life in Athens | 2 months of solitude
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- I lived in Athens for 2 months. The city was completely foreign to me. I didn't know anyone there, and I didn't meet anyone there. It was 2 months of solitude, and for the first time during my travel, I felt lonely. But now looking back on that period of time, I am grateful that I had the space for myself to clear some thoughts, and immerse myself in the city.
If you are interested in documentary type of videos, please check my main channel @issafilm_
#greece #athens #calmvlog #aestheticvideo
Great aesthetics on the video!
Been living in Greece for 4 years and I can relate to what you're saying...what I've learned is you have to do activities or things where the kind of people you'd associate with, hang out. Once you've connected with 1 person, you'll soon be introduced to 10 from all walks of life. Athens is interesting like that.
Thank you! and thank you for your advice:)
ok promoting life is cheap in greece while we are living hell with 800 euros salaries and overloaded rents and bills
no its not cheap 3.80 euros 1 poor pita gyros, in a country with basic salary lower than 800 euros
I'm truly glad your experience was a positive one all around. When alone and a woman, it's not easy to trust people you don't know. Especially when you have no idea about their mentality. I'm Greek (have been a permanent resident of Greece for 40 years) while it saddens me that in the end you didn't make friends, it was the wisest thing to do. Should you come again, it will be quite different. All the best to you Issa.
PS
Issa (ίσα) in Greek means straight or straight ahead
Looking forward to your videos ❤
Thank you for your sweet message. I would love to visit Greece again, hopefully soon:)
Even myself that I grow up in Athens, and now i live in UK, every time i go there i feel the same like you, and i stay in my Athens home alone, going out to eat and visit places that i know all my life, but there is the strange feeling of been alone among millions of people...
Very chill video, I like your style a lot. You seem to look at things the same way I do. I’ve watched a bunch of Greece vlogs, but they were kinda generic. Yours is a lot more aesthetic. I’m surprised this was in my recommended with only 5k views, but I’m glad I found it! It did strike me as a little melancholic and then I got to the end and understood why. If you ever visit Athens again, I’d be happy to show you around and help you avoid the tourist traps. I’m currently living here for my uni studies and I like exploring as well 😁
Thank you! If I visit Athens again, it would be great to hang out with you. Have a great summer!
You literally showed my favourite chips!!😭 I'm sorry you were alone during your time here, it's true that you don't easily make friends if you don't already have a circle going on from school, job etc. And mostly Greeks tend to stay within their circle. Also I lived in Athens my whole life and there's barely any events that will make you get to know people. Most people socialize at bars etc but I don't find this as legit way to meet friends.
去年我在雅典待了一年，你的影片完全喚起了我那一年的記憶～（參觀帕德嫩神殿、博物館、農夫市集、書店咖啡店，還有很好叫的外賣🥰）上個月，我再訪雅典幾天，也去了那間叫Yiasemi的咖啡店（在你影片3:41出現那間）覺得好神奇，我曾走過那個旋轉樓梯😍影片的步調、配樂都恰好地傳達雅典的生活滋味，實在太喜歡你拍攝的視角了，謝謝分享！
也谢谢你
Greek here. Love the video, it perfectly encapsulates the vibe of summer in the center of Athens.
I have to say, it is not entirely your fault that you didnt make any friends. Greece is a tourist country yes, but it is difficult to make close friends if you are an expat. However, the center of Athens is the best place for internationals to socialize, as it is one of the more alternative areas. I would suggest searching for group activities like a book club, hiking etc. I am sure there must be groups of expats in Greece on facebook or something.
Thank you for you suggestions. I really appreciate it!
Athens can be tough to meet and make friends. People stick to their own groups a lot, and even though they speak English, unless it is a crowd that studied abroad, they will most likely prefer to speak in Greek and therefore are less eager to make friends with non speakers. I found it easier to make friends with the international crowd which there's always Greeks who are more keen to speaking a different language in it. If you happen to pass by another time, we could go for tea/coffee. Enjoy your journey!
thank you! it will be great to meet you in Athens
I just came across this video when looking at videos of Athens because I just booked a trip there, and this video was soo lovely and relaxing. Such a unique tone, I had to follow you
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy your trip in Greece:)
Your video is beautifully done! I really appreciate your aesthetics. As a Greek who has lived in Athens for 25 years, you’ve perfectly captured the city’s vibe. I’m about to leave Greece for work in another country, and your video made me nostalgic for Athens even though I’m still here. The city can be ugly and harsh, but it has an alluring energy that you’ve captured perfectly.
Thank you! I hope everything goes well for your new chapter of life
Your videos appeared by chance on my youtube home page and I immediately fell in love with them: they transmit very strong emotions, such as melancholy. Please keep making them, I love them, you are very talented! Can I ask you how you managed to visit so many cities? I would love to visit many places like you did. Regards❣(Sorry for any mistakes, english isn't my first language)
Thank you so much for your kind words. I am very lucky to work remotely so that I am able to visit these places
yeah this is a very unusual summer even for greece its basicly a constant 35 to 40-43c with no sign of even a single droplet of rain till late september
This is such a nice video, it shows Athens as it often feels like to us, day to day life as if you were living all the time in the xity center. When i was studying at thw university downtown Athwns, that's exactly how I used to spend my days (now i live in the suburbs). I am so glad you enjoyed your stay here!!!
Thank you!
I am in the process of watching your videos on both channels and i absolutly love them !!! it makes me want to get out of my head and go see the world, even if it is just outside of my home, even if i am on my own. thank you very much for sharing your videos, they are very precious.
thank you so much for your kind and warm message. I hope you could do the things that make you feel better:)
i just stumbled upon your yt channel and i just wanted to say that i love how you captured life in athens. i have lived here my whole life and it's one of the few times i see living athens portrayed online as it is in real life. i hope you enjoyed it, even if it became a bit lonely!!
Thank you! Looking back now, the days I spent in Athens were my favorite time during my trip. Enjoy life!
The wall in the backround is so cute and it reminds me of my grandmas house in corfu!I was born in a small town in Attikh,not athens.I wish we also had these luxuries here too.But either way our street here is lovely and of course full of sun.Since everyone here knows each other most of the times its not scary to be alone.There are a few schools here so everywhere you go you will know someone.
Awww sounds very lovely, the life in your village 🫶
καλος ηρθες καλα να περνας !!! ωραιο video!!!
solitude?athenians and grees are literally so open and friendly!hope you liked it
it was more a deliberate choice. I enjoyed Athens and Greece in general very much. Thank you!
Ουτε καν..Οι Ελληνες απλα καθονται στην κλικα τους που εχουν απο παντα.. Οκ θα εισαι ευγενικος στον αγνωστο (μπορει και οχι) αλλα δυσκολα θα κανεις φιλια
wow this is a cool documentary / cinema verite approach - really heartfelt - I spent some time there and recognise one of the restaurants - where to next ? this is cool. Thanks
thank you!
I actually considered it but feels like august will be waaaay too hot to visit for an entire month.
it is very hot! but bearable:)
@@issahuang thanks, I decided to go with Rome. Not sure if better tho
@@p5rsona Rome is wonderful as well! Enjoy
@@issahuang thanks you!
i've just discovered your youtube page and i'm in love with the way you film, the atmosphere is one of a kind. please keep making them! and out of curiosity, what was the movie you were watching near the end of the video?
Thank you so much! The movie was Bergman Island:)
This is a beautiful video. As an ex-pat who's lived in Greece for many (many!) years, I really enjoyed it. Is that a cafe and bookstore you show starting at 3:15? If so, could you tell me the name and/or address? I'd love to go there. Thank you. I'm very glad you enjoyed being in Greece.
Thank you! yes it is a book store. the name is Little Tree Books and Coffee
@@issahuang Thank *you* for the name. So it's right behind the Acropolis Museum? I've been in that area so many times. I'll definitely go there soon. Thank you so much.
what camera?
😍❤
🫶
EVERYSHOT IS SO BEAUTIFUL . what camera and lens you use ?
Thank you! This video was filmed with Sony rx100:)
i love ur shots! they’re beautiful :) what camera do you use??
@@bellamariem thank you! This video was filmed with Sony RX100
You are lonely if you are reserved and not trying to meet with people. This is the original way to understand the culture through communication.If you repeated the same thing you should try to meet people, make friends flirt otherwise it would not make sense it would be tha same thing wherever you stayed Greece, Namimbia , Austrialia or Chile or Mongolia.
thank you for your advice:)
Great video !( awful city lived there for one year, trying to study in the university of Athens). Keep going!
thank you:)
What was your experience from University of Athens?
@@user-ep8bk5ku6g
I suppose that it depends on the faculty, really. I visited the campus, which is located in the neighborhood of Zografou. There are a lot of faculties there-it’s the largest campus of the university (maybe the only one?).
Negatives for me: The infrastructure and public transport leading to the campus are terrible. There are only buses without air conditioning (Athens is hot). I lost two hours per day just on transport and traffic. It’s the worst place to build a campus, with no metro access. The bus, car, taxi, etc., need to pass through the small streets of the neighborhood to reach the university! Some facilities are in really awful condition (the Faculty of Philosophy and the other faculties around it, for example). The architecture is interesting, but inside it feels post-apocalyptic. The toilets… no words… The university is often closed randomly, sometimes due to student demonstrations or protests by the employees (unions, etc.). There seem to be changes every week. All administrative tasks are handled very slowly, really slowly.
Positive side: Most of the Greek and international students are friendly, communicative, and supportive. Everyone speaks English, even the cleaning staff. The library is a new building; it is beautiful and well-equipped-it’s evident that it was built recently (likely with European funds/projects). Additionally, the food from the canteens is really, really cheap for students. The university has good connections with other universities across Europe, offering many transfer opportunities, student exchanges, and Erasmus programs.
Overall, as this is the most prestigious and largest university in Greece, I was surprised and a bit disappointed, mostly because of the facilities. However, it wasn’t the university but the city itself that “forced” me to leave. Athens is so chaotic, dirty, and poorly designed that it’s impossible for the university not to inherit some of these traits.
I suppose that it depends of the faculty, really.
I was visiting the campus with the faculties which are at the end of a neighbourhood called Zografou. There a lot of faculties there - it is the biggest campus of the university (maybe the only one?)
The negatives for me: The infrastructure and the public transport leading to the campus is terrible. Only buses without air conditioning (Athens is hot). Losing 2 hours per day only for transport / traffic. Worst place to build a campus, no metro... the bus, car, taxi etc. need to pass through small streets of the neighbourhood to reach the university!!!
Some facilities are really in awful condition (faculty of Philosophy + the other faculties around it for example), interesting architecture, but inside is post apocalyptic... Toilets...no words... The university is closed often and randomly - sometimes due to some student demonstrations or protests of the employees (working unions etc.). Almost every week there some changes. All administrative tasks are happening slowly, really Swoolyyy.
Positive side : the most of the greeks and of the international students are friendly, communicative and supportive. Everyone is speaking English (even the cleaning staff). The library is a new building, it is beautiful and well equipped- it is visible that it was built recently (European money/project). Also the food from the canteens is really really cheap for students. The university has good connections with other universities across Europe - a lot transfers/student exchange /Erasmus program.
Overall as this is the most prestigious and big university of Greece, I was surprised and a bit disappointed mostly because of the material base , however it was not the university, but the city itself, which "forced" me to leave. Italy is so chaotic, dirty and bad designed, that it is not possible the university not to inherit something from it.
May I ask you in which area of Athens you were staying ? How did you find your place to stay? All the best !!
I stayed 1 month in the athens city center, and 1 month in piraeus area. I found both of my stays on Airbnb. Wish you all the best as well!
@@issahuang If you have the link/name of the airbnb in Athens city center, can you please share it ? Thanks so much, all the best !!
i don't want to leave a hateful comment, even tho i really really don't like digital nomads, so i'll just say... Greek mythology and the Odyssey have almost nothing to do with the society you visited...
Going to Greece (as an Asian) alone without any connections or knowledge of the country. You must have had a culture shock. 😅
Where are you from btw?
haha I really enjoyed my time in Greece. I am from China:)
Man fühlt sich als Asiate nicht allein in Griechenland. In Athen und Thessaloniki leben viele Asiaten besonders viele aus China. In Athen gibt's sogar eine Chinatown mit chinesische Geschäfte. Schön gemacht das video Grüße 🖐️
Chinese people and civilization is so much admired by us, the Greeks.
Dogtooth
As someone who lives in Athens, this city completely sucks. If you only visit the touristy and "cool" areas it can look good on social media, but overall it's a shithole full of dirt, illegal immigrants, an awful public transportation system, too many cars on the roads etc.
Whenever someone asks me what's the best thing to do in Athens, my answer is... go to the airport and leave.
@@dackjaniels443 Absolutely right!
This is every big European city. Athens is a city of its size.
@@dimitris_kour1505Sorry, but I disagree. I understand that the people should defend their countries and cities, but objectively there is a difference between different places. I have been in more than 20 capitals in Europe with other people and our opinion was that Athens in the top five of the worst capitals in Europe. No green spaces, almost absence of parks, bad cleaning and garbage gathering, terrifying city transport without air conditioning, constant protests and violence, no spaces between buildings, no bike lanes, polluted air, people don't clean after their pets on the streets, scary urban areas (ex. Omonoia), 24 hours noise from scooters and so on and so on....
@@bbk452You didn't go anywhere... 😂....Almost all large cities are chaotic... Not to mention the American ones.... Even Barcelona, Paris, Rome, chaotic with rude and dirty tourists....
lmao what's ur issue with immigrants? they bring so much life to athens
we say omiros
Well, ξενιτιά (xenitia) is a Greek word.
Nice Vid, weird dramatic 😅 as a local I can say, those 2 book, half, at least, of greeks have not read, it was writen I think 2800 years ago, modern Greek culture is weird 😂❤😂 sorryyyy