How is the life in Greece?

What is life like in Greece?

• I'm from New Jersey and I am considering moving to Greece and staying with my grandmother. I've never been there. I don't know what area she lives in but it's near the ocean and kind of a rich area i'm pretty sure. I will post a new question when I find out. Well, my g-mom is preeeeetty old and nuts so based off her Greece seems pretty scary. And I keep picturing in my head something like a second world surrounding. How different is it there? Like, job-wise, plumbing, food, people, law enforcement? I am 15 so I would be going to HS and would like a job. Are their schools okay? Will finding a job be easy do you think? Oh and is there money worth more or is ours? It's seems so scary but I want to take the opportunity and just get away from everything. Please only answer if you have been to Greece or live there.

• Answer:

  If you'd like me to elaborate, please by all means, ask away. There are many pros to Greece, but also some important cons to consider. I can only speak from experience. My family for example lives fairly well (business owners, no mortgage, etc-- they are very, very sound), but given the financial crisis, taxes have gone up and it is harder to find a job. It all depends on how established your family is... if your yiaya lives in a wealthy by the sea area, she probably has a very stable income from savings and her job's pension. In that case, you would be fine. There are many pros in spite of the economic climate. The culture is better, I think; there is MUCH MUCH less crime; it is very easy to make friends; and surprisingly, I think a lot of the younger people are smarter than Americans, and they are more relaxed. The schools are not bad, at all. Consider for example that Athens Technical University sends graduate students to MIT, Harvard, UChicago, Princeton, etc. The university system is rigorous; and from what I've been told, the high schools are also good (American public high schools, though, no mystery there, have many problems). Again, the only real problems with Greece are the bureaucracy. It's behind the financial crisis, the hassles that come with doing certain things, etc. As a culture and place to grow up/ live, it is a wonderful environment. Just be sound with your finances. As for jobs, if you are serious about going to work in Greece, well... I would advise you instead to look for work in Cyprus, for now (why not go during the summers?). The economy there is good, and with the pending major natural gas and oil findings, this could be HUGE on the local economy in the coming years. Look what oil did to UAE and Qatar, for example. Many incomes are also double what they are in Greece, (if I recall correctly). For the summers, it is easier to find work given the influx of tourists in the seasonal economy. Given that Greece uses the Euro, it is worth more, but the salaries are less... but then again, the cost of living is also less than for example Switzerland or the USA. Gay culture: I know in some of the islands there is a gay culture of sorts. But I cannot tell how easy it will be for sure. Healthwise: mostly skinny/fit Overall, I think it is a great place to live as a younger person, but as you get older, consider Cyprus or another EU nation. Also, I think the economic changes will help Greece a lot down the road. My prediction is Greece will become a very good place to live after the decade, as the political class becomes more aware that it needs to promote business and more sound legal/political ideas. Best of luck!