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Symi Dream

Living on a Greek island

Symi Dream - Living on a Greek island

Storm update: Books

Storm update: Books

Yesterday morning: Just a couple of quick notes today as I am off to help clear up one of the schools, or go wherever I am needed. Neil has already gone down to join in the clean-up operation, and I’m joining him and many others as soon as I can. It’ll be the first time I have been able to get down there, but I won’t be taking the camera. Not only do I not want to risk ruining it, but there are plenty of photos on Facebook and elsewhere, and I don’t want to feel like I am rubbernecking.

Yesterday afternoon: As it turned out, the emergency services and army are doing such a great job in Yialos that the council didn’t need us – though I am sure individual businesses need help (and please contact us if you do) – but the high school in Horio was also flooded and suffered damage. The children can’t return to school just yet. The science lab, for example, was a wreck, and we did what we could. Whatever the headmistress and teachers commanded – it was like being back at school, except we wanted to be there. We ended up sweeping out water, mopping floors, cleaning the gutters, and, apart from other things, having to throw away damaged books. It occurred to me, as I helped dump the sodden and ruined textbooks that I am just about to release my next Symi book. Ah ha! I thought. The answer is obvious.

I have long wanted to do what I can to help the schools, but what can I do? I was hoping to donate the piano to the music school at some point, but there’s no point doing that now as it’s an ex-piano. One of our godsons attends the high school with the children of many of our friends, and our younger godson and his posse will be there in a couple of years too.
Today I had to throw away their much-needed textbooks…
In the next day or so I will be releasing a frivolous book of my own…
Some of that income should go where it is locally needed…

And it will. Below is the cover of my new book about living on Symi, travel tales, blog posts and… well, nonsense. Now then, this was, as you know, planned for release this weekend – maybe sooner – and I am still going to go ahead with that. But, I’m going to donate a certain percent of book sales towards the high school, particularly for books the government don’t supply. From now until Christmas, a percentage of ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’, ‘Symi 85600’, ‘Carry On up the Kali Strata’ and ‘Village View’ will be donated, by me, to the school.

All you have to do is buy a copy which I was hoping my loyal Symi Dreamers would do anyway, it is, after all, dedicated to you, as you will see. If you do, you’ll also be helping Symi’s high school students.

If that doesn’t appeal, but you still want to help the island and donate towards repairing other community buildings and taking care of those who have lost possessions, head over to Solidarity Symi who are raising funds for whichever part of the island needs it first.

Symi, Stuff & Nonsense

Symi, Stuff & Nonsense