Around 93 percent of the population is Greek. However, portions are usually big and there are often several side dishes on the table at any one time. You can find a direct link to all these sources under the ‘References’ Try to accept anything offered by the host during your visit as a gesture of. Professional certified translations in over 200 languages. During that period, many Greeks choose to undergo the Great Lent, or Sarakosti, a 50-day period of religious fasting. Greeks tend to be very generous at giving invitations, even upon first meeting people. Most shops have fixed prices, so bargaining isn’t a regular feature of tourist life. Greeks do not switch knives and forks. First and foremost, personal relationships are the foundation on which any business dealings are built. Get in touch with us now with your requirements and we guarantee we will be in touch within the hour. High quality translation of all kinds of documents. About 78 percent of the estimated population lives within urban zones. Though dress codes on the beach are entirely informal, they’re much less so away from the sea; most Greeks will dress up to go out, and not doing so is considered slovenly at the least. If passing a knife, place it near the person on the table and let them pick it up from there. Prepare for your trip by acknowledging local customs, religions, and learning about national traditions in Greece. The Holy Week is an important period of celebration, which is followed by Easter Sunday, a day of great feasts where spit-roasted lamb and other traditional meals are shared with the extended family. Refusing food is considered impolite. Family values are of the utmost importance to the Greek people. Restaurant bills incorporate a service charge; if you want to tip, rounding up the bill is usually sufficient. Two pieces of body language that can cause unintentional offence are hand gestures; don’t hold your hand up, palm out, to anybody, and don’t make an OK sign by forming a circle with your thumb and forefinger – both are extremely rude. However, Greeks living in urban areas generally prefer to be notified of a guest’s arrival. Instead, allow them to introduce the topic of their own accord and show an interest in any topics that they might bring up. The economic crisis has strongly affected Greece due to decades of overspending, poor planning, and high levels of corruption. Shaking hands firmly is the most appropriate greeting during a first meeting. People may keep less personal space when queuing. Don’t be surprised at being asked personal questions, even on short acquaintance, or having your personal space invaded. If the host gives a toast, it can be a good gesture to return the toast at a later point in the meal. population in Australia is based on the 2016 Australian Housing Everything you need to know before you set off. Rough Guides® is a trademark owned by Apa Group with its headquarters at Mill Street, London SE1 2BA, United Kingdom, This site is owned by Apa Digital AG, Bahnhofplatz 6, 8854 Siebnen, Switzerland. We have a team of expert Greek translators who will help with any business translation needs or any other language translation services. Check out our business guides for over 40 countries. Qualified legal interpreters across all practice areas. Other languages include Albanian, spoken by the largest immigrant group in the country, Turkish, which is one of the most widely recognised minority languages, Bulgarian, and Russian. Several areas of Greece are hubs of multi-culturalism, owing both to large waves of immigration and a heavy focus on tourism. It may take quite some time to develop such relationships. This was retrieved from the Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. Greeks are inherently proud of their cultural heritage, which dates back thousands of years. It is polite to offer the host your help in preparing and cleaning up the meal. Fascinating traditions tied to different clans and localities, with multiple layers of social, economic and ritual significance. Smoking also deserves a mention. The Minoan civilisation which flourished on the island of Crete circa 3650 BC is considered as one of the earliest civilisations of its kind. Please provide your email to receive your eBook download and receipt. To indicate you are finished eating, place your napkin on the table. Bureaucracy in Greece can be particularly frustrating, especially since most items are written in Greek and workers might not be able to communicate in any other language. Effective no-smoking areas are very rare indeed. On the contrary, they are simply ways to approach people and create new relationships without a sense of formality. After Greece’s induction into the European Union in 1981, the country experienced a huge economic boom which came to an abrupt stop in 2008. When meeting someone for the first time, it is customary to either allow someone to introduce you or state your name. 2. Accurate, confidential and fast legal translation services. Solution-focused language service provider since 2003. Minority groups include Turks, Albanians, Bulgarians, Armenians, and others. Alcoholic drinks will often be offered, particularly traditional Greek ones, such as ouzo, or wine. Solutions for your multilingual DTP and typesetting needs. The eldest person is usually the first to be served.