Why is living in Greece really not very good? 6 good arguments

In the eyes of an inexperienced tourist, Greece seems like an ideal place for emigration: not too European prices, wonderful nature, the sea, sights, delicious food and hospitable people. As they say, what else do you need to be happy? But tourist Greece is not at all the same country that those who decide to move here for good discover for themselves. But in general, “Subtleties” can & # 160; not & # 160; read. “Subtleties” can be watched and listened!

1. Cold and damp

Sunny and hot Greece can be seen only in the summer months: in late autumn, winter and early spring it is completely different. At the same time, up to 80% of houses in Greece do not have central heating, so residents are forced to demonstrate miracles of ingenuity. Some have fired up fireplaces and heat them with wood, others use diesel or gas boilers (but such heating costs from 120 EUR per month), others wrap themselves in woolen clothes and sleep on electric heated mattresses. All of the above is true, first of all, in relation to mainland Greece. Another feature of the country is high humidity in winter compared to summer (up to 75%). In such conditions, mold often appears in Greek houses, especially on the first floors.

2. Hard to find a job

It is better to move to Greece with a high freelance income or a stable paid remote job. Because in the country itself, on the one hand, unemployment reaches 20%, and on the other hand, there is a serious struggle for highly paid positions in which visitors can lose due to lack of knowledge of the language or lack of acquaintances. As for hard unskilled labor, among the Greeks it is considered not prestigious and is poorly paid by local standards (about 900 EUR per month). But it is this that is most often offered to migrants – this is fruit picking and other work in agriculture.

3. Strikes

Greece is one of the few countries that has an entire strike calendar. And they are here all the time. Tram and trolleybus drivers, subway and electric train drivers, air traffic controllers, trade unions, and hospital employees are on strike. All this affects the plans of ordinary residents of Greece, who cannot leave somewhere or are forced to soar in traffic jams in the same Athens, whose center is blocked by standing trolleybuses.

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  Pexels, Markus Spiske

4. High taxes

Residents of the post-Soviet space, emigrating to other countries, are not too fond of places where high taxes are taken. Our compatriots do not particularly like Greece in this respect. Income tax here can reach 43%, VAT – 24%. In addition, there is a tax on the rental of real estate and cars – up to 45%, and hotel owners, taking into account all taxes, can give more than half of their profits to the state treasury.

5. Siesta

Life in Greece, like in Spain, is unimaginable without a siesta. Every day at 12:00-14:00, Greek cities and villages plunge into a sweet slumber. Shops, cafes, restaurants and even museums close for three hours (although in large tourist centers in the high season, many neglect the siesta in order not to miss customers). Those who move to Greece for permanent residence have to quickly get used to this tradition, which the indigenous people cherish terribly. Weekends in many places turn into one continuous siesta. Pharmacies, banks, post offices and even grocery stores in small towns may be completely closed on Saturday and Sunday.

What else to read?

• In short, Aristotle! A few phrases in Greek that you will definitely need
• A frank story about how a Russian woman accidentally got married on the Internet and left for Greece
• 7 of the best resort hotels in Halkidiki, where, how and it is necessary in Greece, there is everything

6. The mentality of the locals

The Greeks are an open and friendly people, ready to set the table for almost the first person they meet. But they also have another feature that is also characteristic of other residents of warm coastal countries: they really do not like to rush somewhere, therefore they are completely optional and unreliable. Their favorite phrase is σιγά σιγά, meaning “slowly”. So they all do: go to an appointment, drink coffee, do work. By the way, at first glance, the Greeks may seem bullying and brawlers – they are so emotional in their statements. But this is just the cost of temperament: in fact, the locals are very, very good-natured.