Thessaloniki

Well, we've covered the transportation strike and the garbage strike, have I mentioned the electricity strike yet? The rolling blackouts in Thessaloniki that can trap you in the elevator and cause traffic to back up for miles when the traffic lights go out? Oh yes. (There are rumors that the garbage strike is over, yet there is a pile of garbage too big for an entire garbage truck on each street corner, so I guess they have a lot of work to do.) (P.S. there is also a gas strike.)

So, I made it to Thess. Not without a horribly frustrating and anxiety-inducing morning that I won't share about because it was not my finest moment! It became apparent that a taxi was out of the question after 20 minutes of trying to get one and my hotel being unable to get one for me after that, so I dragged my suitcase through the streets of Athens searching for a bus stop where I could board a bus #51 to the bus terminal. I made it, got to the station, got a bus to Thess, and arrived in Thess in the rain 2 hours late because of aforementioned rolling blackouts. Thankfully Kiki was there waiting for me when we finally rolled in. I have never been happier to see someone I don't know from Adam in all my life. :)

Kiki is the granddaughter of a good friend of Sandie's, she is 27 and Greek and lives here in Thess. She speaks English and Spanish so we have several avenues of communication if we can't get an idea across in one language. :) She is studying all kinds of things so that she will be able to get a job; as I have learned since being here, it is nearly impossible to get a (decent-paying) job in Greece because of laws imposed on employers and because everyone is overqualified. We stayed up late last night talking, and had a three hour lunch today with a bottle of ouzo and yummy Greek appetizers. (She later took me to the "cookie man" store and we loaded up...I am so full!) We walked by the sea this afternoon and saw the White Tower. Thessaloniki is beautiful. I am taking pictures, you will just have to wait until I get home (I stole the one above from some website, but that's pretty much what it looks like today).

Last night I went on an outreach with the Door to Life ministry. The director, Whitney, has been here with her family for 8 years. The pr0stitution scene is much smaller here than in Athens, and I think they are still kind of looking for their "in," still trying to build relationships with madames and women in bars to find where the hub of the trafficking occurs. It's here, for sure, but seems to be more undercover and difficult to find. Door to Life focuses a lot on 50+ year old women who work in bars. Every holiday they visit the brothels and give gifts to the girls and madames, but building relationships there takes time. Last night on our outreach actually they encountered one of the madames in a bar and were invited to hang out with the girls when they are not working, so it seems they are getting somewhere.

There is a center here in Thessaloniki that was started two years ago by a non-religious group for trafficking victims as sort of a transitional place for them to stay. There has never been a trafficking victim there. The problem is the Greek law that requires charges to be pressed within 11 days of an arrest (a victim who is arrested for pr0stitution has to bring charges against her trafficker within 11 days). This has not been enough time for advocates to get in the jails and establish trust with the girls so that they would even admit they have been trafficked. They are then just released again back onto the streets. It's been a frustrating wall to come against.

I am at a hotel up above Thessaloniki for this women's conference put on by Hillsong, and I still don't really know what I'm doing here. :) I felt pretty sure there was a reason I was coming to Thessaloniki but I'm not sure what that is exactly yet. If I had to make a decision right now, I would choose Athens. I loved the Nea Zoi staff there, and they are beginning research for a new day center to teach girls job skills and other skills, and get them connected with businesses as internships to give them alternatives to pr0stitution. This is right up my alley. We'll see; I am still open to whatever could be here in Thess, too.

It is just about time for Registration for this conference. I have seen Sandie running around here, so I guess I should go find her and tell her I actually made it to Greece. :) More later; there are computers and internet at this hotel, so I may find myself here frequently over the next few days. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement!