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Link: Greek Gods Quiz

Vocabulary

Link: My name at Greek

That of Xena. Obviously Amazons (Xena is an Amazon, bytheway) interacting with Greek gods does not really portray Greek culture accurately. Is Xena an act of heresy? Actually, Greeks can utilize Xena’s inaccurate use of Greek mythology to extend it. Preteen Greek kids that are anxiously sitting around their tv sets watching Xena could believe Greek gods were promiscuous with the indigenous people in the Amazon. In fact, if you did believe in Greek mythology as a religion, than the gods would be promiscuous with the whole world population. Hmmm.

This sparked my interest in seeing the show again. I found a random episode on the internet and tried my best to recreate my childhood Saturday nights, when I’d stay up late to watch Xena on the WB. This time I exchanged a box of tissue for a pen and notepad, however. I’m living on a couch after all.

This Xena was the thirteenth episode from the second season, circa 1995. The episode is perhaps most remembered by the famous kiss between Xena and Gabrielle.

Visualize this:

Xena: [to Gabrielle] I’ll always be with you, Gabrielle.
[they kiss]

We see some attention-grabbing cameos and appearances. One is the guy that was Hercules’ sidekick and the other is B-movie king, Bruce Campbell portraying Autolycus, the ‘king of thieves’.

The story goes that Xena is dead and Gabrielle needs to take her body to be buried with her brother’s (an Amazon with a brother? Hmmm). On the way, however, a group of Amazons waylay Gabrielle and Xena’s dead corpse as the Amazons want the corpse to be burnt the Amazonian way. Somehow, also, Gabrielle can become queen of the Amazons too. Anyway, Gabrielle decides to burn the body and be queen instead of burying the body and not being queen.

Yet, Xena is not dead yet, or how the show puts it: ‘not completely dead’. Xena goes into, and sometimes can wield, Autolycus’ body. This makes for some needed humor provided by a slapstick actor. Although I am a fan of Bruce Campbell, I was disappointed with his slapstick acting. So Autolycus and Xena (hiding in his soul) go to get Xena’s body.

See, there is still a chance for Xena to be saved…if her dead body consumes the food of the gods, ambrosia, than her life can be restored. It sounds harder than it really is, but to access the food of the gods they must also venture to a temple and use the BLLAAADE OF HELIOS (that Autolycus conveniently retains).

Meanwhile, another Amazon girl, Valaska who is with Gabrielle wants to be queen, as well as a god, so she wants the ambrosia too. Obviously Autolycus succeeds in saving Xena’s body, and Gabrielle and Xena (possessing Autolycus’ body, mind you) are able to feed Xena’s dead body the ambrosia, while killing Valaska.

The Greek Angle

The main Greek elements in the show, as there are not many, are Autolycus, (the BLAAADE OF) Helios and ambrosia. Pretty much everything else was not Greek. Let’s look at these elements and see how Greek Mythology was adapted for America, 1995…

Autolycus literally means self-wolf, but translates to lone-wolf essentially. He was best known for his wicked thieving skills and athletics; however, he was also one of the Argonauts that accompanied Jason to locate the Golden Fleece. Although he is not a notable character in Greek mythology, Autolycus does frequently pop-up in many stories. He was the son of Hermes and grandfather of Odysseus, the hero in Odyssey. He is also noted as the guy that trained Hercules in wrestling.

Although I see the parallels of using the king of B-movies to portray the ‘king of thieves’, the slapstick style of Bruce Campbell was inaccurate. This was a tactic used by the creators to add the needed humor to the episode, obviously. At first glance this appears to be the case, but the name Autolycus was also used by Shakespeare in his comedy ‘The Winter’s Tale’. Autolycus was a rogue similar to the Autolycus in Xena. So perhaps rather than a misinterpretation of a Greek mythological character, it was a cultural blend between Greek mythology and English theater.

The BLAAADE OF Helios! Helios was a deity or Titan that was personified as the Sun. The modern Greek word for the sun is ‘ilios’ (ee-lee-os), so there’s the connection. As for the blade, Helios didn’t have a specific one, nor was Helios a gatekeeper to the stock of god-food. He was best known for his chariot, which he rode across the sky every day. Providing a magical item in a show, such as a weapon used by a god, appeals to us and follows suit to something like Indiana Jones and the archeological elements thereof.

Ambrosia is believed to be the food or drink of the gods. Nectar is also used as either the food or drink of the gods, but both terms were used. Only Homer distinguished ambrosia as the food and nectar as the drink. Through the consumption of ambrosia the person becomes immortal.

Valaska upon consumption of the ambrosia would only be granted immortality not god-status, nor would Xena be able to be resurrected. A dead body having the ability to digest food is asinine. Ambrosia was used to help facilitate a shitty story and add to the suspense (Valaska’s attempts to become a god) and sympathy (a dead Xena) factors the show desired to use.

So how does the episode hold up? Save for the weak production and storyline, the Greek mythology used isn’t too far off from what I found on wikipedia. The elements that were changed served a purpose to make the show more appealing and entertaining. The possibility that the character of Autolycus derives from Shakespeare in lieu of Greek mythology would be clever and has hints of sophisticated character development. I think Greeks watching the show would have the same impressions regarding the shows portrayal of Greek mythology as anyone else: the show uses just enough accurate elements to satisfy your intellectual needs but provides enough scantly clad amazons pretending to fight to satiate your other needs.

~The Guy on the Couch…Out

Most of them come from Biafra, Nigeria and Senegal. Some of them also come from Congo, Zambia and Angola. The majority of them lives in Patisia and Kipseli area, in Athens. Greeks love the African immigrants, they get influenced by their culture and some reggae alternative movements have incorporated them. Greek girls started having relations with them and generally they are well-perceived. If you are a backpacker or alternative tourist, it will be nice to find yourself in African restaurants-bars in Patisia area. They are full of African languages, people and exotic cheap food. I remember myself visiting such places when I was living in Athens and I have nice memories. They are fantastically friendly.

As for Latin Americans, you will not find a lot of them. I think that the whole community gathers in Fuego bar in Nea Smirni, Athens or in Cubanita.

Arabs? Well, not may of them too. Egyptians work in fisheries, Palestinians and Lebanese are mainly doctors or medicine students.

Kurds is another ethnic group, with good networks and a lot of social capital in Athens. They work in all kind of jobs. They are asylum seekers and Greeks do not discriminate against them, as they feel that they share the same enemy; Turkey.

If any questions come up I will be glad to answer you!
info@hitgreece.com

Tanks had their way to silence them for that moment.

Vocabulary

Greece marked out at the «FutureBrand Country Brand Index 2007» as the 9th of the most famous destinations of the world. This index based on quantity and quality criteria and the experience of thousands travelers around the world.

For 3th year Australia is at the top of the table, while United States and United Kingdom follows. The upcoming stars, which is very possible to enter to the list the next years are China, Croatia and United Arab Emirates.

The reason of the popularity of this salad it’s because it’s refreshing (very good for the Greek summer). In the past it used to be only a summer salad but nowadays you can easily find the ingredients to prepared in winter.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cucumber
4 Medium Tomatoes
1/3 Feta Cheese
1 Green Pepper
5 Olives
1 Onion
Olive Oil
Oregano
Salt

PREPARATION:

Cut the vegetables in slices and mix in a salad bowl.
Top with the olives, oregano and cover with “crumbled” feta cheese.
Pour the olive oil evenly.

Tip: use good quality of olive oil (any Mediterranean Olive oil is a good choice)

And off course, “kali oreksi !!!”

Technorati Tags: Horiatiki salad, Greek salad, greek food, recipe

Hindi people are another immigration flow Greece gets from Asia. They are involved in almost the same activities as the Pakistanis.

Chinese people open their own restaurants, textile commercial shops and generally shops where they sell Chinese products. They tend to make ghettos and they do not socialize much. Small China towns have blossomed in Athens and in Bardaris area in Thessaloniki.

Russians and Georgians, sometimes also referred as Greek-Russians or Greek-Georgians, work in ordinary low-intensive industry sector. Many of them live in the western suburbs of Thessaloniki and Athens. Some of the youngsters of this group are involved in robbing and other small crime. If you want to find the Greek society “banlieues” you have to search within this community, as it is the most discriminated, it has developed a ‘provocative’ (as the society perceives it) sub-culture. This community is supposed to be or actually is of Greek origins. Their fathers immigrated to Ukraine, Russia and Caucasus about 400 years ago as merchants or workers. There they mixed with the locals and after the end of Cold War the Greek government decided to repatriate them. Some say that the origin criterion wasn’t used at all and that they are real Russians, as their characteristics differ from the Greek ones. Those who believe in this theory, accuse the former Greek government of PASOK, of providing Greek citizenship to people willing to vote for it, with the excuse of repatriating Greeks of former USSR. Others believe that these people are of Greek origins and therefore they have a place in the Greek society. Whatever the truth is, this group is really discriminated, along maybe with the Albanians.

In the next article you will find more about the immigrants in Greece. We go on with Africans.

Technorati Tags: immigrants, ethnic groups, Pakistanis

More informations: bbc.com or in Greek kathimerini.gr

Vocabulary

Sentences

Vocabulary

Sentences

Vocabulary

Sentences

“Thalatta! Thalatta!” Anabasis of Cyrus

Ancient Greek

After the end of the WW2, the civil war between the communist guerrillas and the nationalist government army begun. During this period and up to 70s many Greeks migrated to the US, UK, France, Sweden, Belgium and Germany and many leftists were exiled or searched for asylum in Eastern Europe. After the Cold War was ended many of the exiled Greeks in Eastern Europe and former USSR repatriated. Along with them, many immigrants from these comparatively poor countries came and Greece became a receiving country.

Albanians were the first to discover Greece, due to the county’s proximity to Greece and the easily “trespassable” borders. Unfortunately Greeks were not kind to the Albanians. Due to civil disorder in Albania, the jails opened up and many criminals entered Greece, bringing a rise to the criminality rate. Albanians were perceived as criminals, an ease reaction of the people. Although some of the Albanians turned to crime activities, the overwhelmingly vast majority of them were honest, family-men who came to work hard and acquire a better living standard. It was Greece’s fault though. For the inexistent immigration policy to prevent criminals from entering the country, the Albanians cannot be blamed. Nowadays, most of the Greeks have changed their minds and do not discriminate against the Albanians, although some nationalist voices still accuse them of unemployment, undermining of the Greek culture and the like. Albanians worked hard in my country, in the farms in the industry, in job-posts that Greeks considered hard enough for them, what science calls “labour intensive jobs”.

In the next article you will find more about the immigrants in Greece. We go on with Pakistanis and Asians.

Technorati Tags: immigrants, ethnic groups, Albanians

Αα Alpha  άλφα
Ββ Bita  βήτα
Γγ Gamma  γάμμα
Δδ Delta  δέλτα
Εε Epsilon  έψιλον
Ζζ Zita  ζήτα
Ηη Ita  ήτα
Θθ Thita  θήτα
Ιι Iota  ιότα
Κκ Kappa  κάππα
Λλ Lamda  λάμδα
Μμ Mi  μι
Νν Ni  νι
Ξξ Xi  ξι
Οο Omicron  όμικρον
Ππ Pi  πι
Ρρ Rho  ρο
Σσς Sigma  σιγμα
Ττ Taf  ταφ
Υυ Ypsilon  ύψιλον
Φφ Phi  φι
Χχ Ηi (ji por esp)  χι
Ψψ Psi  ψι
Ωω Omega  ωμέγα

ou = oυ (like in word l-oo-k)
ei = ει (like in b-ee)
ai =  αι (like in el-salvador)
au = αυ  (like in af-ganistan)
eu = ευ   (like in ef-fective)
The verb “ime”, I am is writen “eimai” (ei=i, ai=e), but not spelled as “hey-mai” but as eeme (ee like in bee, e like in elephant).

I’m getting married = Pantrevome

“Woman [must] respect man”          ”i de gyni (woman) na fobatai (respect/fear) ton andra(man)”        ”Η δε γυνή να φοβάται τον άνδρα”

” koumparos / koumpara         best man / woman           κουμπάρος/ κουμπάρα

Week Vdomada

According to the Christian calender the first day of the week is Sunday (Kyriaki, deriving from Kyrios, the Lord). Then comes Devtera (second) etc. The Preparation day (Friday) we prepare for the Sabbath.

Christ is crossed, o Hristos stavrothike, ο Χριστός σταυρώθηκε
Epitaph, epitaphios, Επιτάφειος
Hymn, ymnos, ύμνος
Generation, genea, γενεά
Generations, genees (geneai in ancient), γενέες (γενεαί στα αρχαία) Mind that ‘e’ is spelled as in ‘elephant’
Note that we take the word ‘genealogy’ from genea
Tomb, tafos, τάφος (also timbos in ancient, τύμβος),
Note that from timbos we take the word ‘tomb’.
Spring, Anixi, άνοιξη (ear in ancient, έαρ)
Sweet (modern), glikos glikia gliko γλυκός γλυκιά γλυκό
Sweet (ancient), glikis gliki glikin γλυκύς γλυκή γλυκίν
Lamp, arni, αρνί
Lamp barbecue, Arni sti souvla, αρνί στη σούβλα

Αι γενεαί πάσαι, ύμνον τη ταφή σου προσφέρουσι, Χριστέ μου.
E geneai pase, ymnon ti tafi Sou, prosferousi Hriste mu.
All the generations offer you Christ hymns to Your burial.

Καθελόν του ξύλου, ο Αριμαθείας, εν τάφω Σε κηδεύει.
Kathelon tou xilou, o Arimathias, en tafo Se kidevi
[After] taking you down from the cross, your [student from] Arymathia, buries You in tomb.

Ω γλυκύ μου έαρ, γλυκύτατόν μου τέκνον, που έδυ σου το κάλλος;
O glyky mu ear, glykytaton mu Teknon, pou edy sou to kallos?
Oh sweet spring, my very sweet Child, where has your beauty faded?

Χριστός ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας, και τοις εν τοίς μνήμασι, ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Hristos Anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, kai tois en tois mnimasi, zoin harisamenos.

Christ rose from the dead, with his death he prevailed over death, and to those in tombs, he granted life.

After getting into it, the soul wakes upon the shores of Styx River, the borderline between the world of the living and the world of the dead. After tipping the ferryman Charon, the soul embarks on the boat and Charon crosses the River. The souls then encounter Cerberus, a three-headed dog, the guard of the Hades Gates.

Cerberus never barks, only roars. Never somebody entering the underworld had a problem with Cerberus. It mangles those who try to leave the underworld, though. Entering the underworld you can stare into the North and see the red flames of Phlegethon River and into the South the dark clouds of Cocytus. Phlegethon is the River of the flames and Cocytus the River of Lamentation. They protect the world of the living from souls who try to escape the underworld. Another boundary is the River of Lethe, the River of Forgetfulness. Even if you do it across either Cocytus or Phlegethon you have to swim Lethe but if you drink even one sip of water, you forget who you are, where you go, who you were and dubious you stay there forever…

In the underworld somebody can see the Erebus, a dark and woeful place where all the souls of the sinners are driven to. Another place is the Asphodel meadows, populated by the souls of the indifferent and finally the Elysian Plains where the souls of the heroes, the brave and the thinkers are in. There is though a river crossing the Erebus land, its name is Eridanus, fading into a hole, just like Acheron, leading to Tartarus. It is said that it is the place where the souls of the tyrants and the bloodthirsty are led there. Nobody knows anything more about it, for nobody has returned to narrate.

Technorati Tags: mythology, underworld

Maybe you have heard that the internet penetration is in low level at Greece. That’s true! But thankfully this also creates some business opportunities for providing internet. Greece has thousands of internet cafes, really organized.

In the cities you can find spots with 100 or more pc’s that offers connection at very cheap price. The average price is 2 euros per hour, but most of these spots offer special prices for the members. Generally speaking becoming a member is free.

Be aware of the internet cafés which work only with tourists. There are a lot of them especially in the tourist places. You can recognize these places by the price and the customers. If you see an internet cafe whose price is 4 or 5 euro per hour, go away, I am sure that you can find much cheaper and organized places.

The good internet cafes are created to satisfy the needs of the youngsters for gaming. Because of the low speed of the Greek internet connections, these shops offer very advanced pc’s which is used as playing machine for internet games. Search for this spots. Don’t be afraid to enter any of these places and ask for the price e.t.c. I am sure that you will be served the best way.

Another way to find internet connection is in public wireless hotspots. Some of them are located in Syntagma (the centre of Athens), or in Airport of Athens. In the private area, many cafes offer wireless internet connection (Starbugs, Flo Cafe etc…), many hotels or rooms in tourist areas (a search in google can reveal some of them).

Technorati Tags: tourist guides, internet connection, greek vacations

Thanks to Maite from Argentina, Schuyler and Danielle from the US, Alice from Sweden, Laura from Germany and Didi, Barbara, Effje & Olivier from the Netherlands you get this amazing session! Applaud them!

Me lene Maite, ime apo tin Argentini ke mu aresi i latin musiki.

Me lene Schuyler, ime apo to Colorado ke mu aresi i jazz.

Me lene Laura, ime apo tin Germania ke mu aresi i jazz episis.

Me lene Didi, ime Ollandeza ke mu aresi na tragudao me tus lykus (I like singing with the wolfs).

Me lene Aliki, ime Suideza ke mu aresi na troo gyro.

Gia sas, me lene Olivier, zo sto Amsterdam ke ipostirizo ton Ajax (I support Ajax).

Gia sas, ime i Barbara apo tin Ollandia ke mu aresun i milopites (I like apple pies).

Ime I Eva, episis apo tin Ollandia ke agapo ton Olivier.

Me lene Daniela, ime Amerikana ke zo sto Mali.

—

Greece Ellada Ελλάδα

Argentina Argentini Αργεντινή

USA Inomenes Polities Amerikis (or Ameriki) Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες Αμερικής (ή Αμερική)

Germany Germania Γερμανία

Mali Mali Μάλι

Canada Kanadas Καναδάς

Britain Bretania Βρετανία

France Gallia Γαλλία

Italy Italia Ιταλία

Spain Ispania Ισπανία

Australia Afstralia Αυστραλία

The Netherlands Ollandia Ολλανδία

—

Greek Ellinas Ellinida ‘Ελληνας Ελληνίδα

Argentinean Argentinos Argentina Αργεντίνος Αργεντίνα

American Amerikanos Amerikana Αμερικάνος Αμερικάνα

German Germanos Germanida Γερμανός Γερμανίδα

Malian Malianos Maliani Μαλιανός Μαλιανή

Canadian Kanados Kanadi (or Kanadeza) Καναδός Καναδή (ή Καναδέζα)

British Bretanos Bretanida Βρετανός Βρετανίδα

French Gallos Gallida Γάλλος Γαλλίδα

Italian Italos Italida Ιταλός Ιταλίδα

Spanish Ispanos Ispanida Ισπανός Ισπανίδα

Australian Afstralos Afstrali (or Afstraleza) Αυστραλός Αυστραλή (ή Αυστραλέζα)

Dutch Ollandos Ollandeza Ολλανδός Ολλανδέζα

Enestotas (present tense) Modern Greek Verb Diabazo (διαβάζω) means “I read”

Enestotas (present tense) Ancient Greek Verb Girasko (γηράσκω) means “I grow old”, “I grow up”

Endings in Modern Greek

Endings in Ancient Greek

Sas efharisto gia tin agapi sas!

Food is a ritual, at least, it used to be one. But still you can see the tradition reviving through the food and its customs.

Naturally it is pink, but I ‘ve met it brown, orange or white. Try to get it pink. Its preparation takes no more than 5 minutes (or 10). Sometimes I drop it into the legumes, but then my roommate calls me.. disgusting!

Yes, the view of it isn’t beautiful, but the taste…

INGREDIENTS:

100 grams of carp roe
1 cup of olive oil
3 slices of bread without crust
2 lemons (squash them to take the juice)
some warm water

PREPARATION:

Wet the bread and squeeze it dry. Blend everything except oil and lemon juice. After the first blending is over add oil and lemon juice (slowly) and continue blending. If it is too solid add some warm water to make it viscous. It must be like a cream (like yogurt) but with other colour. Add any salt if you like, after you taste it.

Technorati Tags: Tarama Salad, Taramosalata, greek food, recipe

This lesson is short so that you have time to learn it. Next one is coming on Friday. So that I get on program again! Sorry that I was late, it was a difficult week for me in the university.

What is the dream of your life? To buy a farm in Greece? Then do it in a Greek island.

It’s the most suitable place to do so. Reasons to do so…

You can build a small house in it and have a constant place to live. Imagine the enthousiasm of your children and grand-children when they know they have a place to visit in greece. You can also organize them so that they visit you yearly. But if you have no family yet, while can flirt a girl, it can be devastating (in the good way) to say “Summertime? I’m going to my house in Greece..”
If you have already a girlfirend, then just buy it, do not tell her word. It is needed to travel in Greece though. Let her know NOT. She thinks that you have another girlfriend. Then take her to your new house or farm and have her excited, it’s simple romantism. Hehe!!

So…, to get once again serious. Go to remax.gr and try to find something. I would recommend Crete (Kriti). It’s a nice place to be. You can find from 45.000 to 500.000 euros estate. But if you wanna be more proffessional, just visit it. You will find real estate bussinesses where you can achieve a better price. A trip to a Greek island is always fine, as well.

There is a huge bureaucratic process though to reach this moment. I will tell only one word. Simvoleografos. This is the greek word for “notary”. Find one (it’s not difficult) and he will tell you everything. After having the farm or house bought, it will seem as something normal to happen. Being rich helps a lot. But rich in Greece is somebody who has the average American or European wage.

For any further information do not hesitate to ask me. I can write even more on it, so to clarify it.

Technorati Tags: tips, buying, house, greek islands

From the verb “latrevo” we take idolatry (idolo+latria) (είδωλο και λατρεία) the worshiping of idols.

We have already learned ena (one) but this is the half truth. While ena is the number one, we also use types of it to express the indefinitive article (a, an).

To make more clear:

A nice Greek expression is “Mia ise mia ke monadiki”, Mia you are one and unique! Μία είσαι μία και μοναδική!

monadikos unique (m) monadiki unique (f) monadiko unique (n)

You can say “monadiko systima”, unit system (μοναδικό σύστημα). “Monadiki empiria” unique experience (see also empiria-empirical) (μοναδική εμπειρία). Monadikos/i/o can be used to express the unit and the unique.

Flirt expressions:

You have beautiful eyes – ehis omorfa matia (omorfa is beautiful’s plural form, matia is eyes in plural) – έχεις όμορφα μάτια

Your smile makes the world beautiful – to hamogelo sou kani ton kosmo omorfo (hamogelo is smile, kosmos is the world -see also cosmology) – το χαμόγελό σου κάνει τον κόσμο όμορφο

You are sexy – ise sexy – είσαι σέξυ

Would you like to play beach-volleyball with us? – thelete na pexete volley mazi mas? (thelo is I want, pezo is I play, mazi is with and mas is us) – θέλετε να παίξετε βόλεϋ μαζί μας‚;

Ancient Greek

I love you – Agapo se – Αγαπώ σε

I adore you – Latrevo se – Λατρεύω σε  (you can observe that the object and the verd are reversed in ancient Greek)

I would like to play volleyball with you – Voulome volley meta sou paizin – Βούλομαι βόλεϋ μετά σου παίζειν

You have beautiful eyes – I ophthalmi sou kallisti eisin – Οι οφθαλμοί σου κάλλιστοι εισίν (see also ophthalmology)

Yes is ne (Ναι). Dont get confused with the other western languages. No, nee, ne, non, etc is the negation but in Greek we use it for “yes”.

No then is ohi (όχι). There is also this national holiday in 28th of October, which is also called “Epetios Ohi” or simply Holiday Ohi.It’s the answer that the Italian embassador received by the Greek Dictator when he asked the country to be given in to the Axis powers. Then Greece entered the wolrd war 2 in the side of the allies. The exact answer he got was “Alors, c’est la guerre” in French (the language of the diplomats). But in Greek this is still ohi. The kids in school learn it easily this way. So.. ohi ston fasismo!

Yes and no is ne ke ohi (ναι και όχι)

Yes or no is ne i ou (ναι ή ου). This is the way the ancestors had been saying yes/no. Yes is ne, No is ou. But in modern Greek “ne i ou” is used in an obstinate way of telling somebody “take a decision, now!” Are we gonna do it? Yes or No? Tha to kanoume? Nai i ou?

…and stay tuned!

To make tzatziki, which is not an actual food, but something that boosts the taste of the food you need…
1/2 kilo drained Yogurt
1 cucumber (or if it’s big enough the 3/4 of it)
5 soup-spoons of oil (preferably olive oil)
2 soup-spoons of vinegar (if you don’t have vinegar, it’s not a big crime to skip it)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic

Smash the garlic and cut the cucumber into small pieces (cubes).
Then put everything in a bowl and stir up until only yogurt and cucumber pieces can be seen. Preserve in the fridge. It’s that simple!! If you want you can add only one smashed (always smashed!) clove of garlic. Then taste it and add the second one if you want it “heavier”. You can add 3 or 4 as well. Do not overdo it!

Technorati Tags: tzatziki, greek recipes, salad, yogurt

Other words to express joy and happiness

Ancient Greek

Street language

Verbs

Por los chicos y chicas: Arjéa Elláda (Grecia Antigua) / Αρχαία Ελλάδα.

Further in the past, another terrorist group, sharing the same ideology, called “17 November” or just “17N” had attended to or had even killed American and British Officers, Greek politicians and businessmen. Among targets there were embassies and companies as well. Some years ago the terrorists were finally arrested, after about 30 years of action. They tried to present themselves as thinkers and heroes, who were just fighting imperialism and capatalism.

17 November terrorist group was named after the student’s uprising against the military Junta (dictatorship), which took place in November 17th, 1973. The Junta was believed (but later was evidentially proved) that was imposed with Washington’s decision. Using this fact, the socialist governments cultivatedthe anti-americanism in Greece, after the collapsus of the Junta regime. Many Latin American figures, like Che Guevara, became popular in Greece.

A strong relationship between the peoples of Chile and Greece was also developed, because of the same fate the country had, after the Aliente government was overthrown. The NATO involvement in the Balkans, during the 90s, was another reason the anti-americanism grew in Greece. Greeks consider the Serbs a brother-nation, since both peoples are Orthodoxs and have never fought one against the other (at least in the recent history). The war in Iraq made the thing even more difficult.

But how dangerous can they be to those who just visit Greece?

All these terrorist factions, have never hit citizens of other countries, meaning that their target were only Officers, Officials and Dignitaries. They are not dangerous at all for tourists and visitors, since they claim that the struggle they conduct targets NOT the people of America, but the “imperialism of America”. And it is true that they have never hurted the “insignificants”. Also they have never attacked massively, causing many deaths at a time.

There can be no comparison with Islamic terrorism, since they are two completely different things.

Technorati Tags: terrorism Greece, US Embassy, 17 November, rocket

Arithmi Αριθμοί (lesson 2)

Number	Greeklish (Ancient Greeklish)	Greeklish (Αρχαία Greeklish)
13	dekatria (dekatris)	δεκατρία
14	dekatessera (dekatessares)	δεκατέσσερα (δεκατέσσαρες)
15	dekapente	δεκαπέντε
16	dekaexi (dekaex)	δεκαέξι (δεκαέξ)
17	dekaefta (dekaepta)	)δεκαεφτά (δεκαεπτά)
18	dekaohto (dekaokto)	δεκαοχτώ (δεκαοκτώ)
19	dekaennia (dekaennea)	δεκαεννιά (δεκαεννέα)
20	ikosi	είκοσι
21	ikosiena	εικοσιένα
22	ikosidio	είκοσιδύο
30	trianta	τριάντα
31	triantaena	τριανταένα
40	saranta	σαράντα
41	sarantaena	σαρανταένα
50	peninta	πενήντα
60	exinta	εξήντα
65	exintapente	εξηνταπέντε
70	evdominta	εβδομήντα
74	evbomidatessera	εβδομηντατέσσερα
80	ogdonta	ογδόντα
90	eneninta	ενενήντα
100	ekato	εκατό

What you simply do is 10+3, 10+4, 20+1, 30+1, etc. deka+tria, deka+tessera, ikosi+ena, trianta+ena

Note that while in english we say “I am tall” in greek we usually say “Ime psilos”. Though it is not a fault to say “Ego ime psilos”, the common idiom abstracts “ego”, since “ime” is enough for somebody to understand that I speak for myself.

Zeus ordered Hephaestus to create a woman from clay. Hephaestus worked hard and made a masterpiece, Aphrodite was there to advice him. Athena, goddess of wisdom, breathed life into her. Zeus named the woman Pandora, meaning “she who possesses all the gifts” and sent her as a gift to Epimetheus.

Epimetheus had been warned by Prometheus that he should never accept Zeus’ tricky gifts. But Epimetheus fell in love with Pandora and married her. Zeus, pleased that his trick was working, gave to Pandora, as a wedding gift, a beautiful box. There was one condition however; that was that she never opened the box.

Pandora often wondered what was in the box. Day by day her curiosity was growing bigger. One day it got very important to find out what was hidden there. She could stand it no longer. She took the key, fitted it into the lock and turned it. She lifted the lid but before she realised it the room was filled with terrible things: disease, despair, death, violence, cruelty, greed and war. She closed the box, locking in only the hope.

While someone can extract just the “don’t be curious” meaning, one can see clear similarities in the way God gave fatalities to humanity between the Adam and Eva story and the Pandora’s box story. Something forbidden, two women, curiosity and finally the punishment. Does it mean that the Jews and the Greeks had common views of the creation of the world? Perhaps.. It may also be that one of the two peoples just got affected by the other, since trade was running between the two and cultural contact was adequate to have such influences.

No matter what had happened, referring to “the opening of Pandora’s box” always has the meaning that the worst are about to come. The box itself can be something beautiful outside, evil inside.

Technorati Tags: pandora box, Zeus, greek mythology

Not many people want to live in islands the whole year. What most people do is stay in the islands during summer and they move back when winter approaches.
But you can still have in the winter.

What to do in an island?
-You can buy a house. It’s not that expensive. If you want your new house to be in front of the sea, close to the square or in the neibourhoud of the bars, then just forget it. But if you are satisfied with a house in a village, with a lot of tranquility, not far away from the island’s biggest town, maybe close to the sea, then this is doable. You have to conduct some local research though. You can buy old houses with 10.000 euro. To renew them you will need about 4.000 euros. Of course the prices vary. If you want a new, luxurious appartment or house, with swimming pool etc, then the price would be from
300.000 to a million.
-You can find a job. During the summer finding a job could be difficult cause there are a lot of foreigners who come in Greece to work and have vacations at the same time. But what about winter?
-You can buy a fishing-boat and go fishing. Really much recommended for hippies!
-You can also buy a farm and cultivate it!
-You can start your own tourism enterprise
-You can make your own youth hostel. Well this one is quite good. I have never found a hostel in the islands. I think that somebody who starts one, will get rich!

It is meaningless to tell you about summer. Most of you can imagine what is going on, for the others I will write more later. But in autumn, winter and spring the islands are a nice place to be. You wont find and crazy parties or beaches to swim but if you seek tranquility so to concentrate and write a book, or just want to see terrific winter sighseeing, tumbling see, waves of wrath and windstorms like nowhere else.
The islanders are so welcome to the foreigners. If you are an American for example and relocate to an island, the next day the whole island will be talking about you.

They will offer you help, they will show you the place around and for sure they will employ you in the touristic sector.

Any questions about living in the islands? Hit me at info@hitgreece.com!

Technorati Tags: greek islands, tips, live at Greece, exparts

How old are you? –> Poson hronon ise? (Mind that sometimes it can be heard without “n”, as “poso hrono ise”)
I am twenty years old –> Ime ikosi hronon.
Ime –> I am
Ise –> you are

hronon means “of years”, but just keep in mind that it is years. It belongs to the same category as “hronia”.
Poson is “how many, how much”

The numbers – i arithmi
1 ena
2 dio
3 tria
4 tessera
5 pente
6 exi
7 epta (can be heard as efta as well)
8 okto (can be heard as ohto as well)
9 ennia
10 deka
11 endeka
12 dodeka

In ancient greek the number are quite the same.
1 en
2 dio
3 tris
4 tessares
5 pente
6 ex
7 epta
8 okto
9 ennea
10 deka
11 endeka
12 dodeka

How old are you? –> Posa eti gegonos?
I am twenty years old. –> Ikosi eti gegonos.
Eti is the plural of etos, which is the ancient form of hronos – year.
Posa is close to poson.
Gegonos means “I have already became”. In modern greek gegonos is the fact, something that has already been done.

Thank you for listening!!!

The Ministry is not really interested as well. All they want to achieve is a reform in the function of the Tourist Police. And which way better than to talk about sex parties?

It’s widely known that some travel agencies organize massive excursions in the Greek islands while the tourists they bring provoke the islanders with their behavior. One extreme example is a massive sex orgy hold on a public beach where 500 people were taking their bath in the sea. The tourists were provocative enough to challenge the people on the beach to join them while nude girls with chocolate on the chest were calling men from the swimming crowd to taste them. This has happened in Kardamena beach in Kos island.

In Laganas village in Zakinthos (Zante) a group of tourists had once organized a public fellatio contest.
In Faliraki, where police is simply absent, the tourists can have sex everywhere. Walking in the streets you can see couples having sex.

In Kos the things are quite the same. A couple of other famous places for such activities are in Creta island. It is the Malia and Hersonissos resorts, small bar-villages. Girls strip at will on the bars, drunk people are everywhere and the beaches moan at night.

Faliraki in Rhodes island is also quite the same.

The tourists cause problems to the natives. Most of the times they are British, organized by Club 18-30 travel agency. The islanders complain about sex in public places, sometimes even in front of the eyes of little children. Big fights among the tourists are also frequent, while bottle throwing is a “sport” for them.

The Greek population feels offended by the orgies, the public sex, the fights and all what the tourists do. When the morning comes, they have to clean up the place and replace all the broken and damaged parts of their property.

The media in Greece always report such incidents extensively. Showing even 2 minutes of censored images of British girls going crazy is enough to boost their ratings. Most of the times they announce that they have a report on this from the very beginning of the news broadcast and subtitles are used in order to remind the viewers what is coming up. The reporters ask the mayors about the situation. They answer that what is happening is offending to their people and has to stop immediately. They bear in mind that elections are upon them and that they have to say exactly what the voters want to listen. It is their moment of publicity. Not all the time a mayor of a small town goes on air in a national channel.

But then, it is all about the money. Those who have invested in these major nightclub areas want a profit. Even the negative advertisement is still an advertisement. Many islanders who work in these areas are beneficiaries as well. Hotel owners watch their income boom. Full restaurants are better than empty ones as well. It seems that everything happens for negative publicity, a masked way of bringing revenues.

It is a win-win game for all of them. Tourists have the sex party of their lives, businessmen watch the money flow in, travel agencies become popular in their countries and the national tourism blossoms once again. All but the family men who live in the islands. You see, they have to protect their children from such scenes.

The rules are the same in all countries and Greece makes no difference. Many people in a room, common toilets and kitchens. People around the globe can be found in there. The youth hostel “industry” is quite new in Greece. You could hardly find youth hostels in Athens or other greek cities 6 years before. This makes the owners be more competitive but more amateur as well.

You can click the “youth hostels” link on the main menu on the right side of this screen and access a list and a map of youth hostels in Athens. The prices mentioned there concern the wintertime season. I will update the prices before summer reaches us. Expect them to be about 20% elevated. Prices are per person.

All the hostels in Athens have a 24 hours desk and this is quite nice because you can go back anytime you want.

In wintertime always ask for heating and the summer a functionable air-condition. In summertime mosquitoes may attack you as well, so be well prepared with sprays or body lotions. Avoid sleeping on the beaches. It is illegal (tourist police may get you) but then also, may turn dangerous.

Tourist police tel. number is 171 and Police Emergency number is 100. For an ambulance you call 161 and if you set fire in your room call your receptionist or directly to 191. Drugs use is illegal (even soft drugs).
There’s no restriction on walking the street with a bottle of beer. Greece is quite free in alcohol questions.
While drunk try not to be noisy and provocative.

Be gentle in the nightclubs, don’t fight! Avoid touristic areas, you’ll get charged more than normal for lower quality of services. Giving all these advices I have no other choice than to mention that a european or international insurance is needed as well. Many get drunk and need a hospital, accidents happen, you know… c’est la vie!

Technorati Tags: backpackers, Athens, youth hostels, tourism

For the wish-giving part you can listen:

Hronia accented on o means “years” (plural) while accented on a we get the singular form of it.
There is more than one way to say “year”
Etos (accent on e)
Hronos (accent on the first o). This one also mean “time”. We also get Cronus out of it.
Hronia (accent on a)

Modern greek
What’s your name –> Pos se lene?
My name is Achilles –> Me lene Achilles.

Ancient greek
What’s your name –> Pos onomazese?
My name is Achilles –> Onomazome Achilles.

Most of the Greek names have a meaning. I have not much to say about it but to give examples of all the names heard in the podcast.
First let’s cope with anonymity
Onoma = name
An+onoma = Un+name
Anonimos = Anonymous

Georgios (commonly called Giorgos -spelled as Yorgos) derives from Geo+Ergon.
For Geo you can also link to Geo-graphy, Geo-logy, etc.
Geo = soil, land, earth / Ergon = work
The female version of it is Georgia (Yorgia).

Sophocles, sophia+kleos which is wisdom+glory. Sophia is also known out of the word Philosophy.

Alexandra, alexo+andras which means protector of men OR protected by the men. I prefer the second one, at least for the females!

Dimitris derives from the name of ancient goddess Dimitra (Ceres in Latin) whose roots mean “Mother Earth”.
Di+Miter, note that Di is the doric form of Ghi/Geo
The female on is still Dimitra.
The funny thing is that cereals are linked to Ceres, while dimitriaka (which is cereals in greek) derives from Dimitra.

Nikos is Nicholas and it consists of Nike+Laos which is victory+people.
The female form is Nikoletta or Niki.

Kostas is the short form of Constantine and I think that isn’t of greek origins.

Giannis (commonly spelled Yannis) is the greek counterpart of John / Johannes and is, in fact, of jewish origin.

Maria is also of jewish origin, but yet a common name for girls.

So let as talk about renting, housing, bills and costs.

If you have the money the things to consider are the reputation of the area and the distance you have to travel to your workplace. A good place to live (always talking about 2 bedrooms apartment over 65sm, with its own wc, kitchen, storage room and a living room) can go up to 900 euros in Halandri. Halandri is considered really a nice place to live in. It is upper class area but not for extreme rich guys. Going down to the centre Kipseli is an overcrowded place, but you can easily find a house of 110sm for 590euros. I would not suggest this one though. Nea Smirni is the place I used to live. It is a nice neibourhoud with middle class, close to the sea, close to the center and a silent oasis into Athens. 520 to 550 is your number! Always for a 2 bedrooms apartment.

For a studio, prices are even lower (350 to 450). Studios, usually, can be found in old block of apartments. Best areas to search in are Nea Smirni, Kallithea, Neos Kosmos, Zografou, Kipseli, Patisia and Brahami. These are areas with a lot of students, working class and some immigrants. If you are a multi-culti person you will love Patisia. It is full of ethnic restaurants owned by Africans and Asians. There are also many gathering points and cultural associations of foreigners as well.

The rent is not the only expenses you’ll have. You also have to pay bills. One person can consume up to 20euros of electricity, 10euros of water each month. Another thing you’ll have to pay is a bill for the expenses of the block of apartments you live in. This bill includes petrol consumption for warming up your place, lift maintenance, maintenance costs generally. This can go up to 25euros summertime, 60euros winter time. Telephones are expensive. I would propose VoIP solutions. If not, a house telephone can cost about 40euros a month using it normally. Cell phone is turning cheaper and cheaper every year. Can be up to 20euros a month. Internet connection is the biggest problem you will face. You will soon understand that the 1Mbps line costs about 30euros. For broader internet connection you simply wont do it! It is required that the provider has a broadband net in your area and also you’ll have to pay a lot. About cell phones and internet connection try us out in some days. We will write about it soon, more extensively.

Areas to avoid include Vathis square and Omonoia square as well as any other house 1km around them. Criminality is elevated, junkies may provoke problems by night, police is absent, ‘red light houses’ attract sometimes dangerous people. Sepolia is also a place not to be. Houses are easily targeted by burglars there. Excepting these three areas Athens isn’t a dangerous city at all.

Another thing you must check out, before renting, is the accessibility of the means of public transport. Center is accessible, while areas like Haidari, Voula, Aigaleo and others are not. Since I will write more about transportation in a later article, I quit for the moment.

Expats! I will appreciate much any of your questions. I have lived for 6 years in Athens, 17 years in Thessaloniki, while now, I am an expat myself. You can write us to info@hitgreece.com or just leave a response.

Technorati Tags: Athens, expatriates, expats Athens, cost of living

Briefly the story begins from the old tavernas, small restaurants where people were gathering to eat, drink, listen to music and dance. In these tavernas, they used to be real musicians and singers. Nowdays this type of amusement has decayed into bouzoukia. They pick up some singers made by tv-factories like star academy and other realities, they put them sing and they dance. Wine has been replaced by whiskey or vodka, steaks have been replaced by peanuts and almonds. And the music is modern greek .. shit!
Take my advise and go to such a place. Since you are foreigners, you probably will have a nice time, as the performance will look like an ethnic bazaar to you.

Things to be prepared about :

There are girls around the place who hold some plates full of carnation-buds and they sell each plate for about 15euros. When you buy some you can start the flower-throwing. Throwing a bud to a girl means, “I like you”. If she doesn’t correspond throw to another one. You have to throw it, not give it. Do not throw on girls who are accompanied by boys, misunderstandings may rise up. If she corresponds then buy her a drink, call her to dance, tell her that you have a really expensive car and you want her to jump in or that you own five houses around the globe or even that you are the Prince of Zamounta (kidding). Just try not to overdo it. Hehe! Greek girls love those who show off. Do not let yourself be mistaken!
I mean to show off your money and wealth. If you are a girl, you can also throw some flowers. The most usual though is to have them be thrown on you. Either you like the guy and you flirt with him or you don’t like him and you ignore him. Just like you do in a chartroom! Oh! You can also throw them to the singer!

Most of the times you need to reserve your table. Prices are from 60 to 250 euros for one bottle of alcohol, depending on in which place you go and what day it is.

Dancing is quite simple, you put the hands on air and do a little “menear”, las latinoamericanas me entenden! Menear is the spanish word for hips-moving. This hips-dance is known as tsifteteli. There is also zeimpekiko and hasaposerviko. We will sometime write more extensively about these dances but briefly in hasaposerviko you grab each other from the shoulders, form a circle and move your feet as the others do. In zeimpekiko you have to dance alone. You open widely your hands, you look on the floor (it is a dance for those who are sad) and you move your feet like others do. Check out my links in this page to see what I mean!

Drink a lot, but then do not drive!

The best bouzoukia places are in Thessaloniki and in Athens. Islands don’t really have much to show. In islands there are tavernas (most of the times with no live music) and nightclubs with international hits (british, american, spanish etc) and some greek music. If you are in one of the two big cities and Vasilis Karas is on stage try not to miss him. He along with Terzis Pashalis, are (in my opinion) the best ones! In a later article I will write about tsipouradika, tavernas and kutukia, the real places to have fun!
These three are the traditional greek nightlife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIsLqJuDQ74

[tags]bouzoukia, greek nightlife, greek music[/tabs]

The Greek language have been spoken thousands of years now but because time changes everything, the Greek language got affected as well.
What we call Ancient Greek is actually the Attican idiom spoken in Athens and in its colonies from about 500BC to 300BC. Then the language was affected vastly by the Macedonian accent (Macedonians had been speaking Greek in a slightly different way) and the “hellenistic” Greek was born.

This variant of the language was spoken by the people in the greek lands during the roman times. It is the language in which the Bible is translated. The people kept speaking the hellenistic Greek throughout the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), while the authorities kept tha Latin as official language. After 1453, when Constaninople was captured by the Ottomans, the people (through the marvelous language-contructive power that each society possesses) started the creation of a new variant of Greek.

This variant was amended by the thinkers at the last years of the Ottoman rule and “katharevusa” (the official language of the first modern Greek state) was born. People started talking more freely without the Ottomans and took a step forward on the language. About 1850 and on katharevusa was spoken only by the authorities and the thinkers, people have been speaking “dimotiki”. Dimotiki went official in 1976.
Language timeline: Ancient Greek-> Hellenistic-> Katharevusa-> Dimotiki (Modern Greek)

Words of the laquage:

Kalos means good and describes only masculine nouns. Kali is for feminine ones. Kalo is for the neutrals.
Kalos is also the ancient greek adverb for good. In modern greek it is kala.

We are waiting for your feedback at info@hitgreece.com

2/3 cup olive oil
3 pounds boneless pork
4 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
8 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1 cup whole chestnuts

how to cook it

Boil the chestnuts after they are peelable and then peel them. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a casserole utile and brown the meat over high heat, stirring frequently in the pot. Remove the meat with a fork. Then add the onions. Cook over medium heat, keep blending it, up to the moment it gets browned (do not overdo it), about 7 minutes. Place the meat back in the pot, season with salt and pepper and pour in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. Add the cumin and pour in enough water to cover the meat. Cover it and when it is brought to a boil, reduce the heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes. Pour in additional water so to keep the mixture covered. Continue the simmering while covered one more hour. Add the potatoes and chestnuts and continue cooking for another 30-40 minutes. Add water if necessary as it simmers so to keep the meat covered. Add some salt and pepper and serve warm.

The most Greek taxi drivers do not follow the greek law or the rules made by their association. On the other hand using a taxi in Greece is a cheap way to move yourself around.

For the same distance a British taxi driver could charge 30 euros, a Dutch even more, while a Greek driver will ask about 6 or 7 euros.
I strongly recommend the means of public transport but we will write about it in another chapter. Stay tuned!

So, first, you have to enter the taxi and ask in simple english the destination you want to reach. If you are not sure on how to spell it, it would be a nice idea to have it pre-written on a small piece of paper that you will show to the driver. After the driver has understood the place to go, he must switch on ther counter machine. Most of the times this machine is put on an easily seen place close to the gear box. If he does not, ask him to do it. You must be sure of what you say and no matter how much he may insist he has to switch it on. If not, he has the right to ask you a creepy amount of money when you reach your destination.

There are though some prefixed prices, most of them concern moving from or to airport (talking about Athens or Thessaloniki) or by a village to another (talking about islands). Ask him if your destination has a prefixed price. Of course it can’t be prefixed a hotel-to-any-bar destination.
There is also a price list in the taxi, you can ask for it.

He is not allowed to smoke, but you neither. If he smokes and you feel your well-being disturbed, you can ask him not to smoke. On the other hand you have to ask for his permission if the one who wants to smoke is you.

He is not allowed to pick up other people from the road (even if they go to the same direction as you do) without your permission. Really don’t expect anyone to respect this rule. He will just stop an pick them up. Don’t be annoyed. It’s the way it works. Only in the case that you are in a terrible hurry, let him know from the beggining.

Another thing you can do is to ask another person (a friend, your receptionist, a walker) the approximate amount of money that a taxi will ask (given the destination). Then enter to the taxi and ask the driver the same. If the amount is about the same, then go on. Otherwise let him know that a friend of yours has advised you about it. You can also ask him to stop and get out if you smel the creepiness around you.

Girls! you have nothing to fear. The driver will take you safely to the place you want to be. Don’t flirt with them; they are not the right persons to flirt with. If you really like him you can ask his mobile phone number while getting out. Boys, dont be amazed if he comments on the girls on the road.

He may be a swearing guy, using bad words, of course in greek, so you just don’t care.

Most of them speak a few words of english. They listen to woeful greek music and have a nihilist view of life. Hey! just think of driving 8 or 10 hours per day for all of your life in the horrible trafic jam. Best times to use a taxi are the night hours. Definately not the traffic hours! If you use a taxi at 8 in the morning when everybody go to work, prepare for a British charge!
You can call a taxi by phone, in this case you have to pay more. You can get telephone numbers by any hotel around.

I think I have given you all the tips already. But don’t be afraid. Most of the times they will be useless. But you must be prepared for the worse if you really want to hit something in the right way!