My first job in the U.S. was an office job. There had been a few reasons for me wanting to quit that job, yet a pretty unlikely reason really pulled the plug: The air-conditioning system. The damned thing was set way too high. Full blown summer outside and inside the office you had to wear [...]

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Once June starts approaching, and that may be as early as March or even February (Ο Φλεβάρης κι αν φλεβίσει, καλοκαίρι θα μυρίσει.), Greeks start their little seaside drive-by’s. These are preliminary appetizing mood-lifting expeditions that may or may not lead to sunbathing, swimming and water sport or other beach activities. Given that beach visits [...]

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I was reading the CNN article on the deadly Greek strikes when I came across the following comment by another reader: “Maybe the Greek protesters don’t want to bail out their own “Wall Street” the way the Middle Class was forced into doing in the US. If that’s the case, then GOOD FOR THEM!” Even [...]

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Easter, Christmas, weddings, anniversaries, baptisms, all fall into the category of “family time”. Family time involves organizing & emotionally preparing oneself(if wise), packing, traveling, sharing (with all positive or not quite so, connotations) and definitely losing one’s own routine.
Both Greek & American cultures formally idealize “family time”. It’s all family values, sharing beautiful candlelit meals [...]

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The economy in Greece is bad just the way it was in the US a few months back and a fuss needed to be made about it. Yet, when the big crisis hits, people handle it differently.
Greek people don’t swarm into malls the way Americans did, to save the economy. Well, you may say, they [...]

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I love Christmas time! It’s glimmering and shimmering and sparkly and lovey-dovey and cute. It’s lush and it’s fun. Also, scary. Cause it’s all right to carry on regardless when it’s not Christmas. Think about it! Easter is all about suffering. Leading a miserable life doesn’t get threatened by Easter. Yes, summer is supposed to [...]

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Greek or American fashionistas share equal amounts of obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to clothes. Fashion and its ability/promise to glamorize our simple existence is at its best this time of the year (see pre-Christmas & meta-Thanksgiving).
Some things though, differ. A lot. And it’s not just marketing and prices and trends and shop-window displays. [...]

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Home is a key word in the whole “culture shock” pavillion. Where is a person’s home? What defines it? Level of comfort? Professional/financial opportunities? Quality of life? Living amongst the people who mean the most to us?
Considering the phrase “Home is where you are understood” helps us both close in on and complicate the matter. [...]

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There must be a certain amount of time that dooms you. A certain amount of time that once you go over it, that’s that, you’re done, you’re toast, you are never to feel 100% comfortable in any country ever again.
So how many years of living in a country -that you originally consider “abroad”- does it [...]

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Summer in Greek means a whole lot more than it does in English. Naturally, everybody has the ability to take time off and enjoy one’s vacations, however, it’s hard for me to think of another group of any sort that maintains such a strong conviction about going on holiday or has such great expectations about [...]

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