(That's a map of ancient Greece. Reputedly, things were better then.)For anyone planning to live in Greece, invest in Greece, or simply move to Greece for a while, pointers and support are generally (if not generously) available.
Here I will give brief, but in my opinion most pertinent, guiding principles. These are ruling maxims, if you will.
Following these, everyday life falls into place and understanding is easy.
The order of presentation will leave some to be desired. I tried to work my way from the general to the particular; nevertheless, readers will notice many lapses in this logical sequence and will have to excuse my muddle-headedness.
Please be advised that contemporary Greeks, i.e. the contemporary inhabitants of Greece of Hellenic origin (i.e. in no order, Athenians, Megariotes, Macedonians, Corinthians, Eubiotes, Cretans, Rhodans, Peloponnesians.... etc) are commonly referred to in Greek as neoGreeks.
Moving to and Living in Greece: preliminary consideration
You are expected to have property in Greece before you move here. Preferably inherited. Please keep in mind that, by Continental European standards, Greece is expensive. In all but renting real estate, prices are slightly to considerably higher than elsewhere.
Buying property is relatively easy but establishing your title on that property can be tricky.
Any newcomer to Greece, not arriving to claim inheritance, is a potential source of income -- or unwelcome. This is not to discourage anyone -- rather, it is an explanation.
The above is a generalised fact; I went through it as have others and as will others. It applies to all who have moved to Greece from the late '80s onwards.
Moving to and Living in Greece: the Dominant (predominant) lifestyle
Here as elsewhere, there is an cultural undercurrent, a denominator which shapes everyday life -- as it is lived by some and pursued as a goal by others.
The institutions, as presented and in their daily operation reflect this clearly. Understanding this brings a ray of light to all the shady perversions of mondanity.
Urban Greece is for healthy adults, educated elsewhere, with independent sources of income, appreciative of lightweight conversation and socialising (superficial is OK) -- in short, a country where applied leisure is the national vision & supererogatory goal.
Other parts of the population are a hindrance if not a nuisance.
E.g. You are most welcome to have coffee at a trendy cafe, at any time of the day -- particularly during all working time of the day. In fact, you can sit for hours on end with just one drink. Reading a paper. (This is most enjoyable in a country where the weather sometimes allows outdoor drinks in mid-December -- and this is not a side effect of global warming.)
This is because the predominant lifestyle is... just that, and it is thereby cherished and protected.
In this respect, and within limits of other peoples' leisure and the entertainment /Horeca industry, you can generally do anything.
Example 1: park your car anywhere. But NOT, leave your pram anywhere UNLESS it is at a cafe -- where it is tolerated but not condoned.
The limits to your freedom derive from any hindrance to the "rule of leisure"; i.e. if you actually disturb other peoples' leisure. If your car blocks access to a cafe -- but NOT if your car blocks a pedestrian crossing (unless said crossing facilitates a bar or a cafe-restau).
This is instrumental if the newcomer is to understand why, say, an automobile belonging to, and driven by a healthy adult takes precedence over a pram holding a dependent baby and driven by an adult.
It is important to understand that this habit is neither good or bad -- it just is. Moralising about the precendence to the needy gets you nowhere in Greece -- it simply is NOT on the agenda.
Likewise, parents are NOT supported in any institutional way; while this may be frowned upon elsewhere, it must be clearly understood that in Greece, mothers are NOT a priority. Indeed, many women become mother out of an inculcated urge or strategic necessity and perhaps patriotic duty, rather than any inherently parental consideration.
Point 2
Thereby, Greece is generally hostile to two categories of the population: children & the elderly.
This is not a cultural matter, but a practical one. Both -- particularly children -- are mostly a hindrance to leisure and pleasure.
Political correctitude apart where everyone wastes their breath touting the importance of children and respect for the elders, we don't waste our money throwing it away where our mouth is:
- if you need a dependable school, it is privately operated;
- childrens' activities are few & far between. The nation's capital sporting one small building in Plaka (the old town) called the childrens' museum; the building is run mostly by volunteers and the building is run down;
- children don't vote, so there is another reason why throwing money at them is a waste of money;
- children are the antithesis of leisure -- unless you have 24/7/365 nannies, which few can afford;
- the only exception is childrens' parties & funparks -- but these really facilitate adults' leisure and offer parents some pleasure;
- childrens' prams take up space which can usefully be allocated to tables for adults; they require pavements which can be better used as expensive extensions to real estate and the horeca industry; they require armies of teachers, etc; and children take away from the leisure industry all the adults who have to supervise them.
- Summing up overall, last but not in any way least, children and pensioners, are expensive. Good money, thrown away at hospitals, retirement benefits (sometimes delayed hoping for the beneficiary's), teachers in sundry pretence of education...
- add lib
Point 3
Greenery and global warming.
In Greece we are particularly concerned about global warming. Indeed, awareness has reached stratospheric levels in this country and Greece is probably one of the statistical leaders. In fact, Green is trendy, Green is very neoGreek. When Porsche, an automobile manufacturer, offers a green model, Greece is sure to be one of its best, if not THE best, markets.
As long as we can just speak about it and on occasion get together to switch off the lights collectively sipping a well-deserved glass of wine.
In Greece, being very Green does not extend to actually doing anything about it. Indeed, being very active and, consequently, noisy, about it is in very bad taste.
Comin up: Being focused on leisure and entertainment, Greece does NOT favour nor does Greece COMPREHEND any business initiative and activity OTHER than in the horeca & entertainment industries.
Many complain about institutions, corrupt civil servants, unfriendly authorities, etc. They are wrong.
It is simple to understand...}
