Easy Reader 2024 Anniversay writing & photography contest Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mention – Greek Odyssey A Greek World War I veteran finds his way through five countries and five languages to Manhattan Beach by Spiros H. Mikelotos Harry (Harilaos) was a Greek combat volunteer in World War I. He was also a loving father of three children and a loving grandfather of nine grandchildren. Harry was destined to spend his senior years, after 1948 in Manhattan Beach. He lived and worked in five countries and on the wide oceans as a merchant marine seaman. He spoke five languages, four of them self taught. He lived in his homeland, the Greek island of Kefalonia, in Brazil, Argentina, Panama, and New York. He spoke Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and English. Harry was born in 1887. He had his parents, two brothers and five sisters. They were making a living as shepherds of goats and sheep. In 1901 news reached the Greek islands that Brazil needed workers to open roads through the Amazon Rainforest. Harry volunteered to go there at age 14. In Brazil Harry learned Portuguese without schooling. His work assignment was to place sticks in the ground to mark the road openings for the next day. He placed sticks by day and the native Indians pulled the sticks…
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