Donation account manager for Germany
Kirsten has been there since June 2012
I was born and raised in Oberkochen in southern Germany and have lived in Bremen with my husband and our three children for 25 years. As a student, I often went backpacking on Greek islands during the summer holidays. The warmth and serenity of the people captivated me.
When I landed on Ikaria by chance in 1980, I was fascinated by the lush greenery and the spicy scent of herbs on the island after the boat trip. For me, this herbal scent is unmistakably linked to Ikaria. At that time a small Parea from Athens, Germany and Switzerland lived at Livadi and I also found a place under one of the pine trees. I was amazed by the paradisiacal nature in the Chalares Gorge. But above all, it was the people who were always looking for a cozy conversation, a little grumpy at first, but then mostly curiously interested. I asked myself how and what do the people here live on and why and where did they sometimes disappear as if they had been swallowed up by the face of the earth?
It was only years later that I came back to Ikaria and discovered Christos Raches and with it life and work in the mountains, the gardens and the livelihood and the Panigyria, where all the “missing Ikariotes” could be found again.
Then came participation in Ursula’s dance group and thus getting to know everyday life on the island. Of course, there were also discussions and questions about the financial crisis among the diverse European participants over dinner and dancing in the evening. What will happen next on Ikaria, will Greek tourists be able to continue to come to Ikaria despite the lack of money and what if even less money arrives on the island from Athens. Can we help somehow? Ursula had just put her wonderful Ikaria platform online in 2011 and so in 2012, together with Ursula and Oskar, the idea came about to use donations to support the schools and children around Rahes. The “Ikaria Friends” have been around for a year now and I manage the Germany donation account.