Big night, big pressure! - Paula Manoli-Gray

So, who will be going out on New Year's Eve to celebrate? Not me! It hasn't been me for nearly six years, which by some strange coincidence, coincides with when we first became parents…

Although I can't really go out and ring in 2015 with abandonment, I am not sure I would, even if I could. NYE is possibly one of the most pressure-laden nights out ever invented. First there is the decision of where and how to spend it out of all the many venues promising 'the best night of the year'. Then there is the inflated cost of it all; even if you are going to the same venue you have frequented every weekend for the whole of the year, you are suddenly paying through the nose for your usual bar stool. And finally, there is the work-up of how it is going to be 'mega, epic, legendary, amazing' etc, only to find that nine times out of ten, it is actually just the same as every other night out you have enjoyed – or endured – throughout the course of the year.

NYE is also the universal cut-off for seasonal gluttony! Everyone goes a little crazy with the calories, not worrying too much, as from January first, it will all end and good habits will be reinstated – or started. As such, December 31 is your one last, final, never-to-be-had-again chance to really push the calorie counter over the red before the 'fresh start'. In reality, you will probably consume too many calories again by the first weekend of January, thus making NYE's gluttony nothing but a con that you fall for every year.

When I was a teenager/young adult, I did have some memorable NYE nights out in Cyprus and London, and did indeed pay (gladly) through the nose for the pleasure of them, although all nights out were good back then, so it was probably just more expensive, rather than actually being better. Nonetheless, the memories are happily stored in my photo albums, but when I look at that young me, I wish I could jump into the photos and tell her to stop partying and start stocking up on some sleep, and warn her that motherhood would ensure that she could never stay up past 9pm again, let alone watch the sun rise.

Actually, it would be a lie to say that every NYE since becoming a parent have meant an early night from exhaustion and sleeping through the midnight clock chimes…  some of them I have been awake for… either sat at the cot side of a screaming baby that will not go to sleep, or driving one around to get them to sleep. A couple of years back, as the fireworks could be heard in the distance with the faint sound of music and laughter, hubby and I were dealing with one or both of our non-sleepers when our bleary eyes met across the room. It was a tragic and poetic moment worthy of an 'Eastenders' episode ending drumbeat. For those who are not familiar with the English television series, it is full of miserable people leading depressing and overly-dramatic lives, with each episode ending at a particularly revealing or tragic part, signalled by a single drum, beating out the start of the theme tune.

If you are going out, I hope you have a wonderful time, and I will do what I do every January first; live vicariously through all the photographs of other people's nights out that are plastered all over the social media networks. So, have a good one for me. Cheers!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 25/12/14

When it rains it pours - Paula Manoli-Gray

So, how did everyone enjoy our new car marina last weekend? And by 'car marina', I mean the floods that turned our cars into boats?

Joking aside, last weekend's flooding was horrendous – worse for some than others, depending on what area you live in.

Personally, I was parked in a side street of the Saint Lazarus area and watched in horror from the venue window as the water levels rose to cover half the height of the car. In the evening when I left, I managed to wade knee-deep to the car, squeeze into the driver's seat from the less-flooded passenger side, only to find myself sat in a puddle! The car had flooded inside. Okay, not the most tragic thing that could happen in a flood when you look at what people in other parts of the world suffer, but for a little Larnaca gal, it was traumatic enough, and I spent the evening with my feet in a bowl of warm water and a hot water bottle feeling rather sorry for myself!

But as it turns out, our car got off lightly! From all over the town, we heard and saw horror stories of houses flooded, shop stock destroyed, cars completely submerged or swimming in 'lakes', electricity outages, and residents who could not get to their homes as their roads had been cordoned off by police – accompanied by a soundtrack of wailing emergency vehicles. And although it was not on a par with the devastating floods that other countries have experienced, it was a very tiny but scary glimpse into what those battling catastrophic floods contend with, and not one I would like to experience again.

It goes without saying that we cannot control weather conditions, hence why there is always a 'force majeure' / 'act of God' clause in insurance policies, and it is not the fault of our powers-that-be that it rains. Last weekend was a particularly severe case of flooding – of the worse we have had – so it would not be fair to come down too hard on those who govern us. But, the truth is, it doesn't take much rain for Larnaca to flood, and so therefore I believe it is their fault that they cannot provide their citizens with decent roads that can cope with rain.

Am I being ignorant on this matter to believe that there are methods to prevent flooding and that they should be implemented, or is it far more complicated than that? Maybe there is a valid reason for why we continue to have to put up with this very dangerous occurrence, almost every time it rains? Thankfully, last weekend's floods were damaging enough to have an impact, and on Monday a meeting was held with the mayor, emergency services, civil engineers and others on putting together a contingency plan so we do not end up in the same situation, as well as the setting up of a helpline and practical and financial assistance to those worse hit. For the time being, I will allow my faith to be restored, but how much faith I do have in their words is debatable.

On the plus side, the dams had a good injection of water, the flamingos at the salt lake are very happy, my rather neglected trees have finally had a really good, long drink, and the wash that the car was desperately in need of has been nicely taken care of, although I didn't really plan on giving it a hosing on the inside too!

First appeared in They Cyprus Weekly, 19/12/14

Ignorance is bliss? - Paula Manoli-Gray

"…and it's Christmas…" Oh I how I hate hearing that phrase in connection with something bad that has happened!

You hear it a lot during the festive season. If someone loses their job, it is made all the worse 'because it is Christmas'. If someone is ill or has a bereavement, it is all the more painful 'because if it Christmas'. If there is war, a large-scale accident, a catastrophic natural disaster, all of these become even more unbearable just 'because it is Christmas'.

I understand that Christmas brings out the good in some people; hatchets are buried, families are reunited and everyone wants world peace – so there is a feeling that this time of year shouldn't bring anything negative – but bad things are bad things, and their timing does not lessen or worsen them.

Which leads on to the debate of whether we should be trying to filter out the negative news that dominates our media, or if we should make a conscious effort to keep up-to-date with the horrors of the world.

This is something that troubles me greatly, and I am not sure which side of the coin to fall on. On the one hand, I don't want to be ignorant to what is going on, as closing it out could be perceived as not caring, or being inwards. I don't want to feel – or seem to others – as though I am only concerned about my little world and that if I am alright and not affected by the suffering of others, then that is okay. Also, by ignoring some injustices, we allow them to continue, and I certainly do not want to contribute to that…

…But on the other hand, I cannot save the world just by knowing all of its flaws, and if I keep allowing myself to feel the pain of the universe, then I will go insane – I am an emotional wreck as it is! As a parent especially, I cannot cope with knowing of the heinous crimes committed against children, or acknowledging the reality that not all children are healthy or safe. It is too unbearable. But that doesn't mean I am not sensitive to the plight of others, it just means that sometimes I want to pretend that we are not freefalling into a bottomless pit of evil and self-destruction. So, is ignorance bliss or is it the easier and lazier option?

As for Christmas, if it brings out the best in people and it makes everyone stand united, then I am all for it, but I wish with all my heart that people felt like this all year round. We save our goodwill for once a year, just like we buy those shiny tins of Christmas confectionary once a year. We suddenly open our eyes and see that there are homeless people; that there are abused people; that there are old people left to rot, all alone; that there are animals mistreated; that there are parts of the world where clean water is not available and food is scarce; that humans are trafficked; that war doesn't just affect those who are fighting it; that we are far more fragile than we can possibly imagine - or have time to realise - as we go about our daily life, stressing over the insignificant.

And yet, I am still undecided about whether I should make the time and effort to know about all of the world's injustices, or if I should concentrate more on ensuring that the people I know and love don't ever have to experience them for themselves. Where do you stand?

                        

Christmas at The Library

A load of junk! - Paula Manoli-Gray

Christmas in Larnaca has either exploded with colourful joy, or vomited tackiness and hypocrisy all over the town, depending on which side of the Christmas coin you land on. But either way, you won't be able to hide from it, and especially not in your local supermarket, where there is suddenly a whole new world of junk food, especially for the festive season.

It is quite remarkable how many seasonal tins of chocolates, biscuits and cakes appear in the run-up to Christmas. It's like these poor 'treats' have been waiting eagerly all year for their special moment, so they can stand proudly on the shelves all shiny and cheery, waiting to shower your Christmas with sweet promises… of weight gain or a heart attack!

It is just baffling and a little crazy too that we equate Christmas to eating a ton more than we would normally do, and in the form of these specially designed, once-a-year sugary confections. And yet we do; we go all out and buy calories by the truckload to gift, to offer guests and to stuff our faces with just because 'it's Christmas'.

But Christmas aside, the size of our supermarkets are largely determined on junk and packaged foods all-year-round. Imagine how small supermarkets would be if they only sold real food such as fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, nuts, legumes, rice, dairy and the like. Imagine entire aisles of processed, packaged or junk food eliminated, and you would probably be surprised at just how much space they had taken, whether in the freezer or on the shelf.

I (generally) only buy real food, so my trip to the supermarket involves bypassing the majority of aisles on most occasions, but I am noticing as the years go by that the number of processed and packaged foods our supermarkets stock is increasing, although not to the point of other European countries. I think that due to our cultural relationship with food, we won't ever reach that point where our children cannot identify fruit and vegetables (I saw a documentary on children's diets in America and many of them literally could not identify basic fruit and vegetables). Cyprus wouldn't be Cyprus without the aroma of souvla, the rubbery texture of Halloumi, juicy watermelon in the summer and small but tasty village cucumbers… all enjoyed around a big table of family and friends.

And I am happy to have noted that even the Cypriot ready-meals are by far superior to their imported counterparts. If you compare Cypriot frozen pizza or sausages to imported products, you will find around three-four ingredients in the Cypriot products versus a whole slew of unidentifiable and unpronounceable ones in the imported versions.

But there is one fresh food area where we are really failing – and which I have written about before – children's menus. This is where processed, packaged and junk really sells in Cyprus and keeps the 'fake food' industry afloat. It is a scary indicator of our times and our changing relationship with food.

As for me, I try to stay clear of junk in my house for the most part, but I may just sneak a tin or two of seasonally designed biscuits and chocolates into my trolley, after all, it is Christmas…

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 05/12/14

Fragrant Christmas Decorations Workshop - with Miranda Tringis

Мюзикл для детей "ПО ЩУЧЬЕМУ ВЕЛЕНЬЮ"

Там, где появляется Московский драматический театр «Русский терем», жди небывальщины!

5, 6 и 7 декабря 2014 года в преддверии Нового года приглашаем детей и их родителей на веселый и красочный мюзикл «ПО ЩУЧЬЕМУ ВЕЛЕНЬЮ» (по мотивам известной русской народной сказки). 

Давным-давно в некотором царстве, в некотором государстве жил-был Емеля. Пошёл Емеля за водой на речку да поймал щуку. Отпустить - отпустил её и получил за это волшебный дар: все желания его стали исполняться. И вёдра с водой сами пошли домой, и сани сами поехали без лошадей, и топор сам нарубил дров…А вот что произошло дальше…

СМОТРИТЕ И УДИВЛЯЙТЕСЬ:

5 декабря в Никосии – Театр «САТИРИКО» (18.30)
6 декабря в Ларнаке – театр «СКАЛА» (17.00)
7 декабря в Пафосе – театр «МАРКИДЕО» (11.00)
7 декабря в Лимассоле – театр «ПОЛЕМИДИЯ» (17.00)

ОТКРОЙТЕ СВОЕ СЕРДЦЕ СКАЗКЕ,
И ОНА НАВСЕГДА ОСТАНЕТСЯ С ВАМИ!

Рекомендуемый возраст - от 3-х лет и старше.
Продолжительность 55 минут без антракта.
Стоимость билетов 12 евро.

Дополнительная информация по телефону: 96 30 2770
и на сайте: www.magictheatre.ru

Always too late - Paula Manoli-Gray

The community of Larnaca – and the island as a whole - was shocked by the murder of a 22-year old man two weeks ago, and even more so that the suspect is a 17-year old.

There won't have been a single parent whose heart did not break upon hearing of the family's loss. It is truly unimaginable and I cannot begin to comprehend how they are suffering.

If the loss of a bright young future was not enough, it transpired that the suspect was well known for his criminal activities from a young age to the point that he had amassed 60 known cases. The victim's family - and surely anyone else who read the stories – had one simple question, 'why was this youth allowed to continue committing crimes?' which leads to the logical conclusion that had he been dealt with, then there would not be a family grieving right now.

I must admit that personally, I had not been aware of the situation regarding juvenile offenders, and when the story broke and I read that there simply isn't any proper mechanism in place for dealing with underage crime, I was astounded.

Authorities may try to claim that technically, underage perpetrators cannot be held accountable for their crimes due to their young age and a need for guidance and hugs rather than punishment, but who are we kidding? A 17 year old who has been repeatedly offending knows the difference between right and wrong; he is not your average school boy who gets his grades, respects his elders and just so happens to make a mistake that could tarnish his whole future if we don't show leniency on account of his age. This is a hardened criminal who was naturally going to escalate if left unchecked. From his cocky 17-year old point of view, he had carte blanche from the law to commit his crimes until the age of 18, so why should he stop? Without a deterrent, and with a feeling of being 'hard' or 'cool' or 'dangerous' – and the intense feeling of power that would bring to a young man, there was simply no reason for him to stop.

I am not saying that he did not need help as a preference to punishment – clearly there was something terribly wrong there, to the point that his poor family were begging the courts to hold him - but that is neither here nor there, because apparently, neither was available or offered. 

Of course, there is a flip side to this tragedy. The family of the suspect are also suffering unimaginable pain from knowing that the child they brought into the world, cradled in their arms and envisaged a future for has taken such a dark and unfathomable path that even they, as parents, were powerless to prevent him from taking the life of another parent's child. Again, as a parent, this is absolutely terrifying. We do the best we can, but what if it is not enough? And that is where we expect the state, the law, the authorities, teachers, doctors, society to help and support us.

Sadly, two families were let down by society and all its associated authorities, and with the worst possible consequences. No doubt things will start to change now, and the victim's family are fighting for these changes. But once again, as with many things, it is always too late.

The first appeared in The Cyprus Weekly week 28/11/14

Turning on the Lights

Christmas Event for Pet Charity

A merry and balanced Christmas to all - Paula Manoli-Gray

Despite my best attempts to ignore any signs of Christmas, it is getting harder and harder to avoid it, so I will have to concede that yes, it is indeed getting closer.

I don't like Christmasy things too early, I think December 1 is a good time to start it all, but I do understand that shops have to start early because their competitors do, which in turn makes them start even earlier to get in there before their competitors… and round and round it goes in a cycle of not wanting to miss out, hence the date moves forward year by year!

Although I am not keen on too much Christmas too early, I do still love it because I have two young children and there are wonderful events in Larnaca with a real seasonal spirit. They love the whole razzmatazz of it all, and of course, using Santa as a behaviour tool is very handy! But every year I become more and more jaded with Christmas as an adult because I cannot stand the way it is being made into a secular celebration, like people are embarrassed to acknowledge that it is a Christian celebration to honour the birth of Christ. Even my writing it here may make some people uncomfortable, but if that sounds like you then you shouldn't be jumping on the bandwagon of Christmas and using it as an excuse for presents, gluttony and parties. There, I said it!

In truth, Christmas has now become a commercial holiday for excess and nothing more; the shops rub their hands with glee, the bars and restaurants rub their hands with glee, the supermarkets can bring out whole new ranges to cash in on, and it just reeks of greed, materialism and hedonism with a flip side of stress and feelings of inadequacy.

Personally, I partake in and enjoy the ritual of giving gifts, the social gatherings and the seasonal foods, but I am careful to balance out stories of Santa leaving stockings with the nativity story for my children, and I do remind them why it is Christmas and what it means, whilst still embracing the other elements of it. I don't deny that for some, Christmas is a welcome break from the norm, as it always brings cheer and a message of hope and positivity – and a chance to let out steam at parties too – but we need to balance it out and ensure that we do at least acknowledge the 'reason for the season'.

Cyprus' main religion is Greek Orthodox, so Christmas for many on the island is still about it's original meaning; as is Easter, but every Christmas we read stories from the UK press about how the nativity play is not allowed in case it offends non-Christian children and parents and many cards use the terms 'happy holidays' or 'season's greetings' instead of the word 'Christmas' for the same reason.

Like many things that Cyprus still does right (as hard as it may be for some to believe!), I hope my little island is strong enough to maintain its faith for its religious celebrations too because I can honestly see children in generations to come not having a clue who Joseph, Mary and Jesus are, just as we no longer have a clue why Halloween exists. Do YOU know the reason for Halloween?

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 21/11/14

Emma's Lunch - 2nd Birthday Bash

Classic opera concert “THE MAGIC OF OPERA”

On 21 of November 2014 in Limassol (Theatre RIALTO) at 7 p.m. Moscow academic Musical theatre named after Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, one of the leading musical theatres of Russia, presents Classic opera concert "THE MAGIC OF OPERA".

The gold voices of the theatre Natalia Petrozhitskaya (Soprano) and Dmitry Zuev (Baritone) – are participants of numerous prestigious International festivals and Vocal Competitions.

The most demanding public will be pleased of the concert program:
• Rossini, "The Barber of Seville" (Figaro's Aria)
• Bellini, "Norma" (Casta Diva)
• Mozart "Don Giovanni" (Duet of don Giovanni and Zerlina, 3rd Donna Elvira's Aria, "Champagne Aria")
• Puccini, "Gianni Schicchi" (Lauretta's Aria "O mio babbino caro", Aria Gianni Schicchi)
• Leoncavallo, "I Pagliacci" (Duet of Silvio and Nedda)
• Rachmaninoff (Prelude)
• Tchaikovsky, "The Queen of spades" ( Liza's Aria "Where from these tears", Aria of Prince Yeletsky)
• Tchaikovsky "Eugene Onegin" (The Final scene).

Piano accompaniment by Antonina Kadobnova (principal concertmaster of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Concervatory).

Duration of concert - 2 hour with interval.
Recommended age - 12 +.
Price of tickets: 20 Euro.

Breathing life back to Faneromeni - Paula Manoli-Gray

Last week's news that the old leper colony of Agios Charalambous along Faneromeni Street will become a University of Cyprus campus is most exciting! Granted, it will take years to become a reality – two years before construction is started, then however long it takes to complete it – but imagining the area full of life is wonderful.

My parents live in a street off of Faneromeni and close to the colony. As such, I spent my youth in the area and vividly remember it in its heyday. Like Dhekelia Road at the time, Faneromeni was a thriving street and its selection of shops made it almost unnecessary to head into town for shopping. From fruit to shoes, and gifts to haberdashery, Faneromeni had it all.

But like its then-popular cousin, Dhekelia Road, the last decade has seen a steady decline. To the unfamiliar eye, the street appears to be doing okay with a wide mix of establishments, and seems busy enough, but the residents of the area know it's not what it used to be.

The prospect of new life that the university will bring has so excited some in the area, that they are already planning on turning their properties into student digs, and a big name developer with a strong presence in neighbouring Drosia is also readying itself for the big day. For the struggling shops along the street, holding out and struggling for a few more years until the big cash cow comes to town offers a ray of hope. Imagine cafes, restaurants, shops and services all filled with young adults… If the street plays its cards right with its choice of establishments geared towards the youth, it may very well end up giving other popular areas of the town a run for their money.

As for the leper colony, I have to admit it always appeared creepy to me. Logically, I know that it is nothing sinister, but as a child, the stories were of residents that looked like zombies with body parts missing and misshapen features. We would never dare approach it, and it took me many years to finally pluck up the courage to drive through and have a look. What I found was a quaint and peaceful little community of small houses and a church. There were a couple of old ladies sat outside on chairs - nothing sinister at all, but my childhood impressions will always remain with me.

I don't think there is anyone left now, or if there is, it is only a handful of very elderly patients, but I do wonder what will happen to the church when it becomes a university. The church was moved to the colony brick by brick from the old colony in Nicosia and rebuilt by the residents themselves in 1955, as such, it is a piece of the town's history. I hope it is treated with respect and incorporated into the campus.

And of course, the university development comes with a national park for the adjacent salt lake, which is also fabulous news, although the combination of boisterous, carefree students and a protected natural area isn't one that really marries well on paper! I just hope that there is enough along the regenerated Faneromeni street to keep the young 'uns occupied and merry, and that we won't regret putting a university next to one of our loveliest beauty spots.

Internationally renowned speaker to hold Larnaca workshop

Dr Brenda Davies to give talk on parenting

Internationally renowned speaker, healer, consultant and psychiatrist Dr Brenda Davies will be holding a parenting workshop on Saturday, November 22 at Apothikes - an event that is supported by the Larnaca Parents Network (LPN).

During two three-hour sessions (at 10am and 2pm), Dr Davies will speak on the challenges that raising children brings, answer questions and open the floor to discussion. Topics include "negotiating various stages of childhood and adolescence, dealing with sibling rivalries, peer pressures, substance abuse, childhood depression and just trying to understand our child who is now becoming an independent being."

Born in the UK, but now based in Zambia, Dr Davies is the author of seven books and a variety of CDs and DVDs. She is the founder and teacher of an international healing and self-development school with a presence in eight countries, and teaches on topics varying from energy medicine and spiritual approaches to issues such as addictions, adolescence, sexuality, prosperity, co-dependence and suicide. Her method combines allopathic medicine with spiritual approaches, and she is also a mentor and medium. As a mentor, she helps people through 'career or crisis', and is also active in conflict resolution and peace building, whilst as a medium she is called upon to assist in soul rescue work, as well as teaching Past Life Therapy.

With a family of her own – including an extended Zambian one, Dr Davies is well versed in raising children: "As a mother of two, grandmother of three and also a great-grandmother, I know well the possible pitfalls we can fall into.  I've also raised many orphans here on my farm in Zambia, and of course, children who have been so traumatised bring with them a unique set of challenges for themselves and anyone involved in helping them grow to adulthood. I also have in my family several wonderful young people including grandchildren, who have been adopted, who then demand even more understanding of their particular issues.

"One of the most helpful things we can do is to just be there for our children.  Recently some top athletes were asked what was the most helpful thing their parents ever said to them.  It was simply 'they said they loved to watch me doing what I do'. Often it's a simple as that."

Whilst she originally studied to become a physician, Dr Davies says her healing gifts have led her on a path of helping others around the world: "I love my life and people in general and an honoured to share whatever gifts I have. My aim is always to help support others as they become the best that they can be; I am honoured to stand by, to guide and to aid healing while people find themselves once more able to stand up and, in doing so, discover their greatness."

Dr Davies has a long-standing relationship with Cyprus: "I first came to Cyprus in 1987 to visit the family of my partner who was born in Famagusta, brought up to some extent in Paphos and then in the UK. So, I have been a frequent visitor and always wanted to come and do some of the work here that I do elsewhere in the world involving healing ourselves and coming to peace within and with family, community and the world. I was thrilled to be invited to do that three years ago and am very much looking forward to being in Cyprus next week and being in even more cities this time."

Her previous workshops in Cyprus have included bi-communal work with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. This time she will be in Cyprus until November 29, during which time she will hold a variety of workshops across the island with different topics, all under the umbrella of 'healing our relationships'. Whilst Dr Davies gives her talks in English, she has Greek and Turkish translators to assist.

Participation in the Larnaca workshop is €30 per person, and reservations can be made by contacting Hatzy: 99667039 / Sue: 99622504.

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 14/11/14

The Spirit of Christmas - Frozen Winter Wonderland

Russian roulette wardens - Paula Manoli-Gray

Our popular Phinikoudes is getting a facelift, and it is always encouraging to see efforts being made to maintain our town, but there is one thing about the strip that makes my blood boil every time I drive down it - something I like to call 'Russian roulette wardens'.

I just do not understand the way the traffic department and/or municipality thinks. The strip was a no-parking zone, yet everyone parked on it. Instead of seeing cash signs and booking everyone - all day long - the traffic wardens would infrequently drive down the strip, randomly pick a handful of cars and fine them, leaving the rest untouched. More often than not, it was the rental cars that were booked – I saw it on numerous occasions. For those who illegally parked along the promenade it was a game of Russian roulette as to whether they would get a parking fine. For many, the risk was worth it, as more often than not they would make it through ticket-free, or leave the café at the sight of a warden and shout at him/her for daring to book them when they were only sitting a couple of feet away enjoying a coffee.

Then the seafront was deemed a temporary, free parking area pending the creation of a new multi-storey. Again, to me it seemed logical to add metres or some sort of pay system. Another missed opportunity for bags of extra cash at a time when extra cash would have been useful for the municipality. I imagine the people who parked in the limited spaces are those who had always parked there – illegal or not.

And then once again, the strip was made a strictly no-parking zone. The same old 'no parking' signs were once again erected, save for a few bay spots, mainly reserved for the disabled. The municipality even issued a press release stating every single legal parking spot within the town centre limits, and reiterating that those not heeding the no parking warning would be fined.

So, has anything changed? Not a jot. In fact, the paragraph on traffic wardens randomly and infrequently booking rental cars could easily be inserted here. How ever many times I have driven down the strip since it was once again declared a no-parking zone, I have not seen a single traffic warden, except for once, when hubby and I watched him hop on his bike, drive blindly past all the illegally parked cars to the middle of the strip then book one car before driving off again.

Seriously? And then we wonder why people continue to park illegally – fully on pavements, blocking access points, in disabled spots, taking up two spaces at a time. They do it partly because they are lazy and ignorant, but also partly because they can get away with it.

Phinikoudes has three choices; offer free parking once again, install metres, or if it is to remain a no-parking zone, then the traffic wardens have to actually do their job. It amazes me that the money they could be raking in is not incentive enough. Surely all those poor unsuspecting tourists in their rental cars, who are duped into parking illegally because the locals are, can be squeezed for a bit more of their hard earned holiday money?

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 07/11/14

Ayia Napa Christmas Event

Dhekelia Bonfire & Fireworks Night

Little Muse Young People's Theatre Christmas Events

11am, Sunday 14th December, American Academy Junior School hall

'Alice's Wonderland' directed by Torkild Lindebjerg

The Carnival has come to town! Mr Apollonius is a travelling showman and he is eager for his daughter Alice to follow in his footsteps. But each and every one of us has our own song to sing and our own white rabbit to chase......tumbling into Wonderland Alice meets a host of strange characters and begins a journey of discovery to find her own voice.


4pm & 6pm, Sunday 14th December, American Academy Junior School hall

All I Want for Christmas written and performed by Catherine Beger......


Charity the bag lady is homeless. She never gets any presents because Father Christmas can never find her so she decides to take matters into her own hands.
She thinks through her Christmas wish list and realizes that most of the things she wants, she already has in her trolley; all except for one thing...

10am Saturday 13th Dec and 4pm Sat 20th Dec at Little Muse Theatre

The Polar Express Storytelling Theatre for the very young

Alice & All I Want for Christmas....Tickets: 5 euros /8 euros
The Polar Express: 8 euros per child Adults Free (includes gift from Santa/Hot Chocolate/A snow storm and general madness :)

LPN Third Thursday - Surviving Cancer

Christmas Fair

Гастроли московского драматического театра "Бенефис"

8 и 9 ноября 2014 года приглашаем детей и их родителей на музыкально-волшебную фантастическую феерию «ШЛЯМПОМПО».

Ох, и непростое же это дело – воспитание…Особенно если хочешь, чтобы в результате сформировалась личность! Вот и добрая волшебница Ригби пытается обучить озорного кота Дикона хорошим манерам. А чтобы у того перед глазами был достойный пример, волшебница оживляет огородное пугало Шлямпомпо. Совершая раз за разом добрые поступки, Шлямпомпо уже без помощи колдовства на глазах у зрителей превращается в Настоящего Человека. 

Спектакль поставлен по мотивам народных английских сказок, а музыкальным оформлением к нему служит музыка всемирно известных групп «ABBA» и «Boney M», которая поднимет настроение всем без исключения зрителям.

МЕСТО И ВРЕМЯ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ:
8 ноября – 11.00, Никосия (театр Сатирико),
8 ноября – 17.00, Ларнака (театр Скала),
9 ноября – 11.00, Пафос (театр Маркидео),
9 ноября – 17.00, Лимассол (театр Полемидия).

Главные роли в этом детском спектакле играют "звезды" телесериалов:
Евгений Вакунов («Кремлевские курсанты»,«Глухарь. Продолжение»,«Дубровский», «Только ты»),
Семен Почивалов («Папины дочки»,«Барвиха»,«Татьянин день» ,«Девичник»),
Валерия Сухачева («Монах»,«След», «Пожар», главная роль в фильме "Честь самурая").

Рекомендованный возраст: от 5-ти лет.
Продолжительность: 1 час 10 минут без антракта.
Стоимость билетов 12 евро.
Дополнительная информация по телефону 96 30 2770 и
на сайте www.magictheatre.ru

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT PARENTING - With Dr Brenda Davies

Where: Apothikes, Saint Lazarus street, 79, Larnaka, Larnaca, Cyprus

When: Saturday 22nd November

Time: Choose either Morning 10.00 - 13.00 or Afternoon 14.00 - 17.00

Dr. Brenda Davies, MD is a Consultant Psychiatrist, healer, peace-builder, author of 7 books, founder and teacher of an international healing and self-development school with students in 8 countries. Her medical knowledge lends credibility when combining it with healing in her work. Brenda meets you with a down-to-earth and caring approach with a lot of humour and compassion and would be delighted to meet you during her time in Cyprus.

Being a parent if often very hard. Raising our children to have good values, good ethics and high integrity often tests us. Negotiating various stages of childhood and adolescence, dealing with sibling rivalries, peer pressures, substance abuse, childhood depression and just trying to understand our child who is now becoming an independent being, can be a bit of a minefield, while we also balance home, career and our own personal life, health, hurts and losses and still sometimes try to parent ourselves. But being a parent is also one of the greatest gifts of being human which is why we keep doing it! So why not come and ask questions of Dr. Brenda, share, discuss and have your heart soothed in this lively session of questions and answers on parenting.


Dr Brenda Davies travels from Zambia and will be conducting a range of workshops throughout Cyprus during November, charging a nominal amount only to cover costs of travel.


Participation €30


Reservations: Hatzy: 99667039 * Sue: 99622504

Starting ‘em young - Paula Manoli-Gray

My 5-year old son came home from school last Monday in tears, scared that he may never see his dad again. What could have made him this distraught at pre-school you may wonder? Surely it must be one of the children in the playground?

Nope, it was a teacher, who showed them a photograph of WW2 soldiers boarding a train with tearful wives and children waving them goodbye. She then proceeded to tell them that some of the children never saw their daddies again as they were killed in war.

No matter how cruel the realities of this world, my young son does not have to have his childhood destroyed by them. There is plenty of time for him to learn that bad things happen, and school has no right to force those realities on him for the sake of celebrating and glorifying a day in history that Greece said 'no' to Italy in 1940.

It took a lot of convincing for my son to believe that we live in different times and daddy is not a soldier who will be called to war. I had to liken this history lesson to that of knights and Vikings to make him feel that some parts of the past are almost mythical, after all, I told him, you don't see knights with swords riding around on horses nowadays.

I was absolutely livid. This is not the first time he has come home with strong political or religious indoctrination and it appears it is not limited to his school; it is the general way of state schools on the island. You may recall my column last Easter (before my son was in pre-school) where I wrote of a friend's children being traumatised by their junior school showing the crucifixion of Christ in full, gory detail in a Larnaca village school – something they routinely do every Easter.

I want my children to attend Greek school – at least for the primary years – as we live here and I want them to be able to use both English and Greek equally well, for they may end up choosing to stay here in the future. My Greek certainly isn't good enough to work somewhere where Greek writing and typing is required, and I don't want them to have doors closed to them due to a language barrier like I have. I fully intend them to learn English alongside their Greek schooling too, but I was so tempted to pull him out of the Greek system then and there and never look back.

Both my children were baptised Greek Orthodox, but I want to raise them the way I want to raise them when it comes to religion and politics. Whilst it is all very well learning the history and religion of the island, there seems to be a very biased element to a lot of it, and it is way too meaty and heavy for children of their age.

For one, how can we expect the next generation to be ambassadors of change and peace on our divided island when they come home hating 'the Turks', without really knowing what a 'Turk' is other than being 'a bad man who stole my country'. Of course what they did to our island is abominable, but fostering a climate of hate in children who should not know that hate exists is really damaging.

And as for politics, it is certainly very Greece-centric, but that there is a whole other story, and one I am not touching with a barge pole!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 31/10/14

The Ultimate Women, Motherhood & Independence Workshop by Penelope Magoulianiti

Flamingo Beach Hotel
5 Piale Pasha, Mackenzie Beach, Larnaca, 6028 Larnaka, Larnaca
Saturday, November 8 at 9:30am - 12:30pm

DARE to dream and LIVE the life you were meant to live!

A deep dive training event with Penelope Magoulianiti, author of Women, Motherhood & Independence
During this live, training for women, you will:
- Discover where your life is out of balance Define your success;
- how do you want your life to be How to assemble your life in such a way that it supports your purpose and where you want to go
- How to do less and be able to have more results How to adopt the right mindset
-what it will need to happen today in order to move forward.

Admission 35 Euro incl. coffee break.

There are a few spaces left!
Participants need to register at 99992477 or larnacaconnect@gmail.com including name, email and phone.

LPN - Christmas Charity

Zogonos Holistic Health Center - YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING YOU!

Wednesday, 5th November (Theory and practice.)
2 Dimonicou Street, 6016 Larnaca, Cyprus

Time: 16:00 to 20:00

Zogonos Holistic Center is delighted to welcome Dr. Patricia Elizabeth Torres Villanueva, from Mexico.

What we think, what we say, how we feel and what we do don't always match up, which can lead to confusion, insecurity and lack of trust in our children.

Join Dr. Patricia Torres and learn how to communicate with your children with more awareness and clarity, through both verbal and body language, feeling, rhythm and tone.

Dr Torres will present her work on inter-group relations, and the psychological aspects of dance and rituals, as life enhancement tools in contemporary society, in matters relating to communication, education, health, the family and the community.

Investment: € 15

Tel: 99 304 202

December

November

Repelling our kindness - Paula Manoli-Gray

Last week saw the collection of money at traffic lights for a well-known, registered charity. I am all for charity and fundraising, and give willingly myself where and when I can to reputable charities, but I cannot stand being approached at traffic lights.

I think collecting at traffic lights is horrible. There is a real sense of pressure and of being backed into a corner; you cannot escape. I don't like charity being forced on me; I don't like being approached when I am in my car as I feel vulnerable, and most of the time I don't have a wallet on me (school runs, gym etc), but when I explain that to the collectors, I often feel as though they think I am fibbing. Everything about it is off-putting. I also read some time ago that this practise was being made illegal, but have not seen it stop, so once again I do not know if this is a case of another law being ignored, or if it was never passed.

Of course, we should all give what we can whether it is monetary, our time or just plain compassion, but we should be allowed to make the choice for ourselves as to when we will do it and who we will do it for. Many people give selflessly without publicising it and at their own discretion, but then when they are unable to give to those collecting at traffic lights, supermarket entrances and street corners, they are made to feel like Scrooge.

I also despise the two-facedness of some of the people who collect. A few weeks back, I bought a CD of children's Greek songs from my regular children's charity. A couple of nights later, I parked up at the seafront to meet some friends for coffee. I literally had €10 in my wallet for the meeting. A middle-aged man approached me with smiles and over-friendliness explaining that he was collecting for a children's charity and showed me his credentials, which appeared to be in order. I explained that I had given to a different charity a few days earlier and didn't have enough on me to also give him. At first he tried to tell me that if I gave to one children's charity I could easily give to another as he worked with them too. I tried to walk off, politely and firmly telling him that I was sorry, but I simply couldn't give. Then the mask of smiles came off and I was met with a tirade of abuse as I walked away. He told me that God would judge me, that I was a horrible person, and all sorts. Ironically, some of these people think they are virtuous because they collect for charity and have the right to judge others – not a very charitable trait at all!

At the end of the day, these collectors are doing more harm than good. The minute they open their mouths and start trying to introduce themselves with a voice full of over-friendliness and a long and convoluted story, I am completely put off and my first instinct is just to say 'no thank you' without hearing the end of their over-the-top speech. If they would quietly position themselves somewhere where I am not forced to give, but can decide for myself, then they have a much greater chance of my goodwill.

I am sure that not all people who collect for charity will turn nasty if you say no, but I am certainly always a little fearful. 'Giving' by definition means you want to offer something willingly, being forced to is called 'duress', and there is nothing charitable about that.

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 24/10/14