Rebels with a Cause...

There is a universal truth that the youth of today are angry and frustrated and try in different ways to express their anger and frustration. Like everywhere Cyprus is no exception. I see it every day when I am teaching. That restless youth that sits outside the frontistirion sending messages on their phone, the apathetic listener slouching and swinging on the chair only vaguely listening to what I'm saying. It's often difficult to engage them. Nothing can break that reverie. There's a lot of pressure on youth these days from all areas. Parents, teachers, peers. They get sucked down and try to find ways to escape. It is not surprising that the walls of our neighbourhoods are dotted with graffiti, often seen as vandalism although some of this graffiti is quite creative.

We live in a materialistic culture where an eight year old now has their own high tech phone and i pod. It's as if the parents are trying to fill the void of not really being there for their children. They buy them things to keep them quiet although we all know that isn't the answer. There is lack of communication, divorce rates are sky high and the victims are the kids. This has meant that society is brimming with resentful youngsters who feel betrayed, cheated even. They are not listened to. They have no voice.Their parents continue to spend money on them, buying them the latest PSP or Playlife T-shirt, squandering vast amounts of money on their education so that they get into the universities the parents want them to get into. They mould their young lives to suit their needs. This is causing a boomerang effect. There's a lot of disenchanted, disconnected and jobless youth out there and too many accountants doctors and lawyers. I suppose there's not much job variety on the market. Where in Cyprus could you be a publisher for instance? Your options are limited. Those who can, live abroad and find their dream jobs and those who can't just have to stick it out and work in Coopers.

 The Cyprus Problem doesn't help the situation. We are too small to be divided. What richness and diversity would this island have if we were united, Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. We could learn from eachother, open eachothers' eyes. The problem will not be solved in the years to come. It's the children who are born now who will solve it because they will have to. The new won't carry the burden of the old. They will refuse to do so and will embrace new beginnings. I will be old when I see Cyprus united.

At a bar the other night I sat around a table with some friends. There was a live rock band, strumming old and new rock songs on the guitar.The crowd was young, younger than me and my friends. Dressed casually they smoked and drank Carlsbergs huddled together in corners of the room, girls and boys. The singer sang songs which mattered, which touched the hearts of this youth, their hopes and fears, their anger. For a night they could be themselves, not restricted by teachers or parents.I sat listening and watching them. What would they become, I wondered? If only you could take each individual and tap into their potential, how amazing that would be, but that is far from reality. Youth deserves the best and sadly society is not giving them what they truly need and deserve.