Routine

It's now the middle of our 3rd week here in Greece. I have essentially gotten into the swing of things with my classes, and have a better understanding of Greek culture.

With that being said, I would like to talk a little about Greek culture. Greece is a very different culture from our America. Greek communities are closer, their families work together, and their entire routine is slower. 

When I say that Greek communities are closer I am talking about the way that their social lives are arranged. In the tiny neighborhood where we are staying, there must be at least 8 cafes. This might not seem very different from America, but in Greece a cafe is a place where people will come and spend 3 hours just talking about their lives.  Personal disclosure and time spent together are of paramount importance to the Greek community. Contrast this with the grab-and-go consumer mentality of America, and the expedient nature of our superficial relationships. In America people will go for coffee, spend  45 minutes shooting the breeze with small talk, and then go on their way to their next activity. The emphasis is on personal privacy, not interpersonal connectedness The only people we are supposed to disclose to are very, very close friends and family members. Greeks, on the other hand, are much more open. 

This social closeness seems to lead to community closeness as well. In every Greek neighborhood their is a park called a platea. In the platea communities will gather to talk about political issues, children will come to play soccer, and young people will assemble to voice their public opinion. Once again, the openness of Greek culture is revealed.

I have really enjoyed the laid-back nature of Greece, but it was a little hard to get used to the contrast. I will be sharing more observations as they come!