Athens Life, Early Days
My first few days in Athens have been strange. I haven't seen any family, though we've messaged and spoken on the phone. Normally they swarm the airport when I arrive with my family and scoop us up to one of their homes for a giant meal. The trip here was more arduous than it’s ever been. Three flights, two layovers, 24 hours from take off to landing, plus the time getting to and from the airports on either side of the trip. The airline left two of my bags in Amsterdam, but delivered them the day after I landed, which was actually quite helpful. The week I left, the US removed it's mask mandate which meant that I was one of the only people wearing a mask on my flights. Two days after I arrived in Greece, a leaked document from the US Supreme Court indicated the end of legal abortion in the US. It’s been a lot to take in as I try adjusting to my new reality.
Now that I’ve mostly recovered from my jet lag and have gotten out into the city, it’s strange to see that Athens is quiet in a way I've never experienced it. Tourists are few and far between anywhere beyond the Plaka and Monastiraki. Those who wander outside the heart of the center look strangely out of place; dragging their luggage behind them on the haphazardly paved streets, hoping their AirBnB isn't the one with the Antifa graffiti on it. The one day it rained, tourists looked nearly traumatized; this was not the eternal sunshine that the postcards and Instagram promised.
Greeks have been on holiday for the last two weeks, first for Easter, then for May Day and the subsequent bank holiday since it fell on a Sunday. It seems that the locals are grumpy about going back to work, understandably. Greeks survive on the promise of summer on the Mediterranean, and having this holiday fall so close to the start of summer must be a bitter reminder that they're not quite there yet. They are back in their work routines, drinking coffee like water and smoking like it’ll be their last as they shuffle out of metro stations and down slick marble streets to shops and offices.
And here I am. Unmoored, untethered, and unsure of the path forward. Ideally, I'll find work that keeps me busy a few days a week while allowing me to continue to explore Athens and parts further afield. Today I’ve found a desk at ImpactHub Athens, part of the ImpactHub network of coworking/incubator spaces of which I was a part in Baltimore. It’s a cool space right in the heart of the best neighborhood in central Athens with an enclosed patio for cigarettes, chats, and sunshine. The people here are mostly my age and younger, and I’m excited to meet them as soon as I take out my AirPods and break out of my protective introverted shell.
Onward, dear reader. Thanks for joining me on the journey. xo Anastasia xo