Dear diary | Last week of January

Dear diary | Last week of January

Dear diary | Last week of January

Dear diary | Last week of January

Dear diary | Last week of January

Wow, it's already the end of my second month in Greece. It's a very strange feeling.

On the one hand, I'm happy. I'm doing work I truly enjoy. The guys I live with, Alexis and Korra, have turned out to be great roommates, and we quickly hit it off.

But on the other hand, it's very sad. Time flies. When you're doing something you love, you stop counting the days. You get used to good things too quickly, and it truly terrifies me to think that very soon, just as imperceptibly, the moment will arrive when I'll have to go home again.

Looking back, I see both my successes and, unfortunately, my failures. I don't hide them, they're the reason I learn to be better. My biggest disappointment in myself has been the realization of how little I sometimes get done. But at the same time, everything I've already accomplished, I can honestly call good work and I'm proud of that.

I think it was in January that I finished designing the Thessaloniki stray cat calendar. We now have a huge box with 60 printed copies. Unfortunately, this month's Green Friday event was canceled due to a tragic accident in the city that killed seven young Greeks. I hope that we'll gradually be able to sell the calendars as planned.

The weather in January was rarely sunny, so I never got around to doing graffiti in the park. But the February forecast looks promising, I think I'll finally be able to do that.

This month, I finally started writing articles on topics I consider truly important. One of them is about combating discrimination against people living with HIV and new ways to control the virus. The second article sounds almost humorous "Naturism as a way to overcome fears and insecurities" but it actually raises serious social issues. I won't lie: I often choose topics based on how they shock my audience. The shock of a conservative reader doesn't bother me, but the reach does. The more striking the headline and design, the more clicks I get. That's honesty.

This month, I also attended a major event hosted by Arsis, dedicated to combating school bullying. I was able to interview one of the organization's managers about their work, the situation in Greece, and the world at large. The article will be published next week. I highly recommend reading it, especially if you're a teenager or the guardian of a child.

I'm increasingly focusing on interviews with interesting people. A week ago, for example, I published an interview with Marios, an international guide and artist.

I've realized that when writing articles, I especially enjoy interacting with professionals or people with unusual backgrounds. Honestly, it allows me to combine business with pleasure: friendly interaction and work at the same time. What could be better?

Every day, I feel more confident in my position. And you know what? That's not always a good thing. Because I love my work, my meticulousness sometimes reaches a new level. Writing comes easily to me, but designing images for articles…that takes a huge amount of time. Not because I don't write, but because I find it difficult to settle on one visual solution. A graphic designer, what can I say?

Recording a radio show was a separate personal challenge for me. I did the first show with colleagues, it was easier and calmer, and I felt more confident. But next time, I'll have to step out of my comfort zone: either recording the radio show entirely alone, or inviting people and conducting the interviews myself. This thought is both terrifying and inspiring.

Alexis, Corra, and I have started working on major projects.

Yesterday, we submitted an application to participate in a large event that aims to unite Mediterranean countries. The idea is that 400 people will sit in a room, and the three of us will create an interactive experience focused on bringing these countries together. We'll have just 60 minutes to create something that fully meets their criteria. We have a great idea, but I won't describe it yet. We've submitted an application and are really hoping to be selected, then we'll go to Cyprus.

There's another project we're currently working on. We're currently in the process of selecting an idea to submit. In short, there's an event in Crete dedicated to supporting blind athletes, and, of course, we really want to participate.

On the last Friday of January, we gathered at a restaurant to discuss plans for the following week. The most valuable moment of that meeting was meeting a classical Greek singer. His name is Paris, he's been blind since birth, and his story has been haunting me ever since. We're really looking forward to interviewing him and talking about his life, his musical journey, and his worldview. There are no exact dates yet, Paris is a student and is currently busy taking exams, but I sincerely hope that this interview will be held very soon.

Thank you for your attention, see you again.

by @lev_me_vision