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Symi Dream

Living on a Greek island

Symi Dream - Living on a Greek island

A taxing Saturday, and a calmer Symi Sunday, I hope

Symi Greece photos

Started putting things in boxes.

Well, that’ll teach us to do the right thing. Popped into the accountant’s office on Saturday to check up on a piece of paper that came through the post, a fifty-something VAT bill from last year, so no big shakes. And was then told that taxes were due for 2013… I mean, nearly two years ago now, and where did that come from?

Symi Greece photos

Boat at the Kalodoukas office

Ah, some is personal income tax so fair enough but then there’s this large amount for having a business. Doesn’t matter that a) you only had a small business and you’re not Microsoft or anything and b) you don’t actually have a business anymore, you closed it because c) you had no money… So, that’s now been added to the list of monthly expenditure to be paid off in instalments. And, what’s worse, there will be another one along soon for 2014, including a tax for having a business during that year. The bill, for anyone who is interested, covers 24% personal income tax (no matter what, apparently, and the income threshold seems to be more a serving suggestion than anything remotely helpful), €600 for the joy of having a business during that year, plus something like 45% of that year’s income tax paid again, in advance, towards the following year’s income – if that makes sense. So, the bill due to come along in a few months will be for 2014 income tax, + business tax + 45% towards 2015 income.

Symi Greece photos

Opening of the well being centre

Someone is having a laugh, and why didn’t this arrive back in June or whenever it usually comes in? Perhaps Sunday’s elections will cause a change for the better and this ridiculously high (for a small biz) business tax will go by the wayside – I am sure it’s never been that high before. (Used to be €250 a year. No wonder small businesses are going out of business.) And here endeth the Sunday morning rant – as I am writing this on Sunday morning with ‘death bells’ ringing rather atmospherically, though interspersed with joyful bells – as if someone is secretly happy that someone else has passed on and can’t resist pressing the happy button every now and then – the wind has died down and the sun is out. Once I wake up and get over it I may actually go out and about.

Symi Greece photos

View of Yialos, Saturday

We did that yesterday (Saturday), with a visit to the new Well Being centre in Yialos which was opening its doors. That was followed by a wander around the harbour looking for a cover for my tablet, no joy but I should hear today (Monday) about one that can be ordered for me. I could buy one online and have it delivered, but other people have small business taxes to pay, so I would rather support them. And that was followed by a visit to the Wind shop. It’s amazing what you can buy on Symi, you can even buy wind.

Symi Greece photos

And another one, taken on Saturday

No, actually, you used to be able to buy Symi air, from Neil, at his shop (taxes included) but I am talking about my mobile phone service provider which used to be called Telestet then changed its name to Tim, found that rather too informal and so became Wind. Now lots of people in Greece have wind, myself included. I’ve been on a contract for a few years now paying around €30.00 per month. For that I can make calls and send texts until the balance is used up, and then on 19th of each month they make the balance up to €30.00 again, so, if I use it all up I do okay but if I only use, say €5.00 worth, they still only make it up to the €30.00 limit and I still have to pay €30.00 – yes I know, takes a bit of getting your head around –though I do get a ‘free’ smart phone every 18 months.

Symi Greece photos

Photographos!

But not any longer. I cancelled it yesterday, and I will go back to a pay as you go one instead. This means a new sim card, but the same number, apparently. So, if you have my phone number it remains the same but I may lose yours when I change sim cards (March 19th) and forget to transfer them over. I hardly use the phone anyway, and now I have the tablet I will miss the thing even less. Always best to send me an email or a text, rather than ring me, I sometimes watch the phone ringing and think, ‘No, not answering that, it could be someone wanting to speak to me.’ Which is, I know, pretty daft as that what phones are for, but I just don’t like their intrusiveness and the way they keep ringing.

So, that’s me got that off my chest, I’ll let you get on with the week ahead now. The cat is bothering me for his second breakfast and I have Harry’s washing in our machine to tend to so best go and get on with that…