Reflections on Rhodes

Going to Rhodes I had little idea what to expect. Besides recalling it as an important island of the middle ages and antiquity, I didn't know much else. At first we were introduced to streets of touristy gift shops, strip clubs, and bars of all sorts which matched the narrative of the ugly tourism we were warned about. After getting settled I ventured a bit into the old town and was stunned at the diversity of the surroundings. I was not expecting to see towering minarets or a huge western european styled town with vaulted ceilings and crests of western Europe. Searching about I saw a beautiful 13th century church built deep into the ground with fading icons painted on the walls that had to have been centuries old. The mosques left from the Ottomans reminded me of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Seeing how we could see Turkey from Rhodes I am really starting to grasp the gravity of just how strategic and overall significant these Greek islands are in a geopolitical and historical context. Seeing how all the different regions of Europe sent their knights and supported their holding of the island in the face of Ottoman expansion or how the Italians of Mussolini's regime really tried to build upon it. The tour guide mentioned how the Rhodians capitalized on the trade and played off both sides in Greek city state wars, joining the side of the apparent victors to better their personal outcome and was one of the earliest examples of diplomacy. The significance of this is that these islands still play a vital role in the security and trade in the region. We learned a some of the ancient history of the island and how Greek culture has historically had some very funny contradictions. The lectures on the tourist industry was very enlightening and reminded me how my home Rhode Island in many ways faces many similar issues where we rely so much on tourism and their solutions that the prefecture gave I think could be universally applied to help out economies that have a dominant tourist sector. Similar to Crete when I went into a little shop with Ilias the woman was exceptionally kind and offered us fruit. After talking and through translations I was given the idea that while people were struggling financially they still retained their pride and sense of hospitality. Even though many of the economic woes in the United States have for the most part improved, people that are much more fortunate would not conduct themselves as such. Going to the live Greek music and dancing I came to the conclusion that despite our economic agenda in the west to liberalize this concept of all work and no play and putting economic outcomes before anything else, has really negated any sort of happiness and contentedness we tried to achieve from this course of action. Professor Vamvakas' story about the american and the greek men was very funny but it really spoke to this different outlook on life. I think if the United States is to stay relevant and really understand the clash its culture and empire is having the world, we need to immerse ourselves in this lifestyle to understand. Its not just a question of Islam or Christianity or Greek or Turk but rather how many societies are facing n existential threat from liberal democracy that seeks to undo high cultures that have been around for thousands of years.