Heavy riot police presence around ERT studio in Thessaloniki, Greece

Heavy riot police presence around ERT studio in Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Cameraman outside ET3 studio - Thessaloniki, Greece

Cameraman outside ET3 studio - Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

ERT reporter talking to people gathered outside studio in Thessaloniki,Greece

ERT reporter talking to people gathered outside studio in Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greeks react angrily to latest austerity measures

Greeks react angrily to latest austerity measures, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Today the ruling PASOK party announced the latest round of austerity measures meant to put Greece financial house in order. Yet more increases in VAT (this time on basic food items such as bread and milk), a road tax hike, lower tax bands as well as a new privatisation plan.

In other words more of the same kind of policies that have brought about an economic decline unprecedented in post war years and created an army of desperate unemployed who are being left to the mercy of the marketplace. Despite German media reports to the contrary Greece's not a paradise for the jobless with fewer than half those without work entitled to unemployment benefit. While other help is available, at least on paper, bureaucracy and lack of funds means that many who require help do not receive it.

Despite the continued fall in the economy and a spiralling debt load Athens continues to follow the recipe led down by its IMF. EU and ECB creditors which has brought little but disaster and suffering to millions of Greeks on lower incomes.

Tomorrow there has been a call for a Spanish style street protests here in Thessaloniki (6pm Wednesday outside the White Tower) so it shall be interesting to see if people respond. On the one hand there is certainly enough anger and indignation in Greek society but the experience of 18 months of severe economic downturn has sapped people's will to protest.

Greek cyclists take to the streets for fourth annual mass ride

Greek cyclists take to the streets for fourth time, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Taking advantage of the unusually warm weather cyclists across Greece took part in the country's fourth annual cycle ride. The event which took place in 30 venues is designed to promote the adption of bicycles in the country's cities and raise awareness of environmentally friendly alternatives to the use cars and buses for urban tranport.

In the northern port city of Thessaloniki nearly 2000 riders took to the streets with participation by cyclists of all ages. The good weather combined with the relaxed Sunday atmosphere gave the ride a carnival atmosphere.

Despite Greeks love affair with the internal combustion engine the current economic crisis in conjunction with sky high petrol prices (currently approaching 2 euros a litre / $10 dollars a gallon) means that many are digging out bicycles from storage in an effort to cut transport costs.

www.demotix.com/news/684001/greek-cyclists-take-streets-m...

Greek activists take over road tolls nationwide in protests over price hikes

Greek activists take over road tolls nationwide in protests over price hikes, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

For more information on the movement check out their blog.

Tripe and trotters

Tripe and trotters, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Recipe for Patsas (Greek tripe soup) can be found here

http://www.greek-recipe.com/static/content/Tripe_Soup.html

ΟΛΟΙ ΣΤΗ ΔΕΘ - Welcome to the Thessaloniki Interntional Trade Fair

ΟΛΟΙ ΣΤΗ ΔΕΘ - Welcome to the Thessaloniki Interntional Trade Fair
Originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ

The International Trade Fair held every September in Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki is regarded as the opening of the political season after the usual pause for summer.

Every year the prime minister comes to city to lay out the government's plans for the coming winter. It is usually marked by massive protests astrade unions, political groups and activists gather for a show of strength.

This year's fair promises to be a volatile one as the massive job losses and wage cuts bite harder forcing millions into poverty as the country struggles with the worst economic downturn in 35 years.

Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΜΠΟΡΕΙ - GREECE CAN

Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΜΠΟΡΕΙ - GREECE CAN, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greeks angry over price hikes in wake of austerity package

Greeks angry over price hikes in wake of austerity package, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

As well as cuts in wages and pensions Greeks are also reeling from massive price hikes in basic goods and services.

In the country's second city, Thessaloniki there was anger and minor scuffles outside the bus company offices when long lines of commuters queued, forced to upgrade tickest and pay the difference.

Members of Akrivia - Stop ("Stop rising prices") staged a ticket boycott and called upon passengers to refuse to buy tickets today in protest against what it called unjustisfiable increases in a time of economic crisis.

More pictures on Demotix.com

Enraged December/ Οργισμένος Δεκέμβρης - Documentary

Enraged December/ Οργισμένος Δεκέμβρης - Documentary, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Along with others I gave all the photographs and video I took during the first few weeks of the December 2008 uprising in Greece to friends who were in the process of making a documentary about the events. Their aim was to give a perspective on the nationwide riots and protests that followed the death of 15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos at the hands of a Greek police officer in the Exarchia district of central Athens.

That video has now been finished and is being shown around the country.

As part of my on going support for the project I designed this poster and I'm in the process of translating the documentary into English.

PAME trade unionists demonstrate in Thessaloniki, Greece

PAME trade unionists demonstrate in Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

About 1000 members of the PAME trade union demonstrated in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, part of a nationwide wave of protests in Greece against the government's austerity measures.

Close Pagani now - No child belongs behind bars

Close Pagaini now - No child belongs behind bars, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

"In an old warehouse in the outskirts of the city of Mytilini (Greece), in Pagani, the Special Center for the Detention of Foreigners has been established. It was built to accommodate 250 people.

Today there are 900 people held there. 300 of them are children aged 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 years old who are not accompanied by their parents.I have visited other detention centers.

Everyday I face the harsh reality of human shadows walking around the historic center of Athens. I thought I had seen it all. But what I witnessed today in Pagani is overwhelming.


Hundreds of children stand by the windows, begging you to take their photo in the hope that people, kind people, will learn of their sufferings, will feel compassion and perhaps even help them…Begging for help and handing us pieces of paper with the word FREEDOM written on them.

Many of these children have been held there for 2-3 months. They can’t go out in the courtyard, not because they are forbidden to but because there’s simply not enough room.

Several children aged 7, 9, 12, 14 started a hunger strike yesterday. One of them fainted and was taken to hospital today."

Afrodite Al Salech

afroditealsalech2.blogspot.com/



"Σε μια παλιά αποθήκη έξω από τη πόλη της Μυτιλήνης, στη Παγανή, λειτουργεί το ΕΧΠΑ (Ειδικός Χώρος Κράτησης Αλλοδαπών) Μυτιλήνης, δηλαδή το κέντρο υποδοχής (δηλαδή 3μηνης ή 6μηνης κράτησης) μη νόμιμα εισερχόμενων αλλοδαπών- και καθώς οι πλειονότητα των ανθρώπων που κρατούνται εκεί είναι απο το Αφγανιστάν: πρόκειται για κέντρο παράνομης κράτησης οιονεί προσφύγων.

Η χωρητικότητα του είναι 250 ατόμων- μολονότι στην πραγματικότητα δεν υπάρχουν υποδομές εντός του κτηρίου αυτού για μια αξιοπρεπή (έτσω σε επίπεδα φυλακών) κράτηση έστω και για ένα άτομο. Πάραταύτα, σήμερα στη Παγανή κρατούνται 900 άτομα, εκ των οποίων τα 300 είναι ασυνόδευτα ανήλικα παιδιά 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 χρόνων.

Έχω επισκεφτεί κι άλλα κέντρα κράτησης. Καθημερινά αντιμετωπίζω την κατάσταση των ανθρώπων σκιές στο ιστορικό κέντρο της Αθήνας. Πίστευα ότι τα είχα δει όλα. Αυτό όμως που αντίκρισα σήμερα στη Παγανή Μυτιλήνης με ξεπερνά.

Εκατοντάδες παιδιά να κρεμιούνται από τα παράθυρα του ΕΧΠΑ και να σε εκλιπαρούν να τους τραβήξεις φωτογραφία με την ελπίδα ότι ο κόσμος, ο καλός ο κόσμος, θα δει το δράμα τους, και ίσως να τους συμπονέσει και ποιος ξέρει; μπορεί και να τους βοηθήσει. ….Να εκλιπαρούν βοήθεια και να μας δίνουν χαρτάκια με τη λέξη «Freedom».

Πολλά από τα παιδιά αυτά βρίσκονται έγκλειστα εκεί μέσα για δύο και τρείς μήνες. Δίχως δυνατότητα προαυλισμού όχι γιατί η αστυνομία δεν τους επιτρέπει αλλά γιατί δεν χωράνε στον προαύλιο χώρο.

Αρκετά παιδιά, 7, 9, 12, 14 ετών, ξεκίνησαν εχθές απεργία πείνας.Ένα από αυτά μεταφέρθηκε σήμερα στο νοσοκομείο, λιπόθυμο."

Afrodite Al Salech

afroditealsalech.blogspot.com/

Photographs by Afrodite Al Salech

City and Guilds - Show me the money

I have decided to go public with this complaint as I seem to be getting nowhere with this. At the beginning of June I did some work as an interviewer for the City and Guilds ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) exams here in Thessaloniki. A tough weekend in which I did up to 37 interviews in one day.

As anyone who has done similar work will understand you have to follow their guidelines to the letter. This means being absolutely focused on what you are doing for hours on end with no room for error as everything is recorded. Things were not helped by the fact that at the first school I worked in we were not provided with so much as a class of water despite the fact that temperatures were 35C. Nor was there any place to get something to eat or drink in the vicinity.

To add insult to injury I still haven't been paid. I checked my bank account and they have no record of any deposit from City and Guilds and although I have sent many emails I have had no reply so far. I have worked for many other examining bodies and this is the first time I have had such problems.

Has anyone else had a similar experience either here in Greece or in other countries? I would welcome ideas about what to do next.

Latest update.

Yet more emails and still no reply let alone payment. The good news is that if you are looking for City and Guilds Greece on Google this blog entry is the first thing you will find. I think they are about to get a crash course in the power of social media. They enough money to pay for endless TV ads but not enough to pay staff?

POSTSCRIPT

I finally did get paid by City and Guilds in September, just four months late and frankly I am not working with them ever again. I just got a measly sum in my bank account and absolutely no paperwork on how my pay was worked out and what deductions were made. Tax? Health insurance? I have no idea. The amount in no way comes close to being considered a fair wage for working such long hours over a weekend in a difficult, mentally taxing job.

So, do yourself a favour avoid them if at all possible.

On the eve

On the eve, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Tomorrow is the 17th November and Greece remembers those who fought against right -wing junta and brought about their downfall in 1973.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens_Polytechnic_uprising

I will be there. I hope to see you there on the streets.

Sin City Salonika

Sin City Salonika, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.