“I finished school at 17, and out of 70 children, 69 left to work in the shipping industry. I traveled worldwide on ships for ten years and another 15 years as a supervisor on yacht boats and cruise ships.
I was usually away for the first few years, but later, I was closer to my home and my family. I met genuine people and those driven by money because the shipping industry has everything. At the age of 27, I started my family in Athens, and since 2005, I've been living in Andros. I have three grandchildren and always spend time with them on the estate. Each of them takes care of their animals with names they've given to the goats. Every Wednesday, we gather with friends of my generation to share everyday stories over a glass of wine. I remember in the old days, during a celebration, the men would sit separately to eat and tell their stories while the women were separate, eating a spoon sweet. Women had the reins in the family as administrators, and the man would send money. My father made wine and raki, and that's how we learned, passing it on to the next generation. Taking care of the vineyard has always been my priority when I retired, and I feel very happy about it.”
How does it feel to be 72?
“I have plenty of time to engage in things I love and enjoy, like my animals and my field with seasonal vegetables. I feel happy about it. Every day, I plan my schedule based on the needs of my field and my communication with my friends in Andros.”
What do you look forward to?
“I am curious to see how the evolution of Greek political life is shaping up with the currently involved people based on their values, beliefs, customs, and traditions. It's currently a hot topic that the opposition leader is openly gay and appears on television with his dog and friend. Things were different in our time, and now everything is happening without much attention to our quality of life.”
What is your biggest concern?
“I am very concerned about the future generations of my grandchildren because I see that children are not satisfied with today's games, nor with their schools. They also have their troubles in Athens, trying to find work there, while on the island of Andros, they could have a nice life with work here.”
Life expectancy 2023
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