My second year.

The story so far...
12:30 on 17 May 2009

As some may know, I came to Greece just over a year ago now, in search of something. I was never too sure of what, but i hoped i would find it somewhere here in Greece. Sadly, so far I've lost more than I've gained but the balance mentally is getting better and apart from the events that have happened to make me find what i have now found is worth it...

So did i find something...Yes.

I did, it was the belief to try and do some good in my life, to do something that affected others more than it affected me, and with this i discovered things about myself that i now am thankful of, grateful of and stronger for.

In this last year I have battled with the law, been attacked by a drunken taxi driver after he had just tried to rob me, had another steal my clothes when he drove off. I was in the middle of the riots in Athens as I tried to leave work and make it home alive... However now I have been finally able to do something good with my life, with what i believe in and with what i am able to do best. Fight for people's rights...

Mine, yours, I don't care really give a f*ck anymore to be honest, I've just had enough sh*t in my life and enough of their bullsh*t to say enough's enough... And am I the only one? Hell no. Your probably the same and if like me you live in Greece then more so than other places i reckon, it gets you that way waking up and risking death getting to a sh*t job, often with no security being treated like sh*t listening to how much the government has been robbing you blind and stealing your pension fund! So, f*ck that, its time to do something.

As for me, it wasn't by choice, its what i have had to do to survive while i am here. Dealing with incompetence has become part of life.

First was Tellasholes, who still after nine months haven't bothered to inform me of whether or not they might sort me a phone and Internet out, to now OTE who after 6 engineers and two months can't even ensure i get a regular service, let alone fix or find the problem, welcome to Greece, this is our world and its not just here, everywhere's has its own flaws, many.

Hopefully soon i will run out of Phone and internet companies and be able to get a line that works for more than a day without fault...!

Sadly for myself anyway I haven't been at liberty to do my usual ramblings lately as i have had to silence myself somewhat and my usual incoherent waffle has had to have been withheld due to the possible outbursts that may have followed, and the reality that i may have said something i later may have regretted.

Also, due to the legalities surrounding actions of people who are now beginning to understand that justice always prevails, its been a turbulent last few months to say the least due to again the behaviour and actions of people who have no respect for anyone other than themselves.

Finally though, the beginning of a long line of truths came out on the radio yesterday morning surrounding one of the key matters that i tried to highlight during the course of my employment at an organisation here in Athens. This to me is a huge weight of my shoulders as i now feel vindicated somewhat for all the suffering i have had to endure this last year and to finally get the truth to come out and to have people begin to experience the flip side of the coin, one i have battled with for so long now.

Just to put it into context, its a period in which i have starved regularly due to not being paid on time, in which i have nearly lost my house, haven't been able to pay my debts and in which i have had to rely on the kindness of many to just get to where i am today.

Whilst having to largely stay away from revealing the full details yet, i have to at least get certain things of my chest and breathe a sigh of relief into the burden i have been fighting with recently.

People who shall remain nameless (at least for now), are finally going to have to take a long harsh look in the mirror and see what they are, what they have become and what they are now going to face. Its maybe a grim fact, and one that has untold circumstances as it sadly affects many more than the few who have been lying to themselves and to others, however this is something that they can reflect upon when they have the time, something I for one now care little about.

The actions of a select number of people that can be traced back to nearly a decade have shown a complete contempt for the law, for morality and for decency. It covers everything from malpractice, blatant disrespect for any laws other than their own, lies and more recently, threatening people, including women and co-workers.

Poor judgement on every level.

It has now set to derail all that it once stood for and could have been due to these people. It now thankfully has been brought to the attention of the media, and the very beginning of all that has been done is set to come to light and expose the people who most chose to abide by their own arrogance, greed and complete lack of respect for others.

I was taught to fight for what i believe in, and that sometimes life kicks you hard, but you've just got to get up, dust yourself down, then kick it in the balls.

I've been lied to for over a year now by people who i had worked extremely hard for. Not just in doing my job but in doing other jobs, and trying to do theirs as they couldn't.

In doing this myself, a colleague and a volunteer exposed what for some time we'd suspected all along. It wasn't because we wanted to, far from it. We had to do something to try and make what others had failed to do for so long happen before everything collapsed around us.

Now though, the truth is coming out.

It sometimes might not be as speedy as you want it to, it might not be how you imagined it to, but it does come out.

And I for one won't rest until it does.

I am now having to pursue certain matters due to consequences and actions of some of these people and sadly will take great delight in helping them reap all they have sown. Many were told of the circumstances and the possible consequences when we tried to help them clear themselves. By showing us faith in their honesty and by their actions would have proven that there was error on our part and that it wasn't how it appeared.

So what did they do, they changed the locks the next day and then tried to make out they we're victims of a conspiracy to destroy all they had worked so hard for... Erm, yeah right...

Now after three months of enquiries, seeking legal advice, consulting the relevant authorities and looking into the full scale of what has happened and what else has come to light, it has not only shocked even myself, but everyone i know who is now discovering the magnitude of what has gone on.

I have had some fantastic help from some people i know who have worked ruthlessly helping the facts get to be revealed, and still help from people who i didn't know till now, such is the extent of the situation and how people have felt the need to be involved once they knew. I have been very lucky in meeting people since i came to Greece though despite the troubles, and people tend to surprise me regularly by their willingness to help. More so in this case as it seems quite clear to most as they see it for what it is and for who the people are dealing with.

There are limits to what a person can tolerate and when people who are seen to be in authority, who are pretending to be who and what they are not, people who not only abuse their position but their trust, who steal, lie and bully their way into so called respectable positions then yes, it is a pleasure to see them end up where they belong...

In the gutter.

One person in particular who WILL be exposed for the parasite he is in the near future, better learn to be a man real quick and grow a pair of balls the next time he threatens me and a friend and colleague. His moment of thinking he is high and mighty went the minute he threatened a woman. Plus a so called friend and a so called colleague of many years. Just dispicable.

In the UK we have a saying, 'If it looks like a Rat, acts like a Rat and smells like a Rat, its probably a Rat...'

And that sadly in this case is being harsh on Rats...

So, thanks for your time, i just had to get that off my chest...

Tongue tied by the judicial system...
00:16 on 29 May 2009

Currently caught up legal matters with what seems to be Greece's stupidest scumbag, needless to say its now 2 - 0

And we haven't even kicked off yet. Thankfully the morons that i'm dealing with have been fortunate enough to deal my luck with two own goals that have been crucial in me knowing that all i have done is right all along.

I'm supressing the urge to give you all something to laugh about as the details unfold themselves on a daily basis however its safe to say that there will be one scumbag less able to mistreat and abuse people, the system and his position of Authority soon.

The truth has big teeth and its very hungry...

;D
The story has also been covered here :
http://kallia-xa.blogspot.com/2009/11/act-up-drase-hellas-how-non.html

If you speak Greek the story has been covered here :
http://www.newstrap.gr/main/pass.asp?titlenumber_fo=1361