Greeks as a whole treat Americans in many similar ways, but several important differences also exist pertaining to how Greeks might treat you in a large city and in a smaller town. Athens is a powerful megacity with an abundance of ancient history, and is therefore an extremely popular tourist destination. In certain parts of the city, streets are teeming with tourists and natives alike. By contrast, in the small fishing city of Volos, very few tourists venture to this coastal nook on the Aegean, leaving it mainly to native Greeks. As a result of these differences between cities, variation also exists in how Greeks interact with the shorts-wearing, picture taking Americans who come to visit their native country. Knowing these differences could prove to be quite beneficial when traveling to Greece and encountering the people of another culture.
In general, Greeks are not shy people. In fact, the Greek language has no word for “privacy.” They do not consider staring to be rude in the least, especially when it comes to girls. Men do not hesitate to use the “elevator eyes” when looking at a woman, and they are especially intrigued by American women, more so blondes than brunettes (blondes are quite rare in Greece). When they see a beautiful woman, they take no hesitation in complimenting her. They are very open in conversation and will say what is necessary to get the point across, or to get someone to see where they are coming from. Greeks enjoy taking their time when eating, and may take two or three hours to eat a meal. Waiters are used to this, so even though you may be done with your meal, the waiter may not bring you your bill until you specifically ask for it.
Although Greeks in general share many attributes when encountering Americans, differences do exist in different cities. In the huge city of Athens, where tourists contribute a large part of the economy, two main types of locals emerge. The locals who do not work in the tourist-driven industry, who are accustomed to outsiders and therefore pay little attention. The others who depend on tourist business tend to be very pushy and annoying, and sometimes even conniving. In the smaller city of Volos, locals seem distant at first, but become much more personable and genuine when you make an attempt to talk to them, even though it may be more difficult to communicate with them. If you know the differences between people in big and small cities and how to approach their respective locals, you may have a much easier time getting around, and even better, making friends.
Chris D.
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