Expat Life ~The Night of the Kounabi

That title,' The Night of the Kounabi' has a rather exotic ring to it, doesn't it?  You could conjure up images of romance, mystery or danger when reading it.  

Night of the Kounabi - Stone House on the Hill

My original title for this report about life in rural Greece had a much better alliteration, as it was, 'The Night of the Nyfitsa'.  

Google photo, Kounabe, - night visitor

But you have to tell it like it is, or in this case, was, when writing about expat life.  And further research - not to mention, the word of wise, long-time locals --  clarified that it was a kounabi (coo-nah-vee) or pole cat (aka, stone martin) and not a nyfitsa (nee-fit-saw), a weasel, who had us up at 4 a.m. on a very hot, sweat-inducing summer's night; made even hotter by the fact the animal was in our house!

Our House on the Hill in Rural Greece

As I herded our two indoor/outdoor cats into the bathroom for safety reasons in the early morning hours Sunday, The Scout (aptly named in this case) was armed with a broom and started scouting for our carnivorous uninvited guest who had been dining on cat food in our kitchen when discovered.

Garlic at my door - ward off evil

In Greece there is a belief that garlic swags hung at the front door ward off evil.  It may be keeping evil from our Stone House on the Hill, but isn't deterring the occasional visiting varmint.

Luckily our visitor was as terrified of us as we were of him, so he made a mad dash for freedom as soon as enough doors were opened to allow for his escape.  (He had entered, we believe, in the dark of night as I was on the deck dealing with our outside cat and had left the door to the house open.)  At the advice of those same long-time locals mentioned above, we will be spraying our outside deck walls with Tabasco sauce and hanging moth balls from plants near the deck to discourage further visits.

Leaving the Comfort Zone

View from our neighborhood

Situations in expat life - not as exciting as chasing wild animals in the middle of the night --often leave us on the edge of our comfort zone and certainly force us to rethink our behaviors and routines. We are  amazed at how our attitudes towards situations have shifted in recent years. While some things that used to leave us 'in a tizzy' barely get a nod of attention, while other things can still drive us right up the proverbial wall. 

Take, for example, the matter of water. Just this week we've been dealing with what seems the never ending summer saga of a short supply of domestic water in our slice of Greece. While we've not yet had to order water for our home from a private supplier we are braced for it, as our water tank has sunk to low levels a couple of times already and the summer is young. We've shortened showers, limited laundry and have begun using kitchen-generated gray water on plants. These are all behaviors we never used back in the States but are perfecting them here.  

Our slice of Greece

We recall asking at the time we purchased the house, from where the domestic water came and recall being greatly relieved that the answer was 'the municipal lines'. We wouldn't need worry about a well drying up. What we didn't even consider was the possibility of the municipal water drying up. A continual source of water to our homes isn't something Americans often think about, so who was to question a guaranteed source like 'the municipality'?  

Domestic water delivery to our home 2020

And ours is not unlike situations throughout this arid country. When summer comes, and with it, the part-time residents returning to homes and gardens and tourists filling our hotels, water consumption goes up while the supply stays minimal at best. 

The authorities here seem to deal with it by turning the water on to certain sections of the valley for a few days while others use the municipal water stored in their tanks (every home has such tanks as do commercial facilities). Then after a few days, they reverse the valves and those getting water turn to their storage tanks in what proves to be a continually frustrating process because for many the tanks go empty before the supply is returned. 

Summer means lots of tourist fun and low water for residents

The situation usually resolves itself in the fall when visitors leave, and the rains begin and the season of plentiful water begins. We find we no longer fret about it as we did in the first few years of our residency.

Sunset from  the Stone House on the Hill

On the flip side, we aren't yet quite as blase' when dealing with bureaucracy (of course, we weren't back in the States either). 

Last week we returned to our regional Immigration office to see why our residency permit application on-line status kept saying, 'documents needed'. Our initial application in April included every document they required. 

We submitted fingerprints in early June along with other biometric data, per their request. What more could they want?  

Greek residency permit cards - the wait continues

Despite earlier assurances that it was 'just the system' woefully behind in updating status, we decided to have a face-to-face visit with the officials. And guess what? They did, indeed, need more documents!  They said they requested them back in May and our attorney assured us that she had supplied it upon request. It was assumed it was received because there was no further communication from Immigration. . .and we all know about that word 'assumed'. . .so,

The information has been submitted, again. Authorities say they have it. Our wait continues. . .

On the Flip Side   

The story of expat life isn't only one of living at the edge of one's comfort zone or confronting novel situations as the one I told at the beginning of this tale. It really is a story of our world expanding in so many ways, including so many new friends, since moving to this fishing village in the Peloponnese.

Captain Antonis and his boat 

A few weeks ago, I gave one of our fishermen friend's, Captain Antonis, a set of photos I had taken of him putting his boat back in the water at the start of the season. We've had a passing acquaintance for several years; always a greeting, smile, nod and wave when we see each other in the village. He thanked me profusely for the prints.  A few days ago he stopped us as we were walking through the village and told us to wait 10 minutes - had had something at his house for us and he set off at a fast trot to get it.  We went into the local clothing store to await his return and to visit with our friend Sophia who runs it each summer. 

Sure enough in 10 minutes he returned with a jar of homemade eating (Kalamata) olives for us!  We had barely thanked him when Sophia asked if we liked honey - we assured her we did.  She reached under the counter and pulled out a big jar of honey - "Well, then - you must take this home with your olives," she said.  

Gifts from the heart - honey and olives

The spontaneous generosities, the kindness and the warmth of this new world so far outweigh its challenges.  Our fellow expats all have similar stories of those frustrations that have made them pause and wonder if it is worth the effort. But they also have tales, like us in the clothing store, when you experience a moment best described by s my fellow expat and too-soon-departed friend, Marti, as being those that 'make your heart sing'!

Pantazi Beach near our home - Agios Nikolaos

That's it for this week from The Stone House on the Hill. We hope where ever you are reading this that you are finding moments to make your heart sing and that your life is free of varmints.  Our wishes for safe travels and many thanks for being with us today!

Linking soon with:

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My Corner of the World Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

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Where doctors still make house calls!

My post title refers to our expat world; the world of the rural Greek Peloponnese. 

It is a world where doctors still make house calls. 

And because some of the questions we are most often asked by expat wannabe's, travelers heading this way, and others who are curious about life here concern health care, I thought I'd tell you a bit about it:

A house call in rural Greece

I begin with a  Facebook posts by Dr. Anargiros D. Mariolis, --pictured in the photo above  --  about a house call he had made earlier this month. His purpose was to feature the patient, not the fact he had made the house call, by the way.  

What he wrote: 

A different kind of day... grandmother has never visited the Areopoli Health Center and does not receive any medication. Whenever she has asked for help, we have visited her at her own place (on top of a beautiful mountain).

Grandma, I will always be by your side.

You are a modern day heroine of Mani.

Thank you so much because from the steep rock you have been living all these years, teaching life lessons.

The medical facility where he works and the area he serves is about 40 minutes to our south.  It is an area of The Mani that still feels remote and vast. The landscape is harsh and unforgiving; the population scant.  The town of Areopoli where the facility is located is named for the ancient Greek god of war. It was the place the Greek War of Independence began in 1821. Its Health Center is renown for its service.

Landscape near Areopoli - a vast, empty land

However, this personal, caring approach to health care isn't limited to this area. We, who live north of here, also have experienced this same personalized approach to caregiving. It is a startling contrast to  the highly computerized, non-personalized world of health care that we knew in the Seattle suburbs. It often reminds us of the American television character, 'Dr. Marcus Welby'  back in the early 1970's. He was that gentle, caring doctor who won viewers hearts, just as real-life health care professionals are winning ours here.

I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that Dr. Mariolis was recognized last year by WONCA, the World Organization of Family Doctors, an organization of 500,000 family doctors representing some 131 countries. He was awarded  the WONCA Global Five Star Doctor Award in 2021 for 'his excellence as a care provider, a decision maker, a communicator, a community leader and a manager'.

In the Matter of House Calls

Our village, Agios Nikolaos

One of our favorite 'newbie' stories from our early days at our Stone House on the Hill stems from a visit to our Agios Nikolaos village health clinic 'to check it out'.  All the staff members on duty came to greet us and during the course of introductions they told us to call before coming in, just to make sure the doctor on duty was there as it could be he/she would be out on a house call.  At the time we were dumbstruck at the idea of a doctor really making house calls. 

It was during that same visit we asked about how an ambulance would know where to find us should we call needing an urgent response. The receptionist asked where our home was located and after we described it, she told us not to worry: "I drive the ambulance and I know exactly where you are!"

The Stone House on the Hill

Last year I visited our area's general practitioner, Dr. Sophia (everyone calls her by her first name). She prescribed some medicine and she told me to return the following week. She assured me there would be no charge for the second visit - the first had only been 40 euros ($43US) -- but she cautioned, "Just drop by when you can but call first to make sure I am not out on a house call."

Kalamata street scene

A friend in the village recently had knee replacement surgery in Athens.. It was performed by an orthopedic surgeon who has an office in Kalamata, our area's metropolitan big city, an hour's drive away. In the two weeks that our friend has been home he's had a couple of house calls from his doctor who didn't want him making the trek to the doctor's office.

Humanizing Health Care

Kalamata, Greek Peloponnese

It isn't just house calls that make 'health care' different, it is the entire system of delivery.  We recently decided to have long overdue colonoscopies done by a gastroenterologist in Kalamata, who'd come highly recommended by expat friends.  

We dropped by the doctor's office saying we'd like to schedule appointments (imagine dropping by to schedule something back in the US!) and was told the doctor would call us that evening to discuss them (again, imagine that!). Sure enough, at the appointed 6 pm the doctor called. The appointments were made for two weeks later - no questions about health insurance or payment.

Street scene Kalamata

On the appointed day we appeared at the doctor's office where the procedures are performed. We were checked in together (none of that patient privacy stuff here) and as the doctor walked past he quipped in perfect English, "Who is my next victim?"   

We then met with him where he explained what the procedure would involve. He had three attendants, two nurses and one anesthesiologist.  Hooked to a heart monitor and given oxygen the procedure took about 20 minutes. Following a 30-minute rest, we -- again together -- met with the doctor to review the findings (photos displayed on his computer screen) as he explained what he had seen.  He explained that he'd removed two polyps from each of us which would be sent to Athens for biopsies. 

The cost of the procedure was 130 euros ($140US) each. The biopsies were another 50 euros ($54US) each. The procedure cost range for a colonoscopy at our Washington State Health Care provider is $1,500 - $4,500.

We received a call at 9 pm (still considered afternoon in Greece) 12 days later to tell us the results were negative.  We still need to go by the office and pick up a copy of the results - as here, the patient keeps those records.

And COVID Care. . . 

Winter brings light snow to the Taygetos near us

In February The Scout caught a cold . . .or so we thought because two lab administered rapid tests showed negative results for COVID. So, it was off to Dr. Sophia's that we went on that winter morning for a prescription for 'cold medicine'. She first administered a rapid test and he tested positive which prompted her to send us both to the medical lab down the road and for full-blown PCR tests, even though I had no symptoms.  She admonished us to tell the lab to 'go deep' on the test they administered. 

After getting the test results we were to call her but if his condition worsened before that we were to call immediately. Her business cards include her mobile number and home number.

PCR testing in our village 

Now our village laboratory is a clean, modern facility that adhered to the strictest COVID protocols which meant they came out to the car and administered tests through the open window.  We had been in many times for these tests for travel so were familiar with the technician who came out to greet us.

The Scout said, "We are the Smiths and we need two PCR tests." The technician flashed the big smile for which she is famous and said, "Yes, I knew you were coming - Dr. Sophia just called and she said she had sent you and that I need to 'go deep'!"  She did as she had been told (use your imagination). We tested positive.

Facebook Friends with my doctor and dentist- imagine that?!

Dr. Sophia participates in Clean Mani events

Another advantage of living in a small rural area is that you can be friends with your health care professionals.  Both our Dr. Sophia and our dentist, Dr. Joanna, in the village are Facebook friends of mine as they are with dozens of other patients of theirs in the village. Our Dr. Sophia is a leader in the environmental efforts here and it wouldn't be unusual to find ourselves out cleaning a beach with her. 

Being FB friends does give another avenue of communication. When scheduling an appointment with Dr. Joanna she first asked for a phone number and then said, 'Oh, never mind, if I need to reach you I'll send a message on Messenger!'  

How curiously refreshing to have a health care provider know us as who we are! No longer must we recite birth dates or other identifying numbers when we appear for an appointment.

Health care had been a major consideration when we made the move to Greece. And as with countries everywhere health care varies by region.  We feel particularly lucky to have landed in this area - where doctors still make house calls!

Sunset from our house

We hope this finds you well and send wishes for safe travels where ever you might be heading. We just returned from an island adventure and that will be the next topic I write about - hope you are back with us and bring a friend or two along!

Linking sometime soon with:

 Through My Lens

Travel Tuesday

Our World Tuesday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Friendship Friday Blog Hop

Living a Mediterranean Lifestyle

There really is a 'Mediterranean Lifestyle' and it has taken me until now to realize that we really are  living it!

Sailing under the Mediterranean Sun

Now, I am not sure I would have believed that lifestyles could be so different until we moved to Greece from our home in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, but I can assure you that our lifestyle here is a far different one than it was there. 

 Hydra Island - a place to relax

The Mediterranean lifestyle has been described as one in which we 'more consciously take our time' with all things; one in which we never complete all tasks at once. We find that being retired fits that same description and lends itself well to this new expat lifestyle in the Mediterranean region.  

As many of you know from my earlier writings, the seeds of living a Mediterranean lifestyle were planted way back when I first saw the 1964 Walt Disney movie, 'The Moon-Spinners' which was set in Greece.

Back then I only dared hope to visit Greece one day, I certainly never dreamed of living a Mediterranean lifestyle! That would have been simply beyond imagination.  

Now that we are living it, one of the nicest things about it is that everyone lives it somewhat differently. There are no set rules and guidelines. Yet, while researching this post, I laughed out loud when I found that someone has actually written a how-to-do-it- guide titled, 'Mediterranean Lifestyle for Dummies'.

Really? Do we need guidelines?

Now, really! You  don't need someone telling you how live your life once you've been inspired to strike out and live a bit differently.  I've found that a far better source guidance, at least a source of inspiration, is The Mediterranean Lifestyle Magazine, TML,  for short, as it is filled with travel, culinary and lifestyle inspiration to make you feel like you are here even if you aren't. (Being totally transparent: I do contribute articles to the publication, but I was reading it long before I was writing for them).

In fact, I think the editors, Elena and Melisa Koyunseven, have pretty much summed up our life in Greece with their Seven Principles of the Mediterranean Lifestyle: 

TML 7 principles of the Mediterranean Lifestyle

1. Eat healthily

Roadside fruit stand in early March

With an abundance of olive oil, fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables at our fingertips, literally year-round, it is easy to eat healthily in Greece.  

Fresh fruit and vegetables combine in this salad

One misconception about Greek eating is that we have a diet rich in seafood. We don't. Fish is scarce and can be costly.  Friends dining at a new taverna in the village had one member of their party order the 'fish of the day' for her meal without asking about weight or price. They were flabbergasted when the waiter brought a 2.3 kilo, or 5 pound fish on a platter and the cost for that fish was 200 euros!

Our friend, Captain Antonis and The Scout 

Thankfully we live in a fishing village and have other restaurant choices for less expensive fish, but still don't order it often. We seldom cook it at home.  Recently though we received a generous gift of an Amberjack Tuna from one of our fisherman friends, Captain Antonis.  And that made a most tasty meal.

2. Spend time with family and friends

The Scout with two of our four fur-kids

As expats we've made numerous new friends and have created a fur-family at our Stone House on the Hill. And we find time spent with family and friends is simply happiness on earth.

Friends gather for Easter dinner

Seldom does a week go by that we haven't joined friends for dinner, drinks or coffee somewhere in the village.  It seems easier - more spontaneous than in our other world - to get together, and once together we may spend hours together.  Life is less structured, less formal and moves at a much slower pace here so no need to rush through meals or get-togethers.

3. Find More Time to Relax

Princess demonstrates relaxation techniques

Again we turn to our four-footed family members as role-models in relaxation.  We follow suit as a day without a nap -- or at least an hour or two lazing around reading a book -- is almost unheard of  in this lifestyle. And we never fail to pause and enjoy our surroundings - after all, that is why we moved here!

Pausing to enjoy our surroundings

4.  Laugh often

Selfies on a walk home from the village - instant laughter

This is such an easy principle and expat life is conducive to laughing: at ourselves and our bloopers, at the difficulties of understanding a different culture, for so many reasons, and sometimes just because we are having such a good time!

Expat stories always good for laughter

5. Enjoy Life and the Simple Things in Life

These two are village harbor icons 

A morning stroll to the village, an errand that turns into an outing, watching day-to-day routines in the village ~ all add up to simple pleasures and make for a most enjoyable life.

Finding a small fresco tucked away in a church wall

6. Be Productive

Springtime trimming burn in the olive grove

Growing olives has definitely kept us productive - but we also participate in a number of volunteer activities that help the community, keep us involved in local life and assure that we are leading a somewhat productive existence here - perhaps, even more so than we were doing in our other life.

American expats impromptu beach cleanup

7. Stay physically active

Olive harvest day - off to the press to become oil

The rural lifestyle here offers endless opportunities for hiking, walking, biking, swimming and other outdoor activities. Also working in the garden and the grove definitely keeps us physically active. Olive harvest is a workout - don't ever let anyone tell you differently!

Hikes on the kalderimi - great exercise!

We often say we feel younger, maybe even more alive living where we do and being a part of this rural slice of the Greek Peloponnese.  The Mediterranean lifestyle agrees with us ~ 

How about you? Are you living the Mediterranean lifestyle where you live? How would you describe your lifestyle? Tell us in the comments below or send us an email. 

As always, thanks for being with us today and hope to see you back again soon.  And to our new subscribers, many thanks for signing up - it is great to have you with us!

Linking with:

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Our World Tuesday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Friendship Friday Blog Hop

Greek Easter ~ Back to Normal

 Easter, or Pascha, as it is called here in Greece, has finally returned with all its splendor!

I am writing on Easter Monday, the final day of nearly a week-long celebration and religious observance in our adopted country.  The week is called Megali Evdomada (Holy Week, or literally, the Big Week). 

Epitaphios, Agios Nikolaos

And what a week it has been! Why, it was . . .back to normal!  And I hate to admit it, but we had almost forgotten what a normal Easter week is like here.

In case you think I have my week's mixed up, we celebrate Orthodox Easter in Greece so the date fell a week later than Easter celebrated by other religions this year.

Our village, Agios Nikolaos, Peloponnnes

 After a two-year absence due to 2020's Covid lockdowns and last year's subsequent precautions, the magnitude of the celebrations was evident in every part of the country. Ferries, trains, planes and highways have been jam-packed since Thursday as urban dwellers headed to ancestral homes. Being a celebration even larger than Christmas, Easter is a 'together time' here and finally family and friends could be together.  

Traditions Return

Shopping needs to be done early in Easter Week

We've been expats in the Peloponnese long enough to know that any business transactions or work that needs to be done, should be completed by Wednesday of Easter week as that is the day businesses begin closing for the weekend. The observances of  the holiday are taken very seriously here; a country in which 10 million are of the Orthodox religion.

By Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday the food preparations have begun and the religious ceremonies are underway.  

Epitaphios - Kardamyli on the highway 

Good Friday - a day filled with the somber ringing of church bells - is marked by  church services and processionals through cities and towns in the evening. The flower-covered, canopied Epitaphios, similar to a funeral bier, is carried through the streets following a service in the church. It is a somber, moving processional. A Greek friend nailed it when she said, 'Even if you don't believe in anything, you will be touched.' 

Good Friday - a somber celebration

The Easter service celebrating the Resurrection takes place Saturday evening, near midnight.  Candles are lit and the call, 'Cristos Anesti' (Christ is Risen) rings out.  It is a greeting that continues throughout the holiday weekend as that is how you greet friends and acquaintances. They reply, 'Alithos Anesti!' (Truly, He is Risen). 

Candles are lit - fireworks erupts over the harbor

The Holy Flame from which these candles are symbolically lit comes from the Holy Fire, a miracle that occurs at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem every year on Holy Saturday. A portion of that Fire is quite literally transported by plane from there to Athens where it is further divided and sent on planes to destinations within the country to be used in the Saturday night ceremonies. I couldn't help but chuckle when I read news reports that the flame arrived two hours late this year - due to Covid protocols prior to takeoff. That pesky Covid continues to make itself known!

Breaking the Fast

Our Easter feast is roasting

Sunday is feast day throughout the land as it officially ends the 40-day Lenten fasting. It is on this day families and friends fill restaurants to overflowing or gather for traditional lamb roasting and feasting in private homes. We've celebrated the day at restaurants in the past BC (Before Covid) but this year were treated to experiencing the event at the home of friends. The gathering included Greeks, English, Americans and Swiss.

By mid-morning the lamb had gone onto the spit. For those wondering why Greeks always roast a lamb it is because it represents Christ, the Holy Lamb of God.

Red-dyed eggs an Easter tradition in Greece

We had Greek music and Greek dancing (lessons for many of us, myself included), we broke the traditional red-dyed eggs, which symbolize the blood of Christ and the cracking of shells, His Resurrection. 

An Easter feast to remember

We ate home-cooked cheese pies, stuffed, roasted peppers, oven-roasted potatoes, tzatziki, beet salad, cheeses, breads and desserts too many to list.

The Weather Gods shown down on the celebration with temperatures in the high 70's, and blue skies overhead.

Reports from all sectors are that Greece is learning to live with Covid (it helps that our case numbers are dropping dramatically). If this is learning to live with it, I am all for it!

A gathering of family and friends on Easter

I often hashtag posts about life in Greece on Instagram and Facebook as #blessed.  Some days bring that feeling to life more strongly than others.  Easter this year, I believe, has made us all feel blessed and most thankful that Greece is righting itself after the Covid upset, and that we are able to gather with friends and family once again! 

That is it for this week.  We send wishes for safe travels to you and yours. And a big welcome to our new subscribers! Thanks for your time with us today.  Hope to see you next week - bring a friend or two with you!

Linking soon with:

Through My Lens

Travel Tuesday

Our World Tuesday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Friendship Friday Blog Hop