probably be able to start welcoming tourists by July 1.


To read this article in full, please visit: cnn.com
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Wednesday, 06 May 2020 14:37

Welcoming The Digital Citizens' Academy

Welcoming The Digital Citizens' Academy
What is the Digital Citizens' Academy?
 
It is a cutting edge initiative to gather, on a single platform, educational content aimed to improve the digital skills of citizens. The platform combines content from 29 different thematic units and includes 156 courses, more than 1500 teaching hours, from 23 vendors.
 
 
How Can I Use The Academy To Improve My Digital Skills?

Joining is free and does not require a complicated registration. All you need to do is select a category, a thematic unit, and a course that suits your interests and level of knowledge, which you can complete online at your own pace.
 
How Was The Content Selected? Is It Valid?
 
The content has been selected by a team of experts from the Ministry of Digital Governance in collaboration with Greek academics and experts in digital education. Greek and International experts warrant a) the quality of the content and structure of the educational platform and, b) the simplicity of use.
 
Will I Be Able To Find Courses That Meet My Needs?
 
The Digital Citizens' Academy is a dynamic platform, and the number of topics and courses will continue to grow, covering even broader educational needs. More and more vendors will contribute educational content, enabling citizens to make more extended use of the Digital Citizens' Academy.
 
Soon, the Digital Citizens' Academy will be offering self-diagnostic tools so that every citizen can assess the level of their digital skills. Depending on the results of the self-diagnostic tools and the personal goals of each trainee citizen, the platform will offer personalized 'educational paths,' combining courses from various providers.
 
Originally posted in Greek on nationaldigitalacademy.gov.gr
Translated by Codico Lab



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Tuesday, 05 May 2020 16:25

Athens Music Week Goes Phygital

Athens Music Week Goes Phygital
Adapting to the current situation, Athens’ International Music Conference and Festival is reshaping initial activities by combining the physical with the digital world, in order to create the best possible experience for the glocal audiences.
 
Online activities will be fused with physical events (panel-discussions, webinars, artist showcases, Q&A sessions), as well as live music events, always conforming to the official public health guidelines. 
 
As the Music Industry is confronting the consequences of the global pandemic, #AthensMusicWeek supports the Music sector by investing, this year, all resources and assets to creating a high-quality weekly event, which music professionals, artists and music lovers from all over the world can access completely free of charge.
 
About Athens Music Week

AMW’s main goal is to promote music as a tool for local development and drive innovation between stakeholders of the CCIs, entertainment, and the music industry, in order to foster curiosity, boost creativity, entrepreneurship, and social cohesion!

AMW is planned as a multifaceted music experience event. With 4 complimentary pillars –  Music & the City, Music Convention, Athens Music Walk, Music Innovation Hub – the overall event is designed to motivate the broader public, to widen the music boundaries of music lovers and to enhance the creative process and the sustainable development of creative artists, musicians, and professionals of the music sector.

As a whole, the AMWs program aims to enhance music practice and promote the music scene of Athens through happenings and activities encompassing discussions with artists, presentations of music projects, special events, music showcases, festivals, and many concerts.

For more information please click here. 
XpatAthens is proud to be a Media Sponsor of Athens Music Week 
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Monday, 04 May 2020 22:05

Amazing Greece In 2 Minutes

Amazing Greece In 2 Minutes
Despite the recent lockdown, the travel restrictions, and the blow to the Greek economy, it's only a matter of time until our country comes back stronger and even more colorful. Soon we will be able to enjoy Greece's great beauty in real life, united with our loved ones.

Until things settle back to normal, let us virtually travel to Greece with this stunning 2-minute video that showcases some of its most beautiful locations!

 
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Sunday, 03 May 2020 23:32

How to Feel Like You’re In Athens In 5 Easy Steps

How to Feel Like You’re In Athens In 5 Easy Steps

Affected by lengthy lockdowns, most of us would rather be somewhere else right now! However, until traveling for pleasure becomes a possibility again, thisisathens.org has made a list of activities that will infuse your home with Athenian character.

1. Take A Virtual Tour Of A Museum
 
Thanks to the Google Arts & Culture platform, you'll get a jump start on your next Athens culture trip with a digital stroll around the city's most captivating museums. Admire Pheidias' Parthenon sculptures in high-definition detail at the Acropolis Museum, and walk around all 4 sites of the Benaki Museum through their exceptional  360-degree virtual tours. Last but not least, immerse yourself into a hypnotic contemporary video sculpture by filmmaker Georgis Grigorakis depicting hyper-real Aegean seascapes, inspired by Cycladic Art.

 2. Whip Up A Freddo

If you have an espresso machine, you can whip up Athens' favorite brew in 5 simple steps.
  1. Put a medium-sized empty metal container such as a bar shaker in the freezer, preferably metal.
  2. Run 2 short espresso doses into a cup, add sugar as desired, and set aside.
  3. Pour milk into the cold metal container till it's half full. Add a couple of ice cubes if the milk or the container isn't cold enough.
  4. Use a small handheld mixer to beat the milk and if you don't have a mixer, use a makeshift shaker and shake till your arm hurts and set aside.
Add about 4 ice cubes to your coffee mix and add more ice. Carefully scoop the frothy milk on top with a spoon. Call a friend to video chat, sit back, and enjoy your Greek-style coffee.

 3. Cook A Greek Dish

The Greek culinary scope comprises so many different dishes that even a beginner rookie home cook will manage to prepare a simple Greek meal. Go as simple as a Greek salad or as complicated as gemista if you have more time in your hands. No matter what you cook, don't forget to order feta cheese on your next virtual supermarket run.

 4. Soak Up Athens Street Art

Get acquainted with the most passionate mavericks putting their mark on the city with thisisathens.org's Athens Street Art slideshow. And if you are more of a classicist, take a tour of Robert McCabe's beautiful vintage photography collection of Athens in the fifties, set against some pretty mighty ancient monuments.

 5. Watch A Greek Cinema Classic

If you want to travel away to happier times mentally, embark on a celluloid journey with Greek national superstar Melina Mercouri across a swinging sixties Athens in Never on Sunday. In this all-time classic feel-good movie, a free-spirited prostitute named Ilya meets an American tourist named Homer. This award-winning movie placed both the port of Piraeus and Melina Mercouri on the world map, and it's also said to have inspired the then First Lady Jackie Kennedy to travel to Athens–as it will you!

 

For even more ways to feel like you're in Greece, please visit: thisisathens.org

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