Dishing With the Devious Diva

• Share This Post
• submit
• 2
• Sparkle (
  0
  )
   

The Devious Diva is an Englishwoman who blogs from Greece about human rights, parenting and difference at This is Not My Country. She's one of the few writers regularly reporting on the lives of the Roma, who consistently suffer human rights abuses in countries throughout Europe. Recently, we chatted about the motivation and rewards of being an expat blogger.

This passionate poetic post is part of the reason I find so much pleasure in regular visits to her site

"Don’t be do self indulgent wasting time with my fuck off computer should be doing something else and not waste my time on things that lead nowhere and money money that’s the thing/
Dull blocks lead nuance confused jumble save and restart wonky time always takes its time when you least expect it there I go...

I like the shape on the page my words make could do it again make no sense of it relax explode black smoke emails censor honest old men with wigs and eyes look sad your father after how many years why now why now.
War if you can’t come we can’t go I’m afraid planes flying tickets practical but fear

Speak out way out way off down smells that comes to me bandages from the hospital that make me sick now

Music in my ears to my ears my ears that sometimes don’t hear block it out listen to that beauty

Quiet afraid can I start again too late grass i want grass in my garden like when i was young lemon trees spoil the grass this is not my country and you don’t understand me you wont see me

I am invisible this is not my country my country is cold and green and unfriendly and funny and dark and deep ...."

How long have you lived in Greece? What led you to go there?

A: I met the the love of my life 13 years ago in London and he had had a love affair with Greece for many years and always wanted to go back and live there. He is not Greek but who says you have to be Greek to love this place! When London became intolerable for him, he decided to leave and move here. He never tried to persuade me to come with him. We had talked so much about how it had to be my choice, my decision. I had a good job and still loved London and never intended to leave. The love was strong but it wasn't just love that made up my mind, but the idea that I didn't want to wake up ten years later and regret not taking that opportunity. So here I am, 12 years later. We are still as strong together now as we were then. And the kid brings new bonds between us and the country.

What led you to create "This is Not My Country?"

A: It started as words on a page written with a pen! I had written this "rant" poetry called "This is not my country" for a performance (though for reasons of anonymity I cannot reveal what exactly) and because of it I was asked to announce the publication of a book about a racist attack that left 5 people dead and 4 seriously injured. I felt that it wasn't enough to just to talk about the book and then forget about it. I had been reading blogs for a while but this incident gave me the reason to start my own. I had never wanted to do a "my daily life" kind of blog. It just didn't appeal. I have never kept a diary so I needed a real reason my own blog

How did the name "Devious Diva" come about?

A: I got the nickname Diva years ago from friends but it was all very tongue in cheek because despite what I do for a living (performance) I am not at all Diva-like. The Devious bit simply came to me because I liked how it sounded. I am also not very devious! I felt that it created an online persona that was very unlike me in real life but expressed a part of me that is real. I have gone through phases of not liking the devious bit but it has stuck and I think of the more positive connotations of the word (showing a skilful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals). My tactics are not real underhand but I do try and use friendliness and understanding (when I could be screaming at