I received a super sweet email today for a talk that my Art History professor at NYU is giving next week. This brought back so many amazing memories for the archeological dig I participated a few years back in Cyprus (see the project
site!). It was the summer of a lifetime, and I am determined to make my way back to the lovely West End Hotel in the near future. Western Cyprus is so beautiful.
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For a variety of reasons, I can't share pictures of Cyprus.
This is from the same summer, in Greece (just a hop, skip away)! |
Anyway, so I've had this amulet for years now, it's sitting on the top of my fireplace at home:
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| Sorry about the shadows and poor picture quality. Took this quickly on my phone. |
And this post is the story of how this amulet came into my possession.
The first thing you have to know, is that our archeological excavation is on an island. It is about 10 minutes by boat off the most western tip of Cyprus. And then you should know that the team consisted of mostly girls (in my year). Our professor hired a nice man who goes by the name "Yannis" - and he spoke very little Greek. And I, still, speek mediocre Greek at the very best. I'm pretty sure I only know how to say "Good Morning," "Yes," "No," and "Good night." Oh and "Cheers" or whatever they mean when people clink glasses together at dinner. The Greeks are very serious about their wines.
Yannis was a very interesting man. He'd fought in WWII for the Soviet Union/ Russia. I had no idea why he was living in our little town, or how our professor came about to hire him. But he was with us, in our trenches, since day one. He helped carried the dirt over to our dirt pile, and did other labor-intensive tasks.
When we first met him, he ate with his hands, and didn't speak unless he was spoken to. And even that, he was a man of few words. Few Greek words, that is. He often rambled in Russian while we were digging at our trenches. My Russian - like my Greek - consisted of a few simple terms like "Thank you," "Yes," "No," and "You're welcome." I think it is fair to say that I'm not that gifted with languages.
One day, one of the few days left in our season, we all piled onto the little fishing boat that would take us to the island. It was just like any other ordinary morning, except that we were facing waves that were stories high. I very timidly stepped into the fishing boat with my trench mates, praying the hardest I've ever prayed.
--- The thing is, I don't know how to swim. And even though we were close to the harbor, I wasn't sure that if our boat had capsized, I would be able to make my way back to shore.
I must have looked terrified. Yannis sat across from me, and he pulled out the amulet from his chest. This is the same amulet that he talked about all season - how he kept it with him throughout the battles and how the amulet, stained with blood, had kept him safe. He placed the amulet very gently in my hands.
Stravos, the inn keeper, drove down to the harbor in time and made us turn our fishing boat around. It would be impossible to go to the island today, and he insisted that we not take the risks. Minutes later, we were back on dry land.
I was still trembling when I stepped off the boat. But I quickly turned to Yannis and thanked him for his kindness - and to return his amulet. But he looked at me straight in the eyes and signaled that the amulet was a gift, and it was mine to keep. I stuttered and didn't know what to do with such a precious and personal amulet.
At the time, I owned a golden bracelet. It was from my Dad, and I had never removed it since I received the gift when I was 12. I left home - to whole different continent - for college, and it was comforting to wear the bracelet and think of my family.
I found Yannis at the make-shift church in the afternoon, lighting a votive candle. And with my best Greek/ Russian/ (mostly) English mix, I removed my bracelet and placed it gently in his hands. It was the most valuable possession I owned, and it was the only thing I could think of that came close to matching his great intentions. Yannis wore the bracelet for the remainder of the season, until I finally left the West End Hotel.
The amulet is one of my most treasured possessions. Yannis' act of kindness at that desperate moment made an enormous impression on me - and for that, he will always be my hero.
Love,
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