One Sunday afternoon belonged again to the class of such strange incidents. The locals have a very intriguing mindset, but it’s difficult to truly reach them. That day we got a little closer to their culture by eating pancakes with neighbors and drinking local moonshine rakı.
The ‘winter’ here had just passed and there was an immediate urge to work and clean up in the beautiful weather outside. We cleared the wood from the courtyard, weeded the flower beds, and swept the leaves together. Suddenly, the neighbors drove down from the hill – the man parked the car and casually inquired about how things were going and about our daughter’s health. After a brief conversation, we agreed that they would come over later for coffee.
A couple of hours later, the neighbors came to visit us for the first time. A bottle of mountain water was placed on the table, and local rakı was brought in another plastic bottle. I was in the middle of making pancakes for the kids, but the neighbor lady said that rakı shouldn’t be drunk on an empty stomach, but always with something to eat, so I quickly set the table for everyone.
Rakı was poured into glasses, and water was drunk alongside. And so, instead of unexpectedly having a Sunday afternoon coffee, we found ourselves drinking with the neighbors in the middle of the day 😀
The man is from a mountain village, and his soul belongs there. He told us that younger people today are made of sugar and even fear rain – people no longer have strength. But where does the strength come from? According to the neighbor, those who seek strength from the gym are foolish. To become strong, he believes strength comes from the heart, and into the heart it comes from the air, the sky, and nature.
The neighbor Nikita was also fascinated by people’s eyes. According to him, he can see beyond people’s eyes and see the colors hidden inside them. He supposedly can immediately see from a person’s eyes whether it’s worth engaging and communicating or not. This man had plenty of mystical philosophical stories to share. And through him, we got a glimpse into the world of people living in mountain villages.
His wife Marina was also not an ordinary person. She was said to perceive and see more than usual people. Her daughter was diagnosed with arthritis, and being inexperienced as it happened 20 years ago, she fed her child with medications prescribed to us as well. However, over the years of taking them, more and more new illnesses occurred – stomach problems and skin problems. Both the man and the woman emphasized to us that the whole medical system is a mess and doesn’t lead to solutions. Marina suggested helping Indy with pure food and abundant love – then everything will be resolved.
From the neighbors’ visit, we learned a lot about local life, customs, and way of life. Because there are so many tourists, locals remain very friendly but superficial when interacting with them because tourists just come and go. Strangers are not easily allowed into their lives. We were even more pleased that they felt there was something different about us and they wanted to get to know us better.
In this cultural space, friendships are built over a very long time and slowly. It’s not actually very easy for foreigners to form deeper friendships with locals. Yes, everyone is very friendly and helpful, but to go further, it takes many, many years. It might be quicker to make friends with other foreigners who are in the same situation as you.
We also have one such lovely grandfatherly man with whom we’ve been able to chat a bit more. Namely, our landlord’s father works in the lower houses. We’ve talked to him at length about life topics, and he has told us some instructive stories from his childhood and youth.
In conclusion, it could be noted that every Cretan or Greek we’ve had a chance to chat with for a little longer is a very profound and soulful being. From every lengthy conversation, we’ve gained food for thought to analyze and even change our own perspectives. Undoubtedly, the locals have a very intriguing mindset, and undoubtedly, we want to eventually learn more about all their well-kept secrets over time. It’s quite exciting!”
