Is home girl really going to talk about Greek football? Help us.

Growing up in America, football was a sport in which I held NFL season tickets, and soccer was an unknown sport with a black-and-white ball.

I then did an extensive European trek in winter 1997 and reprogrammed myself to say ‘football’ — a word that the rest of the world recognizes as not just a game, but a religion by which some fans literally live or die with impassioned fervor.

My first fervor

My limited Greek language skills prevented me from saying Panathinaikos the first year, so I just called them the green team, much like I called Olympiakos the red team. Weak, I know. Football slowly forced its way into my life over the years, as most of my friends are men, though I have no loyalty to any team, cannot quote hard stats and have never painted my face. My association with the three-leaf clover is accidental.

Tinos had two tickets to see Panathinaikos vs. Aris at the stadium on Alexandras, and I volunteered to go since his buddies had previous commitments, and he didn’t want to go alone. For me, it was the day I realized I owned nothing green and coins could be weapons. For him, it was a chance to see a team he loved and recapture a childhood spent attending games with his grandfather.

I was tricked into believing Aris’ colors were “red and blue,” so I avoided those colors and put on black. Of course, I discovered Aris’ colors are black and yellow once inside the stadium, and cursing and slapping Tinos only made him laugh harder about the possibility of me being lynched if Panathinaikos lost. At least we weren’t sitting in the G13 cage.

The most memorable thing about that game was seeing Tinos get both stoked and sentimental about the whole experience — the charm of a crumbling stadium, makeshift carts with burning hot dogs, fans cursing various mothers, the raw mania of G13, seats that made our asses hurt, memories of his grandfather. At one point, he got choked up and I with him.

It may sound ridiculous, but a part of me saw how love for football could spill over to life, and our friendship grew stronger because of it. Or maybe we were high on the tireless, infectious energy of G13 singing my favorite PAO song.

Oxi, den einai to horto magiko!

Trifilara s’agapo
Kai pantou s’akoloutho
Giati eisai i zoi mou!
I anapnoi mou!
Kai gia sena tragoudo.

Pao leo leo leeeeeey
Pao leo leo leeeeeey
Pao leo leo
Pao leo leo
Pao leo leo leeeeeey

(Repeat infinitely, while shirtless and beating a drum)

See you at Nou

Years later, a bunch of friends asked if I wanted to attend an away game when Panathinaikos played Barcelona. I think they sometimes forget I’m a woman because it was going to be me and four men sharing a plane ride, a 3-bedroom apartment and one bathroom. They didn’t forget, however, that I could speak Spanish.

So off we went for four days and three nights. Oy. It’s when you spend continuous blocks of time with people that you really get to know them, and I realized I brought all the ills of Athens with me. It was like we weren’t in Spain.

The majority smoked, talked on the phone (which they regretted upon seeing the bill), ate only Greek food and McDonald’s, smoked some more, drank coffee and absolutely refused to try any local food or see Gaudi sprinkled around the city. After all, they were only there to buy BCN jerseys and see the game.

On game night, the guys gussied me up in green and we entered an empty stadium three hours in advance, a measure to protect ‘away’ team fans from clashes with hooligans. Police escorted us to our seats, just as they would take us out an hour after Camp Nou was deserted and BCN fans were gone. We were few, but of course we were loud. Unfortunately, we were not more clever than die-hard BCN fans who came armed with banners bearing insults written in Greek.

I called Tinos at home in Boston to let him know he was there with me because although Panathinaikos was not victorious, lingering memories of our first game together still made the moment glorious.

Miss you, T.

A shout out to the cool guys at www.greeksoccer.com, where I’m fortunate to have a few fans.

Those who have attempted race cycling in Greece or just taken a short ride to work know that this country can be a bit bike unfriendly, even though the weather is perfect for such sport.

Cycling, in general, is a solution to big city ills like congestion and pollution in European countries — Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy and the UK, to name a few — and a practical and social infrastructure exists to support and encourage it. When Lance Armstrong garnered seven consecutive Tour de France wins, its popularity in many countries exploded.

Greece is another story. Bikes are only allowed on public transport during non-commute hours (a few months ago, not at all), there are no racks on buses, rules that protect riders are ignored, and the rare bike lane abruptly ends or is often occupied by parked cars.

A woman I know was inspired to start race cycling. When you consider the sport is dominated by men, a good bike and its necessary gear are overpriced in Greece compared to other countries and legitimate coaches are hard to find, this was no small or inexpensive feat. None of her female friends wanted to join, and the men she knew were far more conditioned, so she went solo.

Training four days a week, she endured Athenian traffic, roads with no bike lanes, pollution, lots of close calls with drivers claiming ignorance, packs of unleashed dogs chasing her down the street, and the constant harassment of men of all ages winding down the car window to yell vulgar things, throw garbage and grab her a$$. But she had a goal and stuck to it.

So what changed her mind after a year? On an afternoon ride, some guys were following and taunting her with insults that she ignored. Her ability to block them out and continue only made them more angry, so they threw water in her face. Again she shook it off and continued. Then they took the car and bumped her bike, causing her to tumble head first into a ditch and break her arm with the bike laying on top of her. After laying unconscious for some minutes, she woke up, called someone to pick her up and vowed to never cycle again.

Is this a story about why it’s dangerous for women to cycle? Absolutely not. Men endure similar treatment.

My fiance is on a cycling team in Athens, races competitively at various locations around Greece from March to October, has an Australian coach and trains five days a week. We purchased and shipped his brand name carbon frame from California because it was literally half the price in comparison to anywhere in Greece.

He takes one water bottle for rehydrating and one for squirting dogs in the face when they chase him, keeps one ear iPod-free to hear danger approaching and rides with friends when/if their customized training programs somewhat mesh in regards to target heart rate, training length and type.

At races arranged in cooperation with the municipality’s mayor in exchange for money from the cycling federation, police escorts ditch them to get coffee, cars don’t obey roadblocks and graze riders, spectators pelt them with coins and food, and there are often no doctors or safety personnel for the duration of the race. After the race, which can be as much as 200 km, there is no water. So why do they do it? Beautiful weather, challenge, companionship and it’s great exercise! This is as good as it gets.

Today, like every day of every year, my fiance was out training and had a close call with a driver who didn’t see him. But this time was different because she actually hit him.

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been because he was able to react quickly and avoid a full-on collision that would have put him in the hospital and caused considerable damage to his bike. He only needed a few stitches, suffered a few bruises, and his bike mechanic was able to align both of his 600-euro rims after one hour’s work.

Ironically, today is the name day of Christoforos, the patron saint of driving. Let’s make the roads safer for everyone and drive safely.

Interested in cycling in Greece?

I can recommend the following:

www.cyclist.gr - A shop with reasonable (almost cheap) prices, run by nice guys
www.pepa.gr - Men’s club divided into categories, organizing annual races
www.poli-podilato.gr - Cycling site in Greek providing general information
www.cyclist-friends.gr (In English) - For English-speaking friends in Greece or visitors to Greece with a bike

Finding a coach is a uniquely personal choice depending on goals and rapport. Current cycling information for women is an area I need to research since I no longer cycle in Greece for personal reasons.

For related stories, see “Athens” or “Sports.”

My Greek friends tell me, “think of the way the rest of the world does it, and the opposite is true here.” This is the answer I’d get when asking ‘why?’

A very kind and wise yiayia offered me another explanation after tapping me on the shoulder and gesturing in the air as if pointing to a prize behind a curtain; she said, “Ellada.” Hearing this answer and finding none of my own logic, which my friends constantly remind me is a Greek word, I stopped asking ‘why?’ and simply accepted. It’s a more peaceful and sane way to live life.

Some examples:

1. Cell phones
- In the USA, you can roam freely in other countries if you have a subscription (syndesi), make and receive calls, send and receive sms; you cannot roam abroad with a prepaid card phone (some USA telecoms let you roam a nearby country, i.e. Mexico, but not Europe).
- In Greece, you can roam freely in other countries only if you pay a substantial deposit (usually 450 euros) or ask special permission with a subscription (syndesi); you can roam freely, receive calls and send/receive sms if you have a prepaid card phone.

2. Justice system
- In America, and probably most other countries, a lower court decision can only be overturned by a higher court (i.e. Supreme).
- In Greece, lower administrative courts can overturn higher court rulings.

3. Bulk pricing
- In America, and most of the 35 other countries I visited, retailers give a discount to consumers that purchase a larger quantity of the same item to reward them for not only buying more, but saving the cost of packaging.
- In Greece, on many products (not all), I can buy 2 x 250 g much cheaper than purchasing a single 500 g product.

4. Petrol
- In most of the world, when the price per barrel decreases, petrol/gas also decreases.
- In Greece, when the price per barrel decreases, petrol/gas stays the same or increases in price.

5. IKEA
- In most of the world, IKEA is regarded as a cheap furniture option with questionable quality.
- In Greece, IKEA is considered by many to be trendy and good quality (Note: I say nothing about price because it’s actually 20-100% more expensive here for the same item in comparison to other countries).

6. Football
- In most of the world, the home team wears their colors proudly and the visiting team wears their boring white jerseys.
- In Greece, from what I’ve seen on TV and live on the pitch, the home team wears their boring white jerseys and the visiting team wears their colors. (Filoxenia?)

7. Passports
- In America and most of the world, the photo, vital details and biometrics are located in the front of the passport.
- In Greece, they’re in the back.

8. Door keys
- In America and many other countries, the teeth of keys face up when inserted in a lock.
- In Greece, and in some other countries I’ve seen, the teeth face downward.

9. Beef
- In America and most of the world, beef that has been cut into pieces is called beef strips.
- In Greece, beef that has been cut into pieces is labeled “Chinese.”

10. Jobs
- In America and most of the world, the best job candidates have a university degree, extensive experience and skills, are interviewed and usually hired.
- In Greece, the best job candidates are those who are connected, unproductive or easily controlled. Those with a university degree, extensive experience and skills are seen as a threat or liability because they will demand (and deserve) higher pay, be less willing to tolerate abuses ($exual advances, no IKA, free overtime, added responsibility) and are more likely to file a complaint at the epitheorisi.

11. Parental importance
- In America, banks and other companies will ask for your mother’s maiden name for identification purposes and as a security measure.
- In Greece, the first name of your father is normally the only name requested and carries a lot more weight for identification purposes.

12. Father Christmas
- In many nations, Father Christmas or Santa Claus is St. Nicholas because he was the patron saint of children and a notorious secret gift giver
- In Greece, Father Christmas is St. Basil (Ag. Vassili) even though he was a slim, pious theologian and patron saint of education, and has nothing to do with children or gift giving.

Anyone with different information is welcome to corrrect me, though I suppose there are different versions and exceptions for everyone. As the yiayia would say, “Ellada.”

13. Renovations
- In the majority of countries, renovations and improvements to public transport, museums and major streets are scheduled and done in winter to inconvenience less tourists and residents in off season. 
- In Greece, renovations and upgrades are scheduled for summer because it is interpreted as less of a hassle for commuters. It does not take 10 million tourists visiting in high season, repeat visits and income (current and future) generated from this into account, even though tourism is Ellada’s primary industry.

Related posts

For related articles, see “Personal.”