On Invisible Progress
Inta mbou ekamnes elies to kypriakon? [What have you been doing, solving the Cypriot problem?] (Trans.) You’re taking far too long.
My stomach sank as I opened Google Drive and realised the last time I’d written anything for Kalimera was August 2025. I could try and excuse myself by listing everything that got in the way (which would include trying to raise a whirlwind of a puppy and moving house) but if I’m honest, the main reason isn’t as simple as ‘I’ve been busy’.
The thing is, I don’t quite know what to say yet.
Building a business takes far more time than I ever imagined, and every decision seems to bring three more along for the ride. I love a colour-coded spreadsheet and a checklist as much as the next person, but it doesn’t feel exciting enough to share with the world.
The Solitude of a Passion Project
I don’t want to sound negative because I love having the chance to work on a project that’s just for me - for now. But holding so many ideas and questions for months on end can make your brain feel heavy and every now and then, it simply shuts down in protest. It’s not that I don’t have people to share ideas with but, understandably, nobody wants to be asked about how to refine a wireframe or decide what combination of software to use.
But the thing is, I love the boring bits. As I’ve already mentioned, I enjoy a good spreadsheet. I love organisation, I love figuring out structures and plans and making note of endless ideas. I have even wondered if I chose the wrong career altogether and maybe I’m just a secret project manager.
The frustration only comes when you realise that this progress is invisible. To reframe a beautiful phrase that I can’t quite remember, I’m standing in an empty field planting seeds that won’t bloom for months, wondering, are the flowers even there? Did I use the right seeds?
A lot of people online will say things like ‘build in public’ and ‘show your workings’, but that’s just not me. It might be a detriment to my online engagement and all of that jazz, but I won’t be videoing myself at my desk talking through “the process”. Just know that I’m here, sowing seeds in private, and looking forward to inviting you to my garden soon. I think I’ve taken that metaphor too far now…
Cyprus in September
On a sunnier note, I visited Cyprus last September and it was wonderful. We hired a tiny white car and I spent three very long days driving all over the island with my mum, going from place to place introducing myself and talking to lovely hotel owners over countless frappés.
I thought I’d find this experience cringeworthy, daunting and deflating, but it was joyous. For the first time, it felt like I was doing something real and creating something that people outside my own mind would be interested in.
To share a few highlights from our first day in Nicosia, I had a lovely conversation with the owner of The Sendal Boutique Hotel, where I’d stayed a year earlier. It’s minimal, chic, and comfortable, and the shower pressure was amazing – an important and under-celebrated highlight.
I also met the manager of MAP Boutique Hotel, another sleek and beautifully modern space, although I spent most of the time feeling very old as I can’t quite get over that this elegant hotel was built on the site of the club where I celebrated my high school graduation.
Lastly, we had yet another frappé at a place that proved that sometimes, reality does live up to the Instagram grid. Amyth of Nicosia, the newest addition to the Thanos collection, is a beautifully considered renovation on an unassuming road in the old town. I had a quick peek into some of the rooms, which were a lot more spacious and grander than I’d expected, and had to try very hard to resist the temptation to stay.
Right, I’m off to continue planning and, if I stick with my current routine, I’ll be back with more updates in June.
