What is life like as an expat in your area?
When we asked people living abroad what life is like in their areas and how people spend their time, they said...
"As a general rule, peoples priorities here are work & family... Well family comes first.. But Greeks in general are very sociable, if you make the effort to speak to your neighbors, especially if you have children you'll find them to be friendly.. Okay so some expats object to there neighbors interfering (as they see it ) Greeks will give you their opinion (whether asked for or not ) on everything from whether your child should be wearing a jacket or not, to what food your making that day ... I know nothing about sport, but my son informs me that there are 4 football teams for Thessaloniki.. 1. PAOK 2. ARIS 3. IRAKLIS 4. APPOLON KALAMARIAS Thessaloniki has a great variety of clubs, bars, tavernas & restaurants.. The last 5years or so has seen a change, with Indian, Chinese & Japanese restaurants opening.. We also have Mac Donald's, Pizza Hut and coming soon... Kentuky Fried Chicken...! So you won't get to home sick... Night life generally doesn't get started til after 10pm.. So don't be surprised when your new friends ask you out for a drink at the time you'd usually be thinking of going to bed..," said another expat in Thessaloniki, Greece.
"Family is the most important thing to the Greeks which is nice as the family are becoming less important in many countries. Some Greeks work very hard as life here can be tough as the salaries are very low and the change to the euro affected many people in a negative way. However, the Public Sector seems to where to work for an easy life. Socialising is extremely important to people here and the Greeks do not stop talking, which often sounds like they are arguing as conversations are often loud and seemingly aggressive. Coffee, coffee, coffee! The bars are busy from morning to night, mostly with young people drinking the national favorite. It is also nice to go out on a Saturday night and not see drunken louts on the streets, as you do in the UK, Sport is not so important in this country and it's impossible to find Clubs to join. However they are strong football fans (especially after the Euro) and they also like beach volleyball and basketball," wrote a member who made the move to Drama, Greece.
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Other Questions:
- What do I need to know before retiring in Greece?
- How do I meet people in Greece?
- What is life like in Greece?
- Is there a lot of crime in Greece?
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- What are the visa & residency requirements in Greece?
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- What do I need to know when buying property in Greece?
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- What appliances are typically included in a rental?
What is life like as an expat in your area?
If you live in Greece, newcomers to Greece would love to hear your answer to this question.
About the Author
Joshua Wood, LPC is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange and serves as Co-President of Expat Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange and Digital Nomad Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC
Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.
Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.
