The Traveler Next Door My Friend Carol Expert on Turkey and Greece

The Traveler Next Door My Friend Carol Expert on Turkey and Greece My friend Carol, a beautiful and unique woman in the early anni'50, is a math teacher in high school, a talented painter, a very decent piano player, and more - a world traveler. I knew only about a year ago or more, but once I found all the places that were knew it had to do an interview with her.Carol has traveled since 1970, and has built some amazing connections 2 countries: Greece and Turkey. He lived in Turkey for almost 8 years and has friends throughout their lives in what she calls his "second country". It has also forged close ties with some people in a small village in Greece. Here is his story: 1. Tell us a little 'of your travel experience in general. What places have you visit? It all started with my first trip to London, England, to visit my uncle when I was 16 years. Jouey that changed my life and the world open to me. Basically, I made a protected life in Scarborough (a suburb of Toronto) and had really known nothing else. The trip to London gave me this trip that has never wrong. I backpacked Europe the summers of 1972 and 1973,? And when you could do? Europe on $ 5 a day?. Greece was the cheapest? We have reached $ 2 a day! The next summer I went to this PE I. and the next summer in the weste part Victoria.After University in 1976, I took a couple of years off to travel. My sister joined me for the first year. We started in Paris, visited our father in communist Yugoslavia Czecholosovakia the beach? Makarska, and then to Greece. Greece after having flown to Israel to work on a kibbutz. I had to see what was happening in that country the news. I was 8 months and then became an au pair in Paris for 11 months. Back to Greece, followed by a trip to Turkey, Jordan and Syria in July 1978 and then go back to real life in Toronto.I always short trips back to Greece when he became a school teacher. And for the members to visit friends who had met in my jouey. A marriage at the top of the World Trade Center, a friend in Memphis, in addition to the memory of Elvis, and a friend in San Francisco, where I fell in love with the Golden Gate Bridge and the other to close my full-time secondary Manhattan.I job after 4 years and was a trip to Tokyo, Hong Kong and Thailand. The moment is at hand? were in Plaza Tiannanmen one month before slaughter 1989.From May 1989 to 1999 he worked as a teacher of high school in Istanbul, Turkey, to retu home twice a year and a half once a year. My love affair with Turkey began. Before retuing to Canada for good in 1999, I had the pleasure of visiting Australia, a great country with friendly people.2. You have a very special relationship to a village called Parga in Greece. Please tell us his first meeting with the people of Parga.The first time I went to Parga was in 1976. He had worked in O? Keefe Center [a popular venue for concerts and theater in Toronto], and there was an usher told me about this beautiful city in Greece to go in the summers. Produced a postcard with a beautiful beach and gave the floor? Parga? as if it were magic. Impossible? Do not speak English, so not much? Even knowing where it was in September 1976 on Greece.In my jouey with my sister, who had just come from Yugoslavia, which were in Corfu. Corfu tour for us, so we wanted to visit another place in Greece. My idea was to Crete. Sounds like a lot, but on the way to Israel. We could? Do not decide what I have just opened a map of Greece, and my eyes went directly to? Parga? (a small village in north-west Greece, so small that it is sometimes even on the map). Parga !!!!! Then I remembered that the magic word pronounced by the bailiff. ? What? S ir, "I said, and, fortunately, was close to Corfu. The travel agent surprised us by asking how to obtain instructions. It was not? Not very popular among foreign tourists yet. He added:? Young people are beautiful?. Well, that did! We left that day.I Igomenitsa ferry travel for 2 hours and 2 hours by bus to the south. We arrived in the afteoon and found a room for the night and walked along the shore of the country. E 'bello? 2 small islands in the harbor, with a church, a castle on one side of the hill and mountain behind.We ate? Brizola? (pork chops) and sat down at the AFC? ? Parga Abogados? Discuss our plans, including not talking to young people in a whole week, because they were tired of people in Yugoslavia, which arrived too strong. At that time one of the best men he had ever seen walked up to us with your friend who spoke English and asked if he could sit down. My sister said? No ", I said? Yes?. I was fascinated. Both rooms were rented one in a nightclub, and one under construction next to us. A $ 1 per day and one of $ 2 per night. We chose the latter are not above the disco. Lefter appeared a greek god or like a young Marlon Brando. I had a friend, Camille, a Canadian woman who was in Parga for the 3rd time. Brought to the table and we became instant friends.To a long story short, it was a month in Parga, the time of our lives. This is a small fishing village virgin, and only 3 people who spoke English and had very few tourists in September. And the girls are beautiful! Lefter, Camille, and many young people in their late 40 and 50, my sister and I are friends who still remember the old days of the summers of 1976 to 1979.3. Since his first time in Parga, his relationship with this city and its people has evolved. Tell us a little 'of human connections.I always have my back to Parga holiday, unfortunately it is too far and too expensive to go every year. In 1976 my sister Elaine made friends with a guy by the name of Christos, who was in the nightclub every night, dance a storm and was one of three people who spoke English. He invited us to have coffee with her mother, a great mother, who extended their hospitality to us (? Ksenis?). Foreign women is not a favorable attitude in the village at the time and probably still today, as it seemed that we were there to take the young. I remember the first woman he married and became tourists to live in the village. This was in 1976. Now there are at least 40 of these marriages. (Maybe the local women? S is justified paranoia). Gia, Christos? mother, my mother has become greek. Any of it? Adopted? me, or was the opposite. How many hours I spent in his small house with 2 rooms, small kitchen, and the most magnificent sight I ever seen. She fed me, kept me company, I was taught greek and slowly we communicate. Vagelis was a wonderful husband, I had coffee with every moing in the village. And 7 children, mostly from older people, then? 6 boys and 1 girl.Christos Lefter and retued to Toronto in 1978 with us. Christos had never slept in a bed before. Lefter went to visit her brother and sister in Chicago, Christos stayed with us for 4 months and saw snow for the first time. He now lives with his wonderful partner, Jo (from England) in Brussels with 3 beautiful children and still loves him? Patates? (French fries). Lefter still lives in town with his beautiful young wife Marilena greek and 3 beautiful children. It is used to run discos and 2? Bouzouki? in olive groves. Which now has a restaurant for many years. Who knows where he leaed to cook?. Many young people who used to know between 1970 and still live and work in Parga. Most have their own families. Some are still single, many have their businesses.4. What is your favorite memory of your stay in Parga? I have many favorite memories of my stays in Parga. I? Ll mention 3rd You're always there and always will be there every time I go. I can always count on it. The moon, especially when full. The full moon rises next to the people, which makes its way through most of the beach and, finally, defines the top of the monastery. There is nothing to match it. The whole world knows that love the full moon? ? panselino? is named in memory of other Greek.My was a favorite bar? Stavlos?, In charge of Angel and Giorgo of Veria. Giorgo money started in 1978? always the best bar! A bottle of Retsina (greek Wine)? 17 drachmas (50 cents)! E? Toast, "Like a grilled cheese for a dollar. It usually can be done as Giorgo was too absorbed with his girlfriend at the time. My sister and I were his first customers were invested many hours watching people on foot. It seemed to be always open, even after the club at 4 am. A great atmosphere! How many cups are washed (help)?. Giorgo greek became my brother and, sadly, was closed after a couple of years due to rising rents. I have always worked? the islands of Paros, Santorini and Kos, and the city of Veria, near Thessaloniki. He married a Danish woman, who has become a good friend of mine. He now lives in Denmark and has 2 beautiful children. I visited 3 times. I love Spain! 3 My memory is my relationship with the family Avlona, Christos, his mother, his father and brothers. They made me feel part of their family. Vageli died 12 years ago and sadly died early last year. Parga will never be the same without her, nor I. Finally, however, after 5 years, I would like to see Christos, Jo and the family this summer, at the end of Parga August.5. You spent some 'time in Turkey. Please tell us where and how did we do? The first time I visited Turkey was in July 1978. My traveling companions were two gay friends, one from Jordan and the United Kingdom. It took several buses to Jordan from Athens and stopped in Turkey and Syria on the road. That trip! It 'been a year? Midnight Express? left, not a film? Do not show a turkey in a favorable light at all, and Turkey does not seem the most desirable country to go to.I knew nothing of Turkey, and imagine a country? brown mustache barbarians ", the typical stereotype. As I wrong! Back in Canada I became a teacher of mathematics in secondary schools. After 4 years I have had enough and quit. I wanted to work in Greece for a year, but there was a problem with work permits. A friend called me in March 1989 and told me that he saw an ad in the Globe and Mail for teachers of English and mathematics in Istanbul. I applied because I thought it was close to Greece. I was recruited and went to Istanbul with 13 other Canadians to work in a private secondary school. I never know who is on the fringes of the suburbs was Istanbul.We apartments near the sea, the Princes? Islands. But we were isolated, with no TV, no telephone, no English newspapers in our neighborhood. The work was hard: 38 students in each of our 6 classes. And nothing to do in almost night.I came home in March of 1990. But I began to be in love with Istanbul, during the summer and decided to retu and work in the city center. After a year in Canada, only that I did and stayed until December 1998.The entire interview with photos is published at Travel and Transitions - InterviewsSusanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (Travel and transitions are conces unconventional travel and is full of hints, tips, real life experiences of travel, interviews with travel experts and travelers, insights and knowledge, including cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and transitions that we face, how to move through our personal lives through their joueys.Submit travel stories in our first travel story contest (and a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the River Amazonas. "Life is a jouey? explore new horizons. "