Athens was confusing. It was nice, definitely but it was
really weirdly eye opening. Nobody really tells you what it’s like to tour
Europe as a non-white gay. I’ve not touched any other country than Greece so I
guess I shouldn’t be using the word Europe right now lol. But anyways, when you
think of touring Europe, you think of eating all these different cuisines and
exploring culture and then getting down in the night but I couldn’t help but
think, in this first leg of this trip, that’s it’s probably way better being
white and experiencing these things. I don’t really have a basis for this
argument. But it’s just something you feel when you’re not white, especially
when you’re in such a white place. Or it’s just paranoia. Who knows?
The weirdest revelation for me was that Greeks were
definitely white. I was always so unsure. This confusion probably stemmed from
Jeff and Josh. So, with Jeff (my usual), I initially did think he was white.
When he described himself before our first meeting, he said he was kinda olive,
like a Greek guy. One day, however, he was complaining about a neighbour and he
used the phrase “white people!”, like in that ‘white people, am I right???’
kinda way, and I was so confused!!!! In my head I was like, but you!!! You’re
white!!!!! And then my mind made this odd link between what he said about
having somewhat olive skin and me thinking Greek people weren’t white. (Eventually,
I said something about him not being white and he was so confused hahahaha He’s
like a tru blue White Aussie and his expression was like, me? Not white? Are you blind?)
ANYWAYS, the second thing is Josh and his constant emphasis on his Greek blood
added to his opinions on coloured people being disadvantaged in film. For those
who don’t know Josh, he’s this guy at my school known for his keen interest in
Greek cinema. He’s half Greek and half Chilean. The thing is though, as much as
he exuberates (probs not using this in the right context lol) his Greekness, he says next to nothing about his Chilean roots,
really, but he’s still quite intense about being coloured and the adversities.
And I think this too confused my brain into thinking that Greek people weren’t
white hahahha I’m such a dumb-dumb. ANYFUCKINGWAYS, Europe felt really
isolating in some ways. It probably had to do with the fact that I know no
Greek. But also, I had this weird feeling that every time someone looked at me,
it was as if they were looking at an alien, but one that was beneath them.
However, this could just be how they look at tourists. But tbh, I firmly
believe that things would be very different if I were a white tourist. Greece was just so residentially white that they could tell by our skin colour that we didn't belong.
The second eye opener that came with Greece was that it was
a poor country. Or is it just Athens? I should do my research. I only read a
single line on a website that said Greece is a poor country and that’s all I
have to back this paragraph up. Anyways, I had these odd experiences where I
found that when poor people and poor children came to ask for Euros, we would
say no, but if I was in Vietnam, I would have definitely given them money. I
discussed this with Jess, however, and it probably has a lot to with of course,
the fact that we’re Vietnamese but also the fact that small amount of AUD is a
lot to a Viet child and Europe’s just plain and simple a lot more expensive
than Vietnam. But still, it was a strange thought. And a European
country/popular tourist destination being poor was something I never thought
was a thing?
Speaking of, Greece looked and felt a lot like Vietnam.
Anyways, enough of that, let’s get to the gays.
All the gays here are so much bigger than those in Aus.
However, the weirdest thing is that a lot of the buff guys here are bottoms. It
sucks because what about me. Where are all my tops?
Okay, anyways, let’s just talk about the trip in a more general sense? Idk.
So the first few days felt p odd. Ems said to me exactly how
I felt. She said that it didn’t feel like I was in Europe, in a continent on
the other side of the world, but I definitely knew I was not at home. I feel
like the biggest factor of this was that in the restaurants we went to, the
waiters all knew how to speak English and so that was a bit confuzzling xD
Eventually, the place began to feel more and more and more unfamiliar in a
worrying but also whimsical kind of way.
Arriving in Greece was magical. Maybe it was the abrupt
change in season, but it felt like the country was covered in a beautiful
golden light (the sun?? idk) that made everything glow in a way you’d never
seen before. It’s like the sun hit all the colours of every building just
right. I turned to Ems and said it was like there was filter over the entire
country.
The first meal was great and my fave of the trip, actually.
Our taxi driver from the airport said he liked just eating fish and vegetables
when Jess asked him what he specifically liked to eat in Greece (which I guess
is a bit odd to ask a guy who’s probably lived there their whole life and whose
favourite food would’ve probably been something their mother made). Ever since he
answered fish, I knew I wanted to get exactly that because if there was
something I really wanted out of Greece, it was good seafood. I had a sea bass
with this fantastic, delicious lemon olive oil sauce yummmmmmmmmm FK. We had a Greek
salad as an entrée too and the tomatoes were so dang big and so dang FRESH.
Greek food can be so dense tho. I gained so much in five
days. It’s nice but you just gotta take a break from so much meat (and Greek
salads too, really).
Apart from food, Athens was what you’d expect. Filled with
ancient history. I went to the Acropolis, which was nice, despite the snaps
from people who made it seem like it was v disappointing and kind of just a
long walk up a hill. I also went to a museum, which was cool. I wanted to see
these gigantic white sculptures tbh but I think I was in the wrong place lol
but the statues there were really magnificent (and super old).
Clubs in Athens close for the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wtf????? Apparently they move to the coasts and islands during summer though so
there’s hope of messy times in Santorini.
Oh, we went to a beach which was great because the water was
nice and I fkn missed summer so much. I missed the tans and ofc the beach and
freaking summer nights. The best part was that there were no mosquitoes too! I
fkn love summer nights.
Okay, bye. Next stop, Santorini.
