Smell the roses, not the manure - Paula Manoli-Gray

If you have read my column before, you may be mistaken that I think Larnaca is the most perfect place in the world; a paradise where nothing can go wrong and where life is all rainbows, unicorns and souvla!

I may sometimes give this impression, because I like to highlight the good and speak positively of my adopted hometown (adopted because I was born in the UK, but both my parents come from a Nicosia village called Lymbia). But I can assure you my eyes are wide open, I just believe in sometimes shutting them for the sake of being happy where you live.

For me, expats / foreigners / Cypriots from abroad who live in Larnaca – and Cyprus in general – fall into two categories. The first are those who bemoan everything. They love nothing more than to whinge, complain and criticize everything about this island, from the fact that you have to pay more for Kellogs (duh, imported!) to receiving some of their bills in Greek. They are miserable and lament the good old green grass of home, forgetting that they left home because they weren't happy with certain aspects there and chose to come here of their own freewill. The other group are those who are fully aware that wherever you go in the world you will find the good the bad and the ugly. They appreciate the positives of the lifestyle here and try to take the infuriating, mismanaged, unjust and illegal aspects with a big bucket of salt, because, if you don't then you move over to Camp Misery.

Of course things aren't perfect here! There are so many things I can instantly list that are wrong; cracked pavements with cars parked fully on them, dog poo everywhere, rude and unhelpful civil servants, overpricing in certain areas, a lack of empathy and support for certain groups of society, rife nepotism, a severe failure to implement many laws such as no smoking and no parking in disabled spots, and, and, and. If I were to get irate over every little thing I come across in daily life, I would have packed my bags long ago. Instead I choose to focus on the community spirit, the flavoursome fresh produce, the low level of crime, the climate, the beauty spots and beaches, the enviable lifestyle my children enjoy, the al fresco dining at quality restaurants, the short driving distances, the simple pleasures, and, and, and…

…That is how we need to live – wherever we live in the world. We need to smell the roses, not the manure and appreciate the good that balances the bad. This is why you will often hear me speak highly and passionately about Larnaca, and this is why I am generally happy and content with my life, as difficult as it can be at the moment with the financial crisis.

It's only natural that sometimes the stench of manure does get too strong, at which point, I just hold my nose till it passes!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 16/08/14