Yia Sas means hello, goodbye, cheers and thank you in Greek. In a short 10-day span I said hello to Greece and never want to say goodbye. Before the trip I listed many things I wanted to learn more about and do while there.
Food! We gathered greens for our meal and learned to prepare dishes their way. There were no processed foods on our table and no fast food on Ikaria. Everything was fresh and raised locally. Arriving back home in Indiana, I’ve incorporated new ways of food preparation. My first stop at the grocery store included purchases of fresh herb plants, beans and more fresh produce than ever before. I’ve made several new recipes and I’ve been tweaking them to my taste. Less meat and more beans should make a healthier me.
Community was something I knew about but really didn’t understand the Ikarian version until living it. Both communities are about the same size, 8500 people. I live in a county community. Ikaria is an island community. They share what little they have, laugh and visit without calling or a text. Life happens, life flows, no worries. We visited a farm and we were invited inside. Fifteen of us squeezed into their small home. Greeted as honored guests, we ate goat meat, homemade cheese and homemade wine. Even though their English was limited, toasts were made with smiles. Quick friendships were born. Spur of the moment times are the best.
Exercise in Ikaria is a way of life; it’s called activity. It’s not scheduled. It flows and is a part of life. You want to gather herbs for dinner. You walk up the mountainside to gather them. If you want to enjoy the sunset, you walk down to the beach. Visiting neighbors is up or down a path. Going up or down is how you get from place to place! The only flat surface was at the airport. Gardening the rocky soil and irrigating was a necessity, as you ate what you raised.
The trip to Ikaria, Greece was a once in a lifetime experience. We learned so much about the people, the Ikarian way of life and immersed ourselves into their culture. Language was not a barrier. Diving into the community with both feet and an open mind makes for wonderful memories, great learning, and great friendships. Until we meet again, Ikaria.
Jean Akers
