The Library Hotel

Προχθές, την Παρασκευή, είχαμε την καθιερωμένη πλέον συνεστίασι παραλίας (beach party) του προσωπικού του Αρεταίειου Νοσοκομείου, η οποία φέτος έλαβε χώρα στην Ακτή του Κυβερνήτη.

Λίγο το παραπάνω κέφι στην ατμόσφαιρα, λίγο το παραπάνω οινόπνευμα στο αίμα, απέτρεψαν την επιστροφή μου στην Λευκωσία κι έτσι αποφασίσαμε με τον καλό μου φίλο τον Νίκο τον Ερηνάκη και τον φίλο του (νομίζω πια και δικό μου) Βαγγέλη να διανυκτερεύσουμε στην Καλαβασό, όπου ένας καλός φίλος του Νίκου, ο Σάββας ο Βαρναβίδης, λειτουργεί ένα ιδιαίτερο ξενοδοχείο.

Λέω ιδιαίτερο διότι το The Library Hotel (Ξενοδοχείο Βιβλιοθήκη) είν' ακριβώς αυτό που λέει το όνομά του: ένα οικοδομικό συγκρότημα του ΙΘ΄ αιώνα, το οποίο ανακαινίσθηκε, βάσει των σχεδίων της Αρχιτέκτονος Αντωνίας Θεοδοσίου, για να στεγάσει, με επίκεντρο μία μεγάλη βιβλιοθήκη, έναν πράσινο και φιλικό προς το περιβάλλον χώρο χαλάρωσης κι ευεξίας.

Η βιβλιοθήκη, το "Ψυχής Ιατρείον", όπως αναγράφεται στην είσοδό της, διαθέτει βιβλία Τέχνης, Ιστορίας, Λογοτεχνίας και Φιλοσοφίας σε πέντε Ευρωπαϊκές γλώσσες (Ελληνικά, Αγγλικά, Γαλλικά, Γερμανικά, Ισπανικά) και μια μεγάλη συλλογή ποιοτικών κινηματογραφικών ταινιών και καλής μουσικής, με την τζαζ να πρωταγωνιστεί!

Τα δωμάτια και οι σουΐτες τους ξενοδοχείου, εξάλλου, φέρουν το όνομα ενός μεγάλου του Πνεύματος, όπως Σαπφώ, Σεφέρης, Ουάϊλντ, Νίτσε, Πεσσόα.

Πέραν τούτων, ένα οργανωμένο συγκρότητημα λουτρών και σπα με διάφορες υπηρεσίες αισθητικής και χαλάρωσης, βασισμένων σε Αρχαιοελληνικές τεχνικές και χρήσι βοτάνων, βρίσκεται στην διάθεσι του επισκέπτη, ενώ το εστιατόριο "Μίτος" προσφέρει εξαιρετικές Μεσογειακές προκλήσεις ακόμα και στον πιο απαιτητικό ουρανίσκο!

Όμως, αυτό που πράγματι σε κερδίζει, είναι η μοναδική αίσθησι φιλοξενίας, με τον Σάββα, αλλά και όλο το διεθνές προσωπικό του, να μεριμνά για κάθε μια ανάγκη σου!

Αν βρίσκεστε στην Κύπρο ή εάν σκοπεύετε να την επισκεφθείτε, σάς συνιστώ ανεπιφύλακτα το The Library Hotel. Άλλωστε, βρίσκεται μεταξύ τριών κυρίων Κυπριακών πόλεων, της πρωτεύουσας Λευκωσίας, της Λεμεσού με το διεθνές λιμάνι της, της Λάρνακας με τον διεθνή αερολιμένα της, και σε μια περιοχή γεμάτη από αρχαίες πόλεις (όπως η Αμαθούς), Βυζαντινά μνημεία κι εκπληκτικές Μεσογειακές ακτές!

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Two days ago, on Friday, we had the usual annual beach party of the Aretaeio Hospital personnel, which this year took place at the Governor's Beach, Cyprus.

A bit of extra joy in the atmosphere, a bit of extra alcohol in the blood, prevented my return to Nicosia, so, together with my good friend Nikos Erinakis and his friend (from now on, mine, too, I guess)  Vangelis to stay overnight at the village of Kalavasos, where a Nikos' good friend, Savvas Varnavides, operates a very special hotel.

I call it a very special one, because The Library Hotel is exactly what its names claims to be: a XIX century building complex, restored, according to the designs by Architect (Mrs.) Antonia Theodosiou, to house a green and environmentally friendly place of relaxing and wellness, having a big library as its focal point.

The library, the "Soul's Sanitarium", as written on its entrance, provides books of Art, History, Literature and Philosophy in five European languages (Hellenic/ Greek, English, French, German, Spanish), and a big collection of quality cinema films and of good music, with jazz being the protagonist!

Moreover, the rooms and the suites of the hotel, bear the name of a great personality of the Spirit, such as Sappho, Seferis, Wilde, Nietzsche, Pessoa.

Apart of that, an organised baths and spa complex, providing various services of cosmetics and relaxing, based on Ancient Greek techniques and the usage of herbs, is at the visitor's disposal, while the "Mitos" restaurant offers excellent Mediterranean challenges even to the most demanding palate!

Yet, what actually wins your heart, is the unique sense of hospitality, with Savvas and all his international personnel to cherish for each one of your needs!

If you are in Cyprus or if you are planning to visit it, I undoubtedly recommend you The Library Hotel. Besides, it lies between three main Cyprus cities, the capital-city Nicosia, Limassol, with its international port, Larnaca, with its international airport, and in an area full of ancient cities (such as Amathous), Byzantine monuments and wonderful Mediterranean beaches!

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Anna Lindh Foundation Seminar on Euromed Youth Policies in Intercultural Dialogue * Σεμινάριο του Ιδρύματος της Άννας Λινντχ για τις Ευρωμεσογειακές Πολιτικές Νεολαίας στον Διαπολιτισμικό Διάλογο

The Anna Lindh Foundation is organising a really interesting seminar on Euromed Youth Policies in Intercultural Dialogue. The seminar will be held at the European Youth Centre in Strasburg, from January 25th to January 28th, 2010. For more information, please visit the following links:

Anna Lindh Foundation Seminar on Euromed Youth Policies in Intercultural Dialogue

Course Presentation and Procedure for Applications (PDF file).

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Το Ίδρυμα της Άννας Λινντχ διοργανώνει ένα πραγματικά ενδιαφέρον σεμινάριο για τις Ευρωμεσογειακές Πολιτικές Νεολαίας στον Διαπολιτισμικό Διάλογο. Το σεμινάριο θα διεξαχθή στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Νεολαίας, στο Στρασβούργο, από τις 25 έως και τις 28 Ιανουαρίου 2010. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες, παρακαλώ επισκεφθείτε τους παρακάτω συνδέσμους (στην Αγγλική):

Σεμινάριο του Ιδρύματος της Άννας Λινντχ για τις Ευρωμεσογειακές Πολιτικές Νεολαίας στον Διαπολιτισμικό Διάλογο

Παρουσίασι Εκπαιδευτικού Κύκλου και Διαδικασία για Αιτήσεις (αρχείο PDF).

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Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges - LIVE Broadcast!!!

Visit the link to watch and perhaps participate to the debate:

Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges - LIVE Broadcast | Anna Lindh Foundation

You may also get involved through Facebook (http://bit.ly/195Edw) or Twitter (http://twitter.com/AnnaLindh, tag #restoretrust).

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Five questions and one answer...

What is a culture? Is it an onion with plenty of leaves until getting to its core? Is it an iceberg that only some of its parts can be seen and that clashes when it meets other icebergs? Is it the software of our minds, which needs to be re-installed from time to time, especially when we change environments?

What is an identity? Is it something that we have since we are born? Is it something imposed by society? Is it something static or dynamic? Is it who am I, who I think am I, who others think am I or who I think others think am I?

What is a stereotype? Is it a fixed form in our mind about others? Is it the way our brain simplifies things? Is it positive? Is it negative? Is it neutral?

What is a conflict? Is it that we don't understand each other? Is it that we can't understand each other? Is it that we don't want to understand each other? Is it that we don't care about understanding each other?

And, finally, what is other?

I don't know the answers to the questions above. I believe, however, one thing. Humans are rather members of the body of humanity than parts. So, the same way my heart needs my lungs, the same way I need other humans. Because, as heart fails without oxygen and lungs die without blood, the same way I'm not complete without other humans and other humans are not complete without me.

As I said before, that's my belief, a kind of faith of mine. But in my language, the word trust has the same root with the word for belief or faith. Hence, by trusting people, I'm just following my belief, my personal faith.

So, I'm Michail, I'm a Greek from Crete, I live in Cyprus and I blog for Trust!

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EuroMed bloggers blog for trust on 11/9/09

Manu Chao: Viva la Colifata!

Ο Μάνου Τσάο (Manu Chao), σε συνεργασία με ασθενείς της Ψυχιατρικής Κλινικής Χοσέ Μπόρδα (Jose Borda) του Μπουένος Άϊρες, ηχογράφησε ένα νέο λεύκωμα, τιτλοφορούμενο "Viva la Colifata!" ("Ζήτω η Τρέλα!").

Η Ψυχιατρική Κλινική Χοσέ Μπόρδα είναι γνωστή για το καινοτόμο της "Radio La Colifata" ("Ραδιόφωνο Η Τρέλα"), έναν ραδιοφωνικό σταθμό λειτουργούμενο από του ασθενείς της από το 1991, με ένα ακροατήριο περίπου 12.000.000 προσώπων.

Για του μη Ισπανόφωνους, colifata είναι στην Ισπανική αργκό η τρέλα.

Το λεύκωμα μπορεί να μεταφορτωθή, νομίμως και δωρεάν, από τον ιστότοπο του σχεδίου: http://www.vivalacolifata.org/ .

Πηγή: TV Χωρίς Σύνορα
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Manu Chao, in co-operation with patients of the Jose Borda Psychiatric Clinic of Buenos Aires, recorded a new album, called "Viva la Colifata!".

Jose Borda Psychiatric Clinic is known for its innovative "Radio La Colifata", a radio station run by its patients since 1991, with an audience of about 12.000.000 people.

For the non-Spanish-speakers, colifata is a Spanish colloquial for craziness.

The album can be downloaded, legally and free-of-charge, via the project website: http://www.vivalacolifata.org/ .

Source (in Greek): Greek Internet TV Without Frontiers

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ALF EuroMed Bloggers Training on Intercultural Dialogue, Luxembourg, 27-28/07/2009, Part 2

ALF EuroMed Bloggers Training on Intercultural Dialogue, Luxembourg, 27-28/07/2009, Part 1

I blog for Trust! * Ιστολογώ για την Εμπιστοσύνη

When, some time ago, I posted about the Anna Lindh Foundation Euro-Med Bloggers Training on Intercultural Dialogue, I had no doubts that such an innovative project would be more than interesting. Furthermore, taking as granted that I'm not any influential Blogger, I had no doubts that I couldn't participate to...

I was wrong! Shortly after having expressed my interest for participating, I received an invitation by the ALF and last Sunday I flew to Luxembourg!

The training was held in the Centre Culturel de Rencontre Abbaye de Neumünster, a really nice place combining natural, spiritual and cultural beauty. The main activities were on Monday, 27th, and Tuesday, 28th of July, 2009, and gave the opportunity to the some twenty participants to explore the paths of the Intercultural Dialogue and to search for new ways of using blogs, podcasts and social networking for promoting the Dialogue between Cultures.

This pilot activity was organised in the framework of the "Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges" Campaign, which aims, through civil society actions, to promote the Intercultural Dialogue in the Euro-Med area and to facilitate the Peace process in the Middle East. As Mr. Andreu Claret, Executive Director of the ALF, stressed, that was the first in a series of events in which Bloggers will be invited, as it is the intention of the Foundation to gather at least 43 Bloggers from the 43 Countries of the Union for the Mediterranean in every one of its major activities.

From now on, the blogs, podcasts and social networks represented in the training will be listed, via feeds, in the new list "Bloggers for Trust", located in the upper right corner of this blog of mine. So, you can have a look on them!!!

Last but not least: I have to thank Suchithra, Satish and Anto, my colleagues in the Aretaeio Hospital in Nicosia, Cyprus, who accepted to exchange some of our working shifts and Andreas, my Head Nurse, who approved these changes, giving me the opportunity to gain such a great experience.

So, I'm Michail, I'm a Greek from Crete, I live in Cyprus, and I blog for Trust!

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Anna Lindh Foundation Euromed Bloggers Training on Intercultural Dialogue * Εκπαίδευση Ευρωμεσογαίων Ιστολόγων στον Διαπολιτισμικό Διάλογο από το Ίδρυμα Άννας Λίνντχ

An interesting Training on Intercultural Dialogue, for Bloggers coming from the Euro-Mediterranean Region, is organised by the Euromed Anna Lindh Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures. For more information, please visit the link:

Μία ενδιαφέρουσα Εκπαίδευσι στον Διαπολιτισμικό Διάλογο, για Ιστολόγους προερχόμενους από την Ευρω-Μεσογειακή Περιοχή, διοργανώνεται από το Ευρωμεσογειακό Ίδρυμα Άννας Λινντχ για τον Διάλογο μεταξύ των Πολιτισμών. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες, παρακαλώ επισκεφθείτε τον σύνδεσμο (στην Αγγλική):

Anna Lindh Foundation Euromed Bloggers Training on Intercultural Dialogue

Ευχαριστούμε που ενοχλείτε

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ
«Ευχαριστούμε Που Ενοχλείτε»
(No more violence)

Η πιο ανατρεπτική, νεανική, ζωντανή, δημιουργική, εναλλακτική, δυναμική, καλλιτεχνική, μουσική, πολυπολιτισμική, επιβλητική, κοινωνική, διαφορετική, διασκεδαστική, ρομαντική, τρελή, συγκλονιστική, συμμετοχική, πρωτοποριακή, ενοχλητική ΓΙΟΡΤΗ στο δρόμο της πόλης της Θεσσαλονίκης.…επιστρέφει αυτή τη φορά στην καρδιά του χειμώνα… «Ευχαριστούμε Που Ενοχλείτε».

Παρασκευή 12 Δεκεμβρίου στην πλατεία Αριστοτέλους.

Μουσικά συγκροτήματα, δια-δράσεις με μαριονέτες, video προβολές, performances, έκθεση φωτογραφίας, χορευτικές ομάδες και άφθονο ζεστό κόκκινο κρασί με κανέλα.

Μια γιορτή στο δρόμο, ανοικτή σε όλους και σε όλες, σχεδιασμένη από τους 25 ευρωπαίους εθελοντές της Μη Κυβερνητικής Οργάνωσης Παιδιά Εν Δράσει, που ήρθαν στην πόλη μας από 6 διαφορετικές χώρες της Ευρώπης για να υποστηρίξουν εθελοντικά το φεστιβάλ κινηματογράφου Θεσσαλονίκης με το σύνθημα «ο Εθελοντισμός είναι Πολιτισμός».

Μια γιορτή που ανατρέπει τα δεδομένα των καιρών και πραγματοποιείται για τέταρτη συνεχόμενη χρονιά στους δρόμους και τις πλατείες της πόλης μας, φέρνοντας πιο κοντά στην καθημερινότητα μας τη μουσική, την τέχνη, τον πολιτισμό και τον εθελοντισμό.

Σας περιμένουμε όλους και όλες, μικρούς και μεγάλους, κατοίκους αυτής της πόλης που ονειρεύονται και ονειροπολούν, ερωτεύονται και αγαπούν, ζουν και δημιουργούν, συμμετέχουν και διεκδικούν.

Παρασκευή 12 Δεκεμβρίου, από τις 18:00 στην πλατεία Αριστοτέλους.

Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες στο info@kidsinaction.gr ή στα τηλέφωνα 2310552655 & 6977352239. (γιώργος γεωργιάδης).

We did it!!! * Τα καταφέραμε!!!

In my previous post I wrote that we were preparing a theatre play, based on the Hellenic (Greek) Mythology, to be presented in a Meeting of the Annexes of my Hosting Organisation in Mikołajki.

What I didn't write, because I didn't know, was than the Meeting was actually a competition!!! The 5th National Polish Competition on Theatric Arts for Mentally Disabled People.

So, we wen't to Mikołajki, we presented the play and we got the Second (2nd) Prize!!! A Prize that we had to share with the 2nd Workshop of Koszalin (WTZ-2), that presented a play about the Holocaust.

Following are some photos from the play. Good job, don't you think so??

Here are also some photos from the 5-stars (!!!) Hotel Gołębiewski, where we stayed. Any comments???

And the Church of Święta Lipka, near Mikołajki, where we spent our first night and where we went for an Organ Concert./div>

Theseus and the Minotaur travel to Poland!!! * Ο Θησεύς και ο Μινώταυρος ταξιδεύουν στην Πολωνία!!!

There's no doubt that, if you are a Hellen (Greek), you do know the Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. If not, then you can visit Wikipedia, to learn more.

Why am I writing all this??? Because, nowadays, Theseus and the Minotaur are visiting Poland!!!

What that means??? Simply, in my Hosting Organisation we are preparing a theatre play based on that myth!!!

The play will be presented next week at a meeting of all the Annexes and Workshops of the Association, that will be held in Mikołajki, in Masury Lakes, on the occasion of the Day of the Dignity of the Mentally Disabled People.

The need to create a kind of presentation for the meeting, on one hand, and the request of the Hosting Organisation, expressed by both my Director and Mentor, that elements of my culture to be presented in the Project, on the other hand, gave birth to the idea of this drama play.

The preparations started some weeks ago, just after my return to Koszalin from Toruń and I think everything is going great. Following you can see some photos from the preparations:

The "Free 2 Choose" Project in Hellas!!! * Το Σχέδιο "Free 2 Choose" στην Ελλάδα!!!

Some days ago I wrote a post about the Anne Frank Exhibition in Heraklion (and yesterday an Updates post), where I mentioned the "Free 2 Choose" Project of the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.

Well, in the framework of this Project, the NGO "Kids in Action" created a short movie about the "Avaton of Mount Athos". Mount Athos is a religious community of male Monasteries of the Orthodox Church, where the entrance is banned for women.

The video presents both the opinions of the Monks and those who believe that the Avaton consists a violetion of Human Rights in Europe. The main aim of that video is to raise awareness about the limits of Freedom and Human Rights in real life and to act as a starting point for reflection and exchange of opinions of the topic.

A second video about "Albanian Pupils and Greek Flag" will be soon available.

Below you can watch the video on the Avaton. If you also want to participate in the relevant discussion, please click here.

Valentine's Day at our EVS Project!!! * Ημέρα του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου στο Σχέδιό μας ΕΕΥ!!!

It's true that I don't really believe in Valentine's Day. It's not just because Saint Valentine isn't a Saint of the Orthodox Church. It's mainly because I do believe that people in love don't need a special day to express it or to memorise on that. Every day for them is a Valentine's Day!!!

On the other hand, I do recognise that this day is a good opportunity to organise parties :) . And of course a great opportunity for Organisation like my Hosting one to create events. So, today we had a big Valentine's (in Polish: Walentynki) Party.

The people of the Educational, Social Rehabilitation & Inclusion Workshop together with the staff and the people of our Kitchen prepared sweets and Meltem with people from different workshops created a choreography that you can see in My Videos.

So, we danced, we ate, we drunk (not alcohol, of course!!!) and we exchanged Valentine's Cards and wishes.

Happy Valentine's, buddies!!!

Polish Language Courses * Μαθήματα Πολωνικών

How does Polish sounds??? Like a radio, while searching for stations!!!

That short joke, told to me by Poles, shows how difficult can be to learn Polish, a language full of "close" sounds, such as "z", "ż", "ź", "rz", "s", "ś", "sz", "cz" e.t.c. .

Moreover, with a quite complicated declination of nouns and adjectives (7 causes!!!) and many rules for orthography, the scene becomes even darker...

On the hand, even if it is to early to have a complete image, Polish seems to be a language that gives to its user a wide number of ways to express his/herself and due its rich vocabulary creates a framework for both concrete and analytical expression.

Why am I writing all this??? Because today we had our first Polish Language Lesson!!!

It's an obligation for the EVS Hosting or Coordinating Organisations to provide language courses to their Volunteers and of course a Volunteers' obligation to participate in them. So, last week "our Polish family" had a meeting with our teachers, Kasia and Magda, we arranged the timetable and today we started.

What can you wish us??? Good Luck!!!