Omilo Newsletter March 2012

7/27/2019 Omilo Newsletter March 2012

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Dear OMILO friends,

Here we are again! Alive and kicking!We would like to thank you for your messages, phone calls, articles and facebook comments

expressing your concerns as well as support for the OMILO school and the financial crisis in

Greece.

OMILO is fine and will organize, as every year, every course or program mentioned on the website.

We are lucky there are so many motivated and enthusiastic learners of the Greek Language all over

the world. Because of your enthusiasm and love for Greece, the OMILO staff and teachers find the

energy to work even harder this year and promise to give you the best Greek language course you

can find in Greece!

And not only that.. if your mind is too tired this year to learn even more Greek words and

struggles when using the paratatikos, ypersindelikos, parakeinemos or aoristos, you could also try

our cultural walks in Athens or dancing, cooking and painting lessons on the island of Andros!

In the meantime life in Greece continues, with ups and downs.Since you hear a lot about the

downs through the media in your countries, we prefer to write a bit more about the ups and the

different positive ideas starting to find their way.

In this Newsletter we write about:

1. The Greek Potato Revolution

2. Give Greece a Chance

3. Greek Film Director Theo Angelopoulos dies

4. New 6th Benaki building opens in Athens5. Painting with OMILO on the island of Andros

6. Greek Orthodox Easter : Food & Traditions

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1. The Greek Potato Revolution

Despite the crisis, the cost of living is still rising in Greece.

The goods with the biggest annual rise last month were heating oil

(25.1 percent), natural gas (23.6 percent), electricity (13.9 percent),

road toll rates (9.7 percent), gasoline (8.6 percent) and fresh fruit(7.8 percent).

As more and more Greeks every day have to cope with financial

www.omilo.com

Greek Language and Culture

March 2012 OMILO Newsletter
http://www.omilo.com/cms/http://www.omilo.com/cms/


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difficulties, a new initiative has sprung up, aimed at saving some money. It's a simple idea - selling

potatoes directly from producer to consumer, thus by avoiding the middleman, slashing prices in

half.

The craze, which some are already starting to call the Potato Revolution, began in the northern

town of Katerini a month ago. A group of local activists, the Pieria Volunteer Action Team, set up a

website to allow people to order potatoes directly from local farmers. Customers pre-order thequantity of potatoes they want. After paying, they're given a receipt, which they then present to the

farmers in the parking lots, who hand them the right number of sacks.

Their project was an instant hit. In two weeks, they had already sold 100 tons of potatoes, and

inspired agricultural students in Thessaloniki to launch a similar program.

Dozens more cities across Greece are planning to follow suit. The farmers get to sell their potatoes

for a higher price than they would to distributors but for less than what supermarkets charge

customers so both farmers and customers win.

All sorts of people go to buy the potatoes some of them are poor or unemployed; some are better-

off, but wanted to help support the initiative.

The farmers were selling their potatoes at 0,15 cents to the middleman, but can now sell potatoesfor 0,25 cents a kilo this is still nearly three times less than they cost in the supermarkets! So both

farmers and customers benefit.

It is a fast moving story and has led to supermarkets slashing their prices

A funny thing happened as soon as people starting buying these cheap potatoes, all the local

supermarkets started making potato offers where they slashed their prices from 0,70 cents a kilo

to just 0,35 cents But thats still more expensive than what were offering.

The demand is huge and olive oil, olives, meat, wheat and rice are set to be the next products made

available.

As we had mentioned in our previous Newsletter, a financial crisis gives the opportunity forcreative ideas and new ways of thinking. Greece definitely needs a change in mentality in how to

do business and promote local products. We are looking forward to hear from the next creative

business or volunteering idea!

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Not only Greek individuals are creative and try to find positive solutions, also big companies

decided to work together and start a campaign to save Greece.

2. Give Greece a Chance

More than 20 of Greeces biggest businesses joined forces to take out full page advertisements in

several European newspapers calling on readers and politicians to Give Greece a Chance . The

ads ran in the Financial Times, International Herald Tribune and the Wall Street Journals European

edition as well as German, French and Dutch newspapers.

The campaign, which is accompanied by the

www.greeceischanging.com website, outlines the tough austerity

measures that Greece has accepted as part of its bailouts and the

efforts that are being made to conduct structural reforms.

On their website you can read the following:

--------------------------------------------

Campaign

Greece has committed to the toughest austerity program in modern

history. Hefty tax hikes, pension and wage cuts have reduced the

primary budget deficit from 24,7 billion to 5,2 billion in just two
http://www.greeceischanging.com/http://www.greeceischanging.com/


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years but with a dramatic impact on the life of every Greek.

A new set of measures was recently voted in by the Greek Parliament. With a focus on structural

reform, we have a chance to create a new Greece. A modern, productive and creative Greece with a

sustainable future in Europe.

Further hardship is inevitable. Unemployment has already reached 21%. This is a high price to pay

and it should not go in vain.We are entering the fifth year of recession.

Our European partners have stood by us.

But we need continued support and the breathing space to get out of this vicious cycle.

And we deserve to know that there is a fair chance of success.

We are hardworking, taxpaying citizens unfairly labeled with stereotypes so easily handed out to

Greeks today.

We are Europeans who aspire to a constructive role within Europe. We will deliver on our

commitment. We have already made sacrifices. We are ready to do more. We are betting our future

on this.

All we are saying is give Greece a chance.

Source: www.greeceischanging.com

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The businesses involved include Aegean Airlines, Cosmote, Costa Navarino, Coca-Cola Hellenic,

Eurobank, Piraeus Bank , OTE telecoms, Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) and

many others

OMILO also agrees with the above, but is too small to be included in the list of big businesses!

Some remarks:

The last months more and more articles in the international press are also defending Greece and

writing about various political and financial decisions within the EU , International Banks,

European Governments, etcthat were not always so correct and not in favor of Greece at all.

We are happy that also this kind of news is now available to European citizens, so they can get a

better opinion of the political and financial games world-wide.

However, every Greek knows that Greece itself is also to blame. Too many things are not

working as they are supposed to work

Unfortunately it seems that a crisis was needed to be able to make changes and build something

better. Unfortunately the bill is paid by those that were profiting the least all the previous years.But we hope things will change and something positive will be the outcome.

Greeks living and working abroad all adapt perfectly and have their careers. It is not being Greek

that is the problem, but the system!

We hope that Greece will get a chance and will use that chance to built something better indeed.

Here below pictures and text of Peter Economidis, businessman, also doing major efforts to Brand

(market) Greece. The pictures can be copied and used for your facebook Timeline Profile. His

facebookpage is http://www.facebook.com/#!/economidespeter
http://www.greeceischanging.com/http://www.facebook.com/#!/economidespeterhttp://www.greeceischanging.com/http://www.facebook.com/#!/economidespeter


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Described as mild-mannered but uncompromising, Angelopoulos often sad and slow-moving films

mostly dealt with issues from Greeces turbulent recent history: war, exile, immigration and

political division.

The movie he was working at this year was about the impact of the crisis in everyday life.

Have a look at the small video to get an idea of his famous filming style. Of course, it would be

better to see his movies on a big screen!Scene from his movie Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow (2004)

Trilogia: To livadi pou dakryzei (original title)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DEuIq6uQ1Q

This is the first film of Theo Angelopoulos' trilogy. The story starts in 1919 with some Greek

refugees from Odessa arriving somewhere near Thessaloniki. Among these people are two small

kids, Alexis and Eleni. Eleni is an orphan and she is also taken care by Alexis' family. The refugees

build a small village somewhere near a river and we watch as the kids grow up and fall in love. But

difficult times of dictatorship and war are coming...

The music is by Angelopoulos' long time collaborator, Eleni Karaindrou. Her music is not abackground accompaniment, but a dramatic element, a living component of the story, an actor

adding some words that had not been spoken.

Here you see a video with some of her beautiful and very known music, while playing the piano

herself.

Relax and take your time to listen to it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-4twsaxDY&feature=related

4. New 6th Benaki building opens in Athens

The Benaki Museum ranks among the major institutions that have enriched the material assets ofthe Greek state. It is also the oldest museum in Greece operating as a Foundation under Private

Law. Through its extensive collections that cover several different cultural fields, the Benaki

Museum is perhaps the only institution within the broader network of museum foundations in

Greece.

Everybody living in Athens and all our students in Maroussi have heard of and/or visited one of the

Benaki Museums. Since there is something for every visitor, from ancient Greek art to byzantine

art , Islamic art and even contemporary art, the Benaki Collections should be on everybodys list of

things to do in Athens!

Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Gallery

The unexpectedly good news, a positive note with regard to local cultural affairs hard hit by the

ongoing crisis, is that the sixth annex of the Benaki Museum and former residence of prominent

Greek artist Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, is scheduled to open its doors to the public in early April.

It will showcase the Ghika Gallery as well as the Interwar and 1930s Museum. The building was

donated to the Benaki Museum by the artist himself.

The new Benaki wing, developed thanks to the persistent efforts of the museums director Angelos

Delivorrias, offers a panorama of leading examples of modern Greek culture, beginning in the

1920s and continuing up to the 1970s.

The building at 3 Kriezotou Street, close to Sintagma square, belonged to the artist NikosHadjikyriakos-Ghika who donated it to the Benaki Museum during his lifetime. The original

structure, commissioned by Alexander Hadjikyriakos around 1932, comprised a ground floor and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DEuIq6uQ1Qhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DEuIq6uQ1Qhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-4twsaxDY&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DEuIq6uQ1Qhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-4twsaxDY&feature=related


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five upper floors. It was a typical example of an interwar apartment block.

In the mid-1950s, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika decided to

live in the building, which belonged to his family, on a

permanent basis. For this purpose a further storey was

added.

The artist lived on the fifth floor of the building, using the

unusually spacious and well-lit space on the sixth floor as astudio and library. He lived and worked there continuously

for almost forty years until his death in September 1994.

After his death these areas were preserved as they had been

decorated and arranged during the artists lifetime.

For more information on the six different Benaki museums,

have a look at

http://www.benaki.gr/index.asp?lang=gr&id=402

5. Painting with OMILO on the island of Andros: Greek Cultural WeekInspired by the efforts of the Benaki Museum, also OMILO decided to offer something for the

artistic students around! During our Greek Cultural Week from 29/7 till 3/8 on the island of

Andros, apart from cooking-, dancing- and Greek lessons, we now also offer painting lessons!

Greece is renowned for its good light, so what better place to learn or improve how to paint,

combined with a great holiday in a stunning location.

The 5 day course will take you on a journey to explore your creative self. Inspired by the

magnificent surroundings of Andros, from the blues of the Mediterranean, to the greens of the

landscape, and the colours of the wild flowers and wonderful local fruit and vegetables, you will

have the opportunity to express yourself through colour. Whether you want to paint the landscapeyou see or release your imagination. Each individual will follow a unique journey through art. The

aim is to understand the basic concepts of drawing, and then progress to working with pastels,

watercolours, acrylics on canvas, mixed media, and oils on canvas (though some of you may choose

to focus on one medium for the full week).

The course is for everybody, from complete beginners to advanced, whether you are 8 or 80!!

All materials will be provided, and the aim is to send you all home with at least 3 works of art!!!

For all the information about the Greek Cultural Week, have a look at:

http://omilo.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29&Itemid=38&lang=en

6. Greek Orthodox Easter : Food & Traditions

The Greek Orthodox Pascha (Easter) season starts with The Great Lent, beginning on a Monday

(Ash Monday) seven weeks before Easter Sunday. The Greek Orthodox faith follows a modified

Julian calendar to establish the date of Easter each year.

Fasting

Greek Orthodox Lent is a time of fasting, which means abstaining from foods that contain animals

with red blood (meats, poultry, game) and products from animals with red blood (milk, cheese,

eggs, etc.), and fish and seafood with backbones. Olive oil and wine are also restricted. The number

of meals on each day is also limited.

The purpose of fasting is to cleanse the body as well as the spirit in preparation for accepting the

Resurrection at Easter, which is the most sacred of all observances in the Greek Orthodox faith.The above is the theory but in practice few people really follow all the guidelines.

However, in every shop, including bakeries and patisseries you will find various foods, labeled
http://www.benaki.gr/index.asp?lang=gr&id=402http://omilo.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29&Itemid=38&lang=enhttp://www.benaki.gr/index.asp?lang=gr&id=402http://omilo.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29&Itemid=38&lang=en


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with appropriate for fasting

Spring Cleaning

In addition to cleansing the body and spirit, Lent is also a traditional time for spring housecleaning.

Houses and walls get new coats of whitewash or paint, and inside, cupboards, closets, and drawers

and cleaned and freshened.

Again, this is the theory, at least in many houses we know! But it is a nice concept and worth itto follow or give it a try!

The Holy Week

This year the Greek Easter is one week later than the other Easter, on Sunday 15/4. The

OMILO Greek Easter course takes place in Nafplion from 9/4 till 21/4.

Here some more information on what to expect, while learning Greek with OMILO or visiting

Greece during the Holy Week!

The week before Easter Sunday, the Holy week, begins on Palm Sunday. There are church

services everyday commemorating the last week in the life of Jesus Christ. The evening services are

the most well attended, except for Wednesday when the Service of the Holy Unction is held in theafternoon. On Thursday morning the service commemorates the Last Supper and the Betrayal of

Christ. This is the day that the hard-boiled eggs are dyed red,

signifying the blood of Christ, and the Easter bread, called tsoureki,

is baked. The evening service on Thursday is a long one and

features twelve gospel readings.

For our OMILO students and other non-Greek visiting Greece,

from Friday it starts to get very interesting! The figure of Christ is

taken down from the cross. The epitaphios , decorated with flowers

by the girls through the night, is brought into the church. The bells

of the church can be heard all over and all the flags in Greece are

lowered to half-mast. In the evening a funeral service is held and

at about 9pm the epitaphios is taken from the church and carried

through the streets in a procession. Now everybody follows the epithaphios while carrying beige

candles. We hope there will be not too much wind, since it needs a major effort to keep your candle

lighted, and in case you do not succeed, you are in trouble!

On Saturday the Orthodox Patriarch breaks the seal of the door of the tomb of Christ in the Church

of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and emerges with the Holy Fire, which is then flown by

Olympic Airways (if there are no strikes!), accompanied by high-ranking priests and government

officials to Athens airport where it is met by an honor guard to the small church of Agia Anargyroi

in the Plaka. From there the light is distributed to churches all over Attika and the rest of Greece.

Meanwhile people are shopping for their Easter gifts and buying their lambs of all sizes for EasterSunday. Athenians who have family-connections to their islands and villages on the mainland are

preparing to leave the city, as well as people with no connections!

The OMILO staff and teachers are lucky enough to be already in Nafplion, together with the

students! Till last year, by Thursday evening, ferries, flights and the roads leading out of Athens

were full. However, nobody really knows what will happen this year. It seems many people will

stay in Athens because of lack of money to spend on

boat tickets, accommodation, high fuel prices and

road tolls.

The Resurrection or Anastasis

At 11pm on Saturday night pretty much the entire

country is in church. The lights are turned off atmidnight and the priest announces that Christ has

arisen from the dead as candles (this day only white


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candles!) are lit. The tiny glow at the front of the church grows and soon the whole room is

illuminated by the light of everyone's candles. Exactly at midnight the priest sings the paschal

hymn:

"Christ has risen from the dead and in so doing has trampled on death and to those in the tombs he

has given life".

The church bells ring in celebration, fireworks go off, ships sound their sirens and the light and

sound makes any European Newyear celebration seem tame in comparison!People greet each other happily with the words Christos Anesti (Christ has arisen) which is replied

to with Alithos Anesti (Truly He has arisen).

Then everyone heads for home with their lighted candles.

Most people either stay home or go to a restaurant for the

traditional bowl of margeritsa, a thick green soup made from

the intestines of the lamb that will be roasted the next day,

breaking their 40 day fast. Gunshots, dynamite and fireworks

will be going off for the next 12 hours or more, with every

year blowing off a finger or two! Just be careful!

Easter SundayEaster day is most people's favorite day of the year. A lamb is

roasted (or baked in the oven) and friends and families get together to eat, drink, talk and dance.

And this is what we plan to do as well, together with the OMILO students of course! (For the

vegetarians around, do not worry! Greek cuisine has a lot of vegetable dishes as well.)

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The sun is there, the wildflowers growing everywhere,

the trees blossoming and spring is in the air.

We are looking forward to start our intensive Athens

course on April 2nd and show our students around invarious neighborhoods of Athens.

On April 9th we will be in Nafplion to welcome the

students for the Easter course and guide them through

the Greek lessons as well as the Holy Week!

Many greetings from all of us, at the time being still in

Athens

The OMILO team

OMILO, PO Box 61070, 15101 MAROUSSI, ATHENS

Tel. (0030)210-612.28.96

email: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Omilo Newsletter March 2012