Discussing politics and economics in the Aegiali of Amorgos, accompanied by a «grimeni» (a traditional drink made of raki, honey and herbs), is revealing. Languages (which are free here anyway) are «untied», emotions are released, you see other approaches.

«A journalist, huh? Any good news you can tell us?»

Amorgos is an alternative destination, it has energy, it has people who think freely and express themselves. If you declare your profession as a journalist, things become more difficult. In your person they initially see someone in power who troubles them. Someone who hides from them the truth which they themselves live every day and which is not the same as the one on the 8 o'clock news. And they describe their own truth to you:

This year the ferry tickets for 2 people and an SUV from Piraeus (return) cost around 400 euros. This year petrol has exceeded 2.78 euros per litre and is still going up. This year hoteliers have to absorb the increased cost in electricity. Everything that is not produced in Amorgos and has to be brought in from another region is subject to expensive transport costs. In addition, and in Amorgos it is not easy to find a worker or (much less) a craftsman. All this, of course, does not bother them because they are optimistic people. But this summer is expected to be difficult for the tourist who chooses alternative destinations, but has no financial comfort...

How do they deal with these problems? With a smile, with a lot of work, with restraint but also with anger. After all, Amorgos (like «every Amorgos» in Greece) is your choice. No one forced you to be here. You chose it because that is how you want to live your life.

This does not deprive you of the right to ask for something better.

«I don't read newspapers and I don't watch the news. But I live here and I will not tolerate anyone lying to me about what I see every day.».

So what are the issues that concern them?;

First, accuracy. In Amorgos, you live on a small income. In the summer tourism, the rest of the year a bit of farming, a bit of gardening, a bit of building, a bit of whatever happens. Whatever gets expensive makes your life more difficult. Old cars (which are prevalent here) burn a lot of gas.

If you open the discussion about «energy transition» and «electric cars» they laugh.

«Are you going to pay me or Mitsotakis? I don't have any money»... Heating probably doesn't bother them much, «we have a wood stove». But they are interested in electricity. And, like all of us, it «burns» them.

Second is disappointment. They are «at loggerheads» with the government, but also with the opposition. Not to the same extent, but there is nothing to inspire them, no one to give them hope.

Thirdly, as far as the Turkish threat is concerned, at least those I talked to did not seem very concerned. Perhaps because they believe that «it's a game of politics, and Erdogan and Mitsotakis are both in it for the elections». Maybe because «the Americans won't let them, they have problems with the Russians now»...

Fourth, they are concerned about youth:

«Everybody is leaving or wants to go abroad. Here, to get a decent job you have to have a means.».

What about the elections? «What can I tell you, lad? If it was an election to change our lives, they would have made it illegal,» declares the youngest of the group, winking...

Amorgos is a paradise on earth, one of the many that exist in Greece, but unique, like no other. It is the choice of certain individuals with alternative choices and pursuits. You won't go there for «showing off wealth», after all, that doesn't pass. You will go for the energy that the island radiates and for its people. Only they have to be there, which is getting harder and harder... They have to be able to make a decent living. And the young people have to stay.

When I (as a provocateur) opened the discussion about «amazing quality of life» and «holistic approaches», they just laughed. They see it differently. As Gatsos says in his «Amorgos»:

And if you're thirsty for water we'll throw up a cloud

And if you're hungry for bread we'll slaughter a nightingale

Only wait a moment to open the bitter-hearted

N᾿ the black sky shines and the flame blooms.

By Yannis Koronaiou