We all arrived on the island only a few days ago, but it didn’t take long for us to feel at home. Everyone here is very welcoming and friendly. It feels as if we have lived here forever, and yet it feels like it can’t be real. Everything we see seems too beautiful to be reality. The air is fresh, the colors are bright, and the people here are happy. I have yet to see someone not smiling in Paros. There’s a healthy balance of work and indulgence here that makes for a relaxed lifestyle.
Yesterday morning, a few of us went on a hike up the mountain with Thomas before the sun rose. It was quiet and peaceful. We made our way to a local church filled with candles and paintings. By the time we reached the church my legs were sore, and my water bottle was empty. But it hit me that some of the people of Paros make that climb every week, maybe even every day. And for the view it was more than worth it.
Later that day we went on a tour of the city and museums. The dedicated historian, Avgi Kalogianni, knew every fact and myth like she had lived it herself. We began at an ancient cemetery, where the remains of adults, children, and pets were held in a sealed room. She then showed us a museum that held one of the earliest sculptures of Apollo. The museum also had pottery painted with scenes of war, a doll used for black magic, and a winged statue of Medusa.
After, she showed us more of the town we all went to dinner together. Meals in Greece are treated more like a ritual part of the day than a simple pleasure. The experience of sitting down and talking to one another is highly valued here. No one is shy. Once when we sat down to eat, a man rode by on his bike, stopped, backed up, and said to my roommate Bubala “You are the diamond of Paros.” It felt like more than a normal compliment to all of us. Something about the phrasing and the atmosphere was so sweet and warm; I doubt Bubala will ever forget that she is the diamond of Paros.
Written by Alcey Childers