I always wanted to help people, but I am not trained in any useful profession.
I also want to be a photoreporter, combining these two if possible.
I am really unhappy with my life.
Its going nowhere.
Everything sucks for me here.
So, I am thinking of leaving.
I have nothing to leave behind here, even thinking of selling all my film gear which seem to be holding me back.
Is it possible to find an organization, from Amnesty International to Doctors without Frontiers, to join?

First and foremost, do what makes you happy. If being in Greece isn't working out for you, move somewhere else and give it a try.

Second, if shooting film is holding you back, change to whatever will help you do what it is you want to do.

Third, check into Doctors without Borders and the Peace Corp. I am sure they would love to have you.

First and foremost, do what makes you happy. If being in Greece isn't working out for you, move somewhere else and give it a try.

Well, I left Greece for the US when I was 19 for the same reasons. I though things would be different when I returned. Its pretty much the same though. And don't see a way to fix it.


Second, if shooting film is holding you back, change to whatever will help you do what it is you want to do.

Having a darkroom and buying film, isn't really portable. Sure I can develop in a bathroom and order from around the world, but that doesn't make sense professionally. I have great equipment, a great darkroom, a good studio, but work is not going well... I thought people would appreciate my higher artistic and technical offer than what you can find here, but they don't. I thought of quiting photography all together, but its the only relatively useful thing I can do. Maybe I should just be a waiter or something. I've done tea ceremony, I can serve (that was a joke).


Third, check into Doctors without Borders and the Peace Corp. I am sure they would love to have you.
Isn't Peace Corp for US citizens only? I have a friend of mine (who mother is American) and he did spent two years in Mongolia.
But, what those organization would use me for? I am pretty much useless. I am sure Doctors need doctors and nurses!

"I have nothing to leave behind here, even thinking of selling all my film gear which seem to be holding me back."

Sell it all and bank the money, you can always buy it back at eBay.

Join the merchant marine and see the world for 1,000 days. When you get back, see if Crete and APUG still leave you cold. All of the nameable organizations are mercenary, political fluff, not worth the time.

Good luck with the hunt.

Who gets your bike?

Seriously, if you are dissatisfied, go farther in school. From other posts, I think you might disagree, but it is very hard to help others if you can't help yourself. In other words, if you are not sufficient unto yourself, you are not of much use to others. Expand your knowledge, innovate, be creative, be generous, and you will help others.

My friend Chris is employed by Doctors without Borders and is stationed in Darfur.Wherever you are on this planet and in whatever condition your life is in,you are better off then the folks in Darfur.A nasty place to find yourself.

Welcome to mid-life-crisis.

It'll get worse and it'll get better. Keep your film gear... stow it away and in a couple of years you'll relish pulling it out and starting all over again.

Peace Corps is very likely US citizens only. You're also working through and with local governments as a Peace Corps volunteer, so your success is only what you can make of the given situation, and might turn out to be frustrating unless you can be happy with small steps and making the best of things. But you do meet some great people, and learn that material wealth isn't necessary for happiness. You also learn how absurdly spoiled and selfish we are in "developed" countries. The real shock isn't adjusting to a culture you don't know, it's returning to your own culture with new eyes. There are other countries with volunteers that function similarly to Peace Corps. Japan is one that I'm sure did that in the 70's, and likely still does. Don't know about Greece.

Lee

hi ari -

i am not sure if this is an option for you,
but you might also think about habitat for humanity.
you don't need to be more than someone who wants to help people.

john

Ari,

Check out this website: http://www.devnetjobs.org/. There are a lot of jobs posted there, but if you want to see them in a timely manner you have to subscribe (it's pretty reasonable) but you can see the type of jobs available without subscribing.
It's very difficult to get overseas development work without some experience. One way of getting that experience is to volunteer. The pay is awful, but they pay expenses.
If Greece is a member of the EU, you would be eligible to work, or volunteer, for any aid organisation based in any EU country, or for the EU itself. These organisations usually hire consultants to implement their projects. The projects usually require some technical expertise, but there are often "administrator" positions (administrators look after the local office and staff, vehicles, etc. etc. - some accountancy knowledge is good for these positions).
Aid work can be very frustrating which is one of the reasons the aid organisations and consultants want overseas experience (I don't think the US would count :) ). They have all had the experience of hiring someone who arrives in the country and immediately goes into culture shock, says "what the hell am I doing here" and takes the next plane home. Aid work is also very bureaucratic, on potentially three levels. The country sponsoring the project, the local bureaucracy, and the EU, if they are involved.
The website I gave you is a good starting point for searching the internet. Most of the projects and jobs are posted there somewhere.
Good luck!
p.s. If you're lucky enough to land one of these jobs, you will need your camera. You can always shoot colour and get it developed locally or send it home. Fuji Frontiers and the like are ubiquitous.

If you are relying on others to make you feel worthy then you are doomed to a life of misery. You sound intensely depressed. I would suggest getting some help for yourself before you attempt to help others. To be effective at helping others in dreadful circumstances you must be very centered personally and have tremendous mental strength.

It's tough to be gifted in the arts (certainly not speaking from personal experience LOL) and being unable to provide for yourself through your chosen medium.

Your happiness must come from within.

Good luck old friend.

Eric

I wish I had some sage words, and advice, Ari, but you know yourself best. One thing you might look into, is making pictures for those organizations...

Best wishes.

If you are relying on others to make you feel worthy then you are doomed to a life of misery. You sound intensely depressed. I would suggest getting some help for yourself before you attempt to help others.

Ditto.

No matter where you go, there you are. In other words, the things that are making you feel the way you do, are really inside you, and although a change in geography may be helpful for some short period of time, in the end, you'll still be you. It's an inside job, Ari. As Eric said, doing a little work on yourself now will allow you to bloom wherever you're planted at some point in the future. Keep on keeping on.
Neal

Why don't you volunteer to help Raleigh International, they are UK based and run projects in various poor countries. They always have a need for photographers, you'd be expected to do other tasks as well. You have more than sufficient experience for them. One of my photographer friends spent a year with them a few \years ago and found it very rewarding. My cousins daughter spent last year in Rwanda with them.

Don't ditch conventional photography though, if necessary use it alongside digital, because diversity in the image making makes for much more interesting results.

Ian

Ari, get out on the bike more, get lots of exercise. It gets the serotonin levels going.

Ari, get out on the bike more, get lots of exercise. It gets the serotonin levels going.
The Romans used to prescribe outdoor physical labor for diagnoses of "melancholy". It worked. I've heard psychologists recommend it highly, and have been told that in clinical studies three periods of good exercise each week have been found to be as effective as antidepressants for a large percentage of people.

Mens sana in corpore sano and all that...

Of course finding rewarding work and hobbies helps tremendously too, and so does helping others who aren't as fortunate. That tends to make you realize that your situation may be better than you feel it is, and it takes your focus off your own situation for periods of time.

Lee

sorry but oi am burning with vrery high fever.
thank you all

Ah, come on Ari, what's that?;)

And you do think you can help others, when you can barely help yourself, man?:(:confused:

Go sleep on the beach and talk with the Ocean, tomorrow you will feel much better.:D


Cheers and take care!




André

1.<arigram= (...) So, I am thinking of leaving.
I have nothing to leave behind here, even thinking of selling all my film gear which seem to be holding me back.
Is it possible to find an organization, from Amnesty International to Doctors without Frontiers, to join?>

2.<arigram=sorry but oi am burning with vrery high fever.thank you all.>

Take an aspirin!

Kyprianos (a doctor without frontiers)

If this is not a pisstake I will be on Crete Sat 9th aug. will help if wanted.
John.

Ari,
I met John Amato (jamato) in a non-photo related forum, please check out his Pbase gallery (http://www.pbase.com/jamato8).
His sig is a quote from Gandhi:
Live life as if you'll die tomorrow...
Learn life as if you'll live forever..."

Get well soon,
Terry

My midlife crisis led to my marraige which is my meaning. Ari, I hope wherever you end up it's face up. May the sun always shine on your face and may the road always rise to meet you.

sorry but oi am burning with vrery high fever.
thank you all


Me too today. Feel like crap. Glad I got out this morning and did some close up shots of sea cactus and bees collecting nectar at the local beach... but now I'm feverish with a nose running like a tap! Its been brewing for a week, had a sore throat for a few days, that went, then felt stuffy and tonight the floodgates have opened. Hopefully this is the last day and it'll burn out by tomorrow.

Me too today. Feel like crap. Glad I got out this morning and did some close up shots of sea cactus and bees collecting nectar at the local beach... but now I'm feverish with a nose running like a tap! Its been brewing for a week, had a sore throat for a few days, that went, then felt stuffy and tonight the floodgates have opened. Hopefully this is the last day and it'll burn out by tomorrow.

Have you tried a Neti Pot? Highly recommended.