Why It Pays to Stay Open

I think that many of us come from cultures where being naturally open to people and situations isn't something we learn, practice, or even ever really, truly apply. We are brought up to be polite to people, but not necessarily open ourselves up to them. Why is that? What is so bad and scary about being open to people?

These are some of the things that I question and examine as I become a more open person. I wonder what and where I would be if I hadn't closed myself off for some period of years, simply because I thought that the real me wasn't good enough, wasn't similar enough to what the media and society expected, wanted and projected, and was trying so hard to fit in, that I didn't end up belonging anywhere. I wonder if what and where I am would be any different, if I'd been more trusting of others from the start. But not anymore do I need to wonder these things!

Now, I've come to a point where I love myself, I am proud of the fact that I'm not a manufactured clone, and even prouder that I am an insanely wacky and semi-societal outcast. I love the freaks in the world, and have long since thrown out the thought and word "weird." And one of the things that has helped me accomplish this sense of self declaration and love is without a doubt, t r a v e l.

When you're traveling, especially alone, it will not do you any good to be closed off to anything. If you're closed off to the people around you, you're going to feel so uncomfortable and alone, you won't have a good time. And if you're not open to the experiences and moments that come your way, you're not affecting anyone else other than yourself, and will actually miss out on life.

A perfectly good example of why staying open is such a beautiful thing can be seen in my current situation...

I couchsurfed for the first time when I studied abroad in 2009/10, and instantly wished I'd been doing it the whole time I was abroad. I met cool people, was taken to more local places, and saw things I wouldn't have been able to discover otherwise. And since I prefer to travel as a local than a tourist, it really was the perfect way for me. So when I returned abroad, I knew it would be the main way I'd find a place to stay during my travels. Since I moved into my new flat, we've had at least 15 different surfers, from at least 10 counties, and four continents. And on the weekend that I went crazy and took in four different people at once, I became really addicted to it. (Read about it here:)

I had already booked my flight to spend Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Greece, which, I'll admit, was part of the reason I accepted the Greek to surf our place, even though I'd already said yes to two others. We all passed the time so well together, and I was glad we'd meet up again in some months. And then it happened to work out even better, than the Aussie we had, was going to be in Egypt just before I came to Greece, and decided to come too, meaning that three people, who before had been strangers, all came together again under one roof, in a different country.

If I hadn't been open to couchsurfing and instead just followed my "that seems creepy, weird, and kind of scary" thoughts, I would have never discovered this amazing world of staying in the homes of strangers, and I'd never have ended up where I am right now! I'd be in a hostel, with a bunch of other visitors, having a blast, but also missing this deeper level of life that can happen when you travel. And I would never have found myself in an international group of friends. All of the life I live now, the things I see, the dreams I turn into reality, it's all possible because I've stayed open.

Give it a try, you really never know what will happen!

Blessings, Love & Light to all, especially my fellow wanderers! 

*Disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for any "negative" situation that you may find yourself in. Always follow your instincts, and if something doesn't seem right, bail. Go with God.

ANNY Studios in Santorini

Once upon a time, a girl from California decided to accept four different couchsurfers all at one time. There was a Greek, an Aussie, an Italian, and a shining soul from Cyprus. Some months later, the Californian would be going to Greece. The trip had already been arranged, but now, she had a friend to visit! How divine! About the time she was getting ready for her trip, the Aussie said, "Hey, when are you going to be in Greece? I'll be in Egypt just before that, and was looking at a map, and realized how close it is to Greece..." And so it happened, that when the Californian arrived in Piraeus, Greece, she met again the Aussie, and the Greek.

Now, the Aussie and the Allie from Cali wanted to explore the islands, afterall, the Greek Islands are some of the best-known in the world. So they decided upon Santorini, and went over to couchsurfing.org to try and find a suitable host. The Greek said, "I know that guy, he's a friend of mine! Let me call him and see if you can stay with him." And so it came to be, that the Awesome Adventuring Aussie and Allie from Cali, ended up coming to Santorini, to stay at Anny Studios in Perissa.

Ok, that's enough of the fairytale talk. Let's get serious...

Anny Studios started out as a hostel, but then was converted into studio apartments. This means a few things:

1. In the rooms, there's a sink, a stove, a mini fridge, and dishes. You can cook your own food, in spite of the place seeming like a hotel/hostel.
2. I have yet to see a room without a little balcony, so I'm going to go ahead and say they all have one.
3. Because it started out as a hostel, it has a very hostel-feel. There's a common area with games, books, computers (free to use), and a television where they play DVDs. So even though you have a little studio apartment, you also enjoy the common living that a hostel provides.
4. There is a pool and a bar, and their long coffees will crack you out. 

Our little terrace and view

The pool

The part of the island where Anny Studios is located is in Perissa. This is one of the most common parts of the island to party. It's got 5km of black beach, and across the entire thing are hotels, restaurants, bars, and apartments to rent. We happened to be here in mid-April, so there haven't been so many people, and there hasn't been any partying over here. It's still not the season, so it's really, really calm and quite. Which has, in a way, been nice. :)

 

 The Black Beach

But in this area, there are loads of good restaurants, the beach is literally a minute away, a delicious bakery is about three minutes away, and the staff here is so nice and helpful. They arranged every trip we took, and every detail. They're incredibly knowledgeable about the island, where to go, what to do, see, and experience, and have made our trip so easy. They are really cool, and make you feel so relaxed and at home. All this, in combination with a beautiful place, has contributed to a really great stay in Santorini! Thanks guys for everything! It wouldn't have been the same without you! 

Endless Blessings, Love & Light to all those who contributed to our stay here, and all of you out there now! 

:-*

To read more about Santorini in general, click here!
To read more about Greece in general, click here!
To read about Athens, click here!
To read about Piraeus, click here!

Location/Contact for Anny Studios:

Perissa, Santorini
Tel.: +30 22860 31627 / 82669
Fax: +30 22860 31626
Call with Skype: www.annystudios.com
Email: annysantorini@gmail.com

But Where's The Blue??

When we think of Greece, I think more often than not the image that comes to mind is one of white homes and buildings with beautiful blue dome roofs, and a gorgeous coastline. We have this one picture in our heads, and when we arrive to Greece, expect to see just that. The most-used and publicized image of Greece happens to be taken here in Santorini, so of course when we arrived we expected to be overwhelmed by the sight of blue and white. But I am here to bust the myth, and blow the lid right off that one! 

The most common picture of Greece/Santorini (Source: Google)

Fact: Greece and Santorini are not actually synonymous for white buildings with blue dome tops. 

There is a bit of that, but these buildings that we so often think of in association with Greece are actually the Orthodox churches. The churches have these dome tops, and yes, many of them are blue. I asked our host why they are usually blue, and he said that it's to represent the sky. So when they look up, they see the blue, and think of the sky (sky -- God -- heaven -- you see where this takes us). I love this explanation and reasoning, and it completely made up for the fact I felt somewhat deceived coming here.

But I will admit, because this is the image we have stuck in our minds, my friend and I actually spent sufficient time searching, in a way, for the area with these smooth, beautiful buildings with the amazing blue dome roofs. And we were so perplexed when we just couldn't find them. It then dawned on us that this isn't actually what is common, and through seeing this image, we had just decided that that was Greece, that's how it all was. Interesting how our minds do things like that to us, and our brains decide to create a place based off a picture. (I should probably point out that we were also completely confused. We were searching in Fira for this image we always see of Santorini, when in fact, it's taken in Oia. Whoops.:)

In spite of everything, Santorini has been a beautiful experience. We've seen so much of the island, and though I know there's much more to see and do (especially in the high season when it's overflowing with people and parties), I am leaving quite satisfied with the trip. It's been a really cool experience to learn that we really can't judge a book by the cover!

Oia, where the classic Santorini image is taken. Look there, and you can see the blue domes that have become so closely associated with the island.

 

Fira

 

*To read about Santorini, tips, tricks, and things to do, click here!
*To read about ANNY Studios where we stayed in Santorini, click here!
*To read about Piraeus, click here!
*To read about Athens, click here!
:)