Marrying a Greek: Peculiarities of a Greek Family. Typical appearance of the Greeks - what is it? The most beautiful Greeks

And the Greek mother-in-law is the mother of your man. What advice can you give for a reasonable and comfortable life in Greece, being a Greek wife? Reasonable conflicts and dignity - the key to a successful marriage with a Greek?

Greece is a Levantine country. Mostly patriarchal. The husband is considered the head of the family - to such an extent that the spouses have a common bank account and so on. Many men in Greece are infantile and not ready to share housework with a woman. A common situation is when the wife sits at home with a newborn child, and the husband wanders around the taverns and complains to his friends that the child is crying and does not let him fall asleep. As a payment for immaturity, Greek men often give the real reins in the family to a woman - although not all women are satisfied with leadership, especially in a foreign country where they need support so much.

It is customary in Greece that it is not the daughter who looks after the mother-in-law in old age, but the daughter-in-law. Therefore, the mother-in-law tries with all her might to choose a daughter-in-law to her liking. Sometimes the son goes against the grain, but she does not back down. She is just trying to change her daughter-in-law the way she wants.

The article is completely true, dear girls, check and weigh everything a hundred times ... I live with Greco, gave birth to a child, God damn the day and hour when I arrived here, now I can’t leave, the child is holding, I don’t know how much more I can endure. ..Humiliation, insults, you cannot imagine all this... Do not marry a foreigner!!!
18.03.17 Olga

Why do the Greeks share with their Italian neighbors the fame of the sexiest men and best lovers in the world?

In the Mediterranean, people do not ask painful questions "Who is to blame?" and "What to do?" because they live for today. You can even say not in a day, but in a moment.
Many philosophical calculations of mankind and the flights of its thoughts into the religious skies ended in principle with the same thing - a heavy sigh of recognition that if you are alive now, this is a fact, well, live by this fact. Live now.

The Mediterranean peoples perceive this truth with the first breath of a newborn, for asking questions “What will happen?” and "How to be?" no need when everything is around. They are not threatened by either hunger or cold, and they do not need to resist nature, but only collect all its gifts.
The Mediterranean male sex lives here and now, and therefore, if he loves you right now, then he really truly and to the fullest. At the moment you are really the only woman in his life, true love,
hugging and kissing you becomes the meaning of his life. If we draw a weak parallel with, say, Russian realities, this is how you can love a woman on the last night before leaving for the front, for death. But the Mediterranean man will
to love you so much at every love meeting, because he lives in this moment, for him there is neither past nor future, and he invests in this
moment with all your life force. You will even be afraid of the indescribable flow of tenderness, love and passion that will fall on you. and it's all so at this moment - the same magical fairy-tale love that one could only dream of.
But this minute passes and he lives in another moment and another reality. He is like a child who just cried bitterly and in a second laughs heartily. A child who will not raise his hand to punish and flog for something, because he will not even understand why you are punishing him, he has already left this life moment and does not keep a memory of him.

Southerners seem to northerners more noisy, more shouting over trifles, but they live, strange as it may seem, longer, judging by all scientific studies. They put more life force into every moment of their life, but just as quickly they fly out of it into the next, leaving not a single drop of psychological burden for themselves, which prolongs their life.

The love of a Mediterranean man cannot be compared with anything in terms of strength and intensity of erotic passion, tenderness and dissolution in caring for you. But it will be at this moment in life. A wisp of smoke, dissolved and gone.

The best lovers in the world because life at the moment consists of this
love. Seize the moment and live in the moment. B Mediterranean…
(C) Atena Boutsiani 2014

Information for consideration...

Information from the book Pataki publishing house, a series *1000 λεξεις και μιλας τη γλωσσα*(1000 words and you spoke the language) ΔΙΑΣΚΕΔΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΟΤΑΣ (Love and fun), a handy English-Greek phrasebook that contains all possible words and expressions related to this area - from tenderness to unprintable swear words, from phrases necessary to get to know each other, to legal terms that you need to know during a divorce. The pages of the dictionary are diluted with boxes with various "interesting information" - for example, which peoples in the world have the largest number of sexual partners or which fruits and vegetables increase love activity.

a little research

Durex Company

According to .

(C) Atena Boutsiani 2010

In 2004, even before the film “Alexander” was released, Greek lawyers announced their intention to sue director Oliver Stone. They received reports that the famous commander of antiquity, Alexander the Great (Colin Farrell), was presented as bisexual in the film.

But, as the lawyers said, no historical documents contain such information about the famous commander. But the filmmakers and their scientific advisers, for example, the author of the famous book about Alexander, Oxford professor Robin Lane Fox, had a different opinion. Against the opinion of Athenian jurists, the most important sources about the life of the commander testify - ancient historical works.

Some historians rightly believe that the dispute over Alexander's sexual orientation has no basis, since the lawyers preparing the lawsuit approach the case from the point of view of modern morality, and it is not applicable to the events of the fourth century BC, when Alexander the Great lived

All surviving historical sources unequivocally show that the simultaneous attraction of a mature husband to beautiful women and beardless youths was considered normal. Some, of course, might be more attracted to women than younger men. But the approach to union with a woman was more practical - it had the specific goal of procreation. Many considered women incapable of high mental development.

In the film, the Bactrian princess, Alexander's wife Roxana, is by no means deleted from his life. And in the scenes with her, he does not look like a homosexual at all, but behaves like any sensible husband. That does not prevent him, however, throughout his life from experiencing a strong feeling for Hephaestion and a carnal attraction to a young slave.

One thing did not interfere with the other in Hellenic culture ...

“Relationships between men were not uncommon in the ancient world and were not considered reprehensible. So Alexander himself would hardly have understood the lawyers defending his honor in court, ”one of the Athenian experts on Ancient Greece told RIA Novosti.

The same residents of Greece, who may not like the hint at the commander's homosexual relationship, may well be consoled by another detail of the film. Director Oliver Stone emphasizes in the film that Alexander came from the Greek province of Macedonia, was a man of Greek culture, and spoke a dialect of the Greek language. In our times, these are the arguments put forward by Greece, objecting to the fact that the neighboring Slavic state with its capital in Skopje is officially called Macedonia.

Resentment was also expressed in Greece by the fact that more emphasis was placed on Alexander's personal life in the film than on his conquests, his first essentially ecumenical vision of the world, his spread of Hellenic culture throughout the planet.

In general, Alexander was a man of his time - but he was Alexander the Great. And his time, the pre-Christian world, it must be admitted, was very different from ours.

The famous psychotherapist Nikolai Kozlov in his book '' Philosophical tales for those who are considering life, or a merry book about freedom and morality'' in the chapter "Freshness of the Ancient World" writes that in Ancient Greece hetaerae

« were an adornment of society, and when a famous hetaera visited the city, the most respected persons of the city considered it an honor to greet her as a cultural figure. Most of the women who offered their bodies crowded around the temples, and the proceeds from this charitable deed also nourished the spiritual foundations of society. Naturally, ordinary prostitution was also widely developed, but it, like a cheap sexual sale, was regulated by society and the state - sometimes encouraged, sometimes limited (...)
Homosexual relationships were considered a natural complement to male love and friendship, and such relationships between adults and adolescents were seen as mentoring.

Simply because it really creates the most lively attachments between the educator and the educated.

In Sparta, every boy between the ages of twelve and sixteen had to have such a patron, whose military glory extended to the boy. In Thebes there was a special "sacred detachment", made up of lovers and considered invincible, because, as Xenophon wrote, "there is no stronger phalanx than that which consists of warriors who love each other".

What is now faceless in a decent version is called a penis, and in an indecent version is a dirty curse, in ancient Greece it was a saint and an object of worship. The phallus, as a symbol of fertility, was depicted on houses, in public places, on everyday items.

Bronze lamps with the theme of a cheerful phallus are very elegant. Quite functional market scales-weights in the form of a penis. Well people liked it!

In front of the temples and houses stood herms - square columns with a male head and an erect penis, but without arms and legs. They reminded men of male strength, women of female happiness, and children of what gave them life (...)

The body was considered originally clean and beautiful, like the soul, and instead of natural bashfulness, natural pride and admiration for the human body flourished. And if the Greeks wore something, it was not because they wanted to hide something. They liked erotic scenes and sexual entertainment.

Naturally, all this was freely reflected in literary and artistic creativity, in the art of large and small forms, and, despite the later efforts of the Church to destroy all this terrible debauchery, many of those works (...) have survived to this day.

However, readers of this book can be sure that at least half of the ancient Greek art is unfamiliar to them - simply because they still do not want to show it to you.

When archaeologists unearthed Pompeii and were able to restore the drawings on the dishes, restored the mosaics and frescoes reflecting the life and customs of the magnificent Roman city, it immediately became clear to virtuous Christians why this city was buried under the ashes. On the walls and on the dishes, more than naturally, respected citizens were depicted completely undressed or dressed in the wrong place, somehow completely without shame making love (or even just sex) in pairs and groups, in isolation and in the presence of friends and servants, with partners of different ages and different (including their own) sex.

Well, how can we show this to our people?! That is why the mosaics and frescoes of Pompeii were kept secret and remained inaccessible for study for a long time. Free access to them was opened only recently, but their reproduction is prohibited by censorship in many other countries.

(…)In most simple and non-European cultures, sex was and is as open a topic as eating, drinking and sleeping..»

And it is unlikely that today it occurs to anyone that a military uniform is a very restrictive element, which is so necessary in battle for the freedom of the body. Ancient warriors went to battle naked, and not only in very warm countries - Celtic warriors also undressed where they could for battle.

It can be assumed, as some scientists do, that the nakedness of the Greek warriors was of a ritual nature, symbolizing the contempt for death and the warrior’s readiness to return to the same state in which he was born, most likely it was just a desire not to restrict freedom in any way. movements.

The same is true in sports where the athletes performed naked. Today's sportswear firms are constantly doing research to improve the ergogenicity of modern fabrics and then investing in the impressive price of a new sports suit. Ancient ancestors looked at things more simply - during heavy physical exertion, the human body should be naked in order to be well ventilated and be as free as possible in movements.

In battle, armor was worn directly on the naked body. We see on antique vases images of fighting heroes in battle helmets and chain mail, but - worn on a naked body - as it really was. In modern films recreating antiquity, considerations of decency force actors to wear short tunics (including under armor, which makes them very uncomfortable in battle)

Modern people should not, of course, enthusiastically imitate the attitude of the inhabitants of antiquity towards homosexuality, sex and nudity and behave the same way as they do, we are at a completely different stage of development. But in the same way, it is probably not worth seeing them the same as we are, as the artists of the Middle Ages did, dressing ancient heroes in modern costumes in their paintings.

Pieter Lastman "Odysseus and Nausicaa" (1619)

Men have always played a dominant role in the life of Greece. Back in the glorious ancient times, all important decisions regarding the life of the family could only be made by the father of the family. It was up to him to decide if the newborn child continued to live or was left to die. But the whole organization of life at home depended on women, the stronger sex did not dare to meddle there. But since it was precisely this that determined to a large extent all life, the weaker sex enjoyed the invariable respect of the whole society.

We can say that in general terms, this scheme has been preserved to this day.

The man, of course, plays the first violin. This is so deeply absorbed by tradition into the very blood of the inhabitants of sunny Hellas that no one doubts. The most desperate feminists never try to take away the primacy of the male in making important decisions.

But as the old and wise proverb says, the man is the head, and the woman is the neck, and the head will invariably turn where its base turns. But the Hellene's neck never tried to take away from the head the possibly illusory confidence that the turn is carried out precisely by the head. When men speak, women fall silent, but not at all because of the humiliation of the female sex, but out of confidence in the complete uselessness of influencing her husband at the moment when there is a “male conversation”. The influence of enormous power comes alone when the strong sex absorbs it like a sponge.

It is the weaker sex that has been organizing life at home since ancient times, which to a large extent determines the style and organization of a man’s whole life. And his unchanging respect for a woman is based rather on the fear that, because of this poor organization, his life could become painful.

The result of the feminist battles of recent centuries has been the opportunity for women to do not only the house, but also something else, ensuring economic independence from their husband. True, having achieved the right to do something else, no one has basically achieved the right to relieve himself of centuries-old duties. So basically we achieved only an increase in the load ...

Greek women, it is worth noting, pay great attention to the level of their workload. Having a family, they will devote themselves to professional activities only if the main burden of the home can be transferred to an assistant in the household. If this is not possible, they will never run out of steam on both fronts.

But the picture of the undeniable primacy of men in making important decisions has not changed since antiquity, making up, perhaps, a certain picture of “provinciality” against the background of other EU countries.

No one so doubted the ability of the weaker sex to be equal with men as all the thinkers of ancient Greece for the entire millennium from Homer to Alexander the Great.

“There is no more disgusting creature on earth than a woman,” said Homer in his immortal Odyssey.

The cynic philosopher Diogenes, once seeing an unfortunate woman hanging on an olive tree, philosophically remarked, “It would be good if such fruits hung on all trees.”

Hesiod said that the main gift of the goddess Aphrodite to a woman is her cunning and dexterity, with which she can confuse a man's head and make him a slave to her absurd desires. Citing as an example the myth of Pandora - a woman who released from a locked casket all the misfortunes that filled the world and became a "vale of sorrow", Hesiod said that a woman is a misfortune - a great misfortune, beautiful in appearance, that she is that "cunningly arranged trap", in which fall unsuspecting people.

And Hippocrates said that every day a woman needs someone who “... observes her intemperance within the framework of the measure and weeds out all her wild aspirations like a weed, because without this constant weeding, a wild and poisonous plant will grow out of her ..”, bringing death to those who are with her near.

Pericles, who saw in his girlfriend Aspasia a person equal to himself - and who conducted philosophical disputes with her in his front rooms - with her, a woman who was supposed to be locked in the women's half of the house - in a gyneconite, caused irritation and misunderstanding among his friends and contemporaries , while none of them would condemn a homosexual relationship with boys or abuse of a wife.

In recent years, research on same-sex love in ancient Greece has become more and more numerous - precisely because this issue is becoming more and more acute in modern society in connection with the expanding *liberation of morals* - same-sex marriages and the like.

The book The Greek and Greek Love by English professor James Davidson, recently published as a scientific study, was proof of this. Obviously, this question began to move from the pages of "pink" publications to the sphere of serious scientific research.

It is worth noting, however, that the studies of contemporary Greek scholars are absent from the international bibliography on this subject.

But if scientists were interested in texts in a new, and not ancient Greek language, the bibliography would undoubtedly include an interesting and bold even for our time preface by Ioannis Sikutris (Ιωάννης Συκουτρής) to Plato's Symposium, written 74 years ago for the corresponding edition of the Academy of Athens.

The Academy published a new edition of Plato's Symposium in 1934, with a new translation and commentary by the philologist Ioannis Sikutris. This young scientist was born into a poor family in the city of Smyrni in the Greek territory of Asia Minor, which later became part of Turkey.

His scientific works - about Demosthenes, the followers of Socratic philosophy, about ancient Greek and Byzantine epistolography attracted close attention of scientific circles - especially German ones - Sikutris studied in Berlin and Leipzig. In 1928, the German publishing house Teubner entrusted him with a new edition of the works of Demosthenes - a fact indicating a high assessment of the scientific authority of the young scientist.

Sikutris rejected the tempting offer of the University of Prague to head the chair of ancient philology in order to return to Greece. The Academy of Athens entrusts him with a new translation from the ancient Greek Platonic "Symposium".

The preface he wrote to this work, which he dedicated to his wife Hara, was exceptionally interesting - it touches on an issue that could not but irritate readers - about same-sex love and pederasty in Ancient Greece. The scientist himself did not doubt that he was at great risk - but as a serious researcher he could not bypass and ignore the question, which undoubtedly existed and therefore aroused his scientific interest. He hastened to note in the preface that “this question is very subtle and completely alien to the mores and habits of modern society - but this does not relieve us of the obligation to investigate it in cold blood and high morals, but imposes on us an even greater obligation to elucidate it.”

Despite the approving comments of the scientific community and many prominent representatives of the intelligentsia of his day, the scientist could not avoid the hysterical reaction of many others. The "yellow" press took his name into circulation. Scientific Voice magazine bombarded him mercilessly with constantly published mocking comments. Representatives of the Church also put their hand in it. When, in 1936, he was nominated for the chair of ancient philology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Academy of Athens, other applicants took advantage of the denigrating comments on his work to fail his candidacy. Sikutris could not stand it - the situation in which he found himself seemed hopeless to him. The scientist committed suicide on September 21, 1937.

In any conclusions, it is better to refrain from far-reaching generalizations. But since ancient times in Greece, same-sex love was not for a closed club of people of non-traditional sexual orientation, but as an addition to marriage with beings of the weaker sex, which is only capable of producing heirs.

As Oscar Wilde said "The only thing that men and women have in common, is that they both prefer the company of men". Oscar Wilde

(C) Atena Boutsiani 2010

Walking the streets in Greece, you can often see bright beautiful couples - dark-haired Greek men with fair-haired girls of Slavic appearance. Such marriages are not rare. Many Greeks - and in this respect they are no exception to the rule - willingly marry our compatriots, and Russian girls marry Greeks. According to my good Greek friend, girls from the CIS countries are favorably distinguished from Greek women by emancipation and openness, often of a lighter character.

If you look from the female side, then for many of us, Greek men outperform men of other nationalities due to the closeness of the mentalities of the Russian and Greek people, which is quite likely based on the unity of faith.

So, we found out that for both parties to such a social contract as marriage, there is an attraction in such a union. And when love comes into play, then no barriers are seen!

In fact, the members of the newly minted Greek family are waiting for trials, the list of which will also include those that ordinary families do not face.

The first is, of course, the language barrier, if it exists between spouses. Many Russian-Greek couples started their relationship by talking in English. It was comfortable and even romantic. But in a family, there is no escape from the need to learn the language of the country where you will live. Most often, a girl moves to Greece and begins - she needs to go to the store, to various government agencies, see a doctor, in the end, just communicate with her neighbors, and most importantly, become closer to her husband. Of course you have to learn Greek! There are various courses for this. In large cities, you can go to classes. Or even more convenient, without being tied to a place and schedule, via the Internet in online courses. And, of course, practice-practice-practice in using the language!

The second is customs and traditions. Although Russians and Greeks are Orthodox peoples, they have different cultures and secular customs. A Greek husband may enjoy your Russian recipes for the first time, but sooner or later he will want dishes that he has eaten all his life - “Simple Moussaki!” So - you need to learn the basics of Greek cuisine. In this matter, it is better to ask for help from the relatives of a loved one - recipes from the Internet, especially in Russian, can be very different from those used by the Greeks. In addition, trained by relatives, you will get a chance someday to cook moussaka, “like his mother”. Or even tastier!

Third, find your own business. A rare woman now only dreams of staying at home - many want to work. But in order for a visiting girl with a higher Russian education to find a good job in Greece, she needs to confirm her diploma. This is a certain red tape and complexity. My Greek friend's wife is from Ukraine, and he told me that she fell into a kind of family when she moved to Greece. After all, being a doctor in her homeland, in Greece, she was never able to get a job in her specialty. Now she works at the hotel reception. If your profession is a real vocation for you, without which you cannot imagine a happy life, be sure to find out all the details of how to confirm your diploma, as well as inquire about employment opportunities in Greece before moving there. It may well turn out that it would be better not for you to move, but for your husband.

Surely, there are some other pitfalls in marriage with a Greek man, for example, the principles by which communication with relatives is built or how men in Greece spend their free time. In addition, any couple is unique, and what may seem difficult for others, for others will be only a challenge of life, which will help to become closer and develop together.

If you love a Greek, and he loves you, be sure to marry him! Overcoming difficulties only hardens true love!

Julia Oreshnikova

P.S.Are you interested not only in life in Greece, would you also like to understand and speak Greek? Perfect solution! After all, you can learn a lot about the mentality and life of the country, but without understanding its language, you will never understand its inhabitants. Our site site is not only articles and stories about different countries, but also specific assistance in learning the language using the fastest and easiest method.There are no accidents in life. Perhaps you are not with us by accident.

P.P.S.We have great news. A karaoke bar has opened on our YouTube channel. English and Turkish videos for songs and karaoke are already ready. Greek for songs and karaoke is also about to appear. subscribe to the channeland stay tuned for the arrival of the Greek language, as well as the surprises that we are preparing for you.

From newspaper to newspaper, from site to site, the statement wanders that Western men dream of Russian brides.

Not really. They don't dream. It’s just that a Western woman always has her own opinion on everything, while ours is ready to compromise.

There, women are already born and grow up internally independent (you know why you can recognize us in any country in the world, even if you dress up in everything the same as a local resident - due to the lack of freedom of the muscles of the face, and of the whole body - this will be completely eradicated only through generation).

Local Greek women are not accustomed to thinking that it is necessary to adapt to someone to the detriment of their health or their beliefs. They clearly know their rights and know how to defend them. Therefore, to many men they seem "tough and a little charming."

It is not necessary to say that Greek women are less economic - it is not true. They are good at housekeeping, taking care of children and husband. But they don't forget themselves. They are well aware of their value. And they don’t let the whole family sit “on their neck” ...

And here is a portrait of our woman in Greece - her average age is 27 years old, she is at least 7 years younger than her husband.

Greek - he is in his forties or over forties, he was already married or dragged out so much with marriage that the whole family has long been hinting - it's time. He rarely went out - clubs, corporate parties, beach parties, gyms, dance studios. All of the above list has not been tested, and the experience is fixed, which means that it was not easy to find a suitable bride. No, he is not flawed, just, as they say now, he did not hang out actively, and time has been lost.

Those who do this (do not get out of companies, clubs and resorts) marry Greek women and are quite happy, although they have tried a dozen Russian mistresses in bed.

All the interlocutors, whose opinions are given below, do not wash the floors, do not chase after their husbands. We asked them about how they adapted in Greece.

At the very beginning of the survey, a short interview with a well-educated woman who married a Greek back in the distant Soviet times and now has 30 years of “Greek” experience, she is a professional Greek philologist and translator.

How was the adaptation?

The adaptation was relatively bloodless, since I spoke Greek fluently (but somewhat literary) and I had a rich experience of communicating with the Greeks. It was harder to get used to the idea that I was here forever. Every year, leaving for Moscow, I caught myself thinking about staying. But... she didn't stay.

- Was it difficult, and what were the difficulties?

The difficulties were more within me than external. I came when Russian wives in Greece could be counted on the fingers, and when our brother (sister?) was treated favorably, sometimes as exotic. The difficulties were, of course, in getting used to the way of thinking of the Greeks, to their habits in everyday life. Although, as far as I remember, they were always happy to help. Having a Russian wife in the 80s, before perestroika, was like keeping a tiger at home instead of a dog.

- How did your husband's friends and relatives look at the Russian?

Relatives, I can’t say that they were terribly pleased: in Greece at that time the tradition of dowry was very strong, and all my visual dowry consisted of just a few boxes of books.
My friends were delighted: I had to give them interviews “from the Eastern Front” for several months.

Is there anything that is still missing?

There are not enough more frequent trips to Russia, there are not enough old friends with whom I communicate mainly by phone.

- What does a foreign wife need?

It is necessary, of course, to adapt to Greek everyday life, respect Greek traditions and Greek way of life, respect the needs of the Greeks related to their upbringing and way of life. It is necessary to learn the Greek language and communicate with the Greeks, without this life in Greece is very difficult. But at the same time, you can't lose yourself. We must immediately defend the right to our worldview and respect for our language, for our people. Respect - that's what you need, first of all, to win! Respect yourself and make others respect you.

Sasha, doctor, 23 years old, in Greece for several months.

We met, one might say, tritely. My friend's mom came to Greece to work. My future husband met her through his friend. Six months later, my friend came to her mother in Greece, respectively. She did not stay long - two weeks, but managed to take a few photographs of my then future husband. She came to Russia and showed me his photographs. And I liked him. They began to communicate, at first, by text messages, chatting on the phone (what kind of Internet, 4 years ago, did a student have?). They sent letters to each other by mail. Then I came to Greece for the first time.

The Greek, now my husband, sought me out for three years, supported me at all moments of my life (I'm tired of these "snickering" Russian guys). A good man, in a word.

People around Greece perceive me differently. My husband quarreled before our wedding with almost all his friends (they spoke badly about me and Russians in general - they say I want his money, move to Greece and then divorce him). Thank God my husband understands everything correctly.

It is easier for me to live and build my career as a dentist in Russia, of course, there is no language barrier and such problems as here. But family life is dearer to me (of course, thanks to my beloved husband). In general, the Greeks are like all people. Only many "stupid", pardon the expression, Greek women do not understand much. They say that all Russians are "confused". We took their men, we occupy their jobs and so on. There are smart Greek women, and they understand that we are all the same, but, as they say, every flock has its own black sheep.

Many who watched our wedding on video (she was in Russia) were surprised: the bride has such a beautiful dress, beautiful makeup ... Of course! Well, they think that we have nothing: we live in the forest, wear felt boots, play the balalaika, drink vodka with food, and all this snacks on pickles, bears walk along the street, and this list can be continued for a long time ... In general, and now they don’t know anything about Russia, and ... they don’t want to know! Got lazy and fried. BUT, I emphasize - not all are like that, which is why I feel good, and even very good. I put myself head and shoulders above them all. Girls from Russia, who endured everything at home, feel like princesses abroad!

While I like everything here, I think I'm in good hands. My husband's parents love me. We live separately from them. I just can't get used to the weather - there is no snow.

When I first visited Greece, my first impression was: I lived here before! (I don't know, maybe in a previous life?) Everything is native. But there was a difference between Russia and Greece (besides, I’m from a small town, I didn’t really see anything before), and here there are numerous cafes, taverns - exits all the time. I came before marriage for Easter - traditional holidays (by faith I am a Muslim) are new to me. All liked it. While I have been here permanently for quite a while and, it seems to me, everything here depends on what status you have - being a “sizigou ellinas” (wife of a Greek) is easier. What else can I say?

Adaptation goes to "five" - ​​everything is fine so far.

Karina, PR specialist, 26, in Greece for just over a year.

The fact is that I came to Greece many times before marriage. First to a girlfriend, then to her husband (when he was not yet a husband). I even lived in Athens all alone for 6 months (with an extended visa).

That is, I had experience of communicating with the Greek people, and I did not expect any special surprises when I agreed to legalize relations.

The jokes started later, when I came to Greece as a wife.

I experienced the first real shock when no one congratulated us on our marriage (well, except for the usual phrases, obviously for the sake of decency). Because we ourselves decided everything, and we didn’t ask anyone, and we did it in Russia, and we didn’t get married ... Accordingly, everyone perceived our marriage as a rehearsal. An, there will be no other wedding! I was baptized at home - without records, therefore, we will probably never be able to get married in Greece.

Communication with friends is very strange, they are all polite, friendly and seemingly very nice to me. But no one ever tries to be friends, and all my attempts to invite me to take a walk (go out for coffee), they politely ignored. In this case, I'm talking about the female population, because the male population is banned - with a living husband!

Then there were problems with the language. I think that my knowledge of English is enough for me, and I will learn Greek myself, but gradually. My husband is totally against it! He wants me to study the language day and night and talk to everyone only in Greek. Because it's necessary. And he's right! But it's so convenient - when you don't understand your mother-in-law! And she you too!

The next thing that really surprised me was the way they thought. We live in a small village (although it is a famous resort place, with expensive villas), where everyone knows everyone and, of course, gossip. From which I had to draw many conclusions and limit my usual city life. Now I need to clearly follow who to be friends with, say hello, which cafes and restaurants to go to, even to shops. Since this or that person may have a bad reputation, or he once offended your family members with something and should be ignored. Sometimes, even defiantly.

The next thing I had to change in my life was clothes. Yes, she plays a huge role in this society. The rules are simple: to be opaque, ultra-mini - only at home, deep neckline - only when with your husband, and you also need to know where it is appropriate so as not to offend others present with your appearance and behavior. It is also forbidden to go to the beach alone. This turns out to be a sign that you are picking on men, and everyone will gossip about it (!).

Well, it’s also annoying when they visit without warning. Probably, my dear has always been distinguished by cordiality and hospitality, so they often come to us just like that, to ask how you are doing - for five hours! And it is indecent to expel, and you change your plans to please those who come.

The attitude towards the Russians is very surprising - almost everyone is sure that we, the wives of the Greeks, were beggars in our homeland and therefore came to them for a better life! This, I want to say, will offend anyone - both me and those who really came for economic reasons. With all this, there is some kind of disrespect or something ... It's hard to explain, but you always feel it, when communicating or just looking. It's one thing when you're a tourist, and quite another when you live here. That is why in all stores I speak only English, but I could already speak Greek. Tourists are treated better.

At the expense of work - there is a lot of work here, but not very prestigious. Because we are foreigners, and also because we are always one step lower for them. It is understandable, it should be so, and it is happening in many countries. You just need to be aware of this when you decide to leave for another country.

Well, I also really don’t like how many people say such phrases: how do you know, you just arrived (!), And we have been here all our lives! And it's even more unpleasant when compatriots start to poke in the nose, measuring who lived here more and, accordingly, knows more about Greece! And my opinion is that everything depends on the person - the observant one will grasp faster, and adapt much easier, and will not break his "I" in pursuit of who will become more Greek. It’s a shame in your soul when you see such “broken” girls, intimidated by their husbands and adopting Greek habits (for example, to lie, promise and then not do it for a long time, not answer the phone, always ask the husband’s permission, etc.).

Well, since the topic is about adaptation, I can say that, in general, I like living in Greece more. In his native St. Petersburg does not pull at all. And I think that I almost adapted.

A couple of days ago, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini published an article about the demographic crisis in the country, according to which last year broke all negative records in terms of population growth, and the number of civil marriages for some time exceeded church ones. Simply put, Greeks now prefer to get married without too much fanfare and are in no hurry to have children. And if they weren’t in a big hurry with children before (the average age of motherhood in the country is 31), then weddings for the Greeks were a real national hobby: invite all distant and close relatives, order a dress and a photographer for crazy thousands and throw a feast with a mountain, so so that some Aunt Sula would remember for another five years what magnificent appetizers were served at the banquet. Food for the Greeks is sacred - and the first thing Greek aunts evaluate when discussing someone's wedding.

Will he survive until the wedding?

But you still have to wait until the wedding. It can take 5 to 10 years to bring a Greek man to the altar. Although the passionate Greeks swear in eternal love already on the second day of their acquaintance, they are in no hurry with decisive actions.

One of my friends, who has been permanently at the age of 32 for the last seven years, spends every summer in party Mykonos and lives according to his grandmother's precept: die, but do not marry if you are not sure of love. His grandmother had been married off as a matchmaker when she was young, and she buzzed her grandchildren's ears about how unhappy her marriage had been.

Another acquaintance has been scribbling romantic sms for me for more than 10 years - despite the fact that we saw each other exactly once in our lives back in 2004, and it didn’t even come to a kiss. But in the epistolary genre, our relations have long passed all conceivable stages of development. Twice he tried to organize his visit and (oh, horror!) Twice on the scheduled dates, his tonsils were removed.

It is sometimes easier for especially sensitive natures to "suicide" than just to take and buy a plane ticket like that. Especially if the lady of the heart is somewhere in snowy Russia, and they only have ski pants and a sweater with deer from winter things. Some write like this: I can’t live without you, now I’ll step on the gas and crash to hell on a mountain serpentine. It won't break, don't worry. Shake it off and move on. There is even a special song genre for such cases, “kopse fleves” is called (“cut the veins” in our opinion).

The Greeks generally like to add drama for the good of the cause. Bury your own grandmother a couple of times for a day off work? Sure, not a problem! That my grandmother, one of my former employers (a priest, by the way), managed to attend her mother’s funeral twice in a few weeks, just to avoid answering my reasonable question - “Where is the money, father?” Insignificant in pre-crisis times 750 euros.

Who is the head in this house

Greek women, unlike their men, are much less sentimental and know well what they want. Recently, a DJ from a popular Athens radio station said on the air the following phrase: “If a man does not make you feel at least Monica Bellucci, then this is the wrong man.” And this is the whole point of the Greeks. I suspect that adoring Greek dads set a high standard for them in childhood, and the rest of the men can only live up to it.

Once I watched for about 20 minutes how a broad-shouldered two-meter handsome man babbled something indistinctly in his defense, while his girl, far from model standards, smashed him to smithereens in front of friends: “Just think, he deigned to ask if I took with me money? Pay now for everyone, since you are so smart! And he paid without question. And then just as implicitly married.

There is such a true Greek anecdote: a wise man walks through the villages, knocks on every door and asks who is the boss in the house. The men whisper without hesitation: of course, the wife. And in some village, a little man with a fingernail crawls out of the door, sticks out his chest with a wheel, pulls up his pants, draws himself up and answers:

- Well, I'm the master of the house, and what do you want?

The wise man rejoiced and said:

- I'll give you a horse for this, choose which one you want.

The man turns and asks:

- Wife, which one to take - bay or in apples?

Needless to say, that in sex, the pleasure of a partner for a Greek is in the first place. By the way, even with age, everything is more than excellent. Sometimes even too much. A familiar couple - she is over 50, he is over 70 - turned to a sexologist for help, as the lady could not cope with the sexual appetites of her husband.

Here, the obscene tale about the legendary Greek temperament, overheard by me at the door of the Ukrainian consulate in Athens, begs: “Don’t meet these Greeks,- Annoyedly broadcast a man to a flock of listeners who surrounded him. - Here is one of my friends who married a Greek, and now she is disabled, she hardly walks at all. What a love, you son of a bitch!” A roar of horror or admiration went through the crowd.

queen mother

Mothers, most likely, will be many. It was she who raised him, fostered him, sent him moussaka in vessels and olive oil in cans to study in England, and here you are with your claims. And it doesn’t matter that the son is a little over 40. A lot still rests on his mother.

My friend Angelos worked as a sports coach during the day, and worked as a security guard at night. If he ran out of cigarettes, he called his mother. And my mom brought it. At 3 a.m. By the way, about cigarettes. Greeks smoke everywhere, even under signs prohibiting smoking in taverns.

Another family of a gray-haired husband and two overgrown foreheads balanced for three weeks on the verge of life and death due to the fact that the mother and wife suddenly ended up in the hospital. The "boys" didn't even know where to throw the garbage. Of course, not all Greeks are so infantile, but the trend can be traced.

Greek mothers do not particularly favor Russian brides - as, indeed, any foreign women. The best match for a son is, of course, a Greek woman from a good family. It is not for nothing that even being third-generation New Yorkers, the Greeks manage to marry their own.

No place for introverts

The first question that the Greeks ask when they meet is where are you from? And not only foreigners are asked about this. The answer helps to understand what you have in common, and at the same time to probe the social status of the interlocutor. In Athens, there is a very clear social gradation by district, according to the principle - tell me where you live, and I will tell you who you are.

Even in Greece, a reinforced concrete priest and the same patience will come in handy. Butt - to sit for three hours straight, sipping frappe at a cafe table. And patience - to accept the Greek philosophy "siga-siga", which means "slowly, slowly," and not kill anyone, from the Internet provider to the clerk at the local city hall.

What is definitely worth learning from the Greeks is the ability to have fun. Who else will beat the plates on the floor in the heat of the dance, dance on the tables and throw flowers at the singers. Despite the long-term crisis, the Greeks are living life to the fullest, not surviving. Bars and taverns are still packed to capacity, and the roads are busy even at night.

And, having arrived in Greece with such an immortal pony with eggs, after a couple of weeks of the Greek sun, male attention and an octopus on coals with homemade wine, you suddenly notice that your eyes are on fire and you want to live. Preferably in Greece.

Do you also consider yourself a connoisseur of any country? Have you studied the local men and the peculiarities of national romance from A to Z? Write to us at[email protected] – you might be our next erotic-geographical expert!