I was here first - so drink-up!

THERE  is a phrase - beware Greeks bearing gifts. Well let us tell you, if a Greek is bearing gifts, of any kind, thank them and enjoy.

  An example. We have cafes (kefenion) in our village - three to be exact. All through the winter, and certainly as soon as the sun it out, we go to have a drink and we cannot count the number of times that we cannot pay for them. It took a while to understand the system. The Greeks there first take the attitude - I was first so I will pay for the drink. This is fine if you actually know the person. You say ευχαριστώy (thank you) and εβίβα (cheers). But more often than not you will not know the person, often only after they have left. Of course we now understand and try our best to fall into into line with this culture.

  Then there is the bakers opposite. An example of their system. We went in for a custard like dessert to go with some fruit tonight. They did not have any, instead we took a couple of small fruit pies. The bag then had five put inside, plus two more different pies, cheese & chocolate - cost - a euro, but the cheese/chocolate were gifts!!
  We still find it strange, but happily accept the friendship. We have been in the village for nearly eight years, although our conversation Greek is not too good, we appear to be understood. We have always made the effort to integrate, but we see others who live here, even have businesses here and they do not even try, which is a great shame.