Moving to another country will give you culture shock or reverse culture shock if come back to your home country after a long time. Going there for 4 weeks, on vacation, for the first time will never give you a definite answer how much you like it or hate it. More important is an open and honest discussion with your spouse. What if one of you hates to live there? How long should he/she try before calling it quits. Is calling it quits and going back even an option? I assume you don't speak Greek, so that can add a layer of isolation no matter how nice the weather is. This is not about Greece, these things have the potential to destroy a marriage.

 

Tim, i'm in a similar situation. My wife is Greek/American, who has been to Greece many times and has always said it's the best. I recently went for 1st time for 2 weeks and loved it. I had low expectations going in but was completely blown away while we were there. The food, weather, hospitality, scenery was all it's cracked up to be. Since it was the 1st time it may have been like the honeymoon stage where everything seems perfect so to make sure we are going back again in a few weeks to stay for 3 weeks just in a little village to be sure that we can adjust. She speaks Greek which is a huge advantage, I'm learning slowly. I confident that the 3 additional weeks stay will be enough for me to make the decision if this is where we will retire at. I'll update when (if) I return. Good luck to you!

 

Hi Tim!

Greetings from slightly-cloudy-yet-still-sunny Athens! My name is Efi (Efthymia in full)!

Born Greek, but I’ve lived in eight different countries and restarted life and business more times than I can count before moving back home... So I understand exactly how exciting but overwhelming the relocating process can be.

My love for Greece is what prompted me to start Definitely Greece (a quick google search should do - as I can't add links at this time) as a way to preserve and share the authentic, non-touristy side of my incredible country. If you’re someone who appreciates history, culture, and nature over tourist traps and loud advertising, you’ll find plenty there to explore. Greece has a soul that’s hard to compare, which is why I believe it’s the perfect place to retire and live a balanced, healthy life.

One month should be plenty to visit some of the areas, get a feel for the land and see what region you most gravitate towards. However, I know that a big move always comes with a million questions - some practical, some emotional - and the emotional side of things can take a bit longer to soothe out. If you're planning to make it happen soon I'd be happy to offer a local's hand.

Before I get too off track, I wanted to mention that I’m now helping people relocate to Greece using my local base and industry s to make the process as smooth and as possible. Greek bureaucracy is known for being a jungle to navigate (even for locals), but even beyond that having a local on your side can open doors you didn't even know existed... and it doesn't hurt with settling in, getting to know the unwritten rules of the culture and finding your community.

If you'd like to get together for a quick e-coffee I'd love to extend a 15 minutes consultation on me to go over any questions you may have and see if I can help further.

Wishing you all the best!

Cheers,
Efi