Between Two Cultures - Εffie Spilioti Describes The Benefits & Hardships Of Returning To Homeland

Attorney Effie Spilioti was born and raised in Chicago. Her parents were first generation Greek immigrants who arrived in Chicago in search of a better future for their family. Like most immigrants, they left Greece with almost no resources, but with hope for the future and with a dream of returning to Greece someday.

“I followed my family to Greece after they decided to relocate there, for their retirement. When I arrived in Greece, I initially studied at the American College of Greece, but I had my mind set on studying law. After studying intensively for a year, I took the exams and was admitted to the Law School of the University of Athens.”

“I always believed that my upbringing in an immigrant family, watching them succeed through hardships and limited resources, has guided me and even assists me today in adapting to the insecurity of the current situation in Greece. If there is one thing that I learned from my parents as immigrants, that is importance of perseverance, hard work and “ethos” in all aspects of life. These are the traditional values that are common in all Greek immigrants, whether they are in the United States, Australia or other countries.”

Being exposed to two cultures has not been easy. When you are exposed to two cultures it is inevitable that you compare them to each other. As a woman living in Greece, I cannot say that I faced discrimination based on my gender in the workplace. It should be noted that Greece has laws that significantly protect the rights of mothers in the workplace.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek TV