I still can’t come to terms that I’m studying in Athens for a year. I’m mesmerized to say the least … I’m immobile like the statue at end of my dusty street. I’m broken to bits, chipped away but I’m still monumental. I’m proud to be a resident of the ruins. I live in the fucking acropolis; this means I’m in the centre of everything. I’m part of the unique culture, the rich history and the advanced civilization. This was the right choice and I have no regrets whatsoever. Yet, I’m the tearless traveller who is always adjusting and adapting, I’m never happy with normality. I’m on the hunt for newness, I want my experiences to elevate me to greatness. I’m still finding myself (whatever that means), the search may last for eternity, but I have time. I got it inked on my skin just to remind me. I did this by myself, I put in the work and now I’m living lavish. No one believed in the lunatic that’s been babbling on about an impossible trip, back home everyone thought I was delusional. I made my own destiny even when everyone doubted me. Who would have thought a boy like me would achieve his aspiration? It was difficult for me to leave my past behind; the forgotten farewells stay stuck in my mind. People that I thought cared never even said goodbye. I have been blessed with such a caring family; my guardians always look after me, they guide me even in my time of need. I’m the ultimate third wheel but they are glad to have me at every meal. I learned a lot from them because their relationship is very special. The Airbnb is meant to be a ‘me and you’ experience but I sleep alone. Honestly, I’m content with the fact that I don’t rely on a significant another. Loneliness is my richness. I lay in bed with a smile because I don’t need to argue, I don’t need to debate and eventually hate. My suitcase is bigger than my accomplishments. I wanted to bring all my precious reminders with me, but I simply didn’t have any space. The excess weight cost me a fortune. My memories are made up by materialistic objects, people come and go but this stuff never loses its sentiment. I proudly hanged my paintings on the wall, along with my posters and photos. I have a stack of books that I will never read. This one has no cover, just the title ‘Astonishing Athens’ on the front. I tried tearing out the old pages in hope that I can focus on the new chapters. The meaning is lost in the various translations. My story is like the minotaur’s maze, there is no escape from the monster nor the myth. The place where I rest is the owl’s thorn nest. I’m mighty but featherless, this flight is for the fearless. The truth is … Eros is corrupt for he is unaware that cold hearted love to fuck up, they can’t comprehend the intensity of their lover’s devotion. They are doomed figurines that lack pure emotion. So, shoot your shot if you must, but please stop overhyping the actuality of love. The nectar of my soul drips on Athena’s shield. Her silver spear is my rib cage, my organs are pierced but I stand straight with pride. The inner fighter in me will never die. This city will always be alive, the archaic architecture will never fade away. Dionysus dances on my grave tonight. I feel the ecstasy in the white wine. I’m a helpless actor in his play. The battle between the ancient and modern is a recurring theme in the capital, the division in this new age is slowly tearing up the tranquillity. The way I see it, the Greeks are staying strong to their roots but are attempting to mimic the progress of the first world nations. Stick to what you know, cherish the traditional values that your ancestors thrived in. Even the university campus surprised me, it was this big hollow building with graffiti on every corner. There were anarchist signs everywhere and anti-capitalism slogans on the stairs. It wasn’t as advanced as Brighton, things were old fashioned, and you accepted the slow-paced system. It all consisted on paperwork rather than doing things online. The food is out of this world, everything is fresh and rich in taste. I don’t mind eating gyros every day, the westerns expectations have been exceeded, so just feed me anything. Drinking is obviously part of our daily routine, I enjoy saying Yamas every hour, bring the spirits to our table until I get my drunken superpowers. My confidence sprouts like a pretty flower, the way that her eyes are fixated is making me lose my will power. I feel unworthy of the Greek glory, I’m taken back by the orange sunrise that slowly falls into the bright blue sea. I’m like a fragile God glancing down at the scenery, the little white houses that are stacked on one another start to disappear as everything gets dimmer. I’m standing on a delightfully disintegrating landscape, resting on the late homes that are thousand years old. The sangria is poured down into the rocks like blood. It’s unreal at times. But this is the most that I’ve felt at home. The Greek girl blissfully walks into the water at midnight, she slowly swims into the Aegean sea, the moonlights mouth consumes her whole, she is freed from all her sins as her body floats … Poem By Dejan Inic (@durtday)Published by Alex Hood (@alexjohnhood)
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The Academics:We are three Brighton University students who have been given the opportunity to study at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. This blog will be our way of sharing our experiences of living and studying in Greece, plus will include tips and advice for those also looking to study abroad or even just visit Athens. Who we are:
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June 2020
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