Although Apostoli is referred as a camp, it is relevant to mention that Apostoli was a very different space, for many reasons. Hence, it is important to characterize Apostoli based on our group’s experience. To do so, we may refer to Eleonas Camp in order to compare and contrast aspects of both camps and the people who engage with their spaces. By doing so, we hope to think deeper about the hardships faced by Greek children from low-income families, in contrast with the ones faced by children from refugee families. Naturally, since we only stayed in Eleonas for a day and in Apostoli for two days, it is not possible to conclude anything about these experiences. Yet, it is possible to attempt to comprehend the dynamics of both spaces, and how the people there interact within their environments.
At the Apostoli Community Center, the kids had much more access to academic and technological resources than the kids at Eleonas. Furthermore, the kids at Apostoli seemed to have a stronger connection between themselves, perhaps due to their common national identity. However, the connection we formed with the kids of Eleonas was very deep. Perhaps, since the kids at Eleonas are used to not having a common language, they find different ways to express their emotions and feelings without necessarily using verbal language. On the other hand, the kids at Apostoli are used to communicating in Greeek at all times. Hence, it may be more challenging for them to communicate their emotions – and to connect – in the absence of common language.
Overall, the interactions in both spaces were mostly positive. The second day at Apostoli was quite challenging because some of the little boys were too agitated, but we managed to deal with this issue by focusing on the kids that were actually interested in learning the dance steps.