OT, Help for essay: Communicating with Greeks

[EverGreen2]

lol this thread is going out of control. calm down people

BTW, most of the things people write here about Greek people resemble the habits of Turkish people also. Weird, ha?

It doesn't reallt suprise me. We lived together for 500 years, we are bound to rub off on each other some way.

 

[HIGHLANDER2]

Just ah bit of banter Evergreen, u say u have Scottish friends, u will know what that means.
It's rather easy to wind you up i have to say. Remember we are all behind screens and so are u. If u don't like what i say, hardluck, i will speak my mind anyway.
I still like Greece and the people despite what u say.
Chill big man, the whole point of this web is to debate and we will all have differences so lets all just get along. Can we be friends or do u still want to meet up?

 

[EverGreen2]

I'm cool, as long as you apologise for your comments.

 

[HIGHLANDER2]

I can't see myself apologizing Evergreen, thats just not going to happen. However maybe i should have respected the Island people a little more, i can accept that.
If u can get a copy of the Tea Na (Athens Newspaper) today. Their is an article in the 'magazine section' which describes Scotland and the people.
Read it if u can, it's a very interesting article.
I will be at the Panathanikos, Badalona game next month as i'm getting tickets from an old Scottish pal who plays for Badalona.
I will buy u a couple of Beers before the game and prove we are not tight.

 

[mktackabery2]

I also think that the typical american is a fat person which believes strongly that US is the center of the universe and doesn't know where Asia or Europe is located.

Asia to the left, Europe to the right. just like on the map, right?

 

[rikhardur2]

Stereotypes... Plain generalizations and sometimes based on myths, rather than reality.

 

[Zalgirinis2]

Stereotypes... Plain generalizations and sometimes based on myths, rather than reality.

Yea, thats a point too. Actualy my teacher also often says that theres a small line where you go from reality to stereotypes, but I still need to write essay

Big thanks to you all (Greeks and Scots ). I should have thanked you earlier, but I was wasted all weekend Lets hope I'll gather myself to write the essay tonight

Just again I'll reask one thing you didnt touch. It might be sensitive or smth, but I hope you understand that its for "science" purposes. So, what topics shouldnt foreigners touch during conversation? What should or shouldnt they bring as a gift to the hosts (for example bringing vodka in Russia or Finland would mean that you think that hosts dont have vodka in their home and that would result as the insult). What are usual gifts in Greece when you go as a guest for a dinner?

As for topics, well I suppose Greek-Turkish rivalry shouldnt be touched, right? The things that happened in Cyprus?
What about asking personal things during conversation? For example in Lithuania its ok to talk about your job, where you work, what you do, even some might ask what salary you get, but in other regions its not acceptable. How its in Greece? What other topics are bad in conversation? What topics are good? You know it varies in different countries, for example saying good words about Lithuania to Lithuanian is very ok, while in Scandinavia if you talk how good Finland or Sweden is, they wouldnt like that cause they know themselves that their country is great. Anything else about topics or gifts?

 

[turkishpower2]

Yea, thats a point too. Actualy my teacher also often says that theres a small line where you go from reality to stereotypes, but I still need to write essay

Big thanks to you all (Greeks and Scots ). I should have thanked you earlier, but I was wasted all weekend Lets hope I'll gather myself to write the essay tonight

Just again I'll reask one thing you didnt touch. It might be sensitive or smth, but I hope you understand that its for "science" purposes. So, what topics shouldnt foreigners touch during conversation? What should or shouldnt they bring as a gift to the hosts (for example bringing vodka in Russia or Finland would mean that you think that hosts dont have vodka in their home and that would result as the insult). What are usual gifts in Greece when you go as a guest for a dinner?

As for topics, well I suppose Greek-Turkish rivalry shouldnt be touched, right? The things that happened in Cyprus?
What about asking personal things during conversation? For example in Lithuania its ok to talk about your job, where you work, what you do, even some might ask what salary you get, but in other regions its not acceptable. How its in Greece? What other topics are bad in conversation? What topics are good? You know it varies in different countries, for example saying good words about Lithuania to Lithuanian is very ok, while in Scandinavia if you talk how good Finland or Sweden is, they wouldnt like that cause they know themselves that their country is great. Anything else about topics or gifts?

yeah man. I'm guessing if you come to a Turkish house and ask us what happened in 1821, you'll probably get kicked out Same for vice versa, if you go to a Greek house and say 1453, you might find yourself in the street

Those are some sensitive topics. People might even take jokes so seriously.


That vodka example in Russia is interesting. I didn't know what

 

[wyopeq2]

lol this thread is going out of control. calm down people

BTW, most of the things people write here about Greek people resemble the habits of Turkish people also. Weird, ha?

if you think that they are ruled by ottomans for a few centuries it would not be so weird, eventhough ottomans were not capitalists, they did not force any nation they ruled to change their religion, traditions etc and thats why after 1789 french revolution they one after one wanted to get their own republic...if ottomans were to assimilate them this could not be happened...
and we are neighbours so we need to resemble each other... i saw many documentaries about the normal life in small villages of greece, they are really like us. we listen same musics, eat same meals... singers in both countries used this similarity many times... the last one is candan ercetin(turksh singer) sezen aksu and your one of most know singer(greek, i forgot her name)....
and also, musakka, baklava, dolma which are really delicious... common meals...

 

[CreEkShooT2]

It doesn't reallt suprise me. We lived together for 500 years, we are bound to rub off on each other some way.

it was 400

 

[EverGreen2]

In regards to gifts, anything is ok. Really. I can't think with what there may be a problem.

In regards to topics "not to be discussed".

Personally, I have not got a problem discussing what happened 500 - years ago either with a foreigner or even a Turk as long as respect is show.

Truth be told though the "Cyprus Issue" is the probably the most you would like to avoid. Mainly because it's quite recent.

Between Greece and Turkey, in recent years, Greek Television has gone in depth to what happened in Asia Minor and some attrocites the Greek side commited which allowed Greeks today see that we weren't "complete" angels ourselves. This was from interviews taken from Asia Minor Greeks still alive 4-5years ago. I'm saying this because up and until 6-7 years ago you would have thought that Greeks never did anything bad. But as they say, all is fair in love and war.

In regards now to offending a Fin or Swede, when telling them about how good their country is, it the same in Greece ,if you say his country is shit, you will offend him, because he already knows"

Greece is nice, but it's beyond me how it all works. In fact I regards Greece a miracle because noone works when they are supposed to, only when they feel like it. For instance the public sector. Greece has 3 times more public sector servants than France and any other country.

The reason for this is from its birth (1829), the Greek Nation has had politicians promising jobs for their voters and once they would come into power they would give them one working for the public. This was a tool of "buying votes". It is still done today.

Olympic airways, another example, has more personnel than posts. It is why it is always in the red and the greek goverment every here and there has had to make financial contributions to keep it going otherwise thousands would lose their jobs.

The management offered voluntary redundacies (about 30%) or the workforce would have to go and although the redundancy pay was very healthy and most probably would have been accepted elsewhere, in Greece because there is a problem with unemployment no one accepts it of fear of not being able to find another decent job.

What I predict is that everyone will lose their job one day because the EU no longer allows the Greek government to subsidise Olympic Airways since it is anti-competitive for other flyers. Any talk about redundancies creates chaos with demonstrations which most the time become violent.

 

[final countdown2]

Zalgirinis i will try to answer to your questions (...and hope u will finish this essay and stop fooling around ).

When u visit a typical greek house for a dinner the most common gift is sweets or wine.
Sensitive topics are the greek-turkish, politics and religion issues but that differs from person to person. In most cases, (greek hospitality is world known) it would be extremely rare if the the host gets ungry with a guest (especially with a foreigner).
Job issues are also excluded. I mean there is no problem to ask nature of work, salary etc.
Another aspect is that greeks (under 40 yo) are fluent in English (at least 80% of them), while people over 60 yo have serious problems in communicating in a foreign language, but that is not always true since a lot of greeks were emingrants in US, Germany and Australia during 50s-70s and they have returned so they are fluent speakers.
Good topics to talk about with greeks is history, sports but it depends always on the age of the one u talk to.
For example when u discuss with greeks under 30, it is ok to talk about internet, technology, sports, history etc. As far as greeks over 50 yo good topics are history, places u have visit etc.

As a final remark i would like to note that all the above mentioned are from my
experience and of course can not be generalized to the whole population.

 

[Zalgirinis2]

Thanks everybody for all your help. I finished my essay and will hand it to the teacher today. Actually I used almost every sentence you provided me as most of your answers were right to the point I needed for this essay. Thanks again

 

[turkishpower2]

Thanks everybody for all your help. I finished my essay and will hand it to the teacher today. Actually I used almost every sentence you provided me as most of your answers were right to the point I needed for this essay. Thanks again

cheater your trying to benefit from people who are trying to help out others about Greece and Greek culture.


Cheaterrrr

 

[CreEkShooT2]

Are u making fun of the greek culture or what?

 

[Ziggy82]

Questions to Pao fans here

Questions to Pao fans here

hello!
i would like to know how many spectators are supposed to be present in pao's match against maccabi this thursday, and where maccabi fans are planned to sit in the stadium, if you know
thanks ahead

 

[EverGreen2]

hello!
i would like to know how many spectators are supposed to be present in pao's match against maccabi this thursday, and where maccabi fans are planned to sit in the stadium, if you know
thanks ahead

I expect about 10,000-12,000.

I didnt know if any Maccabi fans where to come but I have no idea where they will sit.

 

[Ziggy82]

i will be there

just 10,000 ? i read somewhere that think the OAKA will be with at least 15,000 fans

 

[EverGreen2]

We had 12.000 vs Roma (Dejan factor). I expect us to have about the same this time (Maccabi factor).

The 15,000+ are reserved against Olympiakos, final 16 and final 8 games EL games

 

[cendor2]

As i live in Greece at the moment and my girl is Greek i could give you a reasonable insight, however if anyone disagrees (Greeks), feel free to correct me as you would know better than me.
The very first thing i noticed while being around Greeks is they look and sound as if they are arguing or disagreeing about something all the time. They are actually not- they are just having a normal conversation as any of us would. It's just that they speak very loudly with the voice levels raising up and down with a lot of hand movement.
The next thing i notice is they are a little reluctant of the foreigner at first but this does not last long as once you break that initial barrier they are very warm
and friendly people. Quite interesting to talk to i would say as well. They also hugely respect you if you try to speak a little Greek.
Don't expect things to happen on time in Greece because they usually won't.
Greeks never usually make plans it tends to be on the spur of the moment that they may do something. They have a formal and informal way of greeting people who are young and old. If you know someone well usually they do the kiss on both cheeks thing and that goes for the men as well when they are good friends.
If you see a Greek confrontation you will definitely know. It will become very loud and aggressive.
I think Greeks are very educated about the world. In other words they know what is exactly going on around them without any bullshit propaganda. They will stand up for there rights as well.
To finish off- i love Greece and the people, they are very passionate about there country and are not afraid to stand up for themselves which reminds me a lot of my on country but with a better climate.

Small but comprehensive psychoanalysis .