Kreeka
Quick Facts: Area: | 131,940 sq km | Population: | 10,645,343 (July 2002 est.) | Capital: | Athens | Language: | Greek 99% (official), English, French | Religion: | Greek Orthodox (98%), Muslim (1.3%), other (0.7%) | Currency: | Euro | YFU Greece’s web site: | www.yfu.org/gr |
IntroductionBecause of its location and the wide variety of climates in various areas of the country, those interested in ecology, nature, or wildlife will really enjoy Greece. Here they will find the largest number of plant species in Europe and many interesting animals. The Mediterranean Sea is also very rich, and anyone who has a chance should try snorkeling. Visitors to Greece come to a land of ancient monuments, beautiful landscapes and sunny beaches, but under the columns of the Acropolis lies a modern country with its share of twenty first century problems and issues. Modern Greek culture with its rich folklore and customs is living history. One sees in the modern Greeks many elements of the ancient cultures that have endured through the centuries, bearing witness to the continuity of the Greek nation. One particular feature of the Mediterranean countries that foreigners tend to look upon with mixed feelings is the attitude towards time. In this region in general, people think more in the present and tend not to organize their days to the hour. Time is not looked on as an absolute. Things like going to the cinema or café, for example, are rarely planned; people go to them when they feel like it. The Greeks like to “pass” time, not “use” it.
Short Facts Area: 131,940 km2 (51,200 sq mi), Greece lies at the southern extremity of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. To the north, it has borders with Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Bulgaria, and to the east it borders Turkey. The peninsula, which constitutes mainland Greece, is surrounded by more than 1400 islands, of which 169 are inhabited. Roughly fourfifths of Greece is mountainous. In northern Greece, there are extensive forests, but goat grazing, felling and forest fires have seriously denuded the rest of the country.
Climate: Greece has mild wet winters and hot dry summers. Winter temperatures can be severe in the mountains, and even Athens can get extremely cold. Maximum temperatures on the islands hover around 30°C (87°F) in summer, but the heat is often tempered by the northerly wind known as the meltemi.
Population: Greece’s population is 10.6 million. About 53% of the people live in urban centers with 40% concentrated in the greater Athens area.
Language: Greece is linguistically homogeneous; only an estimated 2 to 3 percent of the population does not use Greek as the primary language. Because of this uniformity, the national census omitted the category of mother tongue after 1951. Modern Greek is spoken on the mainland, on most of the surrounding islands, in the Greek community of Istanbul, in most of Cyprus, and in some villages of Calabria in southern Italy. The most frequently used other languages are Turkish, Slavic Macedonian, Vlach (a Romanian dialect), Albanian, and Pomak (a Bulgarian dialect). Greek is a direct descendant of an Indo-European language spoken by civilizations in the northeastern Mediterranean for centuries before Christ.
Religion: About 98% of Greeks are Greek Orthodox; the rest of the population is Roman Catholic, Jewish or Muslim. Religion is integral to life in Greece and the Greek year is centered on the festivals of the church calendar. All cities and towns have a patron saint, each having one or more days in the year on which he or she is honored. The most colorful and important of the Greek festival is Easter. After a long series of fasts and preparations there is a very beautiful midnight Easter service in the Orthodox Church. On Easter morning the country bursts into celebration. People everywhere roast lambs on a spit and young people light fireworks.
Government: Greece has had a parliamentary government since 1944. It became a republic after the King was deposed in 1973.
History: Greek city-states began to develop about 1000 B.C. By 400 B.C., the ancient Greek civilization had reached the highest point of its glory. Athens was the center of a vast overseas empire. Ancient Greece was the site of much of the first studies of government. The basic concepts of justice, liberty and law were developed here. Greece has given the world a great heritage of poetry, drama, government, architecture, science and philosophy, and established many of the foundations of modern western civilization. During World War II Greece was occupied by Italian and German troops. After the war, a civil war broke out between the governments and communists guerillas. After five years and the loss of 120,000 lives, the government was successful in defeating the communist forces. In 1965, a political crisis developed between Prime Minister George Papandreou and King Constantine II, which resulted in Papandreou’s resignation and a period of unstable government. The Royal family fled to Rome after an unsuccessful countercoup in 1967. A seven-year military junta followed which oppressed the Greek people. After the seven years, democracy was restored in Greece.
Economy: Greece is a small country with limited natural resources. Only 25-30% of its land is suitable for agriculture. As a traditional nation, about one third of the labor force is employed on the land. Important products are wine, wool, tobacco, wheat, olives, fruit, and cotton. The main trading partners for Greece are the European Union (EU) (49%) and the USA (6%). Greece is a member of the EU and is a part of the Euro currency countries.
Education: The educational system of Greece is highly centralized. The Ministry of Education in Athens regulates academia. The system offers free and compulsory education through primary school. For those who wish to continue, education is also free through secondary school in the public system. The structure of the system is as follows: pre-school (optional), primary school (ages 6-12) and secondary school (ages 12-18). Secondary school in Greece is divided into two cycles of three years each. There are two main types of Greek secondary schools; the lyceum (college preparatory) and technical/vocational schools. There are also private schools throughout the country. The lyceum program has a classical emphasis on languages and humanities while the technical/vocational program offers a wide variety of skills and career options.
Family life: Although the extreme closeness of Greek families is lessening to some extent in the big cities, family ties remain strong. Often, one will find various members of the extended family living in the same household. It is not unusual to find the grandparents upstairs, aunt and uncle downstairs, and maybe some other relative in the flat/apartment across the hall. This feeling of closeness extends beyond the borders of the family to a whole village or region. One probable reason for this closeness is that for centuries there was very little mobility in Greece because regions are geographically cut off from one another by high mountains and expanses of water. Greeks have become world famous for their hospitality. Greeks are free with their emotions and express themselves openly.
Meals: The main meal of the day is lunch, served in the early afternoon (between noon and 2 p.m.). Greeks often eat dinner (a small meal) as late as 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Mealtimes in Greece are a social occasion. To eat alone is unthinkable. Cheese and olives are basic food ingredients. Lamb and seafood are commonly eaten.
Recreation: Greeks are “night owls” by any standard. They enjoy spending evenings at nightclubs, discos and movies. To compensate, most people take a nap after lunch. The period is known as “common quiet”. During the evening, people take a stroll and meet friends, talk and enjoy the evening. Most Greek holidays are religious in nature. In general, folklore is well preserved in Greece. Beautiful regional costumes have descended from peasant clothing. Folk music, with its rich regional variations, is a direct outgrowth of Byzantine music.
YFU Greece: YFU Greece is an incorporated nonprofit organization. The organization’s main office is located in Thessaloniki. YFU Greece hosts approximately 30 students per year (short term) commencing in June. It also sends students to the USA for the academic year program.
YFU Host Families: Most students are placed in one of the larger cities of Greece which, past experience has shown, makes the adjustment process easier. Many people have relocated to the cities within the past 20 years, but they still maintain their village homes, which they visit during the summer. This provides exchange students with the opportunity to experience the rich cultural life of Greece outside the cities.
Exchange activities for Inbound students: Upon arrival in Athens, summer students attend a one-day arrival orientation. In August, a program enrichment tour is organized, with visits to Thessaloniki, Athens and the Peloponesis. Students spend the night with volunteer host families. Local universities offer free language courses for foreigners.
Common Phrases
English | Greek | Hello... | HE-reh-the | How are you?... | TEE KAH-neh-teh? | My name is… | too-no-MAH-moo EE-neh… | Please... | pa-ra-ka-LOH | Thank you... | ef ha-ree-STOH | Yes... | Neh | No... | OH-hee |
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