GREECE

Our favourite country!

General Information:

Who Can Work in Greece.
a) Citizens of the EU.
b) Non EU citizens who meet Immigration requirements.

School Teaching.
There are 1000s of Frontisterio's in Greece. These are private schools that teach a variety of subjects. They generally operate when the government school system is closed, i.e. late afternoons and evenings and weekends. Every town and village has Frontisterios. Most schools belong to PALSO, a self regulatory organization

English in Greece

English, the first foreign language of Greece, is seen as the key to communication with the European Union and the world. Because competence in English is considered by parents and employers to be an essential skill, the demand for it is very high and many thousands of Greeks take UK examinations in English each year.

Continuing high local demand for UK education is reflected in the fact that over 30,000 educational enquiries are made each year to the British Council's offices in Athens and Thessaloniki. Over 10,000 Greeks visit the Education UK exhibitions every year seeking information on UK courses. Greece probably has the highest proportion of UK alumni per head of population of any overseas country. Furthermore a growing number of Greeks (currently around 6,000 in total) are choosing UK courses offered by Greek local representatives. Greece probably has the highest proportion of UK alumni per head of the population of any overseas country.

Educational requirements to teach.
You must have at least a University degree. Though there has been a recent instruction that EFL teachers must now have a qualification from the Greek government and this would need to be checked out before going ahead.

http://www.athensguide.com/

A useful and up-to-date guide to living in Greece, not just being a tourist!

http://greeceishome.gr/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

Greece is Home - a wiki/directory site for Greece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1009249.stm

BBC web country profile

http://www.livingincrete.net/index.html

A really useful site about life on Crete.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html

CIA factbook for Greece

http://www.greekedirectory.com/"

Greek Directory of Greek sites, radio stations, newspapers and online news articles

http://www.hydradirect.com/netrino_frontisterio_on_hydra_island_greece

A Frontisterio on Hydra

http://americaninathens.wordpress.com/

A great blog about living in Greece.

http://www.tefl-magic.com/noframes/history/gre.htm

Found this website while searching one day- a really great couple of stories about Tefl in Greece.

GREEK FESTIVALS

Greece, apart from the usual sun, sea and sand, is a country of festivals, celebrations and marches.  As a newbie these are some of the things that stand out and make Greece different from the UK. If you go out at the start of the academic year, September, then in just over a month you are likely to encounter the first of several celebrations.

The 28th of October is the Greek “Ohi Day”, celebrating the Greek “No” to the Italians at the beginning of the Second World War. Military parades are held everywhere in Greece.

Christmas is celebrated in Greece, but it is not as important as Easter. It is a period of family dinners and parties that continue until New Year’s Eve. There is no tradition of opening presents at Christmas, but gifts are exchanged on New Year’s Day.   However, over the past 10 years the commercialisation of Christmas has reached into even the smallest of mountain towns.
 

February (roughly) is carnival season in Greece, the Apokrias. The Greek equivalent of 'Mardi Gras'. It lasts until “Clean Monday”. It is a festive period, where young and old dress up to parade. The city of Patras has the most extravagant celebrations, but there are festivities throughout the country.

Exactly 40 days before Easter is “Clean Monday”, the beginning of Lent. The tradition is that people go out and fly a kite, and eat a traditional fasting meal. (And English teachers have a day off - did I forget to mention that many of these lovely traditions entail hols for TEFL teachers!)

The 25th of March is one of the major Greek national holidays, commemorating the Greek victory over Turkey ending the War of Independence. Major parades are held throughout the country, with the participation of both the military and schoolchildren.

Greek Orthodox Easter is in April or early May, and involves a week of celebrations. It is a great opportunity to experience some of the most deeply rooted Greek traditions, but beware, it is also a period that Greeks are ‘on the move’ and travel arrangements should not be left till the last moment.

During the summer, in various places in Greece cultural festivals are held. The best takes place in Athens in the Herod Atticus Theatre with performances (from June till mid-September) by renowned artists from all over the world. Very impressive also is the Epidavros Festival in the ancient theatre (at about 30 minutes’ drive from Nafplio where you can stay in Hotel Ilion). Smaller cultural events take place (amongst others) in Patras, Iraklion, Santorini, Corfu, Chios, Zakynthos and Paros.

August 15th, the day of Virgin Mary, Panayiri, is another major religious holiday in Greece. Festivities take place at churches, towns and villages throughout the country with religious services, eating, drinking and dancing. Absolutely fabulous!

http://www.namedays.gr/data/eortes/namedays_january.htm

Name days - another important part of life in Greece and something that adds to the feeling of ceaseless celebrations!

Culture Tips

• Greek greetings are expressive. Close same-sex friends and relatives hug and kiss, and others are greeted with a firm handshake. Young men may opt for a friendly shoulder-level slap on the back or shoulder.
   
• Gesture, especially of the hands, is very important in Greek conversation. Hands are used to accompany and replace verbal expressions. Tilting the head from side to side or backward, and/or lifted eyebrows indicates "no", and a slight nod forward indicates "yes".
   
• Good topics of conversation include: the weather, music, sports such as soccer, your host's family or job, or international politics.6. Don't be offended if a Greek asks you questions you may consider personal. They simply want to get to know you. If you prefer to keep the answer to yourself, do so tactfully.
   
• After the giving or receiving of a compliment, a Greek may puff a breath of air through pursed lips to ward off the jealousy of the "evil eye".
   
• Greeks have a long tradition of hospitality and enjoy inviting guests to their homes for dinner or special occasions. Invited guests arrive about thirty minutes late and usually bring a gift for the hosts, such as wine, cookies, or a potted plant.
   
• Appetizers and some other foods can be eaten with the fingers - take your cue from your host.
   
• Plan to eat a great deal to avoid offending your hosts. If there is a dish you don't like, have a bit more of a different dish you did like, and mention how much you love it. If your Greek host insist several times that you eat something more, stay longer, or something else along the same lines, try to accommodate them to avoid hurting their feelings.
   
• Don't wave with your palm forward and fingers extended, as it is an insult. Instead, raise your index finger while keeping the rest of your fingers closed over your palm.
   
• There are not orderly lines at bus stops, banks, et cetera. You must elbow your way through, as the Greeks do, or you'll be left waiting.
   
• When shopping at a shop or market, it is perfectly acceptable to try to bargain. The owner will make it clear if he wants to do so.

Found these great sites
 

http://www.greecefoods.com/

http://www.in2greece.com/english/factstrivia/facts/working.htm