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What role has religion played in Greece throughout history?
Today, 81.4% of the Greeks are Orthodox Catholics. This is a huge percentage if you compare this to Christians in the UK or Protestants in the US. More impressive is the number when you imagine that modern Greece only exists since 1830. Before, the Greeks have been under Ottoman and Roman rule for years. Besides, […]
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Stereotypes & Culture. My Big Fat Greek Family
Twenty years ago, in 2002, the Greek-Canadian actress, Nia Vardalos, became famous with her movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. As both actress and writer, Vardalos won many awards for this romantic comedy, which she based on her own experience of being Greek. Although the movie is full of extravagant Greek stereotypes as an expression […]
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The 12 most common Greek names and their meaning
The traditions regarding the naming of newborns in Greece are still in practice today. Sons get the name of their grandfathers and daughters are named after their grandmothers. As a result, not only cousins share the same name, but many unrelated Greeks do as well. Here is an overview of the twelve most common Greek […]
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Why do many Greek men have a beard?
While strolling around a Greek town or village, you might be surprised by an abundance of facial hair. And abroad, you are often able to recognize the Greeks by their beards as well. Although Greek men have a variety of facial hair, from mustaches to stubbles to full-grown beards, not often do you see a […]
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Greek time
Whoever believes that time in Greece is EET, Eastern European Time, is wrong. Although the Greek clock may tick according to EET, real Greek time is a totally different concept. The Greeks only use EET (clock) time for the airport, public transportation, and tourists. And although even these are often late in Greece, I strongly […]
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Where are all the Greek women?
Traveling through Greece, you might have noticed all the old men, endlessly sipping coffee in front of a traditional kafeneío. These men seem to be a static part of the decor of every Greek village, but where are the women? The timeline of women in Greece The grandmothers Let’s start with old times, the generation […]
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Greeks rarely make a deal for the future
Last night I overheard a conversation between a Dutch guy and a Greek girl. She was from Crete, inviting him to visit her hometown of Iraklion. He got excited, started planning his visit, and when the date was set he asked. What is “deal” in Greek?, turns out many Greeks don’t know. The Greek girl […]
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Siga, Siga
During your stay in Greece, while sipping coffee in front of the sea, you will hear the phrase, “siga siga” all around you. But what does it mean? Is it an exotic island like Bora Bora, or the scientific name of an animal like Vulpes Vulpes? Why would all the Greeks keep talking about this […]
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Traveling with the Greeks means chaos
This story is for all the non-Greeks that are about to meet their Greek in-laws. As well as the Greeks that have a non-Greek family member. But also for everyone else. Because traveling with the Greek family through the eyes of an outsider makes a funny story. The first time I went to Greece to […]
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The Greeks away from Greece
This weekend I found myself at a Greek barbecue. Traditional Greek music, souvlakia on the grill, and surrounded by fifteen Greeks, all speaking their own language. The funny thing is that I was not even near Greece. The barbecue took place in a park in the center of Rotterdam. Real Greeks take some Greece everywhere […]
