Her love for Greece is one of the driving forces behind Georgia's actions and decisions. She does miss some things about the UK but her expat life in Perdika is filled with various activities. Here she shows the different sides of rural living in Greece and gives some advice on things to keep in mind before going to live there.	Georgia Lachanidou

-Where were you born?
UK

-In which country and city are you living now?
Perdika, Thesprotia, Greece

-Are you living alone or with your family?
With my family

-How long have you been living in Greece?
12 years

-What is your age?
36

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Greece?
I decided to live in Greece after finishing University. The decision was based on the fact that my father was from Greece, and something had always drawn me to the country.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Working was not difficult, although there was a lot of red tape at the time, and a long waiting list to have my degree accepted by the State.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No. Medical insurance is paid immediately by your insurer. Nowadays, as the European regulations set in, it is even easier.

-How do you make your living in Greece? Do you have any type of income generated?
When I first arrived in Greece, the opportunities were limited, but my knowledge of Greek was my main tool. I detected a gap in the market of language teaching, and decided to teach English. Having done an English teaching course, this was not difficult, but Greece was a country, and still is, of who-you-know, and not what-you-know, so moving upward in any field, is always very difficult and time consuming. My initial degree is in Business Studies, but the lack of companies, especially privately owned, does not help any students in this field.

-Do you speak Greek and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak the local language, and I feel it is very important, especially when living in a rural area and more so when you have children. Greek is a considerably difficult language and has few similarities to any other language. Also the laws, and regulations in the country differ enormously to those I was used to, so the need to comprehend everything was a must when I first came here.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Well, I must say that I do miss the UK. I miss the organisation, and the opportunities given to people at any level, with whatever knowledge they have. Living in a village, I have become accustomed to creating recreational activities, rather than partaking in them. Although there is a lot to do in the summer, as the beaches are just minutes away, to do things like bowling, or going to the cinema, you tend to have to drive for an hour or two.

I love music, so singing and dancing take up a lot of my time, and to relax...well I write short stories, novels, and...of course...my blog.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I'm not sure whether I have plans or dreams. My love for this area has been the reasoning behind lots of my decisions, good and bad, and I feel the need to let the world know about the smaller, lesser known areas of Greece.

As far as business is concerned, I feel that I have reached a standstill in what I am currently doing, and I have a strong urge to change direction, so maybe change is in the air.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I have rented a home since coming to live in Greece, although building, not buying, is the other main option in this area. I pay around 350 euros per month for a three-bedroom apartment.

-What is the cost of living in Greece?
Since the euro came into force everything has become a lot more expensive. An average family needs about 1000-1500 euros per month including extra curricular activities for the children.

-What do you think about the Greeks?
The locals here are used to foreign visitors, and on the whole they are very hospitable. Over the past few years, the younger generation has improved the relationships between locals and foreigners, and of course foreign language schools have aided in this.

Also, many of the villagers have either been immigrants, or have families who are still living abroad. Add this to the fact that the local people themselves moved to this area from other parts of Greece in the early 1900's, you find that this is quite a cosmopolitan village.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Greece?
There are many positive aspects. Greece is rich in history, natural beauty, and culture and its people like to live life to the fullest. Being a land of sand, sea, and sun definitely gives it an advantage over many other places.

However, there are also negative aspects, which include the bureaucracy, a sense of irresponsibility and something which I mentioned earlier, living and working based on "who you know."

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Greece?
I think that my main tip, especially for women, is to be confident about who you are, and always be aware of what is going on around you. Something I would also strongly recommend is finding out all you can about an area before moving there. Things like public transport, rent, etc. Also, before working in Greece, be sure to know about health plans and insurance and of course, learn Greek...it will be a useful tool.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Greece?
Of course, my site: It's All Greek to Me
This Is Not My Country is a site I frequently visit.