2 un-edited articles by Tamar Kummel, printed Aug 04 in the Valley News in New England Aug '04
Hospitality, Greek Style by Tamar Kummel
I stepped off the plane in Athens, exhausted from no sleep, but ready for adventure. The almost 10 hour flight was almost nothing compared to the 2 year wait period from when I'd applied to the 2004 Olympics. But it's worth it to be part of the Sports Massage Team here. 1000's of volunteers are selected from around the world, but I'm 1 of only 100 massage therapists "working" at this year's games. I'm armed with 3 months worth of intently studying Greek, about 20 maps (none of which I understand), and a gift for my housing host: maple syrup and blueberry pancake mix of course. I'm greeted by my 1 Athenian friend at the airport and I say "Eimeh etho! I'm here!" Right away I learn the difference in Greek lifestyle and what real hospitality is all about.
The Greek word for hospitality is "filoksenia", it's a combination of the word "friend" and "stranger/foreigner". It's so much more than in America. I'm staying with Aleka, a friend of my friend, who I've never met before. Not only did she open her home to me for 2 1/2 weeks, but she's driven me all over, drawn me maps, made calls for me, treated me to meals, beaches, transportation, and picked me up at 1am on the street when I still couldn't find my way home. She doesn't understand why I'd brought her gifts from the US, or why I insisted on treating her to dinner. It's insulting. The Greeks take care of their guests and foreigners completely. Thank goodness she's here.
Greece has bragged a lot about their new transit system. It was all complete, up and running 2 weeks before the opening ceremonies. There are maps, diagrams, booklets, and information booths conveniently located all over. It's still extremely confusing. There is the new metro, the old electric railway, the new tram, tons of busses, some taxis, and the new express bus service just for people going to the events. I seem to be the only person walking anywhere. The tram looked the most convenient. It has a beautiful course along the west coast and has a spectacular view all along the way, including the Peace and Friendship Stadium for volleyball. It's new, it's for the Olympics, it goes right to my work (at the Beach Volleyball Centre on the beach in Faliro), so I should take it right? OK, here's your math quiz for the day: A bus and a tram leave Glyfada (S.E.) at the same time. If the bus goes 30 mph and stops every 1/8 mile and the tram goes 10 mph and stops every 100 feet, which will reach the Beach Volleyball venue first? It's a trick question. The tram never arrived because it broke down 1/2 way there. My first day of work took me 3 different Trams (because the first 2 broke) and almost 2 hours to go about 20 miles. All ticket holders and volunteers get free public transportation with their tickets or badges during the games. So it's easy to jump on and off all over the city. There's very little crime in Greece, so I feel very safe at all hours. That's good considering my shift is over at 1am. That's not something I would say in the US.
Opening ceremonies were something very special to most Greeks. It was the history of Greece, of mythology, of the games, of the spirit of peace. I'm ashamed to admit I'd never thought about our saying, "extend the olive branch in the name of peace" coming from the original Olympic games. That's the beautiful wreath on each medaling athlete's head, and the branch of bells that people were ringing during the opening ceremonies. The flame traveling around the world represents peace around the world. The Greeks I've talked to were very concerned that people around the world should understand what the ceremonies were about. My Greek colleagues, and actually most Americans I've talked to, were shocked to find out how moved I am by the spirit of the Olympics, the site of the flame, and my desire to travel 1/2 way around the world to volunteer. But it made my Greek colleagues respect me, and maybe Americans more. Before I left the states, I saw the Olympic flame in New York City, only 10 blocks from my upper west side apartment. I was elated, "I'm coming too! I'll see you there!" And coincidently, Aleka and I were driving in Voula, near her apartment when we saw the flame again. And again I was elated, "see! I told you I'd see you here!" same flame. Same peaceful journey.
So here I am, working hard, traveling around, learning a lot about cross culture, and teaching Aleka how to make proper blueberry pancakes.
Death of A Super Hero
Do you ever have a nightmare where you show up somewhere and someone else is wearing the exact same thing as you? That's a daily reality for me here in Athens where I'm one of 1000's of volunteers at the Olympics. I'm one of the people in the multi colored polo shirt in the background of every shot on TV. We're the security, information, ball boys, and in my case, medical staff at the venues of the games. But for me there's one thing that's very different. I'm American.
Before I left the states, I decided it might be best to not advertise that I'm from the U.S. I left all my English lettered clothes and ID tags back home. I hoped people wouldn't ask me where I was from or the origin of my Hebrew first name. I studied Greek for 3 months before I left to be able to communicate with the locals on basics. But I wasn't prepared for the fact that my large credential which hangs around my neck says my name and "USA" right below it. And since everyone in Athens speaks English better than my Greek, even when I start off in Greek, the answer usually returns in English. It's no secret the the US Team is staying separately from the other athletes. They have their own protection and their own rules. They were instructed to not wear anything that says "U.S." while walking around Athens. As a result, when we Americans find each other, we're extremely thankful for a moment of quiet understanding.
I'm not sure what I expected would happen here. People keep asking me if I feel safe. I would, if people would stop asking. There's certainly been no direct hostility towards me. But the reaction of Greeks when finding out I'm American still takes me aback. They always look at me with a combined expression of disgust, surprise, and pity. There aren't that many Americans who have come to cheer, let alone volunteer. And although they want lots of new tourists coming here, the Americans are frequently booed in the stands at the games. After the usual, "Where are you from?" The next question is frequently about politics. The fact that attendees have picked the peaceful Olympics to start chanting anti-Bush sentiments is still startling.
Some Greeks have expressed their dismay at the intense security. Athens is very safe, how dare they suggest something might happen here. Greece has a good relationship with the Arab nations, why should anything happen here? But oh, have we told you the recent joke about 9/11? It's sickeningly anti American and I won't repeat it. The security here is thankfully about the same as in Salt Lake City 2 years ago at the Winter Olympics. I went through intensive background checks before being approved for credentials. I go through metal detectors and pass many check points on my way to work, including several spots with heavily armed military men. And all spectators go through metal detectors too. The city has police and armed forces patrolling. And I'm glad for it, most of the athletes are relieved, but the Athenians aren't pleased. They insist we're not seeing a real representation of Athens. It was interesting to me that as I went around the usual tourist places: museums, acropolis, etc. The only place that had security, including a metal detector, was the Jewish Museum.
There have been other surprises here in Athens.
I definitely didn't need a jacket. It's never dropped below 75 degrees.
A Hummer wouldn't be able to park here. I thought New York City had crazy drivers. Cab drivers in NYC have nothing on the Athenians. They have no rules here! They drive/park their tiny cars on the sidewalk, in the middle of the street, and challenge busses on a regular basis. Last night someone parked right across the new tram tracks. They made announcements over the loud speakers for half an hour trying to find the driver before calling the police to come tow the car. Any wonder why the new tram isn't efficient?
There are not many homeless people, but tons of wild dogs. All extremely tame.
Joe Camel is making a killing here. I'd estimate that 90 % of Greeks smoke. Everywhere. Even the bus drivers. If you see a non-smoking section, it's probably temporary for the Olympics.
Athenians don't sleep. They say New York is the city that never sleeps. OK. But we at least nap. These Greeks start their evening activities at midnight.
The doctors just assume all athletes are being doped. Only that they've gotten better at hiding it. The athletes are getting bigger, stronger, faster, at too rapid a pace. Am I completely naive or the only idealistic believer left? Again, certain teams have their own rules. Maybe we should just allow all performance enhancing drugs. It may be the only way to level the field again. It's a new era.
And the biggest thing to shock me? Water at the venues is only about 75 cents. And there are water fountains too. Any major competition in the states charges a fortune for water. $4, easily.
My job here at Beach Volleyball and my trip to Greece is quickly coming to an end. I'll spend the last few days taking the required trips to a few islands, eating more gyros (less than $2 each!), and buying inexpensive souvenirs. A few days ago an Athenian nurse said to me that I will go back a changed person. She was right. The last Olympics I came home with new massage techniques, new friends, and the understanding of a different place in America. But this time I believe my politics have changed. My usual swagger is gone. My confidence and US pride has been knocked down. Do you remember the old sketch where an old woman slowly starts to cross a street and a "gentleman" takes her arm to help her? The woman doesn't want to be helped and starts beating him up with her purse. I'm now realizing that the US may be the gentleman. I have always been very proud to come from the land of the free and the home of the brave. Should Spider Man save every person he can? Maybe a superhero's job is to only help the people who ask for it. Something to question.
Signing off from Athens, see you in the states.
Tamar
