In the last post I wrote: 

‘I could go into the story of my life and the deep down reasons I’ve disliked (and even resented) Greece since first moving here as a 10 year old many years ago, but its a long story involving a child who felt like she was ripped from a town, a life, and a family she loved, moved to a foreign country far away against her will, where she knew no one and who’s people were cruel to animals. And who sincerely believed she would never again see the people and places she loved.’

I thought I’d share a song which totally encapsulated my view of the world at the time. I used to hear it and cry for everything I’d lost.

Sure, the song is in greek (so I’ll provide a translation below) but to me, it is everything I was feeling at the time. 

I first heard it on the ship from Melbourne to Athens. The Patris.

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/greek/en/article/remembering-the-patris-the-iconic-ship-that-brought-thousands-of-greeks-to-australia/96vpknxqd

The Patris is a very well known ship amongst greeks –  It took so many people from their home towns all over Geece towards a better life in the 60s and 70s, including a lot of proxy brides sent to marry men they’d never met.

“… no one knew where they were traveling to – they were to be thousand miles away from their families, [they didn’t know] if they would come back home ever again.”

Of course, we were some of the few who took it going the other way – from Australia to Greece. 

But for me, the feelings were the same cause I was too young to understand that the parting did not have to be forever.

Here is the song…

Here are the lyrics in greek (cause I know some of you will get a kick out of seeing greek) –

Χωρίς το σύννεφο βροχή δεν κατεβαίνει
Ούτε το δάκρυ χωρίς καημό
Χωρίς τον άνεμο τα δέντρα δεν λυγάνε
Δεν σταματάνε οι πικρές δίχως γυρισμό

Αχ να μπορούσα τα λιμάνια να τα κλείσω
Να σταματήσω τα τρένα στον σταθμό
Να ‘χα τη δύναμη τα βράχια να κυλήσω
Να μην αφήσω δρόμο για τον χωρισμό
Να ‘χα τη δύναμη τα βράχια να κυλήσω
Να μην αφήσω δρόμο για τον χωρισμό

Γιατί κοιτάς τα μάτια μου τα βουρκωμένα
Που πας στα ξένα
Σε ωκεανό
Γιατί κοιτάς τα χέρια μου τα λαβωμένα
Που πας στα ξένα και έχουν σφίξει κεραυνό

Αχ να μπορούσα τα λιμάνια να τα κλείσω
Να σταματήσω τα τρένα στον σταθμό
Να ‘χα τη δύναμη τα βράχια να κυλήσω
Να μην αφήσω δρόμο για τον χωρισμό
Να ‘χα τη δύναμη τα βράχια να κυλήσω
Να μην αφήσω δρόμο για τον χωρισμό

And here in english (excuse the double line spacing, I have no control over the app on the tablet) –

Without a cloud there is no rain,

Nor tears without pain.

Without wind the trees don’t bend,

This anquish won’t stop without (a) return.

If only I could shut the ports,

(If only I could) stop the trains at the station.

If only I had the power to roll the rocks

So there is no road for separation.

Why are you looking at my tearful eyes,

You go to foreign lands, on the ocean.

Why are you looking at my wounded hands,

You go to foreign lands and I’m holding lightning.

If only I could shut the ports

(If only I could) stop the trains at the station.

If only I had the power to roll the rocks

So there is no road for separation.

——–

You may think this is melodramatic… but remember, I was a child of immigrants, who’d left their home towns and loved ones behind themselves, never knowing if they would see them again. They missed them and cried for missing them… I myself, never saw anyone from Greece, how was I expected to believe I’d ever see my loved ones in Australia again?

What made the goodbye infinitely worse was seeing my Uncle George, my favourite uncle, hiding behind a column as the ship set sail, crying… Proof positive I would never see him again.

Of course I was wrong. I’ve been back and forth between Greece and Australia all my life, but back then, this song hit me really hard.

z