On Samos, Aesop’s Fabled Isle, a Mix of Greeks, Migrants and Tourists

Thank you for this article. The closing statement from Hassan says “refugees wish to be treated as human beings.” Let us not forget that we are a country of immigrants, many of whom landed at Ellis Island in the early 20th century, including my husband’s parents, who came here from Samos and were welcomed. Yes, we are all human beings.

I get the concept of this writer's 'vacation' by going some place where you can be of 'help'. But in a way it is a form of virtue signalling and offsetting the fact that one can afford to take vacations to far away lands. Do Europeans who come to the US go down to our southern border and bring clothes and toys? Or perhaps next time she could go to help the refugees we have right here without having to cross an ocean.

Visit the nearby island of Lesbos! Oh wait, on second thought, maybe not. Too many discarded life jackets and ghosts haunting those parts of the Greek isles. For the NYT readership, particularly American in nationality and entitlement, those looking for the next hot tourist destination won’t find a whitewashed, gentrified idyll. Let’s be honest, the world is becoming more and more ambivalent about US intentions in their regions and for this particular area, which has witnessed a flood of refugees fleeing conflicts started or orchestrated by the US, you will find a populace equally wary of even the most well-intentioned tourist-yokel from Take-your-pick, USA.

The problem is that this Aegean island of less than 33,000 people, sits about a mile next to the huge land mass of Asia, which is also used as a land bridge from Africa. There are hundreds of millions of people, most of them Muslim, that want to move into a Christian island and then, into the Greek mainland and onto Europe, which has closed its borders to them. I can sympathize with the islanders. At first, they risked their life to rescue them, when they deflated their boats near the shore, so they can be rescued and claim asylum. They gave them the shirts of their back, fed them and were kind to them. But, three years on, they're still coming. Where does it end? The migrants are wondering around during the day, and many of them have resorted to stealing from the farmers their produce, or animals. There have been numerous fights among the different nationalities. There have been rapes in the camps and child abuse. All these things are not mentioned in this article. Why is that? The only solution that's viable, is to send them back to their own country, so they can help build it and stop any newcomers from landing.

Thank you Helen, for this thoughtful and sensitive piece of writing.

Excellent article that makes one think and dream.

Everyone needs to know these things. These ARE human beings. Our brothers and sisters. The world has become so cold and cruel.

Beautiful piece reminding us that refugees are humans who have undergone terrible suffering and did not leave their home countries because they wanted to. They did in order to survive. They deserve our help and compassion as it is we who have disrupted the Middle East.

Thank you, sweet article, wishing good fortune on the refugees and the good Greek hearts who help them.

Making breakfast for a restaurant seems unremarkable considering that’s their business. Telling me they do it for free would be. We’ll just have to imagine for the best to make it worthy of Aesop.

A couple of years ago I read a reminiscence of visiting Mykonos in 1970; an experience I share and treasure. I wrote to the author, knowing that Mykonos was no longer what it was then, and he recommended Samos (if I recall correctly which perhaps I don't :). My first reaction to the article - I haven't been there yet - was alarm that the opportunity had been taken away. But, reading further I realize I can still, perhaps, recapture some of the pleasures of the Isles and, again perhaps, be of use to folks there. That's good.

Good article! However, the refugee situation (and the future of SAMOS & other Mediterranean refugee-destinations) would be immeasurably improved by removing the ineffectual UNHCR from any involvement ... anywhere they attempt engagement.

North African and Middle Eastern DNA can be found in many of the people of these countries that are turning against those fleeing for their safety. This has been happening for hundreds if not thousands of years. While the numbers can be overwhelming, compassion for your fellow humans(and possibly a distant relation) benefits us all. Can we organize another world wide benefit similar to the concerts of the past?

Imagine if every tourist everywhere took these actions to help a local community by going beyond the typical tourist spending and extended their financial footprint to targeted charitable works...

I spent two glorious months on Samos back in 1981, when it was relatively little known, certainly compared to the more famous Greek islands such as Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, and Santorini. Samos is also distinctive in that most of the houses aren't the whitewashed dwellings also common to those other islands. It's more colorful, more lush, has a different vibe (and by the way boasts great wines). This article brings back so many memories. It also induces sadness for the refugees, who are in such a desperate situation. I'm glad to know that at least some of the people of Samos are welcoming them and trying to help them, and that people like Helen Benedict are doing likewise. It's a noble, necessary effort.

What an intelligent and thoughtful article!

I was on holiday staying at a Greek owned hotel on the south side of the island for a week this August. I'm ashamed that i knew nothing of this camp in Vathy. Not sure what i could have done to help, but i would at least have tried. The plight of refugees is really horrible.