A Semester in Athens: Lessons Learned, Part II

So, more lessons learned from our time in Greece...

Let's talk about coffee. It is really good here, and you don't really want to buy your usual Starbucks choice (although, there is one right off of Monastiraki Square). Drink like the Greeks - have a frappe, espresso freddo, or live dangerously and order a Greek coffee. Sit at a cafe and they will serve you with water, your coffee order and some sweet treats on the house. It is really nice...one of my favorite things about Greece. I particularly love cappuccino - give it a try. And...here's the best part...it is far cheaper than Starbucks! Yes, skip the 'bucks and hit a kafeneio instead.

One thing we realized right away is that Athens is a very noisy city. Lots of traffic, lots of tourists, and Athenians just trying to get where they need to go. Motorbikes are absolutely everywhere, along with taxis. You will definitely feel like you are in someone's way at some point, be it on a narrow sidewalk or on a street full of shoppers. Everyone is always dodging cars and motorcycles on narrow streets - thankfully, they don't want to hit you, either. The one place we found for a quiet space where you could hear yourself think was inside a church. Don't be shy...if they are open, just go on in. You don't have to be an Orthodox Christian, although it will feel a little foreign at first. This is not your typical American evangelical Christian church experience. Go in, find a seat, refrain from crossing your legs (it is considered disrespectful in a church), and just breath. The faint scent of incense and the dim lighting will definitely calm your soul while you take in the beautiful icons and architecture of these bastions of Eastern Christian tradition.

It is customary to drop a few lepta in the offering box and light a candle. As my prof says, don't forget to make a wish! People come and go all the time in Orthodox Churches (as long as they are open) in order to kiss the icons and leave their names for prayer, even if the priests are saying the Divine Liturgy.

Another good thing to do while visiting or living in Greece is to find your favorite shop-taverna-cafe-bakery-pharmacy and then keep going back. You will become a regular and it will be a far more satisfying and enjoyable experience. Business owners love return customers, and we have even had restaurant servers remember our names and our specific orders!

Which leads to another lesson, and this one is kinda important - don't tip. As Americans it is tough not to express your thanks for good service and food by tipping, but the tip is already built into the bill. In addition, the servers are paid well and don't expect a tip. And, if that doesn't convince you, know that Athenians may even consider it showing off to tip like an American. You certainly don't want to do that, especially out of ignorance. If you absolutely must tip, no more than a euro or two, max. Truly, rewarding by return business is the best kind of tip you can give.

Concerning language, most Athenians, especially if they are in service jobs, speak several languages enough to get by. Restaurants usually have an English menu to facilitate getting what you really want (which is NOT the Caesar Salad...trust me on this one - I haven't had a good one yet). I have seen taverna 'recruiters' speak many languages, and will sometimes address you with their guess of your nationality (we have been mistaken for French, and Chuck was mistaken for German!). As the weather has gotten warmer and more tourists are arriving, the shop owners are now all asking where we are from - they are sincerely interested and will always tell you to enjoy your time in Greece. I believe they are very happy to have the tourist business, even if tourists can sometimes be not very pleasant to deal with. Which reminds me - be a nice, kind, and generous tourist. You are in their "home" - don't make a mess, don't complain, and don't be a butt. *smile* In any guidebook there is a short list of survival Greek phrases - learn them, use them. It is fun and the Greeks get a kick out of it.