Greece
Greece is my home country. I was born and raised in Athens - the capital city - where I live. I am 25-years-old. I have completed studies in Business Administration and have worked for several months in the National Bank Of Greece. I intend to look for job in Europe in the near future, and then work for several years in the Far East.
One thing that is very important for Greece is the Mediterranean climate; warm weather and sun that is shining most months of the year. Because of this, Greek people are always in the mood for going out, having fun and partying. The result is that you can find people in the streets no matter what time of day. Every day can be party time in Greece. Another typical thing here is coffee time. The Greeks can spend more than three hours in a cafeteria, drinking just one coffee, usually chatting and playing backgammon.
Hot tempered, funny, outspoken, and having no fear of raising their voices if they see something wrong are some of the characteristics of the Greek people today. Of course you can also find the stressful and grumpy people you would find in all the
large cities of the world today. People in Greece - and especially the islands - tend to be more easygoing and cheerful. Country folk keep up with the Greek traditions and customs, which tend to disappear in the big cities.
Greece has enjoyed benefits due to tourism, which has been increasing steadily. The tourism infrastructure has boomed and many improvements in the cities and islands have taken place because of the increased number of tourists visiting the country each year. The 2004 Olympic Games were a milestone in the tourist activity and Greek development of public works. Not many Greeks travel abroad to other countries, however, compared to the citizens of the other EU countries.
Being part of the EU from an early stage, Greece has gained many benefits that have effects in every sector. Large amounts of funds supplied by the EU have helped to transform the country. In the city I live in, Athens, the construction of the underground subway (Metro), a new airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) and a new road section (Attiki Odos), crossing the whole of Attica region (Athens is part of it) changed our way of living for the better. Transportation became faster and more reliable.
Travelling has always fascinated me and after some years became a way of life for me. Having travelled to the most of Europe, and to almost all the EU countries, being a citizen of EU country has helped me a lot. With the relaxed border controls (almost non-existent between the EU countries), travelling from one EU country to another has become extremely easy, fast and hassle-free. The single currency of the Euro has transformed transactions in other countries as if you were in your own. You can compare prices easily and, most importantly, there is now no need to change currencies, which was stressful and time consuming.
Living and working in another EU country is an option for all of us now. As a result of this freedom, people are able to travel the whole of Europe from a young age. People meeting and cultural exchanges between the different EU nations have strengthened our ties as citizens of Europe, but most importantly as human beings. We discovered that no matter how different we may be, growing up in countries with different cultures and ways of life, in the end we are all people who learn, enjoy, love and smile. Even without knowing the language of each other, and in cases there is no common language knowledge, there is one international language that all the travellers I have met (including me) have used a lot, and this is nothing else than smiling and having the good will to communicate and understand. This feeling of unification and friendliness is a very pleasant surprise to me.
Another important benefit is the numerous programs that are coordinated by the EU. I have not personally participated, but during my travels I have met many people that were using Erasmus and the European Voluntary Service. Everybody was very excited and satisfied with the program and me as well, being able to meet all these people.
Taking all the above into consideration, I feel privileged to be a citizen of the EU. If there were things I would like to see from the EU in the future, then it would be a stronger and more decisive influence on global issues. For that to happen, all the country members should co-operate and act with priorities on social improvement, a better way of living, protecting the environment and promoting world peace.
Social improvement and a better way of living for all the country members by trying to adjust all the issues to some standards, the European standards, which will be agreed and acknowledged by all the country members. For instance, reducing people working with salaries below the average and without social insurance means reducing corruption as well. Human rights reinforced, especially children protection and rights, because children are the future. For the sake of industrial revolution and progress, we have damaged the environment and the results are already visible, though not so in several parts of Greece. If we do not pay the attention needed, the world which we all live in and care of may suffer, and we will suffer along. In order to achieve coordination in environmental issues, the positive influence of organisations and unions is needed; I believe that the EU can play a major and important role in this. Promoting world peace means providing aid and condemning war actions openly. Negotiations should take place in order to achieve agreements. The EU should have more unity and will, in order to become strong enough to prevent wars.
So, concerning the future of the EU, I hope that new country members will be introduced and that the EU will be more decisive and strong as a universal organisation. Disputes between the country members can be reduced, followed by cooperation for the common good.
I wish that all these would be realised, because we, the human race, have proved that we can not only destroy ourselves through wars, but that we can also rebuild, progress and live in peace. There is a lot of hope, and I have discovered that through travelling. As long as good people with strong will, respect and responsibility continue to exist everywhere on Earth, in every country, in every city, there will be always hope for a better future.
As for my future, I hope to find myself travelling as much as I can in order to learn and understand our world, and try to help with my own way as much as possible, through volunteer programs, NGOs and humanitarian work.
All this from a humble Greek, 25 year old citizen wishing for a better world in the future?
Diagoras Kalaitzoglou,25
Athens, Greece
Photos: Greek countryside, Delphi - an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece
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