Greexit Story So Far

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The whole concept emerged in mid-2012 when I realized that there is more in Greece than meets the European media eye. After living couple months on the Kerkyra Island, having some friends there and acquiring Petros Polonos as my chosen name, I remembered Greeks as real, not 'plastic' (as they say) people, living real lives, much different from the picture available to the tourists.

I met people who can work harder than you may imagine, but only if they need it to live well - not just to pay taxes/bills/new gadgets.

I met people who still remember how it is to live in the poverty you would never expect to see in Europe. And the same people are proud of their ancestors, who lived and fought and led the way for the Europe for centuries.

People (and this was the most amazing for me!) who were able to transcend their civil war experience (the effect of Greeks being screwed by Western Europe - again) and to grant combatant status to _both_ sides (unbelievable, from Polish perspective).

I love Greeks, as I know them. And I could not agree with the picture served by the mainstream European media, showing riotous hooligans, pointless rebels and, supposedly, thieves-at-large, now asking for a bail-out, keeping the whole Eurozone a hostage. That was the media line these months, can you remember?

And then I started spotting scattered informations, showing the other life there. First, Volos and it's independent economy. Then, unions taking over and running health care system. Municipalities getting more and more independent.

It all wants to be seen, screams to be known - it is the living proof that there is a way beyond rigor mortis of the current system.

I wrote quite an emotional text about a need of learning from Greeks. And - after some nice feedback from people who read it online - the whole thing went suspended.

Like 3-4 months later, I happened to dig it out, when putting my texts on the EDGERYDERS website. Edgerydess, being a loosely-woven group of activists trying to talk Council of Europe into something sensible, went even more enthusiastic about it. Several of them have declared that they would even jump the wagon - as soon as we have a wagon to jump.

And finally, recently I have met people from P2P Foundation, who not only seem to share my view on the issue, but they are apparently well rooted in Greece. So, this gives me hope for the coimng spring to see the project rolling ahead.

I think it is time now to gather all supporters here, count heads, list our assets and start acting!