Hello my dear readers!
The courses at the School of Silversmithing are over and a circle is almost closed for good, if we exclude the internship required to get our degree. In this article I will share with you some highlights from the last two weeks that the school was open.
On June 9, we had the last drawing lesson with Fotis Kolokythas. We decided to do something we’ve been talking about since the first year, to hold the course in Lousios River. There we discussed jewelry, design and art in general. Beyond that, however, some of us dived for the first time in the icy waters of the river. Be careful if you are not used to it, because the very low temperature of the water can take your breath away. Otherwise it’s a very refreshing experience and even though the water was cold, as soon as I got out of it I felt more awake than before and warm all over my body. After the dive I tried for the first time the sklackline that Fotis had brought with him, and he told me that I did great for a beginner. I enjoyed trying to balance on the rope with the water splashing on the rocks for background sound.
On the 11th of the month after the celebration of the First Peloponnesian Senate in the square of Stemnitsa, with Athena and Ilias we took the car and took a huge drive passing six villages of Mainalo. We were transported from one side of the mountain to the other and thus encountered different weather conditions. The music was blasting through the speakers, we stopped at a few cafes, we looked at beautiful views and ran towards the rainbow.
I will never forget those spring car rides and the company of my two good friends. They are priceless!
On the 23rd of the month we gave the last two lessons of the exams. That same evening, the seniors of the school had a small party in the courtyard. It had drinks, snacks, dancing and… a lot of emotion! We said goodbye to each other and took some photos. I am grateful for this year, the moments we spent together and what we learned about ourselves. I wish everyone good luck and see you again, here in Stemnitsa or anywhere else!
The very next day most of them left for good, including my beloved Athena… We exchanged some gifts and thanked each other for everything we spent together here in the small mountain village. Over the next few days, most of the others left as well. A few stayed permanently in Stemnitsa. Among them me…
New things have started happening in my life, which I will share with you in future posts… And as one circle closes and another opens, when I returned home after three days away due to elections, the place near the fridge smelled awful. Something was wrong and I felt the energy in my house unbearable. Ilias helped me identify the problem and it was some stagnant water that had been collecting in the refrigerator for a long time in a special saucer, so that it wouldn’t stay in the food area. We cleaned it so well inside and out that in the end it looked like new! It’s time to let the old go, to make room for the new. The refrigerator was the ultimate metaphor for this general feeling.
What is certain is that a new beginning is upon us and I am looking forward to this summer and the rest of 2023. So far it has had trials and lessons but it has brought me to where I am today and that is great! I’m ready for whatever life brings! Ready to run in the direction I always set despite the challenges. Full of enthusiasm for nature, mount Mainalo, life and everything that unfolds daily in front of my eyes!
I hope you are too!