Loyal friends and readers have probably noticed that I’ve not posted anything new for the past 2 weeks, which is the longest I’ve stayed silent in this site’s short history. At first the black hole was due to the amount of work on my plate, then it was because a hungry mosquito feasted on my writing hand, which swelled the size of an orange. Now, I don’t seem to have a reason.

My vision for this site was to present information not already covered in a clear, accurate and realistic way, whether it be practicalities of living/working in Greece, unique stories from my life that entertained and served a larger purpose, or topics given little or no attention in the news. After all, what’s the point of sinking time and effort into something regurgitated or done to death?

Wednesday night on Apodeixeis, I watched Nikos Evangelatos present an entire show on how Greece is the “king of expensive” when comparing prices of the same items elsewhere in the EU. Hey, no kidding. I first reported this fact in June 2007, during which I was not paid thousands of euros to appear on TV, but compensated by being called a liar, stupid, unfair and ill informed about Greece, then had the pleasure of being ridiculed in Greek forums and plagiarized by a Greek newspaper that will be forced to appear before an Ethics Committee at my request.

Facts are not my invention, all I am is a messenger with a mirror from which many choose to look away. Greek friends give me excellent material for this site all the time, but I know I’ll be crucified if I write certain stories and often wonder if it would have been better to lie about my nationality so the focus would be on the actual story and not who wrote it.

I’m deftly aware my country isn’t perfect, no country is. If I wasn’t aware of it, I’ve got a dozen people a day shoving it in my face on the bus, on the street, in the grocery store, at public sector offices, at work, and almost anywhere I vacation. I can shrug it off, but it’s boring and annoying nonetheless. So I ask myself, why the hell am I willingly maintaining a website that essentially invites that same grief into my home, in addition to plagiarism, legal action and neuroses? It used to be because it was fun, but lately there’s a part of me that believes my time would be better spent elsewhere.

A man in Australia whom I call a friend told me there are times that “remind <him> how embarrassing it can be to be Greek.” I understand what he means because I feel the same way about being American. I told him that being Greek is a great thing in which to take pride, just like being American can be. But we have our crosses to bear for the idiots of this world, who unfortunately claim the same nationality. All we can do is keep being who we are and break those stereotypes.

I have done everything I can to be an ambassador during my 11 years abroad, but I will not give up my inherent right to be a truthteller. And those two roles are not in conflict with each other.

I love Greece in a completely different way than I love my own country, and I am compassionate toward all people regardless of nationality…but being blind or in denial is not a part of that. Love is not unquestionable allegiance, painful longing, putting your beloved on a pedestal and seeing only perfection. This brainlessness is called being ‘in love.’

True love is what’s left when those feelings are gone, when you finally see the flawed glory of the person or thing you love for who and what they really are, and embrace those imperfections and grow together to create an inexplicable bond. That’s what I mean when I use the word ‘love,’ and this is the bond I have with Greece.