E-BOOK: Migration Biographies - Europe on the move December 2020 | Page 80

Programme Erasmus + Europe on the move : Migration Biographies Interviews
Question : Where are your parents from ?
THEODOSIS
Theodosis : They are from Central and West macedonia . I ’ m from Thessaloniki and my grandparents are refugees from Asia minor .
Q : And why did you come here ? Th : When I finished my studies in Greece , I came here to Germany . Q : Would you like to go back to Greece ?
Th : No . I chose to live here . I like Germany . When I came here for the first time , I was not happy , but after a break for my military service , my desire to live here appeared again . Germany is like my second home and I consider that it is very comfortable , for a greek to live here . But , not alone , with a family , like me .
Q : Do you prefer greek german lifestyle ?
Th : I think that , everyone chooses in his life to do whatever he wants . I like this combination of the one and the other mentality . It is a kind of cultural choice .
Q : What do you miss most from Greece when you are in Germany ?
Th : It ’ s a good question . I miss the blue color and the sun . The sky and the sea , the beautiful places and the “ warmth ” of people , of relatives , of friends , of all the people that i cherish in greece and also the natural beauties . Because the weather here isn ’ t so good , as it is in Greece . sometimes in my life I dream of being there .
Q : What do you miss from Germany when you are in Greece ?
Th : When i am in Greece , I miss the way that germans lead their lives and face situations and in general the fact that they are very methodical and very scientifically trained and know all the ways to come up against the difficulties in their lives . This is their advantage . The greeks also have it , but the germans are more flexible . … Maria ’ s previous answer was different from my answer because she has been here for only 4 years , whereas I have been living here for about 15 years . She considers other things more important and here is the “ large ” difference . When you live abroad , you learn to appreciate the advantage of each country . … I want to say that , 15 years ago , when I came here for the first time , this behavior , when meeting the elderly was not existing . This is because the mentality of Munich citizens has changed . It is not the same as it was . Nevertheless i also often notice what Maria says . Unfortunately , what she said for Greece is true . But what differentiates greeks is that they manage to work in the existing chaos . Instead of germans , who , when there is a mess , they don ’ t manage to work . They want to have organized structures and systems . Greeks are very flexible , and they can create so much with a few things , a fact which really impresses the germans
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