What Makes a Greek a Greek – 40 Adorable Characteristics

 

 

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; Greece takes pride of place though, 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.

 

How “Greeker than the Greeks” Came into Being

 

English people are said to be 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 Greek 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 and their customs and traditions hence: Greeker than the Greeks came into being.

This post only begins to scratch the surface of the Hellenes and this ancient country called Hellas.

Below are forty, endearingly quirky, idiosyncrasies I have grasped, throughout my years in Greece, which make a Greek a Greek:

 

1. It’s all Greek To Me!

 

 

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, the number one criteria, 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

 

 

Time has no meaning, Greeks live for the moment, there’s always tomorrow.

 

3. Ouzo: Don’t Go There!

 

 

Lethal stuff, especially when your first encounter with it was “straight up”, no added water!

 

4. Greek Men Wear Skirts

 

 

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

 

 

Feta cheese, served with absolutely everything, for a Greek, a meal is not a meal without feta, and I don’t like it!

 

6. Greece Is Not the Name of the Country

 

 

Greeks are adamant about this; the name of their beautiful country is “Hellas”.

 

7. Traffic Lights – Traffic Laws & the Highway Code – Made To Be Ignored!

 

 

The 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 Greeks seem to be related to one another!

 

9. Lemon – Olive Oil & Oregano Go With Everything

 

 

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

 

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 own, my son Yiannis!

 

11. Greeks Are Never Wrong

 

 

Well, seeing as they are descended from the world’s greatest philosophers, how could they ever be wrong?

 

12. Greeks Dance on Tables

 

When Greeks dance, it’s as if they are on another level and they are the ultimate example of “Dance as if no one is watching”.

They’re up on the table, dancing with all their soul, smashing plates and crying “Opa”.

 

13. Greeks Talk With Their Hands

 

 

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 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

 

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

 

 

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 and they gave 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

 

 

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”

 

Wherever, whenever, it’s a free for all!

 

19. Greeks Never Say “I don’t Know”

 

The Greek ego; I have learnt to my detriment, if they don’t know the answer, they’ll tell you anything, always best to check and double check from some other source!

 

20. It’s Constantinople – Not Istanbul

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

Don’t worry if a Greek spits at you, three times; they are only protecting you by warding off the evil eye.

 

25. Greeks Are Passionate

 

Oh yes they are, 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

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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?

 

29. Greeks Clap When the Pilot Lands the Plane

 

They did this 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 Is the Greek Equivalent of English Fish and Chips

 

 

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

 

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.

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

Trying to get something done in Greece can send you crazy; Greeks seem to operate in chaos, start a job from back to front, down tools and head for the “kafeneon” (coffee shop) and at your every protest, the answer is “Avrio, Avrio”, tomorrow, tomorrow.

Yes, major catastrophes occur, all taken in good humour but, more times than not, “Everything is alright on the night”.

 

39. Greeks Will Prevail

 

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 and again, the Greeks will survive, they always do!

 

40. Greeks Can Make You Greeker!

 

 

 

 Their “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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

“Na zisete”, I wish long life for you all, and “Sas agapo poli” – I love you all very much, i’ll just leaver you with this: