The other side of the Greek postcard

Living Greece is great thanks to the wonderful weather and also the possibility to be involved with outdoor activities in a safe environment. Sure Greece is going through an economic depression however if we can each rewrite our wants and needs we can ride out the storm for no storm lasts forever. It is inexpensive to live in Greece if you can take advantage of the natural surroundings such as walks along the beach and countryside. If we choose to be negative about a place then no matter how beautiful it is we will only see the ugliness in it.
There is a shortage of work currently but that too shall come to pass at some point so if we can exercise patience with out wants and only tend to our needs then we come through this at some point.
Enjoy the sunshine it is free and full of vitality.
dimitri

It was good to see your enthusiasm Jimmy but some people cannot cope  any longer in such dire financial difficulties,I have been here a long time and my husband still has his job at Athens airport but all around me I see depressed people and split up families,they have to spread themselves apart with different relatives so as to be fed and kept warm.And remember there is almost no health care if you are unemployed,thats scary and cruel.Of course we have here a wonderful climate and as you rightly say....relatively safe environment......but how much hope can we all muster?When one is on ones knees its sure hard to get back up.

It is our choice to either accept what is or complain about what is but it is what it is, the only thing that changes is how we choose to look at it and deal with it and I choose to see it from a positive perspective and see the good that the crisis has brought with it. I have seen many band together to ride out the storm and those are possibly people that previously did not even speak to each other although they were neighbors so something good can come of it if we just allow it. Compassion is an emotion which cannot exist if there is nothing to be compassionate about. My comments are my own views off course and always carry the best intentions for all.
I personally also came to Greece to start a business 3 years ago and had to close down so I am sure I could find things to complain about if I wanted to.
Much love and regards from somebody who is hanging in there and making the most of something which could be better.
Dimitri

Well I have been here for almost 20 years, bad choice as I hated Greece from day 1 !! Things have been going worst the past 2-3 years....the weather ?? well what is the  point of having a sunny day if I cannot afford to take my kid to the beach ??....I am unemployed without health insurance and I believe I'd rather be in France 11 months with a job and take 2 weeks holidays in Greece in July ! If I could I'll be leaving tomorrow morning ....
And Greece is not my first country as an expat , I have lived in Asia and England....

Thank you for reading

My 2 sides of postcard yes I love the weather, the smells and the tastes of this wonderful country the flipside I hope I won't have to leave however like many the times are hard I struggle everyday. I work summer months but don't earn enough to enjoy anymore this country - my husband (Greek) a painter and decorator hasn't worked properly in almost 2 years fortuneately (or not depending on which way you look at it) we own our own home. Come to Greece as an expat but make sure you bring plenty of money with you as you will need it as you may not find a job to support you presently...things I am positive will change its just when and how many more will go hungry before it does......

nephele,glad to read your comments.The beach thing......the government have agreed to private contract them out,the most popular ones so as to rake in money,the rich and the tourists will enjoy while the poor long term natives and residents will only watch from afar.Im afraid that working class people and non working classes have made a return to the Victorian era only they are without the last stop, which is....... the workhouse......I saw today an article in a British sensible news paper of  some working people around London living in the most squalid conditions on house boats,paying 200 per month,no bathrooms,buckets for toilets,no heating,electricity only 2 or 3 hours in the evening from a generator,rain pouring in on them, dangerous wiring,all moldy with only enough space for a single mattress.So I dont know what is to become of us all but as Jimmy says -we must try to come together and help each other so as to lesson the numbers of suicides here in Greece and the feelings of despair.We need some community meeting places where people can offer each other support and some ideas on making things,holding classes(without money)etc..etc...I have a friend living in France,she tells me that life is also very difficult there,shops all closing up,empty supermarkets,cant sell her property.It is imperative that we find ways to enjoy our lives. Nephele and Jimmy I offer you both a visit to the country side in my house there,near Alepohori and Loutraki,lots of space,mountains sea,quiet,birds and so far free beaches,its mostly nearly always empty.what do you think?we can put you in the car if you dont have one,love from Concertina

I have only recently moved to Athens. But I must say there are two sides and I see this. There are those who have given up and have decided that there is no future and there are those who are looking ahead with positivity. Thankfully for me the people I know and the ones who showed me the city over the years before I moved are the ones on the positive side.
They believe that a good idea and hard work will get you somewhere and I must say they are mostly working and their businesses (some only a year old) are doing well.
Athens is currently booming with art, fashion, music and small business'. Yes they are not all making lots of money but more and more these things are being spoken about in foreign media... so it is only a matter of time until Athens becomes a recognised and powerful force in modern culture.

I moved here from London as I had been working for two years trying to get a break and all I had to show for it was an empty bank account and list of people who had not paid me or broken contracts. I had a second job fortunately doing manual labour and saved up to leave doing this as in my chosen profession I only made £2000 in one year.
London and the UK currently are falling apart. The number of unemployed is not decreasing but being hidden and although inflation is going up around 2% a year wages are going down 2% a year. Food and transportation is growing at a rate of about double that of inflation and taxes are also growing. A small room in London in bad condition is now around £400/month. And before taxes most people earn about £1100/month now. Then you have transport and food. Try save up for your 2 week holiday with that.

Those in Athens with drive are finding a way to live and it is only a matter of time until Greece returns to a good economic level.

If you ask me I would rather be partly employed here, with the people who do help each other out and offer emotional support in tough times, than killing myself to make just enough money to rent a room and eat in London with no one really there to give emotional support.

Been living and working in Greece for 13 years. Although I'd move back to Scotland in a blink if circumstances were different and it will always be home, I enjoy being here in most ways.

The plus side:
1. The warmth and hours of daylight in the winter. (I come from northern Scotland so this means a lot)
2. There are some really nice Greek people - friendly and generous and well educated.
3. Lovely fresh food especially fruit and vegetables.
4. Being able to spend more time out of doors.

The other side of the postcard for me:
1. The corruption and bureaucracy is unbelievable, although I see the amount of corruption changing slowly
2. I don't like the way many Greek people treat animals, although I also see this changing slowly
3. Some Greeks, especially Athenians, can be very rude, inconsiderate, and impatient.
4. I hate not being able to put toilet paper down the toilet!

I'm one of the positive ones about the future. There are opportunities if you're a get up and go type and can manage to deal with the bureaucracy without going crazy

Well Yes Greece is a beautiful country but try Thailand or Indonesia,Gosh !!! beaches are a dream...and wherever you go the country is not the problem (nice places everywhere !!!) but with whom you are ...........and I think greeks are very xenophobics ..........

If you have bad experiences please explain why or be objective. This is to give positive and negative information to people asking about Greece so that people can make a decision.

I realise there are problems of racism but this is no just here. All countries in Europe are now falling into these problems because of mass immigration.
Things should be kept in perspective.

I have lived here a long time and I would say that Greeks  are and were racist before the uprising of golden dawn in subtle ways but the subtle ways can cut through you like a knife.They constantly call me XENI which is of course someone from outside of greece,and another favourite is...:greece is the best place on earth isnt it?We are the best nation arnt we?and they wait for my answer,I just say yes to shut them up.One of my first realisations here was that not much smiling goes on and another XENI said the same to me(long before the crisis)They dont laugh much either,not much sense of humour,very straight faced and heavy.Its a family state which is of course good but that makes things very clicky and they only stick together leaving a void in community gatherings.My husband lost a lot of friends because he was with an XENI and they just cut him off.I now know what black skinned people must feel like.......ostrasized My husbands family spent 20 years trying to get rid of me to the point of telling me that I may get AIDS from him because  they didnt want an XENI in the family neither did they want XENI offspring.It has taken 20 years for some of my neighbours to say...hello...things are looking up!Public sector workers are of course((not all)unbelievable,rude,sometimes down-right horrible,I say to my husband ...shes talking to you like a piece of rubbish,almost screaming,and the poor man just says....you have to learn to take it wife otherwise the thing that is shouting will not give me the paper I need.The medical IKA center staff where I go to for any samples to give for blood or urine talk to everyone worse than high grade prisoners but they talk to their families very nicely.The thing that I respect about greek people is that they are not inherently violent,mostly we mean the males of course,and this would be in itself a very good reason to live here and they dont have the drinking problems that the british have  and the violence that goes with it and the sexual assaults,I believe that close family and religion help with this.

I read the previous posts and as a Greek, i can relate to some of them and feel that others are a little exaggerating.

There is a crisis, both economic and social. The combination is creating a tough situation and people are trying to adapt. Me included. I will not go deeper into details.

I'm considering moving abroad the last 4 years, as i can't tolerate the decreasing quality of life, while i'm working even harder with much less earnings. Yet, i have a paying job, so im still on planning. So, i can totally understand why expats with no attachments are considering leaving Greece. Sun and nice weather are not enough to make you stay.

I do not consider Greeks racists. At least, more racicts than the average European. In fact new genarations are more open, friendly and eager to interact with other nationalities. I am one of them(and yet 35 years old).

As for the whole corrupted system here, i can only say that my planning on moving abroad, includes knowing the country i wanna go live in. Realizing what the the positives and what the negatives are. And what is different from what i know. I have to adapt and then try to change what i consider bad. If i don't like it then it's out of the picture.

Best regards

Akarthis, I completly agree with you, and I understand how bad you must feel as a greek to see your country ruled by dirty politicians...and there is no exception unfortunatly...all of them are rotten. My stepson  was unemployed for over 18 months, We had to look for a solution, he is now working in France since Feb 2013...It was really harsh for him at first but he got use to it, he now has a job , a flat , social security and he is undergoing a french program to learn another job. Things that here are completely unknown.
My point is that I am so scared of my daughter or me getting sick here, as the medical system is crapped.Anyway I have no other solution right now I must hang in there.
Good luck to you
And as Concertina ,greek people used to call me Xeni for ages...And I do speak greek , I know most of greek songs I am helping my child with greek homeworks, I am not outside the greek society and yet I am and I will always be a Xeni....terrible feeling believe me...

Regards

I read the replies here and agree with most of them. Life here in Greece is hard and the economic crisis is biting hard. I remember, 3 years ago when I moved down here, being shocked to see people rooting around in the rubbish bins. Having arrived from an affluent 'Northern' European country (Belgium) this was quite shocking. The inefficiency of the public sector is very frustrating as is the Greek nonchalance towards this. "Tine a kanome?" just says it all... The working conditions here in Greece are about 20-30 years behind the rest of Europe with the employers regularly taking advantage of their workers. But that is non-discriminatory as the foreigners are as ripped off as the Greeks. European-wide labour laws are just not respected. As for the blatant racism of this country all I will say on this matter is that I am glad not to be Greek as I would be extremely ashamed. This is the birthplace of Democracy and yet a movement that countenances violence towards others for the colour of their skin, their religion or their birth place are allowed seats in parliament. But on the other side of the coin, I do enjoy living here in Greece. The natural beauty of the country is pleasant to the eyes. The weather is good. There are many Greeks who are not only friendly but also open-minded which makes living here quite pleasant.

my case is different cos i am semi greek from serbia. i had expecte foolishy to find here the antient athens. what i found was mess and rasism, i am a victim of borh. so now i love greece as a possitive geografical phenomenon [Moderated: no generalised statements here pls]. i will not go into details. its ugly.

British Expat living in Thessaloniki. 
Unlike most I find the climate adequate - but it is no reason to bring me across Europe. I find the 'natural beauty' great, but you have to be out of sight of a concrete slab house - which means you have to be in a pretty remote and wild area - so the gentle beauty of 'quiet' countryside is almost impossible to find.
However . . . the people are just amazing. They are generous and kind and at times very funny - someone here said they are all 'serious' - really? Not my Greeks!
I have not seen or heard any racism (other than the occasional anti-Albanian remark). Both women and men here are intelligent enough to discern the difference between women being sexy and being sex-objects - something that seems to elude those in my country. Gay people are treated just like people. Jews are treated just like people. Even Englishmen are treated just like people!
Yes there is hardship and poverty and it is a salutary lesson to the rest of Europe - few of whose countries would have been able to cope with such a terrible crisis as this. But there are flourishing little businesses that will surely prosper -  if the bloody bureaucracy and the foul corrupt politicians will allow them to.
I really do not need to work  - but people keep asking me to do jobs for them. Now that IS a moral dilemma.
If you are thinking of coming to Greece do not expect to find Ancient Greece. This modern state is a construct of the Great Powers in the mid C.19 - and its people are of very mixed origin, but you will find amidst a centuries-old reluctance to accept State authority, a very real Hellenic pride.
This is a wonderful place to be, even now - or perhaps especially now. If you are an expat in Greece and not enjoying life here then might I suggest in the most gentle manner that you look to yourself . . .

tsahpina wrote:

my case is different cos i am semi greek from serbia. i had expecte foolishy to find here the antient athens. what i found was mess and rasism, i am a victim of borh. so now i love greece as a possitive geografical phenomenon and [Moderated: no generalised statements here pls]. i will not go into details. its ugly.

well,concertina here,when you are in Athens we can meet up for coffee if you like,you would be pleasantly surprised by my Greek husband who is definately not racist and is definately sweet and lovely,Im English,we live here in Athens but go frequently to our cottage one a half hours away,so as to relax with the mountains forest and sea,clean air.I think if one is slightly older its always difficult to find a way into a new circle of friends,easier when we are young.Dont give up
Regards

Harehound,the centuries old habit of not accepting state authority,has, in some instances been extremely detrimental to those Greeks who refuse to abide by rules and laws laid down by the state,which have often been laid down for their own good.such as........strap your babies and children safely into your moving vehicle......car seats....not flying around everywhere and belt yourselves in mum and dad,set an example to your children.Wear crash helmets on your motorbikes so you have a chance of surviving in the event of an accident,dont park on pavements,pavements are for people.....the disabled,blind...wheelchairs...baby buggies....have you seen all the parents pushing buggies in the road,no room on the pavement,too many cars on them.Self employed people.....pay your tax,give receipts,my husband just paid 1,300 to a dentist,no receipt,his tax is taken at source in his job,so why he must pay and some like doctors,dentists dont pay.Smoking everywhere,I could go on and on,its not funny or clever to ignore the law,look in the cemetery,nothing funny there,only crying shame.