It’s summertime in Greece, and when you live in a country with its hot sun, and beautiful beaches, what else do you need?  Well, there is something else that starts with an ‘M’ and ends with a ‘Y’…Money!  Every year, specifically late in the spring, Greeks ask me where I am planning to go for vacation.  Going to mom and dad’s remote villages doesn’t count. You have to go to an expensive and glamorous island. This year no one is asking anyone that question. If you do you then are a delusional fool. The tragic events in early May:  the  protesting, fires and subsequent deaths and Greece ‘surrendering’ to the IMF bank has effected people’s moods and pay checks this summer.

Greece,  was never a rich country-of course it is rich in history, but there was always problems and conflicts.  In my opinion, Greece has seen worse days, so what’s with the misery? There is more talk of death than life, as if death would be our only saving grace since it is the only sure thing.  The modern Greek people seem to have become goth or emo,  just ask the many tourists who have come to Greece before and have seen a big difference upon their visit to Greece this year. The tourists say ‘misery is not very becoming to the Greeks’ this is due to the fact that Greeks are viewed by foreigners as a happy-go-lucky people. They’re happy because they sing and dance and eat and talk, talk and talk. 

I want to tell those people that it’s hard to eat and dance on shaky ground ( I’m not talking about earthquakes when I mean shaky ground) There is an air of instability world-wide. These are hard times and only a lucky few will be dancing the ‘Sirtaki’ on Greek beaches this summer.

* Taken from the phrase “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeo_Danaos_et_dona_ferentes