What Makes a Greek a Greek? – 40 Adorable Characteristics
Your typical Greek!
What Makes a Greek a Greek?
I found the answer more than forty years ago when I left England for a new life in Greece.
Passion made me do it!
I had met MGG (My Greek God), yes, England had Greek Gods and I would have followed him to the ends of the Earth.
So began my initiation into the crazy yet wonderful ways of the Greeks.
All nations are famous for something, however, Greece takes pride of place in being known as the cradle of western civilization and we all know the Greeks did everything first!
The many mysterious gods and goddesses, the seemingly endless mythology, the defeats and triumphs and the philosophers and leaders of this ancient country have all played a part in making Greeks what they are today.
Being “Greeker”
English people have the reputation of being rather cold, uptight and straight-laced, gradually I came to realize, to my delight, Greeks are the complete opposite!
I love their weird superstitions, their hospitality, their friendliness, their laid back approach to life, their weird and crazy ways and nonsensical wisecrack sayings .
They do say there’s a story behind everything, and I wanted to share with you all the delightful goings on of Greeks, Greece and all things Greeker, the good, the bad and the ugly, the myths, the history, their customs and traditions.
This post only begins to scratch the surface of the Hellenes and this ancient country called Hellas.
Below are forty adorable and sometimes quirky characteristics, one for each of my forty years of living in Greece, which I have realized, are what make a Greek a Greek.
1. It’s all Greek To Me!
To the Ancient Greeks, anyone who did not speak Greek, was classed as a Barbarian
Literally, in my first months in Greece, I understood nothing; my question of the day was “What did he say?”
In ancient times, Greeks believed anyone who didn’t speak Greek was a barbarian, this was because any language foreign to them just sounded like “bar, bar, bar“!
The number one criteria needed to be classed as a Greek was to speak the language.
Within a year, I was speaking fluent Greek.
I’m already becoming “Greeker”!
2. Punctuality Is a Dirty Word
Living on Greek time – A Greek 15 minutes could mean 30 minutes or even an hour!
Time has no meaning for the Greeks.
They live for the moment, after all, there’s always tomorrow!
3. Ouzo
Don’t Go There!
After Ouzo!
Ouzo! Lethal stuff, especially when your first encounter with it was “straight up” with no added water!
Don’t go there!
4. Greek Men Wear Skirts
Greek Soldier of the Elite Evzone Guard Wearing Traditional 19th Century Uniform – Print by Alfred Eisenstaedt – Art.com
Greek men wear their skirts with great panache, a proud “Evzone”, or “Tsoliada” the Greek Presidential Guard, in his “fustanella” (Pleated white skirt), is a sight for sore eyes.
5. Everything’s Better With Feta
Everything’s better with feta
For a Greek, a meal is not a meal without feta cheese, it is served with absolutely everything,
6. Greece Is Not the Name of the Country
Ellas – Ellada – Greece
Greeks are adamant about this.
The name of their beautiful country is “Hellas”.
7. Traffic Lights
Traffic Laws and the Highway Code in Greece are Made to Be Ignored!
Traffic Laws and the Highway Code in Greece are Made to Be Ignored!
My first time driving in Greece I felt I was taking my life in my hands.
I soon became an expert Greek driver!
8. Everyone is Someone’s Cousin
All Greek families are related!
All Greeks seem to be related to one another!
9. Lemon, Olive Oil and Oregano go with Everything
Olive oil -lemon and oregano – the staples of Greek cuisine – Photo courtesy of Champagne Tastes
Similar to number five, essential to all Greeks, if you don’t like olive oil, lemon or Oregano, you starve.
10. Every Family Has a Yiannis
My Son Yiannis – Enjoying his favourite Greek dish – Mum’s moussaka!
Yiannis is one of the most popular boy’s names in Greece and as the tradition is to name the first born son after the grandfather, every family has one.
I have one of my very own, my son Yiannis!
11. Greeks Are Never Wrong
Aristotle, philosopher, teacher of Alexander the Great, (384-332 BCE).
Well, seeing as they are descended from the world’s greatest philosophers, how could they ever be wrong?
12. Greeks Dance on Tables
Opa! Greeks in their element – Dancing on tables!
When Greeks dance, it’s as if they are on another level.
They are the ultimate example of “Dance as if no one is watching”.
Greeks jump up on to the table where they dance with all their soul, smashing plates and crying “Opa”.
Sometimes they take things one step further and dance while holding an actual table between their teeth!
The Ultimate Greek Dancer – With a table between his teeth!
13. Greeks Talk With Their Hands
The Greek Double “moutza”
The ‘moutza‘ is only one (maybe the best known) of the many hand gestures used by Greeks.
It consists of extending and spreading all fingers of the hand and showing the palm towards the face of the person to be insulted with a forward motion and is often accompanied with να (na, “here”), or παρ‘τα (par’ta, “take these”) and swear words.
The closer the gesture is to the other person’s face the more threatening it is considered.
An even more offensive version is achieved by using both hands to double the gesture, smacking the palm of one hand against the back of the other in the direction of the intended recipient.
14. Greeks Force Feed Their Guests
Greeks Force-Feed Their Guests!
Greeks are such generous people.
Don’t bother trying to refuse food from a Greek, just accept everything and then diet for the next two weeks!
15. Greeks Keep Count of How Many Times They Visit the Beach Each Summer
How many swims have you has so far this Summer?
I still don’t know why they count the number of times they visit the beach but it becomes quite a competition between them, you will inevitably be asked “Posa bania exeis kanei?” “How many swims have you done?”
I’ve just popped back here to add this, many of you (And thank you so much for reading my blog) are telling me I forgot about the counting of ice creams!
Yes! I had forgotten that, Greeks count how many ice creams they have consumed each summer!
16. Greeks Are Loud and Proud
Self explanatory!
Greeks are loud and proud and so they should be, they have a lot to shout about.
Greece is the cradle of civilization, they have been through thick and thin and they survived to give the world history.
Herodotus, “Father of history” started it all, with his works; “The Histories”, and don’t forget Homer, the great Greek poet, author of ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’, epic poems, central to all Greek literature!
17. Most Greek families own at least one Olive Grove
Olive harvesting Photo by Costanavarino
Outside of Athens it’s rare to see Greek mamas buying olive oil from the supermarket; they have gallons stored away, all from their own, or friends or family’s olive trees.
18. Greeks do not know the Meaning of the Word “Queue”
Athens Metro Station – A free-for-all!
Wherever, whenever, it’s a free for all!
19. Greeks Never Say “I don’t Know”
See? Greeks never say they don’t know! They always have the answer. Gus from” My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
The Greek ego, I have learnt to my detriment, means that if they don’t know the answer, they won’t say “I don’t know“.
They’ll tell you anything, it’s always best to check and double check from some other source!
Never assume!
20. It’s Constantinople – Not Istanbul
Hagia Sophia – Saint Sophia – Church of the Holy Wisdom, Istanbul, (Constantinople) Turkey.
Don’t call Constantinople Istanbul if you value your life!
Up until the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it was the capital city of the Byzantine Empire, stolen by the Turks, a thorn in the side of every Greek.
21. Pay Cash – You’ll get Discount
Cash in hand
You want to buy a fridge, a television, well, it goes for anything really, pay cash, you’ll get a discount;
“See that Smart TV over there? 1000 Euro, give me cash, it’s your for 900I“
I like this!
22. Greeks Are Consistently One Year Older
Greeks are always one year older!
When you ask a Greek how old they are they will always add a year, you see, if they are forty years old on their birthday, they are now in their forty first year, so, they are forty one, logical!
23. Greeks Don’t Read Tea Leaves
They Read Coffee Cups!
Predicting the future with a Greek coffee
A variation on a theme, Greeks predict your future from the residual coffee grounds in the cup and on the saucer, not tea leaves.
You drink the little cup of delicious Greek coffee (Don’t ever call it Turkish), the cup is turned upside down on the saucer, left for a few minutes, the residue inspected, and voila, you know who you are going to marry.
24. Greeks Spit At You
Greeks make the spitting sound three times – ftou, ftou ftou, to ward off evil.
Don’t worry if a Greek spits at you, three times, they’re only protecting you by warding off the evil eye.
They may make the sign of the cross whilst making the spitting sound ftou, ftou, ftou.
25. Greeks Are Passionate
Zorba The Greek – Maybe the happiest “meraklis” ever!
Greeks are passionate in everything and every; way they love life.
Whatever they do, they do it with meraki“, with all their heart and soul.
26. Family is what it’s all about
My Big Fat Greek Family (From the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding).
Nothing is more important to Greeks than their family.
They may fight and quarrel, they may not speak to each other for days or weeks but family is everything; the be all and end all.
27. Greeks Eat Together
My gorgeous Greek family, always together!.
Meal times are happy events; it’s not only about great Greek cuisine it’s about being together, catching up on news and gossip.
Most of Greece comes to a standstill at lunch time, around two o clock, shops and offices close, school is over, everyone heads home for lunch, always homemade!
Normal life resumes at five!
28. Greeks Never Eat Dinner before 9 pm
Greeks eat their evening meal late, especially in summer
After the large quantities of food consumed at lunch time, often not over before three in the afternoon, is it any wonder they eat a late dinner?
Also, in summer, they will wait until after sunset, when things will have cooled down a bit, before eating the evening meal.
29. Greeks Clap When the Pilot Lands the Plane
Passengers applauding the pilot for landing the plane safely
The Greek passengers clapped on my first plane trip to Greece, more than forty years ago and they did on my last, they are just so relived to be back on “terra firma”, they are also applauding the pilot.
30. Souvlaki – The Greek Equivalent of English Fish and Chips
Greek Souvlaki – Image by Old School Barbeque Restaurant – Loutraki Corinthia.
In England, on every street corner, is a fish and chip shop, in Greece, it’s a slouvlaki shop.
31. Greeks Are Hospitable, Friendly and Welcoming
Filotimo – The Virtue of the Greeks
Greeks will invite you into their homes, feed and water you and would give you the shirt of their back if you need it.
An example, once, when visiting Crete, in the middle of nowhere a shepherd flagged us down to ask the time and proceeded to invite us to his house for lunch and meet his family.
The great Greek actress, Melina Mercuri, said about Greeks: “Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing. In South America they throw flowers to you. In Greece Greeks throw themselves.”
To understand the kind, generous and hounourable Greeks better, please read philotimo, it says all there is to say about Greeks.
32. Greeks Love Children
My granddaughter – My sweet Melina.
In Greece children are not meant to be seen and not heard, they are meant to have fun, who cares if they break Auntie’s antique vase? It was an accident.
Who cares if they smash that bottle of expensive wine? Never mind, never mind, “Den peirazei”, the phrase on every Greeks lips when children are around.
33. Greeks Eat Well
Greek Mediterranean Diet
Not for the Greeks fast food and junk, they know the benefits of a healthy diet, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish straight from the sea and meat in moderation.
After all, The Mediterranean Diet originated in Greece.
34. Always Time for Coffee
Coffee – Greek-Style
No matter how busy they are, Greeks will stop for coffee, not for them coffee in a cardboard cup, on the run, coffee means a time for friends, coffee is to be savoured and enjoyed.
On unexpectedly meeting a friend in the street, their first words will be “How are, let’s go for coffee” accompanied by much hugging and kissing; this explains observation number two, “Punctuality is a dirty word”!
35. Greeks Approach Difficulties with a Sense of Humour
Quote from Aristophanes – Ancient Greek Ancient Greek comic playwright from Athens.
Greeks get on with it, they’ve been through worse, is what they are likely to tell you in times of trouble.
Today’s austerity measures may mean cutting back on food, “Never mind”, they will say, “I needed to lose a few kilos”.
Inside they are terrified, unsure of the future, to the world; they put on a brave face.
36. Greeks Have Relatives All Over the World
Greeks Around the World
Owing to the depression of the 50’s and 60s, after WII and The Greek Civil War, many Greeks left Greece to find a better life; in the factories of Germany, on the streets of America, in the snows of Canada and in sunny Australia.
And so everyone now has an aunt in Stuttgart, an uncle in Chicago, a cousin in Toronto, or a nephew in Melbourne.
37. Greeks Are Political Animals
Ancient Greek democracy in action
As well as being party animals, Greeks, (who, at the drop of hat bring out the ouzo and crank up the bouzouki, we’ve all heard the phrase “Party like a Greek”), are also political animals, in fact, the ancient Greeks were the fathers of democracy.
Visit a Kafeneon, the old-fashioned, traditional Greek coffee shop (usually men only), at any time of day or night and you’re sure to witness an ongoing political debate, sometimes rather heated.
Greeks devour newspapers, never miss the news on TV, they know what’s what.
From Greek grannies in remote mountain villages, to smart business men in Athens, they know who the current minister of education is, who the treasurer is, who’s minister of culture, and, no doubt, what the Prime Minister had for lunch!
38. Greeks Leave Everything until the Last Minute
Greeks are never on time!
Trying to get something done in Greece can send you crazy; Greeks seem to operate in chaos.
They sometimes seem to start a job from back to front then down tools and head for the “kafeneon” (coffee shop) and at your every protest, the answer is “Avrio, Avrio”, tomorrow, tomorrow.
Yes, major catastrophes do occasionally occur, all taken in good humour but more times than not, “Everything is alright on the night”.
39. Greeks Will Always Prevail
Ancient Greek Warriors
Greece has had its trials and tribulations.
From 1453 with the fall of Constantinople until the revolution in 1821 Greece was under Turkish rule, after which they fought a few Balkan Wars, endured the First World War, were occupied by the Germans in World War Two and experienced civil war immediately after.
The Greeks pulled through, they survived, they always do, it’s in their DNA!
40. Greeks Can Make You Greeker!
Feeling Greeker!
Living in Greece the “Greekness” just rubs off on you and before you know it you are “Greeker than the Greeks”!
What Have I Learnt From My Years Of Living Among These Wonderful People Called Greeks?
I have learned they are proud, patriotic, passionate people; they are kind, generous and hospitable.
Yes, sometimes, I can’t understand their mentality; Greek bureaucracy is a law unto itself and their death wish disregard for safety makes me cringe.
Yes, some days I want to be as far away from Greece as possible, yes, there are Greeks I don’t like but mostly, I love them.
Junior Greek God – My son Yiannis – Johnny
My Greek Goddess – My daughter Nais
I have turned into a big Greek mama with my own big fat Greek family and apart from my very own Greek God, I now have my personal Greek God junior, my son Yiannis and my Greek Goddess; my daughter Nais.
MGG – My Greek God – looking the part in Rome – (Think Mafia)
“Na zisete”, I wish long life for you all, and “Sas agapo poli” – I love you all very much, i’ll just leave you with this image, it says it all!
This is what being Greek is all about
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