Popotex

My Cousin Demi has a saying "Be Free." This phrase has different meanings. For young people being free means living on their own. For older people, it can mean financial freedom, empty-nest freedom, retirement, or the like. Fifteen years ago I met a lovely couple from Ireland who embody the meaning of "Be Free." Gemma and Gary were expats living in Pouri. I was on a journey to deliver $100 to the Church in Pouri per my grandfather's Last Will. There I was, parents in-tow, looking for the local priest when I stumbled across these two lovely people- Gemma a potter, and Gary a metal-smith. Today, I stand at their studio/home- POPOTECH. No longer renting, these two intrepid souls own several acres on a hillside that overlooks the Aegean. They built all of the structures on their land, and are living off the grid. They use solar panels, gravity fed water, a generator, wood stove, etc.... In Gemma's art studio, Gary built two potter's wheels, and her kiln which is gas fired. We enjoyed filtered coffee made over an outdoor gas fired stove built by Gary. Under the shade of a Sweet Gum tree we spent two hours talking about the life of an expat in Greece, bee keeping, schools, and of course art. Fifteen years has gone by since that day when Gemma took time from her busy schedule to act as a translator between 3 Americans and 1 Greek Orthodox priest. Today, with the exception of a few grey hairs, the years have vanished. We are just a group of old friends exchanging life stories.