25 MARCH 2015 CELEBRATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA!

 

 

25 March 2015 Celebrations in South Africa

 

 On the 22nd of March 2015 all South African Greeks came together to celebrate Our National Independence day.

It was an overcast and windy day but  all communities attended the celebrations at Saheti School in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, to march with pride... holding the Greek flag up High.

Many Greeks in Greece will probably wonder…what does it mean for a South African Greek…. to be a Hellene…

 

Socrates once said “Anybody can be a Hellene, by his heart, his mind, his spirit.” So it poses the question, what does it mean to be Greek?

 I would like to share with all of u what it means for me as a Greek living in SA …what it means to be Greek.

 

"It dosen't matter if you have the passport... If you speak the language... If you eat the food... if you know the land of Greece... If you have a Greek name... you need the PASSION... you need to be pround to be Greek, you need to give your HEART when you dance and sing...you need to give your SOUL when you pray…you need to give your VOICE and you need to say with passIon :

 

 

 "eimai ELLINAS/ELLINIDA!"

Here are compilations of a lighter note….On being Greek!

Enjoy!

 

WHY GREEKS SHOULD BE PROUD FOR BEING GREEK...

Because we buy whole watermelons and not in slices

Because we buy whole lambs and not in pieces

Because when we buy feta we buy at least a kilo and not 150 gr.

Because nights in Greece finish in the morning

Because we take our coffee slowly, while smoking and not in "shots"Because flirting is our national hobby

Because we are world champions in physical love which is our national sport

Because we are not puritansBecause we never visit others empty handed

Because there is no way to explain to foreigners what "kapsoura" is... (burning desire for someone)

Because to Greeks, family is still something valuable

Because we do not share the cost of petrol with those we take in our cars

Because we always make it, albeit in the last moment

Because for the sake of a woman we would wage war for 10 years (Trojan war)

Because we are everywhere on the planet

Because we love and hate with passion

Because the word "filotimo" (a synonym of honour, helping someone because it is a shame not to) doesn't exist in any other language

Because whenever foreigners cannot find a word, they steal one of ours

Because we spend our bad and low times with our friends and family, not with therapists and counselors

Because Socrates, Pluto and Aristotle were Greek and we still quote from them
 

Because we invented theatre

Because we gave birth to Democracy

Because we discovered logic

Because we jump started science

Because we are proud of our culture, not of our wars

Because when others were discovering meat, we already had cholesterol

Because when we were building the Parthenon, the others were still sleeping under trees
 

Because when others created wars, we reated games to stop wars

Because we can give anything up just to make love

Because we have a distinction between Eros (falling in love) & Agapi (innocent love), while we feel both passionately

Because Eros was a Greek God

Because "Greeks do not fight as heroes, heroes fight like Greeks" (Winston Churchill, 1941)

Because we don't use ketchup or mayonnaise with our food - it tastes damn good without it

Because we tossed our ancient alphabet to the Romans and our Medieval alphabet to the Slavs

Because we get angry quickly but forget all about it even quicker

Because we are not ashamed to cry

Because we dance when we are sad and party when we are happy

Because we work to live and we do not live to work

Because 97% of the stars' names are Greek

Because although we know danger well, we dare

Because when you shout "brother" in the streets everyone turns around

Because we always talk about getting in a diet after we had our meal

Because a woman with a big behind is just as sexy as the woman with the small one

Because we speak loudly and laugh even louderSomething to learn by heart because it comes from the heart…

XRONIA POLLA

MAY OUR GREEK FLAG ALWAYS FLY HIGH.

BY EFH KANAVOU

  E. Kanavou( ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑ ΣΤO JOHANNESBURG 

SOUTH AFRICA)

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TΗΕ ΒULLY ......HIS VICTIM AND ANTI -BULLYING....!!!!

In Memory of BaggelhGiakoumakh

It is with great sadness…That the shocking news of the Suicide ofBaggelhGiakoumakh…brings me to share an article with you…that proves with no doubt, although Bullying is a major concern… suicide can be prevented.

Adults’…Peer’s…Parent’s…Educators’.. quicker intervention to stop the bullying might have saved this young man’s life.

May He Rest In Peace.

There is no doubt that bullying is a problem in all schools, but just how much of a problem is it? The latest bullying statistics 2014/2015 reflect bullying in “real life,” as well as cyber bullying. The numbers related to any bullying statistics are both shocking and disheartening.

Bullying is defined as “intentionally aggressive, usually repeated” verbal, social, or physical behavior aimed at a specific person or group of people. Some bullying actions are considered criminal, such as harassment or hazing; but “bullying” alone is not illegal. And recent news stories abound with tales of cyberbullying – where the target is harassed through social media or other technology – that have unfortunately resulted in

victims’ suicides. The majority of bullying still takes place at school; One in three students say they have been bullied at school…and as young as ive years old.

Bullying…seems to boost the social status and popularity of most middle school students. Psychologists studied 1,895 students at 20 South African middle schools, where students were asked to name the students who were considered the “coolest”.  This was their response “The ones who are ‘cool’ bully more, and the ones who bully more are seen as ‘cool’”.

With so many students seeing what goes on, one has to wonder why bullying proliferates – especially since it is reported that bullying stops within 10 seconds 57 percent of the time when someone intervenes. I found in my study that “A simple message, such as ‘Bullying is not tolerated,’ is not likely to be very

effective,” and that effective anti-bullying programs need to focus on the bystanders, who can step in and stop the behavior.

Lasting Effects of CyberBullying

Most experts agree that bullying peaks in middle school, while children are making the transition from children to young adults. Although bullying certainly continues into high school – and even into adulthood, unfortunately – it does seem to subside with maturity. Even so, approximately 160,000 teens reportedly skip school every day because they are bullied, and 1 in 10 teens drops out of school due to repeated bullying.

▪    Not shockingly, students who are bullies as young adults continue the trend of abuse and violence into adulthood. By the age of 30, approximately 40 percent of boys who were identified as bullies in middle- and high school had been arrested three or more times.

The Bullying Targets

Unfortunately, children and teens who are considered “different” from their peers are the most frequent targets of bullies and are constantly bullied. Special needs students; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) students; students who are overweight; and students who are perceived as “weak” are the most likely targets of bullying by others. Nine out of 10 LGBT youth report being verbally

bullied because of their sexual orientation, while 55.2% of those students reported being cyberbullied. Of special needs students who report bullying, the majority of those who are victimized are students diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, and students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

 Stopping the Cycle of Bullying

Unfortunately, only 20-30 percent of students who are bullied tell adults or authorities about their situations. Without accurate reporting, it’s difficult to change the patterns of bullying and abuse that persist in the world.

Shocking Facts about Bullying: Why Bullies Bully

It is only by understanding why bullies bully that we can be able to understand just how they pick their prey or victim. When a bully wants to become popular, it is understood that he will pick on the most unpopular kid, one who has for one reason or another been shunned by the peer group. The bully will reason that the peer group will applaud this anti-social behaviour and he or she will then become popular at the expense of the poor victim.If the bully comes from a home where fighting and violence is the order of the day, then he or she will see it as an acceptable behaviour in the society. The same case happens to be true in schools where there is a lot of bullying happening and helps understand Why Bullies Bully.

A child who is bullied and rejected could also turn into a bully.

Power may also prompt people to bully others. Teenagers who are given power over the others should also be trained in leadership skills to keep them from exercising it in a negative way.

Types of Bullies

In order to know how to deal with bullies, you need to know what type of bully you are dealing with. Although bullies can exist just about

anywhere , the three most common types of bullies are:

School bullies

Cyber bullies

Workplace bullies

Bullying behaviors are common to all types of bullies, whether you need to know how to deal with bullies at work or how to deal with bullies at school. All bullies are aggressive. Bullies do not like to be disagreed with. This aggression could be physical or verbal. Bullies may hit you or take your money. Threats can come to the victim, the victim’s family, the victim’s possessions or the victim’s pets, all by evil bullies.The common result of bullying behavior is that the victim feels powerless. They never know when their bully is going to strike next. They also are confused as to why they are getting bullied in the first place. The reason why bullies pick victims really doesn’t matter. Bullies pick victims because that is what they do. Bullying behavior does not stop until bullies meet bigger and more powerful bullies.

What about Bullying Statistics?

School bullying prevention programs are known to decrease bullying in schools up to 25 percent. That is one of the Shocking Facts about Bullying.

About 28 percent of students in grades 6-12 experience some form of bullying according to bullying statistics 2013. Over 30 percent of students admit to bullying classmates and peers. When an adult intervenes in a bullying incident, it stops within 10 seconds or more about 57 percent of the time. This is why addressing the problem often cuts down on bullying incidents that happen daily and rescues many students from being bullied.

 

There are many different types of bullying. There is a strong correlation between bullying and suicide related behaviors. The relationship is often influenced by o factors like depression and delinquency. Those bullied by peers were more likely to think of suicide and even attempt it.

Where does bullying occur many parents and teachers wonder about the location. Bullying takes place on school grounds and often on the bus. This is not the only place it occurs however ! Cyber bullying occurs on cell phones and online on social networks, boards, and through email.

It is essential for parents and educators to understand what is bullying in school and how figuring out what is bullying in school can help them fight bullying the right way. Grasping bullying facts or “bully facts” can help parents and educators start the right conversation with their children, bullying is a complicated socio-psychological issues and the way to fight it is to be armed with much bullying facts today.

Knowing the bullying statistics  gives parents, teachers, and other adults knowledge of the problem. It does not stop or resolve the problem that many boys and girls face every day at school or online. This problem affects all groups despite the race, sex, gender, religion, or nationality. One bullying statistic gives higher rates for handicapped and LGBT youth evident in gay bullying facts.

Bullying statistics  offer key points on what to look for in your child or at children in school. Knowing the types of bullying and where it occurs gives an adult the advantage. Remember statistics on bullying  point to a

problem that must be addressed to change things.

Don’t let your loved one become a shocking number in a bullying statistic especially with the rise of bullying.

STOP THE BULLYING!

Written By:

EfhKanavou

  E. Kanavou( ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑ ΣΤO JOHANNESBURG 

SOUTH AFRICA)

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GREECE WHITE AND COLD WITH SNOW…SOUTH AFRICA HOT AND BLANCK WITH 'LOAD -SHEDDING ' AND SEVERE HEAT WAVE !

Greece White and Cold with Snow…South Africa Hot and Black with 'Load -Shedding' and Severe Heat wave!

In the last couple of days Greece has been experiencing a very cold and white February. Most of the country has been experiencing snowfall and it looks like Christmas all over again. 

Here in South Africa , however…we have had the worst Heat wave imaginable! Temperatures have reached 48%Celsius in certain parts of the country and humidity levels are very high. I thought I'd give our readers a little factual information on what a Heat wave entails:

When outside temperatures climb into the triple digits (over 40ºC) for a period of several days or even weeks, this prolonged period of excessive heat is known as a "heat wave". Heat waves are often accompanied by high humidity. While there is also no universal definition of a heat wave, (as people used to a hot climate may already be acclimatized to a period of high heat, where as the same heat visited on people in a usually cooler climate can cause severe disruption and heat deaths due to people not knowing what to do to minimize the risks), the real issue is the health and safety impact of prolonged heat and high humidity.

Notorious for causing widespread power outages, hundreds of heat-related illnesses, and even deaths, heat waves are perfectly survivable provided you take appropriate precautions. In general, our ability to regulate high temperatures is impacted by our health, age, and the quality of our shelter. 

So... to really make things even worse, South Africa has also been experiencing what we love to call here as... 'Load -Shedding' Most of you are probably thinking …"Well,  what the heck is this?" It basically means you are in the DARK!!!  No electricity for up to 4 hours a day!

What is South African load shedding?

Well...ESKOM…the company that supplies Electricity in South Africa has not been able to maintain certain power stations and so Load-Shedding has occurred. 

 

 

When there is not enough electricity available to meet the demand from all Eskom customers, it becomes necessary to interrupt supply to certain areas. This is called load shedding. It is different from a power outage that could occur for several other reasons. It is a last resort to balance electricity supply and demand. Eskom applies load-shedding when all other options have been exhausted. It is an effective way to avoid total collapse of the electricity supply grid (a national black-out) which will have disastrous outcomes for South Africa. If unbalances on the power is not managed this could lead to the risk of collapse of the entire power network. If this occurs, it could take weeks to restore power to the entire country. By rotating and shedding the load in a planned and controlled manner, the system remains stable. 

Well There You Have It…

South Africa might be one of the most beautiful countries in the world but at this moment... we seem to be rated as Third World…I wouldn't say it's the' Heat wave's' fault but rather the Electrical Companies 'weak ways'!

Greece…enjoy your beautiful White Winter and even if you are feeling the cold,  remember it is still brightening your day and night!

From a DARK South Africa... I bid you Good night!  

By: Efh Kanavou

ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΣΕΛΛΑ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ BLOG NEWS-NEMΕSIS.. By Efh Kanavou from South Africa

By:  E. Kanavou( ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑ ΣΤO JOHANNESBURG 
SOUTH AFRICA)
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SOUTH AFRICAN GREEKS OPINION ON THE GREEK LEGISLATIVE ELECTION, 2015!

As the 25 January Legislative Election is approaching, I decided to interview a couple of fellow Hellenes on their opinion on the Greek elections. I was hoping for live interviews but unfortunately all declined and prefered that they remain anonymous for personal and political reasons.  On 29 December 2014, after failing to elect a presidential candidate in the third round of voting with the required 180 votes,prime minister Samaras asked incumbent president Karolos Papoulias to dissolve the parliament. On 31 December, Papoulias formally dissolved the parliament by decree and set the new election to be held on 25 January and the new parliament to reconvene on 5 February 2015. 

Here in South Africa many Hellenes are experiencing a sense of Fear but Excitement as well, on these coming elections. *Advocate Tyr*(His name has been abbreviated)had this to say on the current polls. Please take note that this is an opinionated but factual disclosure of current events!

"A clutch of recent polls have given Syriza a lead of over 3 percentage points, suggesting that Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's New Democracy conservatives are not making any inroads as the election approaches.

The vote is being closely watched by financial markets nervous that a Syriza victory could trigger a standoff with EU/IMF lenders that results in Greece leaving the euro zone. The party has vowed to cancel austerity measures imposed to meet the conditions of Greece's 240-billion-euro bailout, and to renegotiate debt obligations.Samaras has played up the fear factor in his campaign speeches, saying Greeks could return to near-bankruptcy and a period of chaos if Syriza comes to power."They are leading us to a clash with our lenders, to bankruptcy, to an exit from the euro," Samaras said in a speech on Tuesday night.

Tsipras, who has campaigned on a message of new hope for Greeks broken by years of austerity, has in turn accused Samaras of scaremongering."The only thing they haven't said yet is that if Syriza comes to power it will take your children and your wives," he said in a recent speech to supporters in northern Greece. Opinion polls so far have indicated that Syriza is unlikely to win outright, but some have suggested it is getting closer to that goal.The newly created centrist party To Potami (River) - the most likely ally for Syriza in a coalition government, according to analysts - ranked third in the Alco survey with 5.3 percent. It was followed by the far-right Golden Dawn , with 5.2 percent, and the Communist KKE after that.Support for the co-ruling Socialists (PASOK) dropped to 3.7 percent.A party set up by former prime minister George Papandreou, the Movement of Democratic Socialists, scored 2.5 percent, below the threshold to enter parliament."

'*Advocate Tyr* concluded by saying that he thinks in the next couple of days more surprises will unfold and he hopes the Greeks go to the Polls making wise decisions…..Greece's placement within the European Union is of the utmost importance!'

*Mr VS* (Financial Advisor) had this to say:

"The key question here, is whether the election will reignite the Euro Crisis, producing recession over there and some level of financial instability and slower growth worldwide.  Some predict this, but it seems quite unlikely, although it cannot be ruled out. There are two routes by which it could happen. First, a Syriza victory and dramatic breakdown of negotiations with the Troika could, with serious mismanagement on both sides, lead Greece to fall out of the Euro.  Second, a new Syriza government might instead “win” the negotiations with Europe and, either as a result or by coincidence, experience a strong economic recovery.  This outcome could sharply bolster other non-establishment parties across the troubled “periphery” of Europe and lead to a breaking of the already stressed consensus that has held the Eurozone together thus far. Strongly increased tensions could lead to a renewal of the sovereign debt crisis, with potentially very negative outcomes economically and politically. Withdrawal from the Euro would be much more serious, because it would set a precedent that might be used by other countries in the future. However, none of the other Eurozone members seem at all inclined to follow Greece anytime soon if it exited. That fact would reduce financial market pressures in Europe resulting from a Greek action.  Even in Greece, Syriza does not want to withdraw from the Euro and polls show almost three quarters of voters believe Greece should stay in the Euro, even if it entails significant sacrifice.  If Greece exits, it will almost certainly be a policy accident resulting from major misjudgments by both Greece and its European partners. It is very unlikely that either side would allow it to reach that point, and this to me is a good sign whatever commences on the 25th."

Well there you have it. The Election is upon us and it seems quite clear that... what will be will be.!  Hopefully, whoever heads government will also have a good head on his shoulders to put Greece, it's People and it's Economy first. So, my fellow Hellenes…vote wisely!

ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΣΕΛΛΑ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ BLOG NEWS-NEMΕSIS.. By Efh Kanavou from South Africa

 By:  E. Kanavou
( ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑ ΣΤO JOHANNESBURG 
SOUTH AFRICA)
MEΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΜΑΔΑΣ
ΣΕΛΛΑ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ BLOG NEWS