When Australian-born Lana Penrose’s boyfriend Dion is offered the job of a lifetime in radio in Athens, they are thrilled. Penrose sees it as an opportunity to have a sabbatical, take a well-earned break from a hectic career and discover the joys of Greece.
But like all good Greek tragedies things start to unravel fairly quickly when they arrive in Athens and Penrose discovers an inability to grasp learning Greek and a dislike for feta cheese.
“For me, English was my one and only idiom and it seemed that the vernacular part of my brain was welded shut,” she says ruefully. Meanwhile Dion enthusiastically rediscovers and embraces his Greek heritage.
To make matters worse, she is not allowed to work in Greece which means plenty of time on her hands living in a country that she experiences as confusing, unwelcoming and sometimes frightening. To Hellas and Back is dedicated to “the displaced” which reflects how Penrose felt for those four years in Athens.
The book traces her slow decline into depression and despair as she fails to assimilate and overcome her culture shock. With far too many lonely hours spent unsuccessfully trying to find friends and a purpose to fill her days, Penrose develops new-found obsessions with ironing and hair removal. Then there’s the slow disintegration of her relationship, the raw truth told with a good dose of humour.
This is no pity-party though and her honest account of life in Athens benefits from her sharp wit and healthy ability to laugh at her own struggles. Penrose’s advice to those about to embark on a similar journey is “to read To Hellas and Back and do the opposite of everything I did. In that way, you’re guaranteed happiness!”
To Hellas and Back began as an idea for a guidebook for those visiting Athens – full of pith, wit and wisdom. It somehow evolved into a memoir that was first published by Penguin. This is a funny and poignant story that will make you laugh and cry.
Lana Penrose’s second book Kickstart My Heart follows on from her time in Athens. She arrives in London shell-shocked from her experiences in Athens and resumes her career, catering to a global pop sensation. She is now based in Sydney and is currently working on her third novel Addicted to Love. Her books are available digitally and in print from www.lanapenrose.com.au
