04 December 2005

Reasons to be proud of being Greek





(A friend sent me this. Reasons why I must be allowed to believe that I was Greek in a previous life, even though I don't believe in reincarnation...)

* Because we are European Champions in Soccer
* Because we are European Champions in Basketball
* Because Paparizou (singer) made us Eurovision Champions
* Because we buy whole watermelons and not in slices
* Because we buy whole lambs and not in pieces
* Because when we buy feta we buy at least a kilo and not 150 gr.
* Because nights in Greece finish in the morning
* Because we take our coffee slowly and not in "shots"
* Because flirting is our national hobby
* Because we are world champions in sex
* Because we always moan about the public sector and everyone seeks to get a job in it
* Because we go out almost every night even if we are penniless
* Because we know how to spend better than we know how to save
* Because we never visit others empty-handed
* Because there is no way to explain to foreigners what "kapsoura" is...(burning desire for someone)
* Because to Greeks, family is still something valuable
* Because we do not share the cost of petrol with those we take in our cars
* Because we always make it, albeit in the last moment
* Because for the sake of a woman we would wage war for 10 years (Trojan war)
* Because we are everywhere around the planet
* Because we love and hate with passion
* Because the word "filotimo" (a synonym of honour, helping someone because it is the right thing to do) doesn't exist in any other language
* Because whenever foreigners cannot find a word, they bloody steal one of ours
* Because we spend our bad and low times with our friends and family, not with therapists and counsellors
* Because Socrates, Pluto, and Aristotle were Greek and we still quote from them
* Because we invented theatre
* Because we gave birth to Democracy
* Because we discovered logic
* Because we jumpstarted science
* Because we are proud of our culture, not of our wars
* Because when others were discovering meat, we already had cholesterol
* Because when we were building the Parthenon, the others were still sleeping under trees
* Because when others created wars, we created Games to stop wars
* Because we have a distinction between Eros (falling in love) & Agapi (innocent love), while we feel both passionately
* Because we don't use ketchup or mayonnaise with our food - it tastes damn good anyway!
* Because we tossed our ancient alphabet to the Romans and our Medieval alphabet to the Slavs
* Because we get angry quickly but forget all about it even quicker
* Because we are not ashamed to cry
* Because we dance when we are sad and party when we are happy
* Because we work to live and we do not live to work
* Because 97% of the stars' names are Greek
* Because we always talk about getting on a diet after we had our meal
* Because a woman with a big arse is just as sexy as the woman with a small one
* Because although we know danger well, we dare
* Because when you shout "brother" in the streets, everyone turns around
* Because "Greeks do not fight like heroes, heroes fight like Greeks" (Winston Churchill, 1941) * Because we speak loudly and laugh even louder!!!


And because Greece is such a beautiful country, of course!

9 comments:

Cathy said...

Wow;
Can I be Greek, too?

x said...

greeks are so modest!
i am not proud to be greek, and i wouldn't be proud to be anything else either. i don't believe in nations.But i'm happy to be a European. I was lucky to have been born in a civilized place where there is no hunger and poverty, not as much as in Africa at least.

Scholiast said...

I think everybody boasts of their country / language / job / team / whatever from time to time - as long as there's a reason (and here there are plenty!) I think this must be allowed among friends...

I'm proud of Lofoten, my kids etc. and sometimes feel like telling the world - it doesn't mean I feel better than anyone.

Let's just say it's pride, mixed with the joy of sharing. Sounds better, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

One of it's many sources is here Scruffy...

http://www.greekboston.com/greekhumor/index.shtml

Check out the one about "you know if you're American married to a Greek". That one is good too..

Anonymous said...

Oh and I've just realized you're not Greek...

Cool blog, I'll be back to make more comments if you'll allow me to be your guest!

:-)

Anonymous said...

omg all these reasons are sooo true! im sooo proud to be greek! just reading these reasons has made me realise how great we really are! i looove being greek n everything about it! woooo hooooo GOOOOOO GRREEEEKKKSSS!!!!!

Anonymous said...

im proud 2 be greek who ever reads this should be greek every 1 add the little_gr33k_gangsta@hotmail.co.uk
every 1 always be proud 2 be greek coz greek blood is ur kind and greek pride is ur minde kl lol.

Anonymous said...

Thank you I have seen good things of being a Greek and your discoveries are still being used which is a good thing..to add on please dont talk of poverty in African thats our livestyle rather calling it as poverty "cheers africans"

Anonymous said...

Greeks are the best and i am proud to be a Greek-Australian. I am proud of where my grandparents came from. ILY GREEKS!