I like to think that I make friends easily. I never seemed to have a problem growing up and interacting with anyone – no matter if we had anything in common or not. I think as a child it’s easier because of school – you are surrounded by kids your own age that also like to eat lunch and go out for recess. However as you get older, sometimes it is hard to make friends and figure out how to make new friends while balancing school, work, family and friends you’ve already made.
When you are an adult your definition of ‘friend’ changes. It can be the person whom you met in first grade and did a science project with but lives in Ohio and has a family.
It can be th
e person whom you met working at the C-Store in college and continued to be your friend even after you moved to Wisconsin and then to Nebraska – and she came to visit you in each place.
When we arrived in Paros, I was unsure how the people who we are interacting with would receive us. My assumption was that they were going to be quiet and reserved but eventually open up and let us into their world. Our advantage was the program directors, Albert and Thomas, have built these relationships here for the last 6 years. When we arrived for our first interview and I noticed how friendly and open she was with us, all worries went away. Elena was excited to not only meet us but to understand what we were trying to accomplish while we are here. The same goes for the other interviewees – with one asking us ‘why’ – why did we pick a place like Paros and pick people like him who, in his opinion, just live and work here.
Now being here for a week and explaining that we want to tell the story of the people of Paros, we are more than just your average tourists. We have the motivation to learn more than just a name of a restaurant or a beach. We want to know the whys, the hows, and everything in between. I think what makes our experience more gratifying than others is the want to learn and listen to the stories from the people of Paros.
As an adult, this is a new way to make life long friends while also producing some great content. As we continue, I realize that as long as you introduce yourself and also know a little bit of Greek, that can go along way to making new friends in new places. It does not hurt that our interviewees have interesting lives and great personalities!
Written by Diann S. Lindsay