I googled the word ‘grateful’ so that I could somehow make up my mind about who I should address this letter to. I decided to leave out my parents because there are upcoming letters that are going to be addressed to them anyway. I used a website called ‘beventure.com’ to make the decision for me after typing in several options/people’s names.
Most of the names I wrote down belonged to teachers I had when I was in Greece. The answer from the website showed the name of a teacher called ‘Kuria Nikolaidou’ (Mrs. Nikolaidou, in English).
In order to understand who this woman is, it’s essential to mention how she came into my life.
For reasons that I will probably explain in another post some other time, my family and I moved to Greece in the summer of 2004 (Olympic Games ftw) from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). We were born and raised there and we attended a British school so our first language was English. My parents used to talk to us in English, Greek, Armenian and Arabic (sometimes conversations would be held with a mixture of those). Mind you, my siblings and I had an American accent (probably due to the cartoons we used to watch? I really have no clue why!) when we spoke both languages. I sometimes watch old videos of when I was younger and cringe at the accent!
My twin sister and I were in 5th grade, my older brother was in 7th and my older sister was in the 9th grade. We all learnt how to properly read and write in Greek that summer with a teacher who I think is rightfully important to mention (she was one of the options) – Kuria Chrysa (Mrs Chrysa, in English). While it is safe to say that it was difficult adapting to Greek society at first, it was easier for me and my twin sister because we were at a much lower academic stage. My brother was just starting middle school and my older sister was starting the last grade of middle school and had ancient Greek (on top of modern Greek language which she had to primarily grasp) in her curriculum. She was purposely put in a class which a philology/literature teacher was responsible for. That teacher is who I’m addressing this letter to.
Due to the fact that my older sister was facing some difficulties with the lessons which involved language (Greek literature, Greek language, ancient Greek, history etc), my Mom asked the teacher if it would be possible for her to take on my older sister for private lessons. There was a misunderstanding and Kuria Nikolaidou thought it was going to be a temporary arrangement (just a few lessons). Turns out, she connected with my older sister and wanted to help her on a more permanent basis.
The following years that came, she would come to our house and go to my older sister’s room to proceed with lessons. Lessons which were meant for an hour or two sometimes went up until three or four hours. She then took the responsibility of helping out my brother as well - mainly with a lesson called ‘Greek language’ (essay writing, composition skills etc). I would sometimes bring her her usual coffee in a matching china pattern cup and plate with a biscuit or a homemade sweet, a little tin of milk, a small packet of sugar and a glass of water and she would sometimes stop talking to thank me. Other times she would be completely absorbed in her train of thought but still give me a warm glance of gratitude.
When the time came for me and my twin sister to start high school (my brother was in his last year of high school, my older sister had already graduated and was at university), we decided we wanted to have her as a teacher as well. She used to mainly teach us Greek language but she was more than willing to help us in any other lessons when we did not quite comprehend some things we were taught at school. I don’t really remember when me and my twin sister started having lessons with her separately (because we started together), but in my last year of high school I distinctly recall being on a one to one basis with Kuria Nikolaidou.
Okay then, this introduction was longer than expected but it doesn’t matter.
Dear Kuria Nikolaidou,
Words cannot express how fortunate I feel that I had the opportunity to meet you and foremost, have the privilege to call you my teacher.
I remember you telling me that my essays were too compact, that I needed to be more assertive with my thoughts and not believe that everyone reading my words understood the ideas I was trying to present behind them. I think I have definitely changed my writing style since then!
I loved the way you used to make the lesson into a conversation for the most part. You called it ‘The Socratic Method’. You listened to my opinions with patience, made me think one step ahead in each circumstance of discussion and helped me in cultivating my critical thinking and debating skills.
There were times during those three years where you repeated stories of people you knew or historical information/figures that were not very well known and I acted as if I had never heard of them before just so I could hear them again from you.
The way you talked about stories was majestic. The description of details was done in such a meticulous manner. The emotion in your tone of voice was embedded with raw sincerity.
You ignited a fire in me and caused me to be more interested in history, politics, art, literature, humanity, revolution, psyche.. I particularly remember this one moment when I was fifteen and we were studying ancient Greek one afternoon. You turned to me as you were leaving to go home and said : ‘History is never certain or over. You can only find the truth from constant search and junction’.
There were times when I didn’t look forward to lessons - not because of you but because of the homework. I would find it hard to concentrate and you would call me out on it not in a strict attitude but instead in a concerned one. It was because you knew I could do much better and you wanted me to realize it as well. You were definitely right, by the way.
You are such an amazing human being. I feel you understand me on a deeper level because you possess this open mindedness that makes your soul timeless.
I like how we can go out and talk for hours over coffee as if we’re friends but there’s still a mutual respect. I don’t see you only as someone who was once my teacher and you don’t see me only as someone who was once your student.
I don’t think I can thank you enough and I’m sure I have missed out a lot of memories but this is all I could think of.
Love,
Marilena
