Dimitris is a journalist who decided to travel around the world alone with his bag-pack, camera, and a deep desire to see remote places on our planet. Join Dimitris in his fascinating journey of discovery and experience the magic of new cities, people, cultures, and Greeks of Diaspora in the most unpredictable places... Mexico, Mexico City, "We are few but make a lot of noise", these were the first words of the Greek community’s chairwoman in Mexico City, Helen Stamatiadou. In this enormous city of 22 million of residents we could say that a small town just for Greeks exists. In Mexico City they live more from 230 families. Most of them come from Evia, they are second and third generation, and have been assimilated in their local society. However, they do not forget their homeland. Each Saturday is devoted in learning the Greek language with more than 50 Greek or Philhellenes students of each age group in five different departments.

Giorgos, their school teacher has been appointed from the Greek Ministry of Education and three additional local school teachers have learned Greek. Paola Cano learned the Greek language in a special governmental department, in the university UNAM, in community courses, and for three months she went in Greece as an exchange student from her university. I report this, because, Paola was self motivated to learn Greek, she searched and found solutions on how to improve her Greek particularly when there was no program from the Greek government to meet her needs. "Greek is a difficult language, but we like to hear it", said the students Vanessa and Carlos. These days they learn future tense. It was a pleasant experience that we were able to communicate in Greek, and I felt very proud for all the work that takes place in Mexico City. It is true, certain students drive for 5 long-hours in order to attend the Greek language courses. Next year the community is expected to have more students. "If we had a small bus in order to pick up the students and bring them in school, we would have many more individuals", it says the chairwoman of the community. Money is short, but we are very active community from events and courses to lectures and dancing. In fact, the dance group does very well and many associations from other countries are inviting us to participate in events. We, also, have “Bouzouki” courses. The community bought two “Bouzoukia” but these are not enough for all students. If somebody could donate a “Bouzouki” or allocate the funds for their purchase it would be marvelous. The Mexicans love Greek songs and it is very rewarding to see young Hellenes playing the “Bouzouki” instrument. This period in the Greek community we gather elements in order to record all the Greeks that live in Mexico. "Greeks exist around the country. In the North (Kogjokan, Guadalajara, Monterej) we too have Greek communities and most of them are from Evia, however, it is difficult to record all of them. Up to today elements have shown that roughly 1,500 Greek families exist around the country", reported Mrs. Helen Stamatiadou. I realized that the Greek community has very good relations with the university of the city, one of the biggest and respectable schools in the world. 

Contrary to the Greek community, the Greek Embassy shows a picture of abandonment. It gives you an impression that human intervention hasn’t taken place from the 70s. There are many complaints about the serious under-operational problems of the embassy from all Greeks in Mexico. For example, a senior member of the Greek community still tries to get a Greek passport for herself. She submitted her paperwork three years ago and still waits for an answer. I have recorded many similar affairs. The employees in the embassy are minimal, that reminded me of a public service department with thousands files waiting for answers, without any use of today’s electronic technology...I could say with confidence this is the worst embassy I have seen up to today in my voyage around the world. I should add that the Greek Embassy in Mexico is servicing all the countries of Central America. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately give a solution to this problem, otherwise I would say better close this embassy because it does a disservice to our country. I would like to note that the few embassy employees do their best given the difficult circumstances. However, I found the embassy of Cyprus to stand in her height. The Cypriot ambassador Antonis Grivas is closer to the Greek community and a very good diplomat. In the Greek community there are many celebrations (glendia) and big feasts take place very often. When Greeks are visiting Greece, they bring something back from the motherland and with joy they present their items. By using a few original Greek objects they organize exhibitions, and the viewing-lines are always crowded with Mexicans in order to take a picture with Greek exhibits. On the walls they only have some very old posters, for example something of the old Olympic Aviation in 1970s and a few flags. They are in need of more. I contacted the company www.flags.gr and they promised me that they will send as many flags as they can in Mexico City and other communities around the country. I thanked them in advance for their generous and heart-felt offer. In Mexico there is only one Greek Orthodox Church, the one that is situated in the Greek Community. The grounds were granted in the community by the government of Mexico in 1964 for duration of 100 years. Today, in the same space, are accomodated the Greek community and the Metropolis of Mexico and Central America. The church was build with a lot of hard work, sweat, and labor of Greek and Mexican citizens. The church allocates a sound number of priests who travel often throughout the country. In a mission, I followed father Evangelos, who is from Colombia and considers Greece his second homeland. His is a person full of energy and I went with him to the Gouarnavaka about two hours from Mexico City. In Gouarnavaka is the house of Greek shipowner Rihardou Faria Nikolopoulou. In the courtyard of his new house pre-existed a catholic church, which he converted to a Greek Orthodox Church with icons that he brought from Greece. The church was still not given a name, but I was there in the first service. In Mexico there is also a third church, a chapel in the courtyard of Konstantinos Galanis, who helps the mission of the Greek Orthodox Church in Mexico and beyond. I, also, spoke with the Archbishop Athinagora. We had met in Cuba for the first time when I baptized my Godchildren children Sofia and Maria. His spiritual work is very interesting, and once I’ll travel the countries of Central America, I would like to have an officially conversation with him. Thus, we renewed our appointment in Panama in September. The travel is continued, this hour when you are reading this report I am on the way to Vera Cruz, somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico.

Take your bag-pack and come...