The other day, as I stepped outside onto the street, I was greeted by a little old lady, who seemed to be waiting for me outside the door. She greeted me with a very deliberate ‘Hello!’ (of course she spoke in Greek, ‘Geia sas!’).

It turns out, Kuria Eleni lives in the place directly across the road. She has ‘noticed’ me many times and wanted to introduce herself. She has lived in the neighborhood all her life and apparently knows everyone.  John lives there, Foteini lives over there, and George used to live just over there before he passed away.  She was very interested in me, and had no hesitation in interviewing me on all the things one’s neighbor needs to know: What kind of work do I do? Where was I born? Where is my father from? How much is my rent (since she knew what the previous tenant was paying)? And wouldn’t I like to have a family some day…?

The interview came along with some important advice: Although we are in the centre of Athens, this is still a ‘community’ (‘geitonia’). We look out for each other. We also support the local neighbors. I go to this butcher, and to that bakery, and to that shop, and Mr. So-an-so has this or that, and Mrs. So-and-so knows lots of other stuff… And so it continued for about 20 minutes.

The good news is I have someone who is paying attention to my every move, who knows more about me than some of my friends, and who seems to genuinely interested in my life, or at least my comings-and-goings.

This, of course, is also the bad news.

Growing up in Canada, where I would barely recognize most of my neighbors, and where ‘personal space’ is holy, this kind of attention could be obtrusive, prying and quite uncomfortable.

Instead, here, surprisingly, it felt good, like Kuria Eleni was genuinely interested in me, and as if she was welcoming me into the community.

Yesterday morning when I stepped outside to take the garbage, she was wandering by, and greeting me by name, asking if I had seen how cold it was in Canada, and whether I was still happy having chosen to live in Greece.

In that moment, the answer was a resounding yes. 

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

I may just have an answer!

I recently read a post on Facebook about the cost of living in various cities. Turns out there is a cool website that actually compares cost of living across a range of cities, big and small. And they really do compare everything, in a detailed and realistic way.

How much is an apartment 'in a nice area'? How much is laundry detergent? Movie tickets? A beer in an upscale bar? I suppose it depends where one buys one's laundry detergent, but you get the picture...

In my humble view, Athens is not an 'expensive' city - in comparative terms with other capital cities of similar size and population. In terms of local average earning, especially in recent years, the picture of course may be slightly different...

In any case, there is lots of interesting info on the site that can certainly add some colour to the usual coffee-talk on the woes and wonders of this great city...

What do you think? Check it out: www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/athens

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

7 Things to Love About Greece and Greeks

Someone was talking about a Bucket List at work the other day. "Leaving Cairo..." got to thinking about lists...shopping lists, mail lists, etc etc. I decided to make this list and share it with you here: why I love Greece and the Greeks. Most of it will be a summary or repetition of posts I've shared before, but no harm in reminding everyone and summarising here, especially in these times.

 1) Because half an hour from the centre of Athens (by public transport), I can be here:

Southern Beaches Sunset - Athens

2) Because if I have some time, I can rock up at Piraeus and be here:

Island of Poros - about 1hr from Athens by ferry

3) Because even though I live in the centre of a big city, when I leave my place in the morning, I am offered a "Kali Mera!" ("Good Morning!") from at least 4 people - be it the man in the electrical shop next to the apartment block I live in, the flower seller at the end of the street or a complete stranger walking 2 very old pug dogs.

4) Because people join in on the trolley buses and get involved if there's a 'problem.' Of course, this can become a problem in itself sometimes as it'd be nice if people could sometimes mind their own business - but mostly it's the older people that get involved and I feel a little bit safer, knowing there are older people around me who aren't so afraid to speak up (how long will THAT last?).

5) Because mostly, a Greek is honest with you.

This can range from: "There's cappuccino froth on your nose" to "How the hell did you get that job, you incompetent a***. My grandmother could do a better job, and she's dead."

They are at least STRAIGHT with you.

6) On that subject: Because Greeks have lovely sayings.

My favourite is "A dog licks its balls because it can" to "Agappy mou!" (meaning "My love!" but it must be said in a high pitched voice and accompanied by lots of air kissing, even if you're male. It sounds lovely, particularly when said to a young child or pet. Go on, try it).

7) Because once you're accepted into Greek society - that's it...you've made friends for life, and I mean REAL friends. I had dropped in to see 2 friends the other night and they made dinner (another one to like: you can just drop by and you'll be given dinner, raki, ouzo and not leave till about 2am, be warned) and our conversation inevitably lead to "The Crisis." I was told in no uncertain terms that they 'had my back' if I EVER had ANY problems. He can kill chickens and pluck them and also cook, a real 'hunter gatherer' so if it comes to it - we'll be OK for a while.

I should stress the chicken made for dinner the night in question was actually bought from an Athenian supermarket...but it's reassuring to know there are still 'real men' out there.

8) Just thought of another one: Greeks know how to drink alcohol in a civilized fashion.

No, you will NOT see your 'average' teen or person in their 20's rolling around drunk in the street, spoiling for a fight and thinking it's hilariously funny. The number of times I've been asked by Greek friends "Why do some people need alcohol like this in order to have a good time? Life is for LIVING! Why do they spoil it?!"

Hmmmm - I have no reply (not being a huge drinker like that, and never having had been).

9) The FOOD ("fageto")!!

I had never really eaten until I came to Greece. Well, clearly I had, otherwise I'd be dead, but I mean EATEN. And I eat LOADS and the weight seems to come off me - go figure! It's because the quality is so good. My favourite: Spinach salad with pomegranate seeds, chicken masticato (a chicken dish made with a thick, creamy mastic sauce on a nest of stringy pastry) and of course, gyros.

At least the fast food is sort of healthy. Hell, their fast food chain "Goodys" has a massive salad counter. If you're here, go and experience Greek fast food.

Of course, Greece and Greeks are also frustrating, but I want to concentrate on the positives for now (for obvious reasons). One final note: Greeks have been through hell before and survived...don't underestimate them.

Rebecca Hall
www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Nonetheless, fun energy being as contagious as it is, all thoughts of boycott leave my mind the moment we step out.

We headed for Psirri around 9:30pm to find a place for dinner. The streets seemed to be deserted, and I thought, "Crisis has kept people at home."  Not true! It seems we were about 30mins too early.  Each restaurant we checked was either already full, or booked up solid for the evening - even with ?45-55 price tags for dinner. We eventually found a table at a nice-ish place, with live music and a ?45 price tag.

After midnight struck, and we made our wishes for 2014, we paid our bill and left to our next destination.

For those who have not done New Years Eve in Athens, all the action happens well after midnight. Many places don't even open until 12:30. By this time, the city was positively hopping with people!

We had frantically bought last-minute tickets to a live music show at Gazarte in Gazi. The line-up was Penny & The Swingin Cats with The Great Big Band. The place quickly filled up around 1:00am, and the show was great - big band standards, rock'n'roll, and even some of their original stuff. I really enjoyed them - great vocals, great energy, lots of fun.  Look out for their upcoming gigs!

I decided not to make any new year resolutions this year. Since I'm still working on last year's resolutions (not to mention 2012 and some of 2011), I figured I'd give it a rest for 2014. I'm just happy seeing oranges growing on the trees in January! The rest will be a bonus ;)

I hope this year brings smiles and laughter and lots of sunny days to everyone out there! Καλή χρονιά σε όλους!

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

It was fantastic! The feeling in the air was, quite simply, happy.  It felt like Christmas, it looked like Christmas, it was the feeling of years gone by, when ‘crisis’ wasn’t the word of the day…

And let’s be clear, it wasn’t all about shopping or spending money (although it seems plenty did!). It was about being out with family and friends, going for a walk, checking out the windows, stopping for a bite to eat. Ok, this tends to happen a lot in Athens, but somehow Saturday night had a special quality about it…
 
The White Night also served to top-up some of the cash registers of the local businesses, just in time for Christmas. People are longing for crisis to be on the way out, and perhaps even the appearance of shopping at Christmas convinces us – for a brief moment - that this is true.

Judging by the subsequent news reports, the commentaries and the comments of people who were there, the White Night was a huge success. And not for the shops alone. People really enjoyed the undeniable electricity in the air.  
 
The experience of that event has also apparently re-ignited the debate about Sunday shopping. It seems obvious now that the majority of Athenians actually enjoy being out and about and browsing the shops on Sundays, in between coffee stops (was that ever in question?!). Maybe the city will figure out rules for Sunday wages, and this thing can be settled for good.
 
Regardless, the ‘Leuki Nuxta ‘was really enjoyable. Not because I bought something (I didn’t), but more because of the great vibe and feeling in the crowd. It was a happy night in Athens!
 
Maybe the City of Athens will schedule something similar, say in June…?
 
With my very best wishes to all for a better and brighter 2014!
 
Until next week,
 
Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

But before I leave, I need to run out to pick up a couple of last-minute gifts. This Christmas will be quite modest, I admit. Gifts are still the order of the day, but with an obvious ‘low key’ and ‘low cost’ feel.  And I’m very much ok with that. For me, it’s not a ‘sign of the crisis’ as much as it’s ‘the way things should be’. Who ever said that Christmas was the time of year to buy your brother-in-law a new smartphone?

Which is why I am doubly surprised at the throngs of people that are crammed shoulder-to-shoulder on Ermou St.  I have never seen so many people out shopping. I wonder if maybe they didn’t get the memo about the low-key Christmas trend. What are they all doing??

But then I look more closely. Most of them are not carrying many (any!) bags. The stores are packed, but the line at the cash registers isn’t so long. In fact, it’s the cafes and tavernas that are the most packed. Most of the people seem to just be out, with family or friends, walking around the shop-lined streets, looking up at the lights, window shopping and enjoying the vibe, the proverbial Christmas spirit.

And although I suppose it could make me sad, it has the opposite effect. There is a smile on my face, because I think that – when you subtract the gifts and the money spent on stuff we don't need - the vibe of Christmas is what people love. The colourful lights, the music, the crowds, the time with loved ones, the chilly weather – and the warmth of it all.  For those of us lucky enough to have at least this much, it’s already enough.

My warmest wishes to the XpatAthens community – Kala Xristougenna!

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

I know we have all heard almost everything there is to hear about Greek culture… We know very well about the achievements, the triumphs, the legacy. And yes, it’s pretty amazing. But perhaps we haven’t seen all there is to see. Sometimes ‘seeing’ impacts us in a way that ‘hearing’ cannot. The other day, the gremlins in my Facebook feed thought I should see a new video – and I’m glad I did.

This video is about the Benaki Museum - but it’s about much more. It’s a new marketing piece developed as a story told by Antonis Benakis about his culture, his own history, his museum.

It is a beautiful film, with incredible imagery and haunting music – done in a very subtle way. It’s directed by Athena Rachel Tsangari and narrated by Willem Dafoe.

Watching this video – yes, a promotional video – brought out a strong emotional response in me: pride. I was proud of being Greek, and I felt the video represented much of what being Greek means for me. Beauty, simplicity, energy, life. And it's so fitting: the Benaki museum is about the visuals - the 'objets' - but it's about so much more - and (I assume) this is what the piece is trying communicate. If this is the case, then it's a brilliant piece of film-making and a brilliant piece of marketing.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but you can judge for yourself…

It’s worth the 7 minutes to watch it – check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaPfkWSPHgE

Credit goes to Peter Economides for sharing the link, and to the Benaki team who produced this thing of beauty.

“Our land is full of treasure. Let’s not forget this.”

And yes, the video worked.  I will definitely make a visit to the Benaki museum!

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

The conversation inevitably turned to ‘the system’, ‘the crisis’, and comparing stories and experiences… As it turns out, and in case it’s any consolation to any of you reading this, Spain is as… (ahem!) ‘complicated’ as Greece.
 
The visitor shared an experience she had recently, when she tried to start the process for acquiring Spanish citizenship. She lives in a small town outside Barcelona, and went to the local administrative office, with papers in hand, prepared to book an appointment with an advisor. She was told that the next appointment is in June 2017. That’s 2017.

Dismayed, she returned home and buried herself in a bottle of rioja (not really, I just added that).  Later on, she wondered about her papers and whether they would still be valid in three years. So she looked up the phone number of the office, found only the number for the Barcelona location – and promptly called them. Let’s recall that she has just returned from booking an appointment for 2017.
 
The person on the phone in Barcelona asked why she was concerned about the validity of her papers.
 
“Because my appointment is in 2017.”
 
“What appointment?”
 
“With my local office.”
 
“No no. We do not give appointments. Just come with your papers anytime, and we can start everything.”
 
Conclusion: two locations of the same government office have completely different policies and are completely unaware of each other’s policies. ‘Buyer beware.’
 
I think we could comfortably say that Italy is not much different. What is it in the nature of these Mediterranean paradises that makes confused bureaucracy a mainstay of public life? I would love to find out…
 
Until next week,
 
Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Right.

I had a lovely week, visiting with family, catching up with friends, visiting my old haunts. Toronto is modern, progressive, multicultural, an ‘advanced’ global city.  My oldest friends live there, and there is a lot to be said for the system, the mentality and the possibilities of life there…

However, it struck me rather quickly that I felt like a visitor – a strange feeling given that I was born there and in fact have spent most of my life there… The feeling of ‘this isn’t my home’ was front and centre for most of the week, which surprised me as much as it confused me.

I became aware very quickly of how different life in a big North American city is compared to life in Athens. I felt a constant and consistent sense of ‘stress’, of movement, of having to get somewhere, of having 1000 things to do and no time to do them, a feeling of fervor and ‘nervous’ energy. For some, this could feel like ‘ambition’.  For me, it felt chaotic and made me tired...

In the end, you cannot compare Athens and Toronto – there is nothing remotely similar, the scales are too far off.  It’s like comparing apples to oranges; they are both sort of round – but the comparison stops there.  And, like apples and oranges, Athens and Toronto are both really great places. But this trip reminded me that I love living in Athens, I choose to live in Athens, and enjoy it for what it is, rather than complain about what it’s not.

So I quickly stopped comparing and focused instead on enjoying my short time in Canada. I needed all my energy reserves to keep warm in the -10 degree weather (!)

My flight landed at 6:00pm on Sunday – whereupon I jumped into my friend’s car, headed straight to MoMa for a glass of wine, and marveled at the relaxed pace and absolutely balmy evening temperatures. I felt well and truly home.

Until next time,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

I was meeting some friends for a coffee, and had decided to meet at our ‘local’ café called Moma. Moma is along the main strip of restaurants on Adrianou Street, around the half-way point, and offers a great menu of ‘modern Greek’ food. Cool design, chilled music and friendly service have made this one of my favourite places in the city.

But Moma has a little surprise. If you ever need a reminder about the nature of the city we live in, I suggest a visit to the bathrooms in Moma. Yes, the bathrooms. The phrase ‘what lies beneath’ comes to mind. We live in a multi-layered, multi-era city, and proof of this is at Moma.

Go for the minimal styling and the great menu – but do make a ‘pit-stop’ while you’re there ;)

Moma
Adrianou 29, Thissio

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…