Name: Katerina Stamatiou
Lives in: I’ve lived in Selina on the island of Salamina, Greece for the last 32 years.
From: I was born in Athens, and I was lucky enough to live at Koukaki and see the Acropolis every day since my school, called the 70th, was two steps away. And I was twice lucky by going to Pierce College, Ag. Paraskevi.
Occupation: I am a music teacher in primary schools, and I am also a painter. I adore painting Greece’s landscapes with aquarelle colors. Still drawn portraits are my favorite artwork.
Tell us your first three jobs (ever!): An insurance company employee, cafeteria service, English teacher.
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Enneagram type: I don’t know yet. I will have to arrange with Lynn to buy her books or for a typing interview!
What do you love about Greece? I love the small corners of Athens that haven’t changed since my childhood, all around the sacred rock of Acropolis. About Greece, I love all of it, the islands, rivers and mountains. All the planet exists in my country!
Tell us something most people don’t know about you: I write songs for children but also ballads or Greek Laika for adults. I can write in verse very easily, and I often use verse to make my pupils pay attention. It’s fun and it works!
Where we are most likely to find you in the community? Perhaps you can find “me” on Lynn’ s wall since she has my painting “Aeolou street”!
Tell us your top tip to combat climate change: Doing things in the presence of my pupils like carrying my recycling items to the school recycling bin, turning the a/c and the lights off at breaks, etc. All things that set a paradigm for them. Action, not only words. This is teaching for me. Ego paidagogo=I lead children to their better self!
Anything else you’d like us to know? My first personal painting exhibition took place at Paros Philoxenia in the summer of 2016 thanks to the philoxenia of Lila Papanikolaou, a great friend from high school and her family, of course. I am now seeking a gallery or studio in Athens to have another exhibit of my work.
I’m editing my school songs which I’ve been writing since 1991. My prayer has been sung and loved by thousands of pupils and I hope to get them to even more. 🙂