OMILO Newsletter from Greece - June 2015

- The OMILO Newsletter Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com June 2015

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Dear OMILO friends, Kalo mina! It is the month of June already and the summer season waiting to be enjoyed! At this moment, the OMILO-team is teaching the intensive course on the island of Lefkada: a beautiful Ionian island with paradise beaches, authentic villages, walking trails and sailing opportunities. Needless to say that our students from all over the world are having a great time, while learning Greek, enjoying Greek culture and exploring the 50 shades of Greek blue! In Lefkada everybody is impressed with the amazing nature. Also Aristotle Onassis knew the beauty of this region; he even bought the island Scorpios, east of Lefkada! Since most of you go for holidays between June and September, this Newsletter is devoted to some known and less known places, all related to Greece and Greek! We hope it gives you some extra inspiration to start a road trip, book a flight, take a boat and explore something new.

In this Newsletter we will write about: 1. Athens Today

2. Elefsina and the Goddess Dimitra

3. The island of Andros

4. Greek speaking villages in Southern Italy

5. Did you know Ethiopia is a Greek word?

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1. Athens Today

Athens is a city where the combination of the rich history, the warm southern mentality and the struggle during the crisis, have shaped a place full of diversity, creativity and character. Visiting the Greek capital as a tourist might not always give you the chance to discover the real Athens, as many things are hidden in the complexity of the city. However, when you get the opportunity to stay a bit longer and explore this cosmopolitan city, you'll be amazed.

Known for its ancient culture, we sometimes forget about the very lively contemporary culture that exists and constantly expands all over Athens. Today, this modern side is part of the everyday life of every Athenian. Learning about Athens Today will enrich your experience while visiting the Greek capital and help you understand Greece better.


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We hereby give you an introduction to the modern life in Athens. Of course this is only a tip of the iceberg, so let this be a motivation for you to discover even more. Local Design

Modern design in Athens is represented in many shapes and places. From small galleries to big museums, from tiny shops to big design markets. Some examples: By Local Athens, is an initiative to bring creative entrepreneurs together. Apart from their website, they produced a map of the city (Your Hero Map), which indicates the places where you can find the independent artists of the town: aA great tool for an alternative shopping tour. For more information: www.bylocalathens.com The Meet Market is an organization that, once per month, puts together a market where designers can exhibit and sell their work. This way they help developing the creativity and modern culture in Athens, along with the local economy. At the Meet Market, you can find all kinds of products, from clothes to furniture. More info: http://www.themeetmarket.gr Modern Art

Just like most big cities, Athens has several cultural organizations that offer a wide variety of contemporary cultural events. The Benaki museum is well known for its main building, which provides a historical overview of the Greek world. But what less people know is the Pireos Street Annexe of Benaki, where modern exhibitions and interesting architecture are combined. The museum is not restricted to one kind of art: photography, fashion, paintings, video art and many other contemporary art forms are represented. Even their museum shop is a real treat! For more information: http://www.benaki.gr/index.asp?id=40202&lang=en Another example of impressive modern architecture going hand in hand with contemporary art, is The Onassis Cultural Centre. In the OCC Greek and foreign artists are bringing performances and exhibitions of all shapes and kinds. Several performances and lectures are also being held in English. For more information: http://www.sgt.gr/ Street Art

When walking in Athens, the big amount of graffiti and street art will quickly draw your attention. The center of Athens, more specifically the area of Psirri and Exarchia, are the perfect places to have a walk and enjoy the Street Art. As is often the case in all kinds of art, the Street Art expresses what is going on in the society and in the lives of the artists. Therefore this walk might give you some more understanding of what Athens is going through at the moment. For more information: http://www.omilo.com/graffiti-and-street-art-in-greece/


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Entertainment & nightlife

Last but not least, Athens offers incredible possibilities for entertainment and nightlife. Whether it is for a coffee, a cocktail or dancing until the morning, Athens has it all. As usually is the case, the best places are the ones that are hard to find. Here some suggestions you might give a try! TAF (The Art Foundation) Somewhere in the chaos of streets around Monasteraki, behind a small wooden door, a beautiful courtyard is hidden. As the name says, TAF found a very nice harmony between bar and art. While the courtyard is an inviting place to relax and have a drink, the first floor has been turned into a space for exhibitions. For more information http://theartfoundation.metamatic.gr/ Six Dogs Another well hidden pearl is Six Dogs, located only a few minutes walk from Monasteraki, but

almost impossible to find without specific instructions. Looking like a dodgy place from the outside, the surprise is even more when you enter the beautiful garden. Especially during summer time, this is a great place to relax and escape from the busy city. Concerts are regularly organized here. For more information: http://sixdogs.gr/

Bios Bios is a successful mix of a platform for cultural events and an pleasant place for a drink, offering an even bigger variety than the first 2 bars. Opera and DJ sets, festivals and theatre. All kinds find their place at Bios. Tip: have a drink on the roof terrace during a warm summer evening and enjoy the beauty of Athens. For more information: http://www.bios.gr/ Gazi Blending nightlife with an almost endless range of events, the neighborhood of Gazi has become one of the most popular places for locals of all ages in Athens. The square at the metro station Keramikos is surrounded by bars and restaurants, creating a very lively atmosphere during the night. Right next to this square you can find Technopolis, which used to be The Athens Gasworks factory. Today, Technopolis is a Cultural Centre, welcoming (both out and indoors) exhibitions, performances, festivals and many other. A place to discover! For more information: www.technopolis-athens.com Summer Festivals You might think it is better to avoid Athens in summer because of the high temperatures? Actually, summer is great in Athens with all its festivals and less tourists! Check it out! The Athens Festivals.


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Food culture Entertainment and evening performances are many times combined with going for dinner. Nothing better than a Greek meal before or after going out in Athens! Read more about the Greek food culture and some useful addresses in Athens. As you can see, Athens is definitely more than just visiting the Plaka neighborhood and the Acropolis. We hope next time you stay a bit longer and have a deeper look. If you know of an interesting suggestion to add to the list above, do not hesitate to tell us! The participants, who attended an intensive 1-week OMILO course in Athens the recent years, were always very enthusiastic and impressed by this lively city, full of surprises. For that reason, in 2016 OMILO will organize 5 intensive courses in Athens. In July the new data will be on our website.

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2.Elefsina and the Goddess Dimitra

Every person arriving in Athens Airport, probably recognizes the place name Elefsina! From the moment you leave the airport by car, bus or taxi, you see that all directions on the highway point to Elefsina! A very known name for every Greek, but not that known for tourists Elefsina is located only 20 kilometers away from Athens. In the antiquity Elefsina, together with Athens, Olympia, Delphi and Delos formed the 5 sacred cities. In ancient times, and

for 2000 years, Elefsina was connected with the cult of the goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone. If you want to know more, read here the story of Elefsina! In the workshop Mythology, our students will hear the wonderful legend of the abduction of Persephone, which explains in a great way the changing of the seasons. Of course many other stories about gods, heroes and for ex. The Underworld will follow

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The Island of Andros

Andros, being the second largest island of the Cyclades, offers us richness on many levels: nature, history, architecture... Lets have a closer look at the story of this island. Nature

According to Greek mythology, the island was named after the hero Andros (grandson of Apollo, one of the

Olympian Deities). Every place in Greece also has a place in Greek Mythology, as our teachers Marina and Kostas explain you so well in the Mythology workshop! In honor to the wonderful nature and springs in Andros, over the years, the island got also other names, like Hydroussa (, coming from the Ancient Greek word [idor] which means water) and Lasia (the adjective [lasios] means dense with trees, overgrown, characterizing an area full of trees). When visiting Andros, you soon notice why its nature was and is honored: the combination of mountains, waterfalls, flowers and

open landscapes offer great scenery for amazing walks. But what mostly characterizes the nature of Andros, are the springs. Even in Greek mythology, the springs in the Menites village were referred to as the sources of Dionysus (the god of wine), where the streams of the village were flowing with wine. The most famous spring on the island, Sariza, is found at Apikia, in the centre of the village. The water comes out of a beautiful fountain. Apart from Sariza, there are countless other small and big springs that are spread over the island, offering sources for drinking water, being bottled and sold all over Greece. Architecture Through the Antiquity, Middle Ages, Ottoman period and Modern period, Andros developed a combination of medieval, neoclassical and Cycladic style buildings. In the [chora] (Andros capital)

you can find the typical small streets, cozy squares, cafes and restaurants, museums and churches, all representing this mix of architectural styles. In the movie Mikra Angglia, you get a very good idea of the architecture of Andros Town, as well as the beautiful nature surrounding it. Next to the chora, the old villages of Messari and Faneromni, are definitely also worth a visit. Paleopolis, the former capital of Andros, represents the period where Andros was first flourishing during the Classical period, which is shown by the big production of coins during this period.


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History and Archeology From an archaeological point of view, Andros is definitely an interesting island. There is the prehistoric settlement of Zagora that has been excavated, dating from around 900 BCE to 700 BCE (Geometric period). The reason why Zagora is special is that it was not disturbed by successive settlements. The buildings are left as they were, of course collapsed and affected by time, but not moved or destroyed due to other settlements or war. So the building layout remains and has given us a clear evidence of how life was lived at Zagora between 900 and 700 BCE. Another noteworthy site from the Geometric period is the one of Ypsili (Kato Aprovatou). Here, ruins of a settlement and a fortified citadel were found, revealing evidence from the Geometric to the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In the citadel, a temple was excavated at the centre of the citadel (Archaic period, 6th century B.C.), including a double altar which probably is a sign of a place of double adoration, perhaps of Dimitra and Persephone. (names of Greek Mythology, also mentioned in the Elefsina Article, here above)

In the Archeological museum in Andros Town, you can find collections with finds from the Geometric settlement at Zagora, sculptures dating from the Archaic to the Roman period, inscriptions and sculptures of the Proto-byzantine & Byzantine periods. Beaches, villages. Of course there is even more to see in Andros. Apart from the splendid beaches and picturesque villages, you can also visit the modern art Museum, next to the Archeological museum in Andros Town. Even when you attend an OMILO July course on the

island of Andros, you also have the opportunity during the afternoons to discover all this beauty.

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4. Greek speaking villages in Southern Italy In which countries you can hear people speaking Greek, except of Greece and Cyprus? For sure in Southern Italy! The inhabitants of the southern tip of Calabria and the region of Salento (Apulia), speak the Southern Italian dialect, which is called Grico or South-Italian. Click here to read the whole story, see a documentary and listen to a song in Grico.

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5.Did you know that Ethiopia is a Greek word?

One of our teachers, Kostas, wrote in the February Newsletter about his experience teaching Greek in the Greek School of Ethiopia. This time he explains the Greek roots of the word Ethiopia.

Apart from the cultural affinity that exists between the two

countries, Greece and Ethiopia also encounter common

linguistic characteristics.

The verb "aitho" in ancient Greek language means "warm up",

"burn" and "shine".

Click here to read a bit of Greek Etymology, for advanced

students!

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After all those articles, we are ready for summer! What

about you?

Lefkada, Athens, Elefsina, South Italy, Andros or Ethiopia

are nice holiday destinations, but we all know there are so

many more! The list is endless!

Between July and September, the OMILO-team will teach

6 weeks on the island of Syros, another Greek pearl in

the Aegean Sea! Althoug it is work for us, it still feels like

holidays!

We wish you a very nice summer in your dream destination.

For those that already visited Greece or will holiday in Greece this summer, we would be

very grateful if you could send us a small essay, in Greek or English, about your favorite

place in Greece or funny moment/event you experienced in Greece!

Your Greek essay will be corrected for free by our teachers, for grammar and spelling

mistakes (minimum half A4-page, maximum one page please! ). On top of that, your

essay will be published in our next Newsletter (if you agree!) and you can win a price!


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The deadline is September 30th, 2015.

A selection of 10 native-Greek students/teachers will vote.

The winning Greek essay will receive 5 skype lessons + 1 book Fygame gia Ellinika

The winning English essay receives 3 skype

lessons, as well as a the book Fygame gia

Ellinika.

Hope to hear from all of you.

Enjoy your summer - Kalo kalokairi

The OMILO team

OMILO Greek Language and Culture in Greece

[email protected] www.omilo.com

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OMILO Newsletter from Greece - June 2015