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@history_repeats8201

5 ай бұрын

I watched some of your videos and I see JP gets "culture shocked" quite easily. I think it is an age thing. I know that it may sound hard but it is time to stay close to home. I would also recommend to find a more diplomatic way to express your inability to acclimate yourself in a foreign environment. Spewing stereotypical phrases like "its all Greek to me" to cover your inability to deal with a foreign language just sounds insulting. The fact that you didnt know about when the shops are closed just tells me that you didnt read anything about the country before you arrived. Read the comments below. What they are trying to tell you is that you came off kind of "Red Neck" but they are doing it in a nice and diplomatic way. Maybe you can learn from them?

@lisaconstantinou4690

4 ай бұрын

Totally agree. Plus his partner wants to live there but he can't be asked to learn greek...omg..greeks taught the whole world to read and use the alphabet...he said he prefers to learn Spanish..ok.go to Spain.then..😢please...greece has thousands of beautiful islands full of cultural backgrounds and fascinating living..if he's so narrow minded..greece is so not for him

@ILoveGod1988

4 ай бұрын

Amelia, this is irrelevant to the topic but I really liked your natural grey hair. It is fab on you! PS. As of April 1st/2024 pos is a requirement even for open vegetable markets so you don't need cash anymore.

@Scott-ku6ui

3 ай бұрын

Embrace the bidet!!

@alegreparpadeo

3 ай бұрын

@@lisaconstantinou4690 they (and most of their target group) don't really care about any language or culture at all; everything is really about living in a nice place comfortably yet cheaply. Much cheaper than in the US. Basically, the goal is exploiting local resources without contributing much - except to rasing prices. This trend has become so annoying. And Athens is way overpopulated already.

I moved to Greece 20 years ago. I'm German. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The Greek language is difficult to learn, especially for people who aren't familiar with a case system, but once you speak the language you enter a new world... Σαν την Ελλάδα δεν έχει ❤

@michaelmckelvey5122

4 ай бұрын

No, the alphabet takes a while to master but the grammar is easy, much easier than Turkish.

@helgaioannidis9365

4 ай бұрын

@@michaelmckelvey5122 I don't speak Turkish, so I can't confront them. The only thing I can say is that the amount of people living in Greece for decades and still butchering the grammar is high.

@LordPrutsikas

4 ай бұрын

I am Greek and think the opposite, Germany is a much better place to live...

@helgaioannidis9365

4 ай бұрын

@@LordPrutsikas I'm glad you found a good home in Germany ❤️

@user-yc3pb1ij7g

4 ай бұрын

Don't the Greek nationalists who hate foreigners bother you?

As a Chinese American, Greece really tops my list of European countries so far. Greek people were incredibly friendly towards me, an Asian looking person. What a stark contrast to my experiences in Italy, which felt cold and rude. In my opinion Greeks are also very humble. They welcomed and treated me well during my last visit. Would definitely visit again.

@KARW37

6 ай бұрын

I am not Chinese but found the hospitality amazing

@kentjensen4939

6 ай бұрын

Of course they are, their country is bankrupt.

@georgek5737

5 ай бұрын

As a Greek, I'm glad you like it hear. I'm just going to note though, for people that read this comment, that Greece is still a real place with real people so you should expect that sometimes you may have some "not so kind" experiences.

@brendanodolan123

5 ай бұрын

Greek people are the best. The food is amazing. Pefkos on the Greek island of Rodos is superb.

@stevelam5898

5 ай бұрын

Greeks humble? Think again.

I love Greece and greek people.. and i left Belgium and Germany after 22 years and i chose with my family to move to Athens and now we are very very happy ❤

@Slayer-o3g

4 ай бұрын

Athens you mean center or sea side city ????😅

@razoukahmad2556

4 ай бұрын

Sea side

I'm learning greek since 10 years, it's true it's not easy but it's such an elegant language!

@konstantinossohos2349

5 ай бұрын

Try listening a lot more, write stuff you don't understand down. Only focus on this, screw the grammar and cases. I wish someone told me this sooner about language in general

@ariwnzirakis9272

4 ай бұрын

Probably you do not know that english language it is based on Greek, which is one of the three oldest languages in the world the richest ofcource the oldest western language, and english language it has more that 65.000 greek words !!!!!

@speziello

4 ай бұрын

@@ariwnzirakis9272 yes it does have tons of greek words, just like most European languages, but saying that English is based on greek is not accurate

@ariwnzirakis9272

3 ай бұрын

Richest language in the world.....the mother language of all western languages !!!

@user-sf4ps3si7m

3 ай бұрын

💙💙🤍🤍💙💙

A mate of mine came to visit me and he was here for 3 weeks. He was reading entire sentences in Greek by the end of his stay. Its all about how you approach things. If you really want to learn basic stuff you can. Most folks here speak english and other languages so communication is the least of your problems

@janewatkins9801

4 ай бұрын

I've been learning Greek for a while and find it easier than Romanian. I've lived in Romania for years. It's a beautiful country and often it is unfairly overlooked. I do find the language difficult and it doesn't flow, no matter how hard I try. People often say "but you speak Spanish, it should be easy", and that is not true. The strong Slavic influence and the absence of an actual "the" makes it very different. Of course there are some similarities but, for me, it's hard. Nonetheless I won't give up, and hope to be fluent someday 😊. As far as Greek is concerned, I don't think it's easy but once you get the hang of the alphabet it is easier. I had a conversation on a bus in Greek a while ago and that was very satisfying. I have loads more to learn but it's gratifying to be understood, at least some of the time, by Greeks. I visited Crete and it was wonderful. The food, the climate and the people made it a magical stay.

Been to Greece many times...you have to understand Greek thinking before you can truly enjoy living in Greece...Believe me it all makes sense...Opa!!!!

@Bill_S_Kouman

4 ай бұрын

Yep, understanding Greek gets you to this amazing parallel universe you didn’t know exist!

Your presentation is well pointed, considering only one month stay in Greece. However living (not just tourist) in a country is always a big decision and has to do not only to the cost, but mainly if you can get along with the lifestyle of the country. As a Greek i will comment 2 points: Language barrier. As I have traveled a lot, I can tell you that Greece is an easy country for english speakers. English is widely spoken in Greece, even in villages. All signs in roads, busses, are also in English. Most of the products in s/markets have also English signs. Always it’s easy to find somebody who speak English. Of course we are not an English or Spanish speaking country. In Spain, Italy, France [in this order] is much harder to find English speakers, although have more tourism. I have seen many elderly British people who lives in Greece, who easily deal this matter. GRAFFITI [which here are too much], in USA means that you enter in dangerous/gang area. Here mostly related to political parties, anarchists and teenagers. Athens is big city. The center is old, very dense. The good suburbs are in South (seaside) and North. For permanent living, most foreigners prefer islands[e.g Crete] or seaside towns.

You’d be surprised how interesting it is to learn Greek. I fell in love with Greece years ago and started trying to learn it. I promise it isn’t that hard, but you do have to genuinely take daily time to do it. The islands are my favorites, especially smaller lesser known ones. Really enjoyed your video-you nailed the ins and outs, pointing out pros and cons I completely agree with. I also want to say that the TP is quickly a non-issue. You get used to it fast. I’m willing to put up with a lot of little inconveniences for that clear water and the peace of those islands. ❤

Stores are closed on Sunday because in Europe we work to live, not live to work. People deserve a day of rest. You can survive without spending money one day of the week.

@borisnegrarosa9113

3 ай бұрын

Should be like that everywhere.

The air quality in Athens looks a lot better than in did in the 80’s. One of the best destinations for longer-term expat living would be Chania Crete. The beaches are very nice and mountains very close. Crete is a large enough island so it’s great to explore with out having to go off the island. The food is fantastic.

@spyrosl9566

3 ай бұрын

Cars with catalysts and the metro really transformed the air.. It really was dangerous to go downtown on a summer rush hour..

The real culture shock is coming back to the USA and witnessing the massive disconnect between our country and its people.

@Crystalgrace144

5 ай бұрын

I want to leave the US so bad

@mlersk8830

3 ай бұрын

I agree, well said. The relationship the Greek People have with their country and culture and the land, the food, is just incredible.

@OmarOsman98

3 ай бұрын

@@Crystalgrace144 besides nyc, there is no life in america

@magicmike97m

3 ай бұрын

The eastern and southern Europe is getting westernised and americanised at constantly increasing rates so by the time you move here maybe there will be no difference at all🤷

@malcolmnicoll1165

3 ай бұрын

@@magicmike97m It’s called Californication.

Need to remind you that Macedonia is a part of Greece. The AlvanoSlavic country on the North is called North Macedonia and their language is Bulgarian.

@user-sf4ps3si7m

3 ай бұрын

TRUE

@JerronHonda

3 ай бұрын

Correct . Thessaloniki belongs to central Macedonia , that term North Macedonia is correct if you check the map but only as geographical area that Macedonians also used to be there but other than that these guys have Slavic Albanian ancestry and they don’t even know to say hello at Greek coz their language is Slavic Bulgarian and Albanian . There is no Macedonian language since Macedonias Athenians Corinthians thracians Spartans etc were all speaking Greek/Hellenic . When you say north Macedonian u mean Slav or maybe an Albanian with the same heritage. It’s Fyrom for a lot of people since we ain’t recognise North Macedonia as Macedonians ancestors that’s crazy and u only have to check some readings which we have many since we had a lot of writers and we are in these areas for over 4000 thousand years

@user-rs1dy2cy3z

3 ай бұрын

@JerronHonda slavs were there but in most recent years,600AD. Albanians are another race that their inhabitant is the Albanos river. todays Albania is a jigsaw puzzle madeup country by 2 parts of land the South Albania came from North Epirus and the North Albania came from the Slavs,it was mostly inhabited by Illyrians mercenary tribes and groups,and it was made a country to prevent the the slavs from having an exit in Adriatic Sea in order for Italy to have the advantage in commerce mainly Florence. as for Hellins which Macedonians were part of them as many others...the "old" macedonia was cut&split in pieces (51% GR,39% Serbia (Skopja-FYROM-North Macedonia today), 9.5% BG & 0.5% AL) by the Bukurest Agreement. as for the rest the Hellenic language is dated at least 12-16.000 years back.geomythology.

@aldpride8693

3 ай бұрын

@@user-rs1dy2cy3z What language do Albanians speak?

@user-rs1dy2cy3z

3 ай бұрын

@aldpride8693 tosk & ghek mainly as this is the name they have. is lke chinese which there are multiple dialects but main is mandarin. why do you ask? are you Albanian, Illyrian or you want info to visit?

I’m Greek but was born and raised in Cameroon, central Africa. Therefore, French-speaking. I first lived in Greece at age 24, for my national service (after my studies). I abandoned everything and stayed there. Although I’m traveling the world with my family, I live in Athens. And there is one thing I know: I’ll die there. Of all the places I’ve lived in, such as Paris, NY, Oxford etc., this is the place where I feel complete. The weather, the sea, the food, and most of all, the people… The negative points you’re highlighting are very sound. Your video is to the point. Congratulations for your impartiality, and to finish this, I’ll end it the Greek way: with a wish. May you be always well and healthy, to keep traveling and produce such beautiful and informative videos. Καλημέρα!

@judgedredd8876

3 ай бұрын

"most of all the people", really? LOL

@phedonbilek3322

3 ай бұрын

@@judgedredd8876that’s exactly what I’ve written. Do you have difficulties reading, or is it rather the understanding part that’s the issue?

Greece is my top number 1 country I love visiting. I go every summer for the past 7 years. Love love it

@user-sf4ps3si7m

3 ай бұрын

💙🤍💙

I spent a couple of days in Athens two years ago. I had a great time in those two days. That said, I wouldn't live in Athens. I found the quieter areas of Greece and especially the islands to be much better places to live daily life. I studied Greek for about 3 months before going to Greece. It was enough to help me get by.

25 years ago, I studied Greek before going there and was disappointed at the few opportunities I had to speak it until I stayed in small villages on Crete. Then I had amazing connections with the local elders. Crete was also where I finally braved renting a car, and I am happy I survived the experience, including almost being run off the road by a trucker. I suspect he wanted to put this long-haired female foreigner in her place, but I won by holding my side of the road, forcing him to move back onto his side. Because I was traveling solo, I was often given the worst hotel room or restaurant table or service at a shop. I spent over a month there and would enjoy returning to Crete, but not particularly anywhere else. The food was amazing!

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Great story! 😊

@grepora

6 ай бұрын

When driving in Greece, it essential to keep your head on a swivel. But, that is nothing like mainland China. The Chinese drive insanely: traffic rules are treated like they are optional, while honking is mandatory. When riding in a Chinese taxi, it is best not to look out the front window or the side windows or the rear window if you scare easily or have a weak heart. You should have gone to the monasteries in Meteora. Built on large rock formations with views thousands of feet above the valley.

@mscatnipper2359

6 ай бұрын

I did not go to Meteora because I had learned that the culture was very prejudiced against a woman traveling alone, and I wasn't interested enough to take a tour there. I visited many other ancient sites, though, and solo hiked to a remote monastery in the hills on Crete, where I was able to visit with one of the monks and purchase a bottle of the wine they make. There were many doves around the monastery, and on the return hike, I picked up a few to make a cat toy for the young son's kitty that lived with the local villager who hosted me in her home. @@grepora

@anna_m59

6 ай бұрын

I visited Crete many times and I was also connecting with elderly people very quickly. We started to bring them use clothes back in the 80 ish and I rember the airlines didn’t charge for extra weight but very thankful let us take all those big pale clothes donations for the village people..

@G_Kchrst

5 ай бұрын

How did you understand the Cretan accent and idioms though? Even we, mainland Greeks struggle to understand them sometimes, especially if they speak fast.

The business hours for Greece are on the US government website which gives important travel information about each country. If you think it is crowded in January you will be in for a shock in the summer. Once you learn the alphabet it becomes much easier to decipher the signs. Much of English is based on Latin which is based on Greek.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

The websites indicated hours may vary for the holidays, but it didn’t say all the grocery stores would be closed for 3 days.

@user-xv9vn9si4g

6 ай бұрын

That is true and the local stores do not post their hours on the windows. (if they did I would be in Greek, therefore no help…) if you live at a place you learn like the locals if you’re a tourist you got to be more adventurous. By the way I don’t recall many stores in the US posting signs till the recent years. Further, when I visited Spain I was not expecting stores to close for an hour in the middle of the day but adapted next time. Got to accept the culture, otherwise the world would be all the same therefore not interesting

@kostasjezuz4846

6 ай бұрын

Actually, Latin is based on the ancient Corinthian version of the Greek Alphabet, which has a couple of different symbols and different sounds than the Greek Alphabet used today be Greeks, which is based on the Athenian version. Corinthians had lots of cities on what is today Southern Italy, then Etruscans on the north of Italy picked up the alphabet, and Romans used it after them.

@Slayer-o3g

4 ай бұрын

​​@@AmeliaAndJPsome grocery are open everyday till 11 at night.. o.k markets😅

@mayra418

4 ай бұрын

​@@kostasjezuz4846omg ! What i just read ? Modern Greeks based on Hellenistic koine greek and not athens alphabet. Second mistake , latin alphabet based on Kimis(a small city in Evoia island ) alphabet and not Corinthian . Corintians were dories and people from Evoia were iones .

We were there last January, and I totally agree that the lack of crowds was a big selling feature. The weather was great for that time of year. Bright sunshine and low teens (Celsius). I didn't find too much culture shock myself. Maybe we hit upon more than average number of English speakers. The quantity of empty buildings was surprising. And for anyone thinking of making the trip, Smile Restaurant near the museum! We still talk about going back there! On another note, we may take a run at learning Greek. Cyprus is apparently offering a faster track to citizenship if you can get to a halfway decent level of Greek. Wish us luck!

lived there in the early 70s. i have a love-hate relationship with the country. since then ive traveled there 7 or 8 times. in most places; small restaurants, and tourist spots, people speak english and are nice. in the 70s no traffic because no one had a car or if they did, on sunday they drove to the country and spent the day in a field gathering plants and herbs from the landscape (a big all-day picnic).. travel home was tedious. now puntas are everywhere and greeks are still bad drivers. if i could do it all over and i'd have a degree in the classics, know my history even better and would eat all the olives i could find... hmmmm. most greeks in the neighborhoods are nice with friendly helpful people. you didn't mention Piraeus (?), but it has very nice areas around the old/ancient harbor. views of the harbor that is surrounded by parks, walkable streets for strolls, restaurants/backgammon entertainment. lots of people enjoying the sweet life. One very nice thing about greece is there are always people on the streets enjoying life. that is hard to find in america.

@mayra418

4 ай бұрын

Probably you are not travelling a lot . Greeks are in the list of top 5 drivers in Europe.

Greek language is a more advanced language that’s why some people find it “difficult” . Pavements in Athens are terrible, parking is a huge problem , just like traffic. Stores were closed for a specific reason so you guys should have done a research before visiting, don’t expect the world to adjust to your needs . Stay open minded and don’t judge people and cultures according to your own standards.

As a Greek I am really glad to read all these nice comments about Greece coming from foreigners. Thank you guys! 💙🤍💙

@SculptExpress-gv8jp

3 ай бұрын

Love 💙to Greece from Croatia ❤️

I've been to Greece many times. It's my favorite place in the world. Athens is great for a few days but long term not so much. The islands are another story. There's lots of folks there that speak English. I know 20-30 words of Greek which is plenty to get around....and the locals appreciate the effort. All that said, never go to Greece in July/August...way too hot and too crowded. The best time is May/June or Sept/Oct.😎

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@EvaOwen

6 ай бұрын

@@AmeliaAndJPGreece is a favorite place of @GabrielTraveler .

@bellosjt

6 ай бұрын

​@@EvaOwenOhhhh he doesn't know...

As a Greek I am so happy to read all those positive comments. Thank you.

Every place in the world has pros and cons. I can name many cosmopolitan cities in the US or Europe with scary neighborhoods I would not dare to even cross through. If you’re thinking of retiring in Greece you need to consider the lifestyle you want. What you’re willing to compromise and what not. Athens is a dense city. It offers exceptional cultural experiences beyond the classics practically every day of the week there are multiple attractions, many of which are free! Fantastic organic food, great transportation, low cost of living and proximity to sea and mountains and uber friendly people are some of the positives. If the city center is not appealing opt for the areas outside of the city center. They are newer with great accommodations wider streets, better transportation and wider sidewalks. In other words you can live in one of the suburbs with new developments & comfortable accommodations and enjoy the city center by taking a short 20-30 min trip on public transport or hop on a ferry to visit the islands. Or, you can live in a quiet town 40 minutes away which will feel like a village. And most Greek people speak at least one foreign language but they need some encouragement as they are embarrassed to lead the conversation as their skills may not be perfect! As for the language, it is different with 24 letters where some of the letters sound different, a small effort and learning some common phrases and basic words will surprise you how far it will take you. I remember visiting Portugal, I was expecting to sound like Spanish, was I wrong! After a week of effort acquiring the sounds and learning a few words it opened up so many doors! It’s not that hard. A small effort is very rewarding. Thus, like any place in the world if you’re planning to move it’s important to identify what you want, conduct the appropriate research and temporarily test-drive the area before committing! Hope it helps

@someguy782

5 ай бұрын

Found the Greek.

When I travelled around Greece, I must say that I felt the most at home there of all the European countries I visited. That stated, I agree about the language difficulties - we asked a taxi driver to drop us off for a cruise ship, and he dropped us off about two miles away somewhere at that enormous port, and it was incredibly frustrating not being able to be able to communicate what we needed, so we ended up walking the two miles with our heavy luggage. We seemed to have the most trouble with language in Greece of all the countries we visited. But I did love Greece, and especially Athens and Rhodes.

@Belfreyite

5 ай бұрын

Surely pointing to a spot on the map would have solved this.

@mayra418

4 ай бұрын

Hahahaha everyone speaks English in greece . Even the last grandmother in a mountain village . Because of tourism.

@passionatesingle

4 ай бұрын

Perhaps your taxi driver wasn't greek....

One thing I wish you would cover is noise levels in the places you stay. We have been living in Central America for a couple of years and have found that it is very difficult to find a place to live where someone doesn’t play their music much too loud and usually with the bass note turned up to ridiculous levels. This seems to be a cultural thing. If it’s one thing that drives me crazy is trying to sleep while a neighbor is playing their stereo or TV loud! So, when you mention places you have stayed, please mention if you had to deal with anything like that. Also, mention if the culture seems to be prone to this behavior or not. Thank you.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Latin America is noisy. We've talked about that for years. We haven't experienced anywhere near the same amount of noise in Europe so far and we're in our 5th country.

@q36productions66

6 ай бұрын

@@AmeliaAndJP That’s great to hear about Europe because my wife and I are hoping to relocate to Italy, France, or Montenegro this spring.

@allisonladd7365

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for bringing this up. I'm in South America and can't do the noise anymore......looking around.

@jonnieinbangkok

6 ай бұрын

Elite soldiers that wear pom-poms on their shoes 😂 😂 😂

@kennethkilpatrick3758

6 ай бұрын

A cheap alternative would be Argentina. I was there for three months and never heard the noise like in the 7 months I was in Mexico. Argentina is 85% European heritage so that may account for a cultural difference from much of Latin America.

Athens had a bad reputation when I backpacked across Europe in 1987. It was called a concrete jungle by the guide books. Most people didn't stay long, preferring to head down to the islands, but this was in summertime. I went up north and climbed Mt. Olympus. It's more of a steep walk than a climb, and it's not that hard. It's my favorite moment about visiting Greece.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

I bet that was cool!

@Grk149

6 ай бұрын

Athens remains an ugly and inhospitable city, stuck in the 80s with subpar public transport and nonexistent room for pedestrians, cyclists or anything of the sort. Although I was born there I would never go back to live there. The quality of life can be sub-par in many cases. Lack of green spaces and cleanliness is the top complaint from residents and visitors alike.

@michaelhatzigeorgiou470

5 ай бұрын

Greece has a few mountains named Olympus. I think you climbed the wrong mountain.

@daniel385

5 ай бұрын

Me and about 30 others, I guess. Strange we all got it wrong.@@michaelhatzigeorgiou470

@georgebethanis3188

4 ай бұрын

It is a concrete jungle. That is why nobody who has money lives there. The Greeks live in the suburbs.

JP- About those olives you ate ... if you are ever in a situation like that again, take the olives and wash them copiusly in water to remove most of the salt prior to eating. Same thing with feta cheese (I know that sounds strange, but the cheese will stay intact and tasty). This is what Greeks do at home. All that salt is just to keep the product from going rancid while being stored.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Great suggestion! 👍

I'm 70 and re-learning Greek at my age would be painful. When I was around 8 years old, we had a family next door (a couple until they divorced, then just the husband, their 3 children, and the husband's mother who was 100% Greek). Grandma (Yaya) was trying to teach the 3 kids (2 girls a year younger than me and 3 years younger than me, and 1 boy almost a year older than me) and me Greek - I picked up the language better than the kids but I have forgotten all I learned since Yaya passed away in 1978.

The best part about Athens being full of cats is that there are barely any mice! Speaking as a Greek who moved to the US and experienced a culture shock with the prevalence of mice in houses in Boston, NY and DC. Other points: Agreed about the store hours. They aren't flexible or consumer friendly. Agreed about the graffiti. I understand the language might be difficult to learn, but you have to remember that latin which is the basis of most Western European languages and Greek are actually pretty close; even the alphabets aren't that different if you study their evolution. So, while I understand that written Greek might look perplexing - and I have a similar issue with Russian- I bet that if you study the alphabet for a bit, you will start picking up a ton of things. You will also find many more English speakers than certain other countries. An underrated reason why is because foreign films and TV shows aren't dubbed. Although I hear a lot of people complain about Athens being a concrete jungle -and it certainly is in certain places more than others- I find it lively. There are tons of places where you can chill out late out night without feeling unsafe and I as a night owl appreciate that.

I live in the USA can’t wait to move back !! The kindest of people! Winter is my fave season

@ScooterOnHisWay2024

6 ай бұрын

@@phillipbanes5484 bzzzzzzz incorrect!

@Stephen-lx9nm

5 ай бұрын

​@@phillipbanes5484cry babys

@Dan-xx5jq

5 ай бұрын

​@@phillipbanes5484I think they meant getting back to Greece.

@user-yc3pb1ij7g

4 ай бұрын

The kindest people? Are you sure?

I loved Athens it was amazing. The food the people. Wonderful.

Naxos and Chios are large, but lack the crowds and clogged streets of the more touristy islands. Crete is like it's own country. It's one of the largest islands in the region, has two international airports and a University hospital. It also has (arguably) the best food in Greece. They can grow bananas, avocados and are pretty self-sufficient. I would go to Athens as a tourist - but would choose to live on an island that has decent infrastructure that isn't particularly attractive to Insta models!

thank you for a great video! I will be retiring to Greece in about a year so I enjoyed hearing your perspective. Fortunately, I speak Greek and have family there so I will not experience the same "culture shock"! Thank you again for sharing your experience!

Greek is harder to learn than Romance languages. According to the European Language Center, foreign languages group into five levels of difficulty for English speakers: Category I: 23-24 weeks (575-600 hours): 23-24 weeks (575-600 hours) Languages closely related to English: Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish. Category II: 30 weeks (750 hours) Languages similar to English: German Category III: 36 weeks (900 hours) Languages with linguistic and/or cultural differences from English: Indonesian, Malaysian, Swahili Category IV: 44 weeks (1100 hours) Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English: Albanian, Amharic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Finnish, Georgian, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Icelandic, Khmer, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Mongolian, Nepali, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Russian, Serbian Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Taqaloq, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Zulu. Category V: 88 weeks (2200 hours) Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers: Arabic, Cantonese (Chinese), Mandarin (Chinese), Japanese, Korean.

@nontasxen6556

6 ай бұрын

Yes, Greek don’t belong to Romance languages. But the Greek Alphabet is identical to Latin [as the Latin derived from Greek alphabet!] therefore is not difficult to be learned. Also in Greek, the writing system is simpler than English as “you write as you speak”. We don’t have “no sound letters” as English have e.g light =lite. Greek: ΦΩΣ = fos. So you don’t deal with difficult pronunciations. On the other hand. Greek have extensive vocabulary and more difficult grammar. An interesting point. Greeks easily copy the pronunciation of Latin languages (vowels lagua/s) as Italian, Spanish than English {consonat lang). However English is widely spoken in Greece.

@nikosdimitropoulos9083

5 ай бұрын

I had asked long ago our Filipino subcontractor if he had learned greek after living 8 years here in Athens, Greece.. His answer was ..”not ,here in Athens almost all people under 50 years old are speaking English .. so I don’t need so”

@barrysteven5964

4 ай бұрын

I find it very odd that they put Romanian in the same group as Spanish. Although the structure of Romanian is Latin based a lot of the vocabulary is taken from Slavic and other roots so the amount of recognisable words is less than with Spanish. Eg 'he is a rich man' = Sp 🇪🇸 'es un hombre rico' 🇷🇴 'este un om bogat'. And it still has a dative/genitive case unlike any other language in Category I. eg 'o prietenă bună' = a good friend (f) / 'unei prietene bune' = to or of a good friend (f).

@marieljackman1850

4 ай бұрын

@@nontasxen6556 αυγή = aVgi Αυτή = Afti Αίολος - έωλος = τρέχα γύρευε 😝

@albertjimeno5315

4 ай бұрын

@nontasxen6556 Truth, yes, Greek pronunciation is exactly like in Spanish & Italian

Wow! It seems you two are shadowing me. After rainy Porto you were in Athens for New Year (judging from the fireworks) at the same time I had dinner with my family at a nearby restaurant at Abyssinian (Ethiopian) square a football field distance from Monastiraki. I have been following your channel for a few years so that I can learn about exotic Ecuador. Your observations about Athens are spot on. Too much traffic and no easy parking. However, you missed the main upside: within a 2 hours drive you can go (snow) skiing or in half hour at the beach. You can also take a fast ferry to the nearby islands and in an hour or two you can have dinner in spectacular scenery. That is the main drawback of my Texas hometown: very few places to drive on the weekends. But my time here is up, see you next week in Texas?

Interesting but I feel the video title is a bit misleading. Portugal is a country, while Athens is a city. So perhaps the point of comparative reference should be Athens and Lisbon? Presumably living in Athens is not the same as living in any number of smaller Greek cities or islands, just as living in Lisbon is not the same as living in Porto or Madeira.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

We changed the video title earlier but forgot to change the caption on the thumbnail to match the new angle so thanks for the reminder.

@user-xv9vn9si4g

6 ай бұрын

So true! A city is not the country! Far more a neighborhood is not a country

My wife's family is from Crete and we raised our kids in the Greek Orthodox church so the language is not that big a deal (it's actually quite a bit easier than other languages to learn, once you get past the alphabet). We have been to Greece many times and have to agree with you on Athens - it like New York City in that it's nice to visit once or twice but now is a place to be avoided. There are many places on the mainland and the islands that I could certainly live comfortably - in fact, I have a couple of years till I retire and we are seriously considering living there at least part of the year. Interesting that you didn't discuss the housing costs?

Love Greece! I spend a few weeks there and loved! The food, the architecture, the museums, the history, the transportation and the people was very friendly, BUT certainly the language barrier is a huge issue.

@michaelhatzigeorgiou470

6 ай бұрын

I disagree. Most people in Greece speak English.

I learned New Testament Greek in seminary and found it practically useless in Greece even though I can read a good bit of it as the pronunciation is completely different. Having said that, we found no shortage of English speakers in Athens and, especially, in Santorini. We really liked Greece.

@pinkiepinkster8395

6 ай бұрын

Yes. Religion is useless.

@helencarandreou7368

6 ай бұрын

I would imagine the New Testament was written in ancient Greek language?

@issith7340

6 ай бұрын

The Greek pronunciation that usually is teached in western countries (erasmian), is totally wrong- never spoken like that. The New Testament was originally written in koine Greek that had already , almost the same accent as modern Greek.

@eleniasimop

6 ай бұрын

The pronunciation they teach you is totally useless. The new testament Greek is understandable for most modern Greeks. They had to teach you the pronunciation WE use.

@TMPOUZI

5 ай бұрын

You also fell into the Erasmian trap, nothing new

I’m Greek living in California for forty years. I went back last summer after 17 years. I think Greece right now is a great place to live. Athens is a big city with not much space. It doesn’t represent what the country is. I think you guys are a little too sensitive.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

This video is specifically about Athens. We wanted to visit during the low tourist season, but our channel focus is about living places so that’s what we talk about. And we would not want to live in Athens. There are lots of other places in Greece that would be much better for living.

Athens is my most favourite city in Europe. I visit it twice a year. Greetings from Finland. ❤

I was definitely curious about Greece! It looks so beautiful there - So happy to hear your take on it ✨

I was just there this past November..cruise..Spent 2 days after the cruise...i would love to return to explore more...My favorite Island was Mykonos....loved it..

The intricate detail on the ruins is amazing!!!

As Greek myself, most Greeks (except some Athenians) agree that Athens is the worst place to live in Greece unless you have a good job there, for me who I grew up in the countryside Athens is like a concrete jungle 😂

I have friends who were there vacationing there, in Greece, for the American winter. They are not financially restricted by any means. He had a heart attack, was taken to a hospital and they would not admit him waiting for financial information. During the wait he passed away while waiting in an ambulance for over an hour. I will not go to Greece due to my advanced 60’s age even though I’m in fairly good health.

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

That’s horrible! 😢

@pbohearn

6 ай бұрын

I had a very different experience related to illness and being in Greece. I arrived in Athens, not feeling terribly well, and I was due to get on a boat to Mykonos the next morning early. My alarm went off, and I knew I was not feeling good. I got on that boat and Slept, i had my cell phone in my side pocket which slid out and I didn’t notice it and left the boat, now without my cell phone. I checked into my hotel and went immediately to bed. I was very sick and stayed in my room most of the entire week. I was so weak. I had a hard time just walking the small amount I needed to to the restaurant to eat. I eventually contacted my sister via my iPad as she is a physician, and she said if I did not feel better, I needed to go to the emergency room when I got back to Athens because I could’ve developed an embolism in my lung with the flight. The people at the hotel really encouraged me to go to the local clinic which I felt badly about because at the time Greece was going through terrible financial time, but they said no it’s no problem. It’s free and it’s available to anybody. So I went to the clinic and they whisked me right in to see the doctor ahead of other people, it appeared. Now I have to say the shelves were Barren and the doctor I saw I was a doctor that Set broken bones, not an internist, aND my problem was difficulty breathing high fever, feeling very sick, etc.. He suggested I go to the urgent care clinic across the street and I did a full workup. I got all my results right away. I got prescriptions and got started on medicine and I started feeling better the next day. Now that did cost money but I submitted it to my insurance company in the USA and they did pay for it. Everybody at the hotel was so sweet, especially my housekeeper who would still come every day to clean and they all were very concerned about me. On the day that I left, I wrote a letter to the manager of the hotel, saying that his staff is wonderful, and they all deserve raises.I had one night left in Mykonos which I could enjoy and the next day I went to Athens I had another night and I went out in the nightlife was incredible and it goes on until six in the morning it appears. I definitely want to go back. I felt like I was short changed. by the way, when I got back to the ferry, I inquired if anybody had found a phone and they went to this area where they keep lost items and sure enough my phone was there. Somebody had turned it in! I had no expectation that I would ever get that phone again, and here it was waiting for me. That really impressed me

@michaelhatzigeorgiou470

6 ай бұрын

I had an emergency in Greece last November. They took care of me for free. The health system is not the best, but nobody dies in the street. I see that happening in the US if you don’t have insurance.

@michaelhatzigeorgiou470

6 ай бұрын

@@pbohearnI left my phone in a cafeteria in Paros. They sent it to me with the next boat to Piraeus.

@invader7191

6 ай бұрын

@@michaelhatzigeorgiou470hahahaha 😂liar 🤥

We found Greece very affordable. It's beautiful. Some locals were very rude to tourists. I was also pick pocketed on the train/metro to the airport. I feel that I could still live there compared to the US.

Crete is sunny with a gentle breeze today. 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

@KARW37

6 ай бұрын

I love Crete. It is one of my favorite places in the world.

My remarks on the negatives: Greek drivers=nightmare Greek motorcyclists: the worst nightmare Closed stores on specific holidays: Spot on, the workers need to celebrate and spend time with the families too Public transportation: if you use the metro it's fine. If you need a bus, swallow Xanax first. Traffic: most times unbearable. Graffitis: a plague. Overall: if you have a highly respectable income, Athens is great. You can live in a great neighborhood, enjoy the weather, you have countless options for short trips even for weekends. If you are struggling financially, not great.

We live in Greece and love it! We chose to leave Athens and go to Thessaloniki because our Greek friends expressed to us that it is less populated and a great place to settle with a growing family. I loveeee Athens but Thessaloniki feels like home. We have been learning Greek since we made the decision to live here seasonally some time ago and over the years we organically picked up common phrases... but we're still very much learning! Love it here.. very family oriented, proud and community minded people that have embraced us and helped us on our journey.

I am Greek and live in Athens. I still face culture shocks

@TMPOUZI

5 ай бұрын

so were did you get your culture, from the internet? You don't really make sense

@dali4323

5 ай бұрын

Same here

@dali4323

5 ай бұрын

Nah, it's a city that is too crazy even for the locals themselves. It's a deep-down anarchist mentality actually, where you can do as you judge wright, as long as it's not a grave crime. Park your car , have a LOUD party at the rooftop until sunrise ( but don't forget to invite the neighbors! ), or even(!) don't pay for your bus ticket, if you don't have the money. You get the idea, chances are you won't be facing grave consequences - if any at all. Now, what happens is: some people are taking advantage of this freedom, doing utterly idiotic stuff, not thinking of the one next to them. That person then is called a mal*ka commiting mal*kies. Some times the mala*ies are so severe that it's a culture shock even to us!

Athens isn’t the prettiest Greek city😅 It used to be just 200 years ago a small village before it became the capital and was developed with no thought to aesthetics. Because of the expulsion of Greeks from Asia Minor and Pontus and other Mediterranean countries during the last 200 years Athens had to be quickly developed to house a quickly growing population… These apartment blocks you see were built as a temporary solution but have now become a part of Athens. Luckily athens is going through lots of new development projects like the Ellinikon which once it’s finished will be the largest coastal park in Europe…

@tsiaa6790

6 ай бұрын

Also since Greece was never a colonial power like other European countries such as France Italy or the UK. In short, because the Greeks have never violently subjugated other nations. Such grandiose architecture that one may find in Paris, Rome or London has been financed exclusively by shedding the blood and looting the wealth of natives in far away lands. Also pre World War II Athens was much more beautiful with aesthetics in mind which was unfortunately mostly destroyed…

@tsiaa6790

4 ай бұрын

@@albertjimeno5315 plaka is one neighbourhood that retains neoclassical architecture. While it may be beautiful it’s filled with rubbish and spread paint. Much of the area is completely dilapidated from decades of mismanagement and overtourism….

Learning any language, including Greek has it's challenges but if you are planning to move to and live in a foreign country then the language can't be the reason not to live there. You should make an effort to learn the language wherever you move. The Greeks also appreciate it when you try and learn Greek and will help you, I've been told that isn't always the case in other countries. Nice video though and glad you enjoyed Athens over all.

From this video, i liked Athens very much. Liked the way this city looks.

Ancient Greek History is fascinating and this Video is very helpful . I would agree with JP concerning all the cons . I'm not a City kind of guy and the Language Barrier would leave me feeling like a perpetual "Tourist". Great info , Thank you .

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

As a Greek born in the center but living in Glyfada since I was 10 years old, the city center is a jungle and I try to avoid it as much as I can. I never understood the obsession with people want to live there or even staying for a few days and staying in this cement-monster-city...there are other areas much prettier, maybe a bit more expensive, but in any case if you want to visit the sights, there are busses, subway, tram, taxis and in most cases those sights won't be more than an hour away. Better ask prior to visiting a place, but don't ask the weird guy in the terrorist neighborhood if it is good to live there, he will say yes of course... Indeed the drivers are umber aggressive. I drive a scooter and in most cases car drivers act as if I am not there, 99% of them are uneducated vlachs and most likely they won't even have the license OR if they have one, it is bribbed for. And all them drive while holding a phone trying to text. For pedestrians its even worse but it is way worse if you are handicapped. As a volunteer to my local institution for kids with special abilities, you can't imagine how mad I get when I try to cross a street and there is a huge SUV closing the ramp. We have a name for those "R" vlachs. There are laws about everything but there is NOBODY to apply the laws and IF I call the police to pull the car so I can continue my path with my friends, I am the bad one who "talks to fuzzy muff". About crowded it is one more reason for me why I enjoy living in the South of Athens. It gets crowded with the good weather since everyone and their mom comes here for coffee by the sea but most of the time it is much less crowded. Long story short, Athens is great to visit from a few days to a couple of months, but stay in the South suburbs and visit the sights on demand, you will thank me about this. But the city isn't to live for long term, not even if you are a Greek. Unless you got a 2000€/month salary, then maybe. For me that I live on minimum wage, I will be 90 and still living with my parents or their skeletons.

I've been to Corfu - and didn't want to leave. ❤

Im from Greece, I live in Athens and I have to say that this was a very good introduction to the city. Many bravo from me!

@AmeliaAndJP

5 ай бұрын

Thank you very much!

I spent a few days in Athens a few years ago. I got food poisoning so bad that I went to the hospital. The hospital was dirty and very scary. Glad i.made it out alive. I found the city dirty with too many motorcycles.

@hecmen7298

6 ай бұрын

Very dirty and full of graffiti and not the artsy type. Just nasty

@issith7340

6 ай бұрын

Well you don’t visit us again, as we are so busy already, with turists. You can use your “clean” hospitals in your country, wherever is that.

@user-xv9vn9si4g

6 ай бұрын

@@issith7340 why is it so hard to accept someone’s unfortunate experience and instead you are attacking the guest of your country? What happened to FILOXENIA? Instead seek to improve the service so nobody has as bad of an experience again and the country and its citizens retain a great reputation which brings more visitors and investments. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

@issith7340

6 ай бұрын

@@user-xv9vn9si4g cause these people would never ever say a good word about anything but their country. I know them pretty well

@user-xv9vn9si4g

6 ай бұрын

@@issith7340 they are speaking out. This is your opportunity to understand, empathize and express your opinion without aggression. Your opportunity to influence them, to see it your way. There are many more who love Athens but don’t bother to speak. If you’re passionate about it mellow down and politely explain. Punching yield a counter punch, leading to extremism. Nobody wants that. At the end of day, it’s their opinion, their feelings, not yours and that needs to be respected.

Athens is not an easy city to live in. Some love it, others don't. It's loud also. But there are more places. The Peloponnese may be more to your liking. The area around Porto Cheli is sometimes called the Greek Saint Tropez. The former king of Greece used to live there. Sean Connery used to also, and it is whispered that a certain V. Putin has a hideout in the vicinity. Opposite is the island of Hydra where Leonard Cohen, his muse Marianne, and their hippy friends used to hang out. Although it was a lot less expensive back then.

Great video! As a Greek, i find your point(s) of view to be incredibly precise! If you spend enough time in Greece and more importantly, if you let yourselves dive in the Greek mindset, you'll undestand why everything is how it is. Then, Greece will unfold all of it's beauty to you. Watching what US or UK have turned into, i realize i want to stay here forever. My spouse is Norwegian, and loves it here. Love you guys, thanks for sharing!

I had the same thing happen to me in Cuenca. I was given a $5 bill with a slight tear, as change at a popular restaurant in el centro. I tried to use it for two days and no one would take it. Finally someone told me to go to a bank, I went to my bank, and they wouldn’t accept it. They told me to go to the Banco Central, for a clean $5.

@sinnombre3855

5 ай бұрын

Give it to a panhandler, they have more than enough time to do the running around

Good video. I was there many years ago in the summer, the heat was insufferable. Besides the wonderful history, I remember the heat being around 110 F & the amount of honking from cars was insane. I had so many heat headaches there. I did enjoy my time in the island of Crete, where it was much more relaxes & had cooler temperatures.

Unfortunately many European cities have graffiti. Even Dublin

@giapata

4 ай бұрын

The amount of graffiti and vandalism in Greece is unprecedented

There's a British journalist who used to work on Athens' English language newspaper who wrote a book titled "How to Learn Greek in 25 Years" . . .

@Ikaelgo

3 ай бұрын

😂

Hmmm, thank you for this. I know I would have too much anxiety in the pedestrian situation

@deebee2603

6 ай бұрын

No cars on Hydra island. You could also pick a place in a historic town center (such as Skopelos island) where people park on the outskirts and you walk home. There is such a wide variety within Greece. With 227 inhabited islands, there will literally be something for everyone.

I’ve found no problem with the language barrier, most speak English and if they don’t, they try to find someone who does. It’s an amazing place, but you are correct about the drivers, and graffiti.

If I recall there was a summer Olympics in Athens in 2004. It was extremely hot during the games. Amelia and JP may change their mind when high tourism and summer heat come together. Large crowds would deter me.

Thank you! I agree that the language barrier would be too much of a culture shock. We now live in Portugal. I am taking the required basic Portuguese language classes in case we want to become citizens but I am very grateful that English is spoken a lot here. You can easily get by with basic Portuguese and almost everyone under 45 years old speaks English. We really love our little international village Nazare, home of the famous Big Waves.

@sakisgr1396

3 ай бұрын

Everyone under 45 years old also speaks English in Greece and also other foreign languages

As Greece first go in Thessaloniki second biggest city i believe it's much more good in many different ways 🇬🇷🇬🇷 much love to all of you 🇬🇷❤️🇬🇷❤️ sorry for my bad English I'm learning now 🥹

Greek is not that difficult to learn. It's far more phonetic than English, say. Also, have you ever considered Cyprus as a potential for expats? English is widely spoken, it's legal and administrative system was inherited from Britain, and it is becoming very popular with many different expats.

Only one correction!! You DONT flush TOILET PAPER because you are in Europe ! Not because of old pipes. Pipes are great but the diameter is different from US and also... we consider TOILET PAPER as WASTE.... so into the trash bin. Not to water. All other things you get them right!! We are hopeless with cars and sidewalks... But Greece is not a flat as much of Europe and Athens is been builted again and again and again one layer over the previous one without totaly demolishion... so space is a problem!!!

@TheUlli1964

3 ай бұрын

Another correction. Other countries in Europe flush the toilet paper as well.

As a Greek i would recommend visiting Athens for sure but rather not live there as there are much more nicer places with more nature, less traffic, less noise, less pollution and minimum crime rate (if you put aside passion crimes!)

Most of your comments are legitimate concerns but do keep in mind that when someone speaks to you in English, it's a courtesy and not an obligation. Also, having public holidays where people can actually relax and enjoy time with their family rather than work is an advantage

@AmeliaAndJP

4 ай бұрын

What about all the people who work in restaurants on Sundays that are packed with people who didn’t plan ahead? We’ve seen that everywhere grocery stores are closed on Sundays. Don’t they deserve the day off too? And don’t people deserve the right to work on Sundays if they want to? The grocery stores get to employ fewer people so that also reduces jobs. I get the premise but I don’t see how it’s an advantage to everyone.

@vickysinou6521

4 ай бұрын

@@AmeliaAndJP Yes, they're the exception as the rule is that services and shops are closed. Greece obviously has a more relaxed and slower pace to the US and that is what makes it more appealing. Also, there are corner shops and kiosks that are open if you run out of absolute essentials

For me Greece is a lovely place to visit (off season), but not to live. As to Athens...to big, too crowded, too polluted, too many tourists.

Amazing place but maybe would live some other place in Greece

@gregniemi572

6 ай бұрын

Yeah, Naxos would be a great island to live on. Cheaper and better food than Athens.

My Greek background neighbours visited two years in a row for about a month each time in 2021 and 2022. Both times one family had a medical issue requiring hospitalization and both times the healthcare they received there was pretty awful according to them, and they speak Greek.

@spyroupartners5335

4 ай бұрын

really sorry to hear about that. One question. Did they pay anything for their hospitalization?

Interesting take. The museums are fantastic. The pollution was extreme in late October.Concrete jungle,yes.

Great video! The only thing I highly disagree with is the language issue. Everyone speaks English is Athens and in fact I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t speak fluent English. There are a few cities in Europe where you do not need to speak the language at all to live - Amsterdam and Athens are two of those cities.

Athens, especially downtown districts, has severe problems with high crime rates and pedestrian warfare is indeed a nightmare. However downtown Athens is just 10% of Athens metro area, and only 1% of Attica district, so you can have a lot of choices in the expense of some commuting, and still have the benefits of living near the "big city".

Greece is the most beautiful country in the world, imho. Don't just stay in Athens, even though the city is amazing.

For folks considering Greece as a retiree, the Greek Golden visa has the lowest investment threshold in the EU. EU 250,000 for real estate, and you can have the right to reside in Greece with a 7% flat tax for ten years. At this point, it's more attractive than Portugal, now that that country has done away with its tax breaks to attract foreigners.

@KimLaFrance

6 ай бұрын

Learning the language.🥹😭📚

@bellosjt

6 ай бұрын

800.000 next month

I studied Greek for two years prior to traveling there in the eighties. It was sufficient and the country, food and historic sites were compelling. Although I spoke decent Greek, the level of hostility toward foreigners, and aggressive moves on scooters and cars nearly running us over kind of ruined Greece for us. I'd easily live in . Spain, Portugal, Italy. We lived in France three years and were treated very well (French major).

Excellent video! I'm Greek-American, and although I grew up speaking basic Greek at our house (my parents and grandmother spoke it growing up in NY and NJ, but they've been deceased for years now, and I forgot most of my Greek), I would not feel comfortable living in Athens (or Greece in general), unless I spoke Greek conversationally. It is a VERY challenging and difficult, but beautiful and expressive language. That said, basic English is somewhat widely spoken there, especially in the larger cities. If I was a multi-millionaire, and money was no object, of course I could live there. But to have to find employment, and work with and mix in with the Greeks and earn a living there would be very challenging and stressful for me, given the language barrier. The music scene in Athens is excellent, with lots of great world known rock/pop bands playing there. Moving on, the history/archaeological sights and museums are stunning, as are the beaches! But you NEED A CAR to get around in Greece, especially if you plan on seeing the many sights outside of Athens. Most tourists rent a car, but you have to have fairly big cojones to drive in the larger cities. Many Greeks drive like French cabbies on 'speed'! And yes, the letter graffiti is a tragedy that makes you think you are in The Bronx at times (I grew up there for the first years of my life). But the artistic graffiti is quite interesting and even impressive though. But not everyone likes it. I used to go to Greece on Olympic Airways (NYC to Athens) when I was a teen in the 70's and early 80's, and graffiti was largely non-existent. How Athens has changed! Lastly, I want to mention that Greece is no bargain anymore, like it was 2 decades ago. Most everything is expensive now. The price gouging can be rapacious at certain hotels or eateries (this is true almost everywhere you go today, I noticed), and you have to know in advance what prices are before you patronize a place. Greece is a very authentic experience though, and well worth a visit at least once in your life! Just do lots of reading and research (and online booking of hotels, AirB and B's, etc.) before you go.

I’ve travelled all over the world and have felt the most at home in Greece. But in Greece I spent most of my vacation in small towns in the Peloponnesus. Athens…good for a few days at most. I did lol when you said you couldn’t live in Greece because they spoke Greek.

One of the best features of Greece, is it's still not crowded with Americans and English and their nasty habit of believing everything around must adapt to their way of seeing the world. I've been living in Thessaloniki for 15 years already and would never go back to my home country, but as soon as this get's plagued with noisy Americans and their habit of complaining how things are different from back home and their "cultural shocks", I swear I'll look for another country or the Moon.

The store closings are general in Euro, where the small store & workers wrights are valued. They are not advertised because it seems like plain common sence

I learned to read Russian out of interest and then I realised that I could read Greek too with a few tweaks.[I suppose that's because Greek monks invented Cyrillic script for the Russians]

I love Greece, but a ‘negative’ is trying to mail a package. The Greeks have made it as difficult as a moon landing.

I'll tell you a little secret of a gorgeous place to live in Greece and it's on an island. It's called Ermoupolis and it's on the island of Syros in the Cyclades group, close to those world famous islands like Mykonos and Santorini, but nowhere near as touristy and over-hyped. It's the capital and administrative centre of the Cyclades so it's happening all year, but at a much calmer pace. IMHO it's one of the most beautiful lesser-known and authentic towns of all the Mediterranean, with stunning architecture (marble roads too) and a somewhat understated classy feel. Check it out! - Greetings from Australia

@AmeliaAndJP

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the recommendation!

@bellosjt

6 ай бұрын

No no it's not have so many gangsters😉💥

I have been living in Greece for 6 years until 2021. As a foreigner, if your income is at least 2500 Euro per person per month and you have a clean bill of health, ok, otherwise forget it. Job market was very tough (I am talking permanent jobs, not the seasonal gigs) and shady practices quite the norm. I would not chose Athens as permanent place of residence even if I could afford it.

I was there pre COVID for 3 days, which felt like too long honestly. Don’t think I’ve ever seen so much graffiti in any other European city in my travels. The city was actually very uninhabited until the 17th century actually, our walking tour guide pointed out which I found rare. Food cheap and delicious but not sure about living there, the island’s definitely.

Your video was spot on. im greek and i agree with you on everything exept the language. our language might be the only one or one of the few that what you see is what you hear. when you spend an hour to learn how our alphabet sounds then you can read everything you see, you might not understand it but that will make it so much easier to learn greek.

We have relatives who are Greek citizens. They advised us that Greece is LIVEABLE for Americans, BUT suggested we would NOT like it there due to the "culture shock". Greek life is apparently much different from typical life in America, and the language is VERY different from either English or Spanish (I speak both).

@FloridaDCSVideos

6 ай бұрын

Just did a quick search on Google. """Indeed, it has been claimed that as many as 150,000 words in Modern English have their roots in the Ancient Greek language. By some calculations, that's 30% of the English language! 5% of these words are directly borrowed from Greek, while another 25% are borrowed indirectly, mainly through Latin.""" How can a person claim Greek is so hard to learn when so many English words have roots in the Greek language? As for culture shock, it is the same everywhere. Moved to the US 34 yrs ago and it was culture shock for me too. Not so much now. If you really like a place, you will overcome the language barrier, culture shock etc..

Good video, but I find the language comments curious. Greece has the highest percentage of English speaking residents in the Mediterranean, and virtually everybody under 50 speaks at least functional English. 51% for Greece, 34% for Italy, 27% for Portugal, and 22% for Spain, so you really should learn your Spanish. And for a country which uses a different alphabet, most every sign is also written in English. Absolutely wrong about the language part. It was actually the most striking revelation for my wife, who doesn't speak a word of Greek and had no problem communicating with people. And as for Athens, it sounds like you stayed in Omonia.

I haven't been to Greece, but a lot of the same issues seem to be common across southern Europe - siestas and random working hours for shops, cats everywhere, ugly graffiti, crazy scooter drivers, etc. On the other hand, lots of beautiful historical architecture (not always well maintained), incredible food, sunshine...I guess you can never have it all.

@user-xv9vn9si4g

6 ай бұрын

So true! It’s important to respect, accept and adapt to the culture and the people you are visiting. It’s their land, their lives. If everything was like in the US there would be no need to travel anywhere

In Greece, English is taught in the second grade and once students have reached high school they are fluent in it as they also sit for the Michigan or Cambridge proficiency exams. In fact, you CAN NOT get a job without speaking English in Greece. However, the older folks may not speak it, but there is always expats living there who are more than willing to help you translate. Indeed, Greece has a major problem with drivers NOT obeying road laws - speeding, tailgating, illegal parking on crosswalk.

Thank you guys. Really appreciate that you mention the positives AND negatives. Keep up the good work.

@sinnombre3855

5 ай бұрын

Bumpin' up the algorithm by being honest. Rare on YT