Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Good things about Greece

-I went to the pharmacy to buy some pain reliever for the baby.

The pharmacist was EXTREMELY friendly (always is).

The price of the medicine was only 1.15 Euro ( about $1.57).I thought that he said 15.00 Euro and I was prepared to pay it. I had 20.00 Euro with me and he didn't have change for it so he told me to just take the medicine and pay him later in the week. That's when I went into shock because I couldn't believe how inexpensive the medicine was. It paid him 2 days later.



-A local restaurant doesn't really have a delivery service, but they deliver to locals.

-The local grocer knows us and often reduces the prices of his/her products for me, and I never ask. It is usually when I am buying a treat for the kids and because they know us they treat the kids.

-I was standing in a long line at the bakery one morning with Alexandra in my arms. The bakery employee took me ahead of about 5 other customers because I had a baby and nobody behind me or ahead of me complained about it.

-At a puppet show I was standing with Alexandra in my arms(again) and a strange man insisted that I sit in his chair. What's significant about this point is that the puppet show was a "karogzi" (shadow puppets) and it is outdoors...and you have to bring your own chairs. We learned that the hard way. :)

-I have never left a restaurant here dissatisfied with the food or service. The food is always fresh and not filled with preservatives or over processed.

-There is always a beautiful view wherever I go.

There are just a few things that I really love about being here.

2 comments:

  1. Yea, those little niceties I think have gotten really rare in America, because everything is so large scale there. It is nice when you stay in a community in Greece and people get to know you and they are friendly in just the ways you mention. A lot of times, even in larger stores like Plaisio, if one of the clerks notices my limp they will insist I get to the head of the line.

    And the views - oh the views! Not so good when you are living amongst a jillion tall buildings in the center but at our house, spectacular.

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  2. Hmmm, I've never been given permission to jump a line or a seat anywhere (in fact, I was physically pulled out of my seat on the bus once by an angry mob who insisted I give it to a man the same age as I -- he was embarrassed). I have experienced reduced prices, however, and that's nice.

    I suspect things would be different if I had a child or lived somewhere outside Athens

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