Differences Between Americans and Greeks

Differences Between Americans and Greeks:

After two weeks of observation, here are some of my thoughts on the differences between Greeks and Americans. Now I know this isn't all inclusive, or representative of EVERYONE, (I do use a lot of generalizations), but here it is (as a warning, it is a little long :).

Clothing: One of the main ways to tell Americans and Greeks apart is by their clothing. Americans like to wear jean shorts and t-shirts. Europeans / Greeks NEVER wear the baggy style American T-shirts. Sneakers are different too. American sneakers have a kind of rise and heel, and laces. European sneaks are sleek with no heel, and Velcro ties are popular, as are small laces. Everyone also all wears very tight clothing. Fitted jeans (tapered to the feet), tight tops; very different from the American style flared jeans and loose fitting T-shirts. Belts are also very popular over here, and shirts always end at the waist – none of this American wife beaters down over-your-hips for girls look. Black fitted jeans are also popular, as are leggings, either to the ground or to the calves. Sometimes the girls wear a loose fitting linen type shirt over either their pants (with a belt, of course!) For shoes, there are sleek tennis shoes, but almost no one anyone wears those. Men wear leather flats, and women wear gladiator style sandals, ballet flats, or heels. Bright colors (think bright yellow and pink) are popular, and so is metallic. Also, you can ALWAYS tell an American because they are the ONLY ones who ever wear flip flops. Dead give away.

hair/ makeup: Americans like to straighten their hair – no one does that over here. They just wear it the way it is. Also, Americans tend to wear a lot more makeup than the Greeks. Thats not to say Greeks don't wear makeup. They definitely do, and always seem to be “made up,” they just don't tend to go for the super dark eyes during-the-day look as much. For accessories, sunglasses are a key item over here. It seems everyone has a very stylish pair they wear everywhere. Both wraparound and aviator are hot styles. As are white glasses. Only Americans seem to sport the cheesy 1950s style plastic Ray Bean knockoffs.

Mannerisms: Americans walk like Americans. I don't know how else to say it.

Attitudes: The Greeks don't seem to care too much for Americans. Actually they seem to dislike them, which is interesting considering 25% of their GDP is from tourism. Also, they don't seem to care about their history. Along these lines, our tour guide said that there have been so many different invaders throughout Greece's history, the people are very mixed: Greek, Roman, African, Persian, Turkish... But because of current turbulence in world politics and relations, they are afraid of discovering Turkish roots, for example. To me, that signals a lot of interesting, perverse, and unexpected incentives for acceptance of people and protection of the Greek history and sites.

supermarkets: ummm, they don't really exist over here. There are small markets in the cities where you can buy bread, and stalls in the flea market to buy meat and nuts, but mostly its just very small stores with a few necessities. Its crazy, I feel so spoiled now to go to Safeway and buy tons of peanut butter, and have a million items all at my disposal. That does not exist here. Even in the smaller towns, its just very small, local grocer shops.

Toilets: Personally, one of my favorite differences. In America, toilets have lids, seats, levers, and the toilet paper is next to the toilet. Well, in Greece, there are no lids (or it might be like our hotel, where it is attached, at an angle!), no seats, and no levers. And toilet paper is attached to all kinds of things. I never thought I would enjoy so much the American invention of a toilet-paper-roll-holder with a stopper on the end so it doesn't fly off.

Internet: in America, its SO EASY to get online. You have it at home, its at the public library (I must say, I sorely miss all the libraries, I never thought I would), its free at coffee shops, its everywhere. Here, it may exist, but it is expensive to use. Now, mind you, I am a traveler, not a resident, but even so, you still cannot just go to a coffee shop and use wi-fi. Its a little infuriating when you are trying to do something, but its always an adventure!

credit cards: In America, you use your card for everything, even small $1 purchases. In Greece, there are 3% ofter 5% surcharges for using cards applied to businesses. As a result, many businesses, even hotels and restaurants, are “cash only.” Its very different to see everyone just using cash – everywhere and for everything. Definitely not like the Visa commercial! He he.

Cars: Cars here are SMALL!!!!!!!! About half of the people just ride around on little mopeds or motorbikes. And drivers are totally crazy, too. They do NOT, I repeat, do NOT stop for pedestrians. The cars themselves are very small. For perspective, a normal sized Honda now appears large. Yep, I said large. The streets are so tiny too that all these little cars have side mirrors. So when they park, they fold the mirrors against the side of the car so they don't get ripped off! I think its a great idea, and want it on my car. (When I eventually get one :) In America, I have only ever recently (i.e. this last year) seen foldable side mirrors on very large trucks. And here in Greece, even older cars had it, so it seems its been around for a while.

Buildings: In Greece, there are some beautiful older buildings (aside from the Acropolis and the Parthenon... but they are almost all in complete disrepair. And the newer buildings remind me of prisons, or soviet style compounds. They are literally cement compounds – just blocks. I find it quite intriguing as well, that they seem to build from the top down. When we were driving through the countryside, and would see buildings, they would be finished on the top floor, and people would be living in the apartments up there, but the first and second floors would be totally unfinished and just bare cement, without even walls! While I am not quite sure I yearn for suburbia just yet, I certainly miss the pride and the care that Americans tend to take in their housing and the diversity of buildings you find in older cities.

Pride/ Care for their country: While I used to complain about litter bugs in America, its nothing compared to here. I have been really quite stunned at how little Athenians seem to value their country and their cities, especially Athens. Everything is a trash receptacle. There are cigarette buts in between wooded slats, chip bags stuffed in holes at ancient sites; it just doesn't cease to amaze me why it doesn't bother people more, and why the don't change. I guess it just really bothers me to constantly feel dirty. Montana's trash problem is nothing compared to here. And even in Seattle – a very large city – after large festivals they always clean up and the city is usually, on the whole, clean.

Siestas: Every day, all the shops close up in the afternoon and then reopen at night. Ah, time for my daily nap. Its too hot to work. And speaking of work, in America, you would be hard pressed to find a shopkeeper or worker too busy on their cell phone long to help a customer, here, its quite common.

Forward Men and the Battle of the Sexes: The men here are quite persistent, and you must just SAY NO, many times! They are very forward, and do not like to take no. Even if you tell them you are married, they will still ask, “But I want to see you again.” Age differences also don't discourage them and 50/60 year old men will hit on 20 something women. Another interesting note is that you see a lot more girls hanging with girls, and guys with guys than you do in America, and most couples appear to be foreigners, whereas in America there will often be mixed sex groups hanging out, and couples are very normal to see.

Graffiti, Feral Animals And Smokers: Everywhere here.

After being here, everything in America just seems so BIG. And Montana seems so pristine. And everything is comparatively so easy to access and so inexpensive. If I want something, its relatively so easy to just get, and so close by. Its amazing. The one contrast to that would be the pharmacies. I don't know if they have subsidized medicine here or what, but I am suspicious they do, because Paula got sick and needed medicine and we were able to go to a pharmacy and get what would have been a prescription only antibiotic in the States for about 5 euro. Anyway, those are some thoughts that occurred to me. Anyone else have comments, thoughts?