The kids and I are getting a lot of continuous time together. Unlike home, they don't have their own routines and worlds – although they are sort of developing them. That said, we have a LOT of time for conversation. They both have a lot of questions, observations and ideas to share. Anyone who knows Sennen knows that sometimes his curiosity gets especially….intense….
Over the past several weeks we have gone through the history and role of the Holy Roman Empire, the distinctions and political bents of the Byzantine vs Ottoman Empires, the split of the Roman Empire, the Orthodox Church vs the Catholic Church vs Protestantism, the immaculate conception, natural childbirth, ages people typically get married across different societies and geographies, the role off agricultural development and natural resources in societal development, imperialism, the differences and similarities within the bovine family, totalitarianism vs authoritarianism vs oligarchy, the Westminster vs presidential systems of democratic government, an understanding of most European makes of cars and motorcycles, why Patmos has one fire truck and how the firefighters work – and many others I'm missing.
Our conversations are some of the most rewarding and tiring of my life – especially because Sennen often questions and/or wants to understand how I know what I know. In essence, he requires a bibliography before he can accept my thesis.
Ailyn cares about some topics more than others and has her own set of involved thoughts and topics which can range from observations on how the social systems of Patmos work to the details of how to make a good laniard. In some ways, she's more observant than Sennen and certainly infers and deduces more than him.
Combined, their curiosity and synthesis takes up at least ten city blocks.
And then they like to push each other in the water and dig on the sea floor for fun.
Even today's afternoon at Pleiades – a restaurant and swimming club adjacent to the Eirini Hotel overlooking Sapsilla Bay involved curiosity and investigation. Swimming pools are not plentiful in Patmos given the ubiquity of calm, still beaches and of those that exist, most are within high-end hotels – which themselves are not abundant. Pleiades saw a niche of giving swimming pool access to anyone who patronizes their nouveau-Greek restaurant and accordingly, draws tourists and locals alike. Amazingly Pleiades' pool is neither chlorine nor salt but continually filtered fresh water. The kids immediately had to get to the bottom of what kind of water was in the pool, since it clearly wasn't chlorine or salt and how this was done. Unfortunately, there was some reticently admitted tasting of the water…. But like an episode of Scooby Doo, no one could rest until the mystery was fully explained.
The same happens with every cruise ship anchored outside the harbor and any car they don't recognize (much of which centered around brands we don't have at home – Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Opel, Skoda and certain models of Fiat). By the end of this stay, my kids will unmask more unexplained phenomena than Velma and Shaggy.
In other regards, Pleiades has fewer mysteries than elsewhere. Their menu of gourmet sliders, fancy salads, wood-oven fired pizzas with Greek twists are exceedingly familiar to any urban or suburban American. With fancy napkins, Crate and Barrel flatware, placemats I might have seen on the cover of Martha Stewart Living, attentive service, unlimited refills of filtered water, Pleaides is yuppy-American in Greek clothing. While exactly what I don't seek while abroad, it's as easy to slip into as a warm bath. Before I know it, I'm appreciating the nice burst of flavor and color the cherry tomato confit gives the rosemary-laced pizza and how nicely weighted the forks are.
This unofficial American consulate is also a break from some of the phenomena on the beach that have been the most interesting to the kids.
"Daddy, there's that topless lady again! She's everywhere!" Sennen said yesterday.
Indeed she is. This one fifty-something woman – I think German – walks in the shallow waters of Agriolivadi and Kampos, across the entire cove repeatedly, basically parading in front of everyone, always topless. While it is Europe and not uncommon for some French, Italian or German women to sunbathe topless at their lounge chairs, it's fairly unusual to have a topless woman marching across the beach repeatedly for hours on-end. Moreover, Greece may be an EU member, but it isn't THE most socially liberal and topless beach-going definitely violates local norms.
It's also not a fun conversation for me to have with my kids.
"Why does she do that? Is she trying to be sexy? Why does she think that's okay? Why do European women go topless? If Greek people don't do that, why doesn't anyone say anything to her?" It's a sociology class I'd rather not teach on the beach potentially within earshot of the Topless Woman, her people or anyone who might not enjoy my commentary.
I suppose in the end, it's all valuable learning. My kids are curious and we're not dealing with things I necessarily need to protect them from. These moments are an opportunity to challenge myself to reframe and look at the world from the kids' eyes. How do I explain things not only in a way they'll understand but in a way that allows them to see the world as deconstructed as possible. We don't have to talk about immodesty = bad. We can talk about how immodesty = disrespectful in its current context. That leaves us room to understand the world is made of people with various perspectives, situations and needs. In Bali, for example, there are still villages where women are often topless. That is their traditional culture and it's more likely to see older women who are more conservative retain the custom than younger ones more connected to the outside world and foreign influences.
Whatever I explain to my kids, I want to have be as true and cohesive as possible which usually means keeping things simple and situational. Because that's life, isn't it? What works in one context may not hold true at all in another. Often, we draw big conclusions based on what we've experienced and part of wisdom is knowing how little we really know and how much there still is to learn.
"What you don't know could fill a library – and it does," my Bubbee used to say.
That's the real joy of my kids, my time with them and traveling to places with different contexts. Sennen and Ailyn are aware of what they don't know. They want to learn and their minds are open. My privilege is teaching them as best as possible how to keep their minds open and put together information into useful bits without allowing themselves to lose their curiosity or their thirst. So long as they don't quench it with any more of that Pleiades pool water.
