Greek Guys vs American Guys

I'm not of the opinion that all Greek guys are hot and passionate, while all American guys are ice-cold. It would be insane to deny that there are attractive guys everywhere out there, but it all depends on what you're looking for as a girl. Greeks are conceived as more passionate with girls and more metrosexual in their appearance, whereas American guys bring out a feeling of comfort and tenderness to a girl they like. When I think Greek versus American guys, there's a list of characteristics that pops up in my head. This list doesn't reflect all Greek or American men, but I believe it mirrors the general population (correct me if I'm wrong):

American guy: Wears a lot of sweatshirts and comfortable clothes without caring about the brand
Greek guy: Dresses in the latest fashion, fixes his hair, wears form-fitting clothes

A: Loves football
G: Loves soccer

A: Proposes to his high-school sweet-heart with a ring he's been saving up months for
G: Feels like all girls want to marry him so they can live off him, so he avoids it for as long as he can

Read more about Greek guys' and American guys' differences at www.allthegreeks.com

Image: http://media2.feed.gr/filesystem/images/20071025/engine/assets_LARGE_t_1041_443144_type11487.jpg

Άνδρος - Κορυφή

Άνδρος είναι ο τέλειος προορισμός για όσους μένουν Αθήνα ή έρχονται στην Ελλάδα για λίγες μέρες και θέλουν να μείνουν κοντά στην πρωτεύουσα. Βέβαια τους ζεστούς μήνες γεμίζει από Αθηναίους τα Σαββατοκύριακα, αλλά είναι ένα νησί που πραγματικά αν έχεις όρεξη να το εξερευνήσεις δεν πρόκειται να το βαρεθείς ποτέ!!

Βέβαια έγω όσες φορές έχω πάει τέινω να περνάω τον χρόνο μου στο Μπατσί λόγω συγγενών και όπως και να το κάνουμε είναι το πιο κοσμοπολίτικο μέρος της Άνδρου. Εστιατόρια φανταστικά όπου μπορείς να φας φρέσκο ψαράκι, φρουτάλια, σαλατίτσα με ντόπια κάππαρη και κοπανιστή αντί για φέτα (φανταστική! δεν περίμενα να μου αρέσει). Οι ντόπιοι φιλικότατοι και σίγουρα θα σου μείνουν αξέχαστα τα ωραία μπαράκια στο Μπατσί.

Θές φανταστικές παραλίες με καταγάλανα νερά και ξανθή αμμουδιά; Θές beach bar να βαράνε beat από το πρωί μέχρι το βράδυ (πχ παραλία Χρυσή Άμμος) ή θές κάπου γαλήνια να ηρεμήσει το κεφάλι σου (πχ παραλία Βόρης); Απ΄όλα έχει! Μήπως θες να πιάσεις τα βουνά για μια μέρα, να εξερευνήσεις την "πράσινη πλευρά" του νησιού; Κι απ' αυτό έχει!

Γι αυτούς που αγαπάνε την ιστορία έχει επίσης κυκλαδίτικο μουσείο, παλαιούς οικισμούς και αρκετούς ντόπιους έτοιμους να σου διηγηθούνε την ιστορία του νησιού. Αξίζει να το επισκεφτεί κανείς έστω και λίγες μέρες. Εγώ πάντως πάντα περνάω τέλεια εκεί!

How Many Cigarette Butts Does It Take to Pollute the Sea?

A lot, according to the UN Environment Program and Ocean Conservancy. And although, in my personal experience, Greeks have gotten better in the last few years as far as littering goes, there's still a long way to go. Forty percent of marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea consists of...

cigarette buds! And although Greece is not the only country around the Mediterranean Sea, I'm pretty sure Greeks have contributed a lot to this statistic. Just take a look at the busiest beaches in the summer. You see tons of people smoking and putting out their cigarettes in the sand, making the beach one big ashtray. It's not tasteful and it definitely doesn't show our respect for our country.

Despite all this trash on the beach, however, Greece has managed to place 3rd in the test for water quality in countries of the European Union, with Lithuania and Cyprus ranking 1st and 2nd respectively. Water quality doesn't necessarily reflect clean beaches, though, does it?

Although a large part of keeping water clean and of good quality does not depend on us as consumers and beach-goers (factories in every part of Greece have done more than enough to pollute our waters), we can keep the beaches clean. Is it really that difficult to pick up your trash before you leave? Do you really have to put out your cigarette in the sand? Is this the attitude you want your kids to have? Hopefully not.

Sources: www.unep.org and www.econews.gr

Photo: www.thedailygreen.com

Losing My... Manners

I noticed it the last few times I visited the U.S: I don't hold the door for the person behind me anymore, I walk in between a person and the shelf they're looking at in the supermarket (as opposed to walking behind them and saying "excuse me"), and I've reduced the times I say "Thank you" during an exchange. In other words I'm losing my manners. But I guess this is what happens when you live in Greece! I don't mean to imply that Greeks are necessarily rude, but they definitely don't have the overtly-polite gene that Americans have (and I'm guessing Australians and Canadians, too).

When I first moved here my American upbringing was the reason I would say "Sorry", "Excuse me" and "Thank you" more than any other words during the day. If you're anything like me, you've learned to smile at people when you work, when you shop and for no reason at all, really. But after a few months in Greece you have to somewhat forget about all of that, because dealing with daily life you see that your polite actions are not reciprocated most of the time. So you stop trying. And not only are they not reciprocated, but you find many things that Greeks do to be quite rude. (Read about the "rude" things Greeks do at www.allthegreeks.com)

Image: www.robinricegallery.com

There's No Place Like Lefkada

Have you ever dipped in turquoise waters at a white sandy beach all the while wondering if you're in some far-off exotic island? Lefkada can undoubtedly offer such locations and the memories to go along with them.
One of the seven islands of the Ionian Sea, Lefkada can be reached by car as there is only a small bridge that connects it to mainland. As soon as you step on the island you'll see the city of Lefkada, but unless you want to do some shopping I would suggest continuing your trip. Pass Nikiana with the rocky and sandy beaches, to reach Nidri if you want to visit the waterfalls or, again, stop for coffee and do some shopping. Nidri is also the place to go for day tours to smaller islands such as Onasi's Scorpio island.

For extraordinary beaches visit Kathisma and Ag. Nikitas. The water is a shade of blue you don't see very often and the sand is soft like powdered sugar. It does tend to get a few waves there though, but it's worth going. A couple kilometers further and you'll find the picturesque village of Ag. Nikitas for a "cozy" care-free time. Porto Katsiki is a beach whose glory was discovered in recent years and, although it's difficult to get to if you decide to take the long drive, the location and the view are quite rewarding.

I can't say that I've been everywhere in Lefkada, but when it comes to eating fresh fish I'll never forget the dinner I had at Sivota, right by the sea after a long day at the beach.


For more vacation suggestions visit: www.allthegreeks.com
Image: www.dpgr.gr/forum/ index.php?topic=28081.75

Nights at the Xorio with Grandma's Neraida Stories

For as long as I can remember we would come to Greece for the summer and spend half of our long vacation up at the xorio. Lampiri (close to Agrinio) to be exact. It really is a beautiful place: very quiet with a few houses stacked up on the side of the mountain, endless forest like blankets covering the mountains all around, clean air that you can almost taste the first time you get out of the car there, and ice-cold water coming down from sources in the mountain. I mean it's a wonderful place if you're looking for a place to relax, but if you were like me (a teenager coming to Greece to have fun) it got boring after the first day you spend there.

The only thing that livened up our late afternoons was a type of "storytime" with our grandparents. It was never planned. Most of the time, it was the type of conversation that started somewhere we didn't really care about and ended with what happened in the old days, when our grandparents were young. You know, I would hear about how they were dirt poor, but happy nevertheless. I would also hear about their gatherings in the village where they would help each other out with agricultural chores all the while singing and dancing. "Those were the days", my grandparents would say. "Those were the days when people were innocent, their souls were pure and that's why they would see all of those things," grandma would add. And as soon as she would say that, all of use would suddenly tune in. "What do you mean?" we would ask her.

Apparently, back in the day when people were very pious ("not the "devils" they are today," as grandma would point out) they were harassed by evil spirits known as neraides and sometimes the piso-mou-se-exo himself... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

image: www.nomad.gr

Upcoming Concerts in North America and Australia

Australia

Mixalis Xatzigiannis:

Adelaide - HQ - 8 October 2009

Melbourne - Palace Theatre - 9 October 2009

Sydney - Sydney Entertainment Center - 17 October 2009

(www.greeksingers.com.au)

Giorgos Mazonakis:

Adelaide - HQ - 25 December

Sydney - Enmore Theatre - 26 December

Melbourne - Penninsula @ Central Pier - 27 December

(www.greekcity.com.au)

Canada

Elli Kokkinou:

Montreal - Palace Reception Hall - October 16 2009

Toronto - Metropolitan Center - October 23 2009

Vancouver - Hellenic Community Center - October 24 2009

(www.opaproductions.com)

Notis Sfakianakis:

Montreal - Stade Uniprix - November 6th 2009

(http://www.discoomega.com/omega2/events.html)

Toronto - CAD Roy Thompson Hall - November 19th 2009

(http://globeent.com/home.htm)

USA

Elli Kokkinou:

New York - Hammerstein Ballroom - October 9th 2009

Chicago - Donald Stephens Convention Center - October 10 2009

(www.ellikokkinoutour.com)

Notis Sfakianakis:

Maschantucket, CT - MGM Grand @ Foxwoods - November 8th 2009

Atlantic City, NJ - Resorts Atlantic City - November 13th 2009

Atlantic City, NJ - Resorts Atlantic City - November 14th 2009

Chicago, IL - The Venue @ Horseshoe Hammond - November 21st 2009

Las Vegas, NV - Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino - November 28th 2009

(http://globeent.com/home.htm)

Regular updates on upcoming concerts at www.allthegreeks.com

The Greek Anti-Smoking Law of... 1856 !

It looks like the Greeks were ahead of everyone: in 1856 they issued a law (signed by then-Queen Amalia) forbidding smoking in public spaces! The original document is in Greek.

A Little Summary of Greek TV

When you don't live in Greece you want to pay extra for it, put a satellite dish on your roof just so you can watch the news and your favorite "Lampsi" type soap operas. Right? But when you come to Greece and stay for a couple of weeks you see that Greek TV on its own is pretty boring or funny, depending on your point of view.
It's a weekday and you've just woken up. What do you see on practically all the watchable channels (all 6 of them)? Proinadika, which means a morning show where you get to watch people in colorful outfits and studios, doing cheesy things to impress you, guests who all repeat the same chewed up answers to interview, and - the latest trend - people singing off-key trying to cheer you up. Depressing or funny? Take your pick.

It's afternoon. Time for coffee and gossip. "Guess which star was caught on camera making out with her fiance's best friend last night?" "I called in to tell you that I'm in love with my daughter's boyfriend and we're planning on eloping together soon." Imagine these statements, a blond presenter and a group of people pretending to be reporters full of insightful information about life in general. Annoying or ritual you love to hate? It's up to you.

Oh and I'm not even gonna comment on the soap operas, because I'm sure I'll get lynched by all of you that watch them. Yes, I know how many of you watch them. The afternoon gossip shows let me know the ratings (divided in quarters of an hour) every day for every show. Fun.

Finally, the news... Oh the news. Who actually watches them with pleasure is beyond my understanding. It's basically a show, where the anchorman/star of the night lets you know that he's looking out for you; after all, he has a look of sincerity about him. Can I talk about the many parathira (windows)? No, because I never stick around long enough to listen - they really annoy me. Star news forever! At least you know you're watching fake news and gossip, and they're proud of it, too.

There are only a few things I can watch and enjoy on Greek TV. Those are shows like Ράδιο Αρβύλα, lots of ΣΚΑΙ programs, only one or two series and night shows on subjects that have been researched on like Έρευνα and Το Κουτί της Πανδώρας. Of course I also watch lots of American series and movies. You appreciate them more when you live in Greece...


For more random reading go to www.allthegreeks.com

American Colleges and Universities in Greece

OK so you’re a senior in high school and this instilled love of the motherland, or maybe just the great summers you’ve spent here throughout your life, have made you seriously consider spending your college years in Greece. They’re supposed to be the greatest years of your life, they say, so why not spend them in Greece, right? Well, here’s a little insight on how things work here.

First of all, before you even start your search you need to know that, currently, degrees from private higher education institutions, that are located in Greece, are not recognized by the Greek state. This basically means that... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com).

Culture Shock! First Time in Greece

As a Greek-American, Greek-Canadian, Greek-Australian or Greek from any other country such as Germany and South Africa you dream of visiting or even moving to Greece one day. You close your eyes and you can almost smell the salty ocean, hear the waves, taste the gyro... And then, the day comes when you step off that plane in Athens or Thessaloniki airport and you start spending your first few hours in Greece... that's when you start wondering: What is wrong with these people?! Here's why:

- Why aren't isn't the airport staff smiling at me? (Well, because they don't know you or they're having a bad day - every day is a bad day when you work).

- Wow, there's a lot of ads on cigarettes, alcohol and cell phones in the airport! (That's because this is where most of the Greeks' money goes).

- Gross! What's that smell? (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

Volos - Labiri: A Drive towards Seclusion

It's the middle of the summer and most people choose Greece for its idyllic seaside towns, it's nightlife and amazing beaches. Even most Greeks prefer to vacation by the sea during their usual 2-week vacation for summer. There is, however, a tradition that still endures... a visit to the xorio, to the village of our parents or grandfathers. No matter where each person's xorio is located throughout Greece, we usually go there to find a place to be secluded from the rest of the world; a place where we can get some quiet and breathe fresh air. One such location is Lampiri, near Agrinio in Aitoloakarnania.

You can reach Lampiri either going through Rio-Antirrio and Agrinio if you're coming from Southern Greece or through Lamia and Karpenisi, if you're coming from Northern Greece. I followed the latter route. Up until Lamia, the route is nice but somewhat usual as you go through the high way. From Lamia to Karpenisi you go through many graphic little villages that seem to flow naturally from the sides of the winding roads. The only thing that can ruin the peaceful ride is... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

I Heart Thessaloniki

Α ρε Σαλόνικα! Who doesn't love Thessaloniki from the first hour they visit it (or "her" as the Greeks say)? I can guarantee you that there is no better place to spend your college years other than in the city of endless slacking, chill people, and till-dawn partying!



Although it's... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

Stop Playing Raketes!

It's July, one of the hottest months of the year (ok, maybe not this year with the weather ranging from thuderstorms, to rain, to a couple hours of sunshine again) and Greeks are programmed to fill their favorite beaches around the country. Naturally, when you have too many people in one place, it's inevitable that some of these people will be annoying for everyone else. So, here's how NOT to be one of those annoying people:

- First of all, stop playing with your raketes near others. Seriously, the raketa phenomenon is getting out of hand here. People actually wait their turn for a spot right on the water to play. It may be fun for you to play, but it's definitely no fun for me who keeps getting sprayed with water and sand while I'm trying to get a tan like a normal person. It's definitely no fun when your ball gets me on the head or on my stomach and you don't even apologize!

- Mommies with your... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

Hot Greek Vacation Spots

... If you just want to party: Mykonos needs no introductions. It's the most cosmopolitan island and the one where you're most likely to run into a greek celebrity. The beaches are amazing and the island is just one big party site from dusk till dawn. Also, very gay-friendly. Skiathos has been emerging the last couple of years as a hot party spot. Lots of tourists, plenty of clubs, beach bars and amazing beaches - plus, it's only a 2-hour boat ride from Volos. Halkidiki (especially the first "leg" Cassandra) is where... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

Tips on Working in Greece

First of all, if you’re looking for a job through classified ads, don’t expect much. In my experience they are usually misleading or published for marketing research purposes. Perhaps the best way to get a job is to take resumes to every company you’re interested in working at. It takes time, but at least they get to see you, meet you etc. Or you can just rely on your connections – that’s the old-fashioned and tested Greek way. Of course, there are also job search engines where you can post your resume, but I never got a job that way. Sign up though, just to get their e-mails on seminars and career days that are organized in your city, and who knows, you may find a job that way, too.

When you actually start going to interviews, don’t... (read the rest at www.allthegreeks.com)

Greece: Things I Love - Things I Hate

Things I love:

- Summer and everything that comes along with: tanning by the beach, clubs, bars, nice taverna food, coffee time all day long. The climate is great and with the right parea you can have an unforgettable vacation.

- Greeks don't take everything so seriously. You'll probably never hear any Greek saying: "I need to search deep within my soul and find out who I really am" or "Why doesn't anyone love me? I just wanna be happy!" Drama, drama, drama

- Deadlines are never absolute. Time and space are very flexible concepts here.

- Family is your biggest support network. You've got the yiayia to look after the kids and the uncle who knows someone up high to get you a good job. There's a meson (connection) for everything.

Things I hate:

- Public services!! Especially the older public employees are miserable, rude, and make it their mission to avoid helping you as much as possible. They seriously have to get yelled at to get things accomplished for you.

- Greeks are so impatient it's beyond irritating. Whether it's the annoying person cutting in line, the grandma pushing you in church to get to the antidoro, or the inconsiderate driver that's flashing his headlights and tailgating you so that you can move over for him to pass you.

- Most news programs. Really how many different features can you have on the same thing? How many people can you bring to the studio so they can argue with each other to the point where you just hear a buzzzzz on TV?

Nostalgia and the Return to Greece

Let me introduce myself. I'm a Greek-American 20something who has been living in Greece the last 6 years. Like many Greeks born and raised in the US, my parents have instilled a sense of nostalgia for the homeland that I had never truly experienced. In other words, they were pouring their nostalgia and their own memories from Greece into me. So I grew up being a proud Greek girl among Americans and dreaming of the summers in Greece. Of course, one day I would move to Greece - that was taken for granted.

So that day comes. In the middle of my college studies, I transfer to an American college in Greece, wanting to taste the student life in the country where everything is relaxed and fun (I got this notion from spending summers here). The first year was a mixture of shock and awe at how the system is run here. I was now the American girl. Suddenly I had switched identities: in America I was the Greek girl and in Greece I was the American girl.

Life here is no longer what it was when my parents and grandparents lived here, and neither are the people. You learn to adapt. You learn to be less polite, more aggressive, and less gullible, because if you don't, you're the easiest prey to be taken advantage of. The most important thing that I learned living in Greece, is that nothing is really what it seems when it comes to education, jobs, and many times, people.

In the six years that I've been here I've grown as a person and learned to appreciate Greece and the Greeks for what they really are. I no longer have to rely on the black and white memories of my parents, because now I can talk about the problems and the good times that I've had here. No regrets. If anything, living as a Greek-American in America and then moving here on my own have provided me with an endless pool of funny/awkward stories. I see life from a different lens now...