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citizens, like health and education complexes36, and unwilling to see let alone address the
broader social reality which shapes the cityscape, the population of Athens (legal and
illegal) turns its back to the state and searches for modes of independence.
Eventually I arrived at the Foreigner’s Bureau. The entrance was guarded by two
armed men in blue uniform (resembling Greek riot police outfits) who stopped me
abruptly as I attempted to enter the compound and asked to see my identification. I
presented my passport and the mood changed immediately from one of confrontation to
one of curiosity and goodwill. The men directed me to a room on the main floor inside
and suggested I speak to a man named Vassili, who they claimed could help me. With
newfound confidence I walked into the building and to the large room indicated to me by
the guards. It was a very large white space with three plastic chairs at one end and a row
of teller’s windows at the other. A quick headcount indicated that there were over three
hundred people waiting, and only one teller to help them. This was a loud place. People
were sitting on the floor, others were leaning against the walls completing forms, and
children ran about. There was no discernible line; instead a bunch of people crowded
around the teller’s window all shouting incoherently in broken Greek. The teller,
however, seemed completely unfazed.
I tried to enter the glob of applicants near the teller, but was quickly pushed out. I
also tried getting the teller’s attention from the other end of the row of windows, to no
avail. Eventually I leaned against the wall and waited to see if the number of waiting
people would dissipate which, predictably, it didn’t. After an hour I decided to retry on a
36 As per the news (Athens News and Kathimerini in particular) and public opinion, one might add to this
list of failing government agencies and reforms: OTE (the national phone company); the port authority;
public power corporation; Hellenic Railways; and pension reform. These agencies and initiatives were all
embroiled in corruption, scandals, crippling labour disputes, or involved in poor business and/or safety
practice.