The truth about living in Greece
Jul 28th 2018, 6:44 pm
#16
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,827
re: The truth about living in Greece
Life on a Greek Island
Difficulties on a Greek Island
Realities of Greek Island Life
Breaking up the text would be easier on the eye too
Difficulties on a Greek Island
Realities of Greek Island Life
Breaking up the text would be easier on the eye too
Jul 28th 2018, 8:13 pm
#17
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Jul 28th 2018, 8:29 pm
#18
Gloves off
Joined: May 2016
Location: Antwerpen/Anvers
Posts: 7,269
re: The truth about living in Greece
Edit: Wrong forum, bad thread title? Dunno.
Last edited by BuckinghamshireBoy; Jul 28th 2018 at 8:33 pm.
Jul 29th 2018, 7:44 am
#19
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 11
re: The truth about living in Greece
Nice read. 
I loved my Greek holidays, didn't really care where as long as there was enough to do, places to see, somewhere to cycle to, but it would have been one of the last places I'd want to live. Two weeks twice a year was great, but...
There's been enough in the news over the last few years about the economy and people not paying due taxes and the like, so unless working for a major organisation life is likely to be somewhat haphazard. Of course that might appeal to some.
Your title needs changing I think. You've correctly identified some aspects relevant to other countries - over qualified people working in basic employment, missing comfort foods etc - but much of your experience seems Greek specific rather than a reflection of life abroad.
Greek Islands were my favourite places to holiday but I enjoyed the South of France and Spain too. For a life, I'd want the extras the latter two would provide. A tad more civilised in terms of roads, plumbing, accessible healthcare (not having to travel for hospital, for example)...stuff like that. Wouldn't have to be luxurious, just more than the basics.
Taverna chairs and tables look ll nice and rustic and everything, but sit on one for 20 minutes and you soon feel them sticking in the backs of your legs.
I imagined myself taking an early retirement, living frugally, and that obviously ruled out Nice and surrounds, but Spain looked affordable. I was planning on cashing in on the equity in my UK house, buying a place in Spain, learning Spanish before making the move and then going when I felt I could achieve it. I'd researched property prices and even thought about buying a 2 unit property with a view to some rental income for part of the year.
I'm sure I could have achieved it in Greece but didn't feel it would offer enough and I was convinced I could do it in Spain.
No sooner had I got myself in the frame of mind to retire early and move abroad, I met a Canadian woman, married her and moved to Canada instead.
It's a completely different living-abroad-truth to living in Spain or Greece though.
I loved my Greek holidays, didn't really care where as long as there was enough to do, places to see, somewhere to cycle to, but it would have been one of the last places I'd want to live. Two weeks twice a year was great, but...
There's been enough in the news over the last few years about the economy and people not paying due taxes and the like, so unless working for a major organisation life is likely to be somewhat haphazard. Of course that might appeal to some.
Your title needs changing I think. You've correctly identified some aspects relevant to other countries - over qualified people working in basic employment, missing comfort foods etc - but much of your experience seems Greek specific rather than a reflection of life abroad.
Greek Islands were my favourite places to holiday but I enjoyed the South of France and Spain too. For a life, I'd want the extras the latter two would provide. A tad more civilised in terms of roads, plumbing, accessible healthcare (not having to travel for hospital, for example)...stuff like that. Wouldn't have to be luxurious, just more than the basics.
Taverna chairs and tables look ll nice and rustic and everything, but sit on one for 20 minutes and you soon feel them sticking in the backs of your legs.
I imagined myself taking an early retirement, living frugally, and that obviously ruled out Nice and surrounds, but Spain looked affordable. I was planning on cashing in on the equity in my UK house, buying a place in Spain, learning Spanish before making the move and then going when I felt I could achieve it. I'd researched property prices and even thought about buying a 2 unit property with a view to some rental income for part of the year.
I'm sure I could have achieved it in Greece but didn't feel it would offer enough and I was convinced I could do it in Spain.
No sooner had I got myself in the frame of mind to retire early and move abroad, I met a Canadian woman, married her and moved to Canada instead.
It's a completely different living-abroad-truth to living in Spain or Greece though.
Jul 29th 2018, 7:46 am
#20
Just Joined
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 11
re: The truth about living in Greece
Yes it is also crossing my minduction to move back. It's still up in the air at the moment.
Jul 29th 2018, 7:47 am
#21
Just Joined
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 11
re: The truth about living in Greece
Mind not minduction
Jul 29th 2018, 4:56 pm
#22
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,827
Re: The truth about living abroad
Part of the reason I was looking abroad was my job - in DWP/Job Centre - was rapidly going downhill, crazy and unfair targets, being asked to do all sorts of unpalatable things, with more to come. I was looking for an out and the equity in my house could make that work in Spain in a way it wouldn't work in the UK.
Quite by chance I got talking to a Canadian (from Montreal) on line, we got on, I visited, it went well and I had more visits, it developed and we decided on a life together, me, her and her two kids. It would have been impossible for them to come to UK so we looked at me going to Canada. Very quickly it became obvious that marrying was the way to go. I moved over in 2004.
Getting good employment for me was unlikely but I identified housing in New Brunswick was cheap and we all moved here from Quebec in 2005. My house sale proceeds paid for a house here and a duplex (with change) to provide rental income which, together with my small civil service pension, when it became due, was enough for us to get by on. NB was also a good option for the kids as being a bilingual province they could continue their schooling in French.
Been here ever since, not been back to UK, mother in law joined us when her husband died, kids grown up. Sadly my wife died 2015 - many health problems. Me, the kids and mother in law in the house now.
Nice city, not too big but everything needed is here. If you don't mind long snowy winters modest resources go a very long way in these parts.
Quite by chance I got talking to a Canadian (from Montreal) on line, we got on, I visited, it went well and I had more visits, it developed and we decided on a life together, me, her and her two kids. It would have been impossible for them to come to UK so we looked at me going to Canada. Very quickly it became obvious that marrying was the way to go. I moved over in 2004.
Getting good employment for me was unlikely but I identified housing in New Brunswick was cheap and we all moved here from Quebec in 2005. My house sale proceeds paid for a house here and a duplex (with change) to provide rental income which, together with my small civil service pension, when it became due, was enough for us to get by on. NB was also a good option for the kids as being a bilingual province they could continue their schooling in French.
Been here ever since, not been back to UK, mother in law joined us when her husband died, kids grown up. Sadly my wife died 2015 - many health problems. Me, the kids and mother in law in the house now.
Nice city, not too big but everything needed is here. If you don't mind long snowy winters modest resources go a very long way in these parts.
Jul 29th 2018, 5:10 pm
#23
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 11
Re: The truth about living in Greece
I'm so sorry to hear about your wife. It seems that you have made Canada your home! I'm sure you couldn't have achieved in the UK what you have there. Sounds like a good run prior to your wife's health problems. Wishing you all the best for the future .
Dec 9th 2018, 3:45 am
#24
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1
Re: The truth about living in Greece
I lived in Corfu for 5 years back in the 80's, loving your posts as I'm considering moving back there. PLEASE more posts, I'm loving your view of life in Greece xx
Dec 9th 2018, 1:35 pm
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: The truth about living in Greece
Please write in paragraphs
Dec 10th 2018, 2:08 am
#27
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: The truth about living in Greece
I considered going to teach in Greece in the 1980s. Fortunately the agency I contacted told me that salaries were not enough to live on ! I went back to Saudi Arabia and later worked in neighbouring Bulgaria with the British Council
