{"id":5066,"date":"2017-08-29T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-29T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-09-12T15:21:35","modified_gmt":"2020-09-12T19:21:35","slug":"so-your-character-is-from-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/victoriagracehowell.com\/staging\/6258\/so-your-character-is-from-greece\/","title":{"rendered":"So Your Character is from Greece … Featuring Lisa @ My Bookshelf Dialogues, Artemis @ The Radical Creative, and Zizeloni @ Zizeloni van Kat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It’s time for this week’s So Your Character is … Post! This is a weekly segment where I interview lovely volunteers from around the world to give you a firsthand account of being a citizen of their respective country or having a disability. I’m hoping to encourage international diversity, break stereotypes, and give writers a crash course on how to write a character from these different places on our planet. If you haven’t checked out last week’s  So Your Character is from Uruguay … be sure to hop on over there and give it a read!<\/span>
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<\/span> Greece has influenced Western culture greatly. There’s Greek architecture and Greek and Latin mottoes and symbols for my country. It’s hard not to know about Greece. I’m a huge Greek mythology buff. XD I also very much enjoy Greek cuisine like baba ghanoush and baklava. But there’s so much about Greece I didn’t know which is why I’m so happy to have these ladies on the blog today!<\/span>
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<\/span> Disclaimer: The content below may be culturally shocking to some. Each of these posts are as uncensored as possible to preserve the authenticity of the cultures of each of the interviewees.<\/span>
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My name is Lisa, I am 24 years old and I come from Athens, Greece. In 2012 I\u2019ve moved to Groningen in the north of the Netherlands where I did my Bachelor of Science in Psychology. I am currently studying for my Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Groningen. My free time is filled with reading lots and lots of books which I review on my blog, My Bookshelf Dialogues. My two pups, a lady Labrador and a gentleman Maltese, keep me company when I\u2019m not studying or reading a book.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span> My name is Artemis and I currently live in Athens in sunny Greece. I\u2019m a web designer, an illustrator and a blogger. I love Greek and international cuisine, cooking, traveling, drawing and designing. I\u2019m always on the scoop for new alluring pictures and new artists. My latest obsession is \u201cbob hairstyles\u201d on Pinterest.<\/span>
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<\/span> I lived all my life in Athens, until 5 years ago when I moved to the Netherlands in order to finish my PhD in Cognitive Science. I am still living in the Netherlands, working in a company as a data analyst (it is way more interesting than it sounds). On my free time I read books, I travel all around the world (but especially Asia) and then I blog about it. My blog\/instagram\/goodreads nickname is Zizeloni, which I have borrowed from my cat Zizel. <\/span>
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<\/b><\/span> What do you feel is unique to your country? Landmarks? Celebrations?<\/b><\/span>
\nLisa: <\/b>A lot of people know that when you go to Greece you see a lot of ancient \u201cstuff\u201d which probably doesn\u2019t sound very appealing to younger tourists, tired of hearing all about ancient Greece in school. There are, however, some very cool landmarks that hold mind-blowing history behind them. For example, the Parthenon. Did you know that much of the structure is built according to the golden ratio? Did you know it was full of colours before pollution turned the marbles grey\/white? And that was only 2.500 years ago. There\u2019s also an active volcano in Santorini which caused a great destruction of a whole civilization with its eruption more than 3500 years ago. <\/span>
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<\/span> Today, we can all safely visit the volcano, walk on the warm surface of the volcanic islands and swim at Santorini\u2019s beaches where the sand is black due to the lava. One can also visit an actual shipwreck on the coast of Zakynthos, one of the Ionian islands where the view is simply stunning. Alternatively, you can visit the breath-taking Meteora which constitute an impressive arrangement of humongous monolithic pillars and boulders. The name in Greek translates to \u201csuspended in the air\u201d and when you take a look at them you will understand why. These are just the tip of the iceberg of the numerous landmarks that you can find when you visit Greece.<\/span>
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\nArtemis:<\/b> Well, the first thing that comes in my mind is the sun! Greece is a pretty sunny country all year round having a direct impact on people\u2019s mood making us extrovertially social with the best thing of our routine to be having coffee outdoors.<\/span>
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<\/span> In number two I would place the natural beauty of the seaside alongside the country. It\u2018s very common to us to spend our summers by the sea, or visit it in any given chance.<\/span>
\nFurthermore, I \u2018d like to add a specific quality of Greek people, which is hospitality. We take really good care of our guests and try to make them feel like home. Buying them dinner, coffee, or homemade goodies are gestures of good manners.<\/span>
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<\/span> As far as  the celebrations go, I\u2019ll introduce you the traditional way to celebrate Easter. Even though many young people, including myself, don\u2019t embrace this religion we embrace its customs because our families do, plus it\u2019s fun (if you\u2019re not vegan!). On Easter day we impale a whole lamp and barbeque it and we even make a treat from its organs that\u2019s called \u201ckodosuvli\u201d (not personally my favorite thing). The whole family gathers together eating, drinking and gossiping!<\/span>
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<\/span> Zizeloni:<\/b> There are many many different celebrations in some islands or small cities, such as special carnival traditions or the breaking of the jars in Corfu for the Easter. In general Easter is very important in Greece. On Saturday, after 12:00 at night there are fireworks and on Sunday the whole family (usually including cousins, uncles, and aunts) gets together and roasts lamb (yeah, not a good day for lambs) and eats red eggs, after having a competition of \u201cwho has the strongest egg\u201d (by hitting one egg with the other).<\/span><\/p>\n

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\nTell me about your country’s environment. What are some of your favorite places?<\/b><\/span>
\nLisa: <\/b>Living in the Netherlands for the last five years has really given me a perspective of Greece\u2019s various terrains. Of course, Greece is a popular destination in the summer for the beautiful islands, sandy beaches and blue sea. But, Greece also has a lot of mountains and you can actually go on a skiing vacation, too. Bringing me to two of my favourite places, Elati and Pertouli. Elati is a village surrounded by beautiful mountainous landscapes where you can taste the local cuisine while gazing at the snowy scenery. Pertouli is the village next to Elati where you can find a ski resort and also enjoy the scenic houses with roofs of stone or red-tiles. <\/span>
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<\/span> I\u2019ve also gone rafting on river Lousios in western Arcadia where the forest is magical and the water is icy cold. Or, if you are feeling extra adventurous, you could get up early in the morning and, starting from the cold White Mountains, descend and walk the Samaria gorge in Crete where you can find the rare kri-kri, the Cretan goats. After this 5 hour hike you will deserve a shot of ouzo and some fresh grilled calamari or octopus to prepare you for next day\u2019s sore muscles! Finally, if you\u2019d like the unique experience of staying in a hotel room on the mountain but walking to the beach every morning for a swim, you have to visit Pelion which offers the best of both worlds.<\/span>
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\nArtemis:<\/b> I\u2019ve lived in three towns so far, in Lamia where I was born and raised, in Corfu where I was studying and in Athens, that I\u2019m currently living. The last one has undoubtedly the best weather conditions. It\u2019s warmer in winter with less humidity and always sunny, as I mentioned earlier. The only con is that summers are really hot and temperature touches even 40 Celsius degrees.<\/span>
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<\/span> The island of Corfu is radically beautiful along with the town. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to take a taste from Greek summer. Moreover, I love Thessaloniki, the second biggest city in Greece. It is warm, cultured and you can go anywhere on foot! Now, when it comes to Athens, there are uncountable extraordinary places, but I would recommend The Acropolis Museum <\/a> and the Planetarium<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Zizeloni:<\/b> <\/span>Greece is known for the beaches, the blue sea, the islands and the nice weather. <\/span>
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\nMost Greeks spent their summer vacation on an island or at least somewhere near a beach in the mainland (islands can be very expensive). Although the beaches and the islands are probably the best part of Greece, there is much more Greece can offer.<\/span>
\nThere are amazing mountain scenery in North Greece:<\/span>
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\nAnd then there is Greece\u2019s big negative\u2026 the cities. Greek cities are usually not very pretty. I will describe the one I have lived in, Athens.  <\/span>Half of Greece\u2019s population (about 5 million) lives in Athens. That makes it a big and noisy city that sometimes you find annoying and sometimes you love. I really miss Athens sometimes, even though I live in an awesome city now.  <\/span>Athens can look a little ugly <\/span>but despite the traffic and noise, people are always sitting in the cafes in the sun and there is nightlife every night. We know how to have fun!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Tell me about your country’s food. What are some of your favorite dishes?<\/b><\/span>
\nLisa: <\/b>First things first, while I know that in most other countries \u2013 at least in Europe \u2013 breakfast is a big meal consisting of a variety of flavours, in Greece I cannot say that we pay much attention to what we eat in the morning. Coffee is always consumed for breakfast, but other than that, Greeks will opt for a toasti, maybe some cereal, tiropita (pastry with cheese) or koulouri (circular bread with sesame seeds). Lunch consists of a warm dish of either meat (chicken, pork, beef, goat, lamb), fish or something lathero (=oily) which are veggies cooked with olive oil and tomato. In Greece most people I know cook the meat until it\u2019s well done. We don\u2019t like meat when it\u2019s red or even pink. <\/span>
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<\/span> And yes, we use a lot of extra-virgin olive oil and we eat a lot of feta. For dinner, we also differ from other countries in that, we eat again a full warm meal and we eat late, maybe 21:00 or 22:00. For example, souvlaki (which is one of my favourite foods) or pizza would be a dinner choice for many. Another favourite food is my grandma\u2019s slow cooked goat in a kind of Dutch oven we call \u03b3\u03ac\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1. My mom also makes delicious lamb chops in the oven.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\nArtemis:<\/b> I could just go on and on this question but I\u2019ll be as brief as possible! The Greek cuisine is one of the most delicious in the world. It combines meat and vegetables in the most harmonious way with a touch of local olive oil.<\/span>
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<\/span> One of my favorite dishes is \u201cyemista\u201d, tomatoes and green peppers stuffed with herbed rice and occasionally sliced beef meat, baked in the oven. Also the famous \u201cmusakas\u201d isn\u2019t famous for no reason. It requires pure talent to bake all the ingredients separately and then combine them all to one piece with warm, rich taste. And last, but not least the dessert \u201cgalaktobureko\u201d, which is made of lots of milk, syrup and thin, multiple layered crust. Just yummy!<\/span>
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<\/span> Zizeloni: Mediterranean cuisine! Tasty! A lot of meat but also fish and vegetables. Eggplants and feta are two of the famous Greek ingredients that are also my favorite. I love moussaka: on the bottom potatoes, then eggplant, on top of that minced meat and on the very top b\u00e9chamel! Yum yum! I also love dakos: thick dry (teeth-breaking) toast on the bottom, on top grated tomato, grated feta, olive oil, oregano, and maybe capers. Amazing choice for the summer. And of course the Greek souvlaki. With less than two euros you can have this amazing street food and be completely full. Meat (pork or chicken), tomato, onion (or lettuce), fries, and tzatziki (or a mayonnaise based sauce if you prefer), all wrapped in a fried pita. Finally, spanakopita: a pie with many crunchy dough layers surrounding spinach and feta.<\/span>
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\nTell me about any different speech patterns in your country. Slang? Idioms? Words for things such as \u201cbiscuits\u201d instead of \u201ccookies\u201d?<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\nLisa: <\/b>Because I\u2019ve been away from my country for almost five years now, I\u2019ve been missing out on a lot of the new slang. But, here are some examples of slang that Greek youth uses still in 2017: \u201cWhat\u2019s it saying?\u201d meaning \u201cHow are you?\u201d or \u201cHow\u2019s it going?\u201d. When someone wants to say that they are doing okay they would say \u201cI\u2019m fighting her\u201d, her meaning life probably as in I and life are fighting and I am able to stand against it. There\u2019s also the exclamation \u201cExtreme\u201d which is new, but I\u2019ve heard a lot of my friends use it in a discussion to show that something surprised them, like: \u201cThere was a bug in my tea\u201d \u201cExtreme.\u201d It\u2019s funny because it\u2019s not really extreme but people still say it! <\/span><\/div>\n
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\nSome interesting vocabulary differences can be found between the two biggest cities of Greece, Athens and Thessaloniki. For example, when you say cheese in Athens you mean the solid products derived from milk but in Thessaloniki cheese means specifically feta cheese while every other cheese is called kaseri. Also, in Athens when you ask for a souvlaki you will get the meat wrapped in pita bread with tomatoes and potatoes, but in Thessaloniki you will only get the meat on a stick (meat on a stick in Athens would be called \u201cstraw\u201d).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nArtemis:<\/b> That is a bit difficult to translate, but I\u2019ll do my best to give you some examples. One that comes in my mind is that, when it rains heavily, we say \u201cit rains armchairs\u201d instead of \u201ccats and dogs\u201d. <\/span><\/div>\n
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\nAlso, the word \u201cmalakas\u201d has a double meaning depending on the context and the way you say it. It literally means \u201cjerk\u201d (and I\u2019m being polite!), but you can also say it to a close friend on answering the phone or on greetings.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\nAnother idiom that crosses my mind is the \u201cshoeless on thorns\u201d when somebody is in a difficult situation, or \u201cpantless in cucumbers\u201d in a more funny and spicy way.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\nZizeloni:<\/b> You have Athens and central Greece, then there is North Greece with Thessaloniki and then Crete and Peloponissos\u2026 you will find small differences in slang between these areas. The big fight is about souvlaki. In Athens when we say souvlaki we mean the whole thing: the meat, the pie, the fries, the tzatziki, the tomatoes. In the rest of Greece, souvlaki means only the meat on a stick and the whole thing is called pita. The war is still ongoing, I will let you know if there is a final decision.<\/span><\/div>\n
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