ex Ponto

Narcis Zohrehnassab: Since Turkey occupied the north of Cyprus in 1974, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities have been separated by the so-called Green Line.

In 2004, the predominantly Greek Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union. Even this event did not prompt Turkey to withdraw its army from the northern part of the island. For years, all kind of conflicts and also economic crisis in the north of the island has forced the Turkish Cypriots to leave their country and in their place, came people from Turkey. This has comprehensively changed the demographics of Cyprus.

Next to Turkish Cypriots, the young generations of Greek Cypriots are also leaving the country to UK, Greece, European or North America for a better life; to live in peace and have a normal life without conflict. You read the story of Konstantina Christodoulou, a 26-year-old Greek Cypriot, who thinks no longer the situation in Cyprus is realistic. "We have been stalked these dark ages. I'm disappointed in the development process there," she says.

Konstantina now is working as a graphic designer in Amsterdam; she came to the Netherlands three years ago as an intern, with the ambition of studying and working in the country.

She completed her high school education in Cyprus, and then moved to Athens for three years to study graphic design. She spent one year in Budapest as an Erasmus exchange student and finally graduated in Brussels. After living abroad for five years, she knew she didn't want to go back to Cyprus. The entire population of Cyprus is only about one million, Konstantina says, "and it means fewer possibilities for work or meeting new people."

Konstantina came to the Netherlands specifically because of graphic design. "Holland is the country with a history of design," she says. "You walk outside and you see an open-air museum. I get lots of visual input. When I go back home I also feel how poor the design standard is there, quite a shock for my eyes - visual trash everywhere."

Work
Konstantina did three internships in graphic design studios in the Netherlands. She also had some part-time jobs in between, including working in a call center or working at a check-in points for cruise ships. She now has a full time job as a graphic designer. She designs packaging and gift boxes for a company that produces shisha, water pipes, bongs and "all kind of smoking paraphernalia."

Weather & food
"For me the weather was a pleasant shock. I'm not going to cancel my appointment because it is raining." She does not understand people who complain about the rain. "Rain is essential for nature and makes life bearable in difficult moments," she explains. "I show up at my work completely wet and of course I will dry by the end of the day; very much like all Dutch people."
She got used to the weather and enjoys the different seasons. But she has a different idea about Dutch food: "I don't think I will ever make myself Stamppot. I also once tried Rookworst from HEMA and I think it is the last time."

Language
Konstantina's first attempt at adjusting to Dutch society was to learn the language. "I enjoy learning new languages, and, in any case, I feel I have to," she says. "If I was in China, I would like to learn Chinese. Now I live here and I think I must learn Dutch." But there's a small problem with learning the language: "Dutch people speak English very well. If you want to learn Dutch you have to really push yourself and insist on Dutch. And that is the challenge. Of course if I can speak Dutch, I don't feel that I'm Dutch, but I feel a bit like I'm part of the society."

Friendship
One of Konstantina's principal goals is to make friends with Dutch people. "After three years of living in Holland, I have only one Dutch friend and he is my flat mate," she says. It took her two years to understand that in Dutch culture you have to take the first step towards making friends. "Dutch people are cold, particularly young people; they don't do anything to approach you. You have to take the first step, you have to put in a lot of effort and you have to keep it up. I don't like it. This is not a mutual relationship."

Men in their 40's and 50's have a different attitude, she says. "They can flirt or talk to young ladies, or give them a compliment."

You can do it yourself
Konstantina is a Christian and she prays to God every moment of her life. "I pray to him, talk to him and think about him when I'm on the bike or at home. God is always with me, in my mind."

From her point of view as a believer, people should help each other only for the goodness of it. "When I help somebody, I don't think about it further," but it seems that Dutch people don't want to be indebted to anyone, she surmises. They tell you how you can solve a problem but they don't do it for you, she explains. "They almost always say 'you can do it yourself!' I don't understand this kind of mentality. It is nice to help people."

Future
Konstantina likes the moderate climate in the Netherlands, the high standard of living and the inspiring atmosphere for her work as a graphic designer. "I have been to many countries and I think I would like to stay in Holland."

She is living in an anti-squat and wants to stay there as long as she can. She believes that life is a journey, the past is over, the future is unclear and the present is full of opportunity. "I would do everything to reach each and every goal; I don't care if I mange it or not, but I will try for it. I think it is possible that in our own way, the plan will be changed. Sometimes you fail and with your failure you have to redefine your goals and make a new plan. A failure makes me sad but through sadness you also discover yourself, because you have to overcome troubles. What makes you feel sad for a while can also change your life for the best somehow."