Ex-pat Health Info, Refugees and thanks
I am taking a deep breath and resisting a rant, and anyone who knows my feelings on the yUk and what it’s become since 2016 will understand why. Coincidentally, as news came in that the country had continued on its decline from being one of the world’s leading democracies to the state of Germany in 1933 when the Reichstag was suspended (allegedly due to a fire but a move which also ‘suspended individual rights and due process of law’), I also received a message from the Consul in Rhodes. This information has been out there for a while, apparently, but now seems a good time to remind people of what the UK has said about anyone who may be forced to return there. It concerns health care, and I don’t profess to understand the details yet. It also came with a video which I can only share via the Facebook page it comes from, so if you’re not Facebook-connected, you may not be able to see it. It is here if you want to try. And here is the image and info that came with it.
Moving on… Thank you to everyone who sent good wishes for our anniversary-22, including Yianni Rainbow who gave us a rose. We decided that we would go to Yialos for the evening or part thereof to eat. It’s funny that after 22 years we still find ourselves in the same situation when it comes to deciding where to dine. We’re prone to do that thing where you pay verbal table tennis: ‘Where do you want to eat?’ ‘I don’t know, where do you want to eat?’ ‘What about X?’ ‘Hm, we could try Y.’ ‘You want to go to Y?’ ‘I don’t know, X does Z.’ ‘So does W, we could go there.’ ‘If you want.’ ‘Do you want to?’ ‘I don’t mind. Where do you want to go?’ And off we go again. We ended up going to Trata as it was nearest to where we’d set up the ping-pong discussion, and life, after all, is too short for table tennis.
The harbour was busy. Loads of yachts in, including two proudly showing the rainbow flag as there is a gay charter company operating in the Dodecanese – recently seen on Tilos according to my friend Maria over there. The rainbow flag was waving among the others, Turkish, Maltese, British, German, French, you name it, the UN was in town (not really), and there was a very impressive line-up of masts and crafts on both sides of the harbour. There probably is on most summer nights, but I’m not in Yialos on most summer nights, and only see the end of the harbour from our balcony. This show of luxury and fun was a contrast to the 240 + refugees seeking asylum and shelter on the island. The police and port police continue to do the best they can with the numbers and, hopefully, government and EU support, and volunteers continue to assist with donations from the generous public. Look up the Solidarity Symi pages on Facebook to see how you can help, and contact them there if you can volunteer. Remember, though, that (as far as I know) the charity is no longer in existence and the guy coordinating is also running his businesses, so try not to hassle. The best thing, I heard, is to donate cash at Taxas supermarket in Yialos. There, you sign to show you’ve donated (for accounting purposes), and the money is then used for what is needed; that works better than calling into the crowded police station with donations as the officers, though appreciative of the thought, will have more important things to attend to, i.e. people in crisis.
Donations can also be made via Next Stop Symi where, if you’re a British taxpayer, the government will contribute a percentage of what you put in. It will be explained on their pages.
