Inspired!
That’s the word that I leave Paros with this time.
Inspired by the students who have come on an adventure that brought many of them way outside their comfort zones. Some had never been on an airplane until they came here. Some students overcame financial issues to be here. Some students have dealt with minor illnesses and homesickness. Their dedication to each other’s well-being; dedication to their craft of video production: dedication to wanting to be as good as they can be and doing work with passion have been commendable. I have seen them all grow up in different ways, and my hope is that they take many lessons from their time here, both personally and professionally.
Inspired by the people of Paros! Once again, we have met incredibly warm and friendly people who have opened their hearts and houses to us and shared their lives with us with welcoming arms. We met Argytis Loukis at his house one day unexpectedly, and he was so friendly and sweet to all of us- he apologized to me that he had not prepared a bar-be-que dinner for us! Thomas Lewis and I got to do a presentation for Kyklos Paros, a local Arts and Culture Council, and our reception was incredibly heart felt, positive, and supportive. They made us feel that we are part of the community here. The love of the residents here always inspires us.
Inspired by the work we have done in the past three weeks. The topics we covered such as the Citizen’s Movement to reclaim access to beaches, the traditional farmhouses and stone walls, and the use of permaculture to reclaim land here are topics that need an audience. To see how students respond to these issues is satisfying to know they are seeing a local action that leads to global reaction. We have also done quite a few personal interviews with authors, artists, chefs, activists, and farmers, and have seen their work, beauty, and creativity they bring to Paros.
Inspired by my colleague and partner Thomas Lewis- his amazing energy in putting all our videos together and telling amazing stories is un-paralleled. His passion for video production from the field and in the studio, his work with the students, and his dedication to excellence in most inspiring and I am most grateful!
Inspiration- you can’t wait for it. You must make it happen by seeing the world around you. I feel that that is what I get most from coming to Paros and sharing this place with our students and their work reflecting to the world. I hope that the students leave here with the same inspiration that I have found on Paros as well!
Albert William
