Living in Greece as an expat family

Planning your new expat life after the pandemic has run its course could take you to places as yet not considered.

If you’re lucky enough to land a job with a salary allowing your family to come along for the ride, one of the best places for you and your nearest and dearest to recover from chaos and confusion is Greece. No-one knows as yet what the long-term economic effects of the pandemic will be and how the expat world will cope, but landing in a laid-back, more traditional location can help with adjustment as regards direction and professional development.

The Greek people are world-famous for their love of children, and expat children love the way they’re treated as the centre of attention as well as the world itself. Cafes, restaurants and many other public venues welcome families with open arms, as do shopkeepers and the Greek grandmothers known as ‘yia-yias’. Two benefits from this reassuring fact of Greek life are that your kids will be safe no matter where they are and they’ll also be the centre of attention as regards treats, affection and attention.

A favourite saying in this unique culture is ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, although children unaccustomed to being the centre of the world might just take advantage until they’re used to it. Greek kids go everywhere their parents go, including out eating and socialising until late in the warm summer nights, with expat children more than happy to join in, even although it’s term time and school awaits the following morning!

Expat parents worried about schooling have a good choice of international education in Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki, but finding a suitable school outside the major cities can be tricky and home schooling is gaining in popularity as a result. For expat parents who’re both working, hiring regular childcare isn’t difficult, with asking locally or enquiring on expat-aimed social networks usually getting a positive result. For occasional babysitters, a local enquiry is sure to give a good choice.

As with many other expatriate professional destinations, life in Greece is what you make it, but if you’re looking for a haven for your family as well as a reasonably well-paid job and a welcoming local community, Greece is as good as it gets.