Yes, the title of this post is a reference to the song “Riotproof” by Tori Amos, but both the song title and lyrics seem to fit this week perfectly.  Monday, November 17th, was the 35 year anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Revolt, an event in which students staged a sit-in at the Polytechnic University to protest the military junta presence in Greece.  Tanks were brought in, students were killed, and the United States has since been greatly blamed for the catastrophe.  As we were informed by our Arcadia staff members, November 17th becomes a rather anti-American day.  A parade of protests moves throughout the streets of Athens, ending at the American Embassy, which is guarded by riot police and other military vehicles to prevent anything from happening.  Violence usually occurs, teargas and Molotov cocktails are common fare.  The day before and the day of, I actually received warnings from the American Embassy warning Americans to stay in their apartments from 4 p.m. of that day until 6 a.m. the following morning just in case.

Seemed like a perfect time to go venture out and see what all the fuss was about.

Our group left at 5:00 p.m. since the parade would be moving by our area around that time.  Multiple Arcadia staff members came with us for protection and they told us all to bring scarfs and water bottles, the idea being that if teargas was thrown, we would soak our scarfs with water and wrap them around our head.  We weren’t anywhere near the American Embassy or the Polytechnic University, but some of our staff got calls from friends that crazy, violent stuff was going down at both locations.  It started pouring with mad crazy thunder and lightning, which only added to the atmosphere of the event.  “I feel like I’m in some kind of post-apocolyptic war/adventure movie,” I told my friends around me.  It truly felt like the end of the world was coming.

As it turns out, yes November 17th is a time for Athenians to exorcise their hatred towards America (there has and still is a kind of resentment about how much power and influence the States maintains over Greece) but it has now become a stage for all-out protests.  We saw people protesting the economic crisis as well as students protesting against the prison hunger strikes (prison conditions are so bad that people are hunger striking both in jail and out to try and raise awareness about it).  And we saw a heck of a lot of communists protesting against capitalism and other such western democratic ideals (the Communist party is still huge and alive and thriving in Greece, have I mentioned that before?).  Young communist students all wore black hooded sweatshirts and riot police were actually marching alongside them with gas masks on and teargas dispensers already in hand.  “I hope they’re not trigger happy,” said one of my peers while we watched them soldier by.  “I think anyone here right now with some kind of weapon in their hand would be trigger-happy,” replied another.

Thankfully nothing terrible happened to any of us.  We kind of got chased away at the end by some loud-speaking Greek mob, but our Greek-speaking staff liasoned with anyone who would have caused us harm.  It was certainly an eye-opening experience.  I can honestly say I have never seen something like this and have actually had the capacity to understand what it was I was observing.  “This poor country,” I sighed while standing next to Jan, our resident director.  “What do you mean?” she asked.  “That there are still so many social and political problems in Greece,” I replied.  “I never would have guessed before this semester just how much inner turmoil existed here.”

On a happier note, Tuesday night was my friend Ryan’s birthday, so we threw a huge dinner party for him (long live Tuesday night Eftichidou 16 dinners!).  I brought the chocolate cake that changes lives for everyone to try and we all dined on delicious homemade Italian food.  Wednesday was my personal mental health day… I woke up in a funk for starters, which kind of colored the day with a kind of depression.  I left my house at 10:15 that morning and didn’t get back until 5:45 in the afternoon.  I must have walked 8 – 10 miles (not sure how the kilometers conversion works out still) all over Athens, seeing things, hanging out and whatnot.

Today seems like it’s going to be a much better day, however.  I have some classes, lots of homework, but tonight, Ryan and my roommates Tara, Eva and Elissa and I are all going to see Medea, a modern dance show that is supposed to be the most phenomenal production ever (I have heard this from many).

My mom leaves on an airplane for Greece around 1:00 a.m. my time tonight (3:00 p.m. on California time).  I pick her up at the airport at 6:05 p.m. tomorrow evening.  I am hoping somehow a taxi service plan to the airport will work out because there is apparently a gnarly metro strike all today and tomorrow.  These Greeks and their strikes.  It must just be what they do.