We can be heroes…

Almost two months ago I arrived back on the shores of Kos. It has been a time of great change here on the island and many, many things have happened. As I pack my bags to return to Scotland once more, I wanted to write something to encapsulate this experience and I found this draft that I wrote on my first day back on the island hiding in my hard drive. Although I have many thoughts which I will write in due time about saying farewell again and the picture of Kos now, I feel this post sums up my feelings about volunteering with Kos Solidarity pretty well. So as I prepare to say “See you later,” again to my Greek family, I think this is the perfect time to share these thoughts…

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This is the first post I am writing being back on the wonderful little island of Kos so I’ve decided rather than my incessant ramblings abut my innermost thoughts and cynicism at the state of the world I should do something a little different.
This post is dedicated to Kos Solidarity.

Within the darkness of this time in our history where humanity is showing its worst side, there has been the most incredible movement of selfless compassion and hope from everyday people all over Europe and further. The international volunteer movement has been astounding, from fundraising to life saving, it has been one of the only positives to focus on during this crisis.
International volunteers have had a spotlight shone on them for their service to humanity, which of course they deserve, but sometimes I feel you don’t hear so much about the local people. Those who live in the areas concerned with the refugee journey who changed their ways of life in response to a crisis which appeared on their doorstep. In this situation there are two things a person can do – they can run towards or they can run away. Those who ran towards, I salute you.

For many of us internationals, we have given our all to help in the time we have spent in the Greek islands, through the European routes, Calais or wherever we have found ourselves. We have done our best, we have tried to make a difference, but the majority of us at some point have gone home. Maybe we stayed a few days, a week, a month, several months with each moment of that being vital but at some point we go back to our lives. For the locals – this is their lives.

The wonderful Greeks here in Kos, who have taken a little Scottish girl and made her feel like part of the family are a bunch of the most inspirational people you will ever meet. They are not really the ones for recognition, although they deserve all the recognition in the world for what they have done to help those in need, so in respect to that I won’t use any names in this little ramble of gratitude for their existence.

Way back in April of last year, long before many people really started to take notice, Kos started to find itself receiving more refugees than ever before. As the numbers showed no sign of slowing down and there was no aid or support coming from the local council or any major charities, a group of locals decided to take it upon themselves to fill the gaps. Without this incredible group, I dread to think what would have happened.

Now these guys are ordinary folks, with ordinary lives, ordinary jobs – but their response to what was happening makes them nothing short of extraordinary. The most important, and I personally think the most inspiring thing about their movement was solidarity. They stood in solidarity with the people in need, side by side, treating everyone the same regardless of nationality, treating everyone as a human being, with never a glimmer of a white saviour.

If people were hungry they provided food from their own kitchens, sometimes to thousands. If people needed shelter they would do everything within their power to provide it. There are so many difficulties here with the political situation, in particular with a mayor who would rather do anything rather than help the people arriving on his shores in dinghy’s. Due to this Kos Solidarity has not always had the easiest times in a town covered in so much red tape, red tape that unfortunately many international volunteers do not always see. The respect I have for each and every one of these inspiring men and women is beyond words.

My time spent with Kos Solidarity has been everything I could wish for to restore my faith in humanity. They have not only been there for thousands of people fleeing war and persecution, they have also been there for their volunteers and have looked after us all so well. They believe in people and they restore your belief in people.

The hours that these guys have put in over the last year is just unbelievable, on call 24/7, always there no matter what situation unfolds. On top of this they still have their jobs, their families, their lives.

Patrolling beaches in the middle of the night, every night, on top of your day job, bringing up your children and all the other every day things life throws at you – these are the kind of people you don’t meet often in your life because there are not so many people quite like this in the world.

From teachers to graphic designers, local pub owners to artists and even someone who I am convinced is a real life batman, to mention but a few, these are the people who ran towards a crisis on their doorstep.

Things are very, very different now here in Kos than how I found it in September, just like how I imagine the previous months to when I arrived were a world of difference compared to my first experience. Now there is so much more support from UNHCR and NGO’s, the workload is now shared, a workload that now due to a drop in the number of arrivals is much less. It’s interesting to see how far everything has come but I also think it’s very important to remember where this all started and those who were trying their best to make the difference before the support was there. Those who gave everything when there was nothing.

I know that many people, including myself, have a big problem with the H word – hero. I know many of us feel that what we are doing here is not heroic, but simply what human beings should be doing for other human beings, this is my feeling entirely but I make a little exception here simply as I cannot find another word in the dictionary which can sum up the efforts of Kos Solidarity other than heroic. Now I am sure that if any of you Solidarity folks are reading this, I’m sure you will think I am just being over dramatic (Me! Imagine!) but really and truly – in my eyes you are heroes.

Things may not be easy and in an ever changing chaotic situation, there will always be chaos, but it has been a honour to be a little part of this true grass roots movement. All of the volunteers who have joined from all over, each individual has played a part and has made a difference, and I think it is very special to have witnessed this.

I’m sure the majority of us internationals feel the same way when it comes to packing our bags, all we want to do is stay.
Our lives have been changed. Our worlds have been changed. Our hearts have been changed.

I am, and will be, forever grateful.

Thank you.