When you’re new, you don’t know what to expect. The thought of arriving in a new country to work with a volunteer organization for the first time can be overwhelming…
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Dragging each foot, one by one, up the steep slope of the camp. It’s just early enough that the endless cement hasn’t fully absorbed the sun of a summer day in Greece. The straps of a well-worn Ikea bag dig into my shoulders as I drag piles of books, flashcards, and water up the hill.
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This year was different – I decided to spend half of Ramadan on Samos, volunteering with the refugee community here.
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Two big brown eyes are staring up at me. Someone pulling my shirt from behind. I look around. Ten more pairs of big brown eyes are staring up at me. ‘My friend, my friend’ I hear. Little hands are held up in front of my nose.
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My hair was shaggy to say the least. It was 3 months since my last hair cut and the growth rate was alarming. The thought was simple: reduce the need for my hat (which had developed a salty brine around the rim and had been observed to be problematically aromatic) and keep the hair out of my eyes during activities.
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On Saturday afternoons, Alpha Center becomes the preserve of the women, for classes and get-togethers, so they can have their own time, more quiet and relaxed, without the main rooms being filled with checkers and chess players, and men deep in conversation.
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