{"id":12201,"date":"2019-06-23T09:38:13","date_gmt":"2019-06-23T01:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=12201"},"modified":"2024-01-03T13:11:25","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T21:11:25","slug":"american-expats-move-abroad-to-southern-greece","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=12201","title":{"rendered":"American Expats Move Abroad to southern Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

Moving to the Stone House on the Hill<\/span><\/h1>\n
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Taverna owner, Stathi, displays the night\u2019s meze (appie) selections, to be eaten before the main meal is served. Two people can eat for less than 20 Euros.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Living the Expat Life on Greece\u2019s Peloponnese<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n

Jackie Humphries Smith <\/strong>shares a rare retirement story of how she and her husband, Joel, moved from Seattle, Washington to the Greek Peloponnese to grow olives. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are copyright to the author.<\/p>\n

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Men from the village gather at the Kafenio to sip Greek coffees and share the news of the day. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The men seated outside the Kafenio<\/em> near the harbor sipped those infamously strong Greek coffees, passing time together in this small fishing village as they\u2019d likely done for years. The click clack of their komboloi<\/em>, worry beads, beat a rhythm as we walked past on a spring morning.<\/p>\n

Lunching nearby, the caf\u00e9\u2019s atmosphere was enlivened by the laughter and conversation of cappuccino-sipping English-speaking customers; obviously residents given the topics we overheard.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d happened upon this village nine years ago in the heart of Kalamata olive country while on a multi-day road trip through the Greek Peloponnese – that land mass to the southwest of Athens that looks like a misshapen hand reaching into the Mediterranean Sea.<\/p>\n

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The morning\u2019s catch arrives in the village harbor of Agios Nikolaos. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My husband, Joel, was ready for a break from the tiny rental car he was navigating over the narrow, winding \u2018highway\u2019. Our decision to stop, purely random. Had someone told us then that we\u2019d live there one day, we\u2019d have laughed.<\/p>\n

We lingered over tuna sandwiches, watching everyday activities in the village and its harbor. As we left, Joel off-handedly remarked, \u2018If we ever got serious about moving to Greece, this place might be a possibility.\u2019<\/p>\n

We\u2019d traveled to other European countries, but Greece was the one that kept bringing us back. Our focus that trip was The Mani, as this vast, arid, wind-swept area of the Peloponnese is known. It is a geographical and cultural region in southern Greece that is home to the Maniots, who claim descendancy from the ancient Dorians and Spartans. One visit wasn\u2019t enough for us; we returned that fall and the following spring.<\/p>\n

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The Smith\u2019s Stone House on the Hill (left with car at back) overlooks olive orchards, two seaside villages and the Messinian Bay. <\/em>\u00a9Peter Coroneos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In December 2014 we purchased a home and its 17-tree olive grove on a hillside overlooking that village where we\u2019d lingered over lunch, Agios Nikolaos<\/em> (Saint Nicholas).<\/p>\n

Our tourist visa\u2019s 90-day stays soon felt too short, prompting us – at ages 64 and 68 – to seek Greek residency permits. Once those wallet-sized cards were in hand, we sold our home of 30 years in the Seattle, Washington suburbs and in October 2017 became full-time expats.<\/p>\n

Growing Olives Instead of Growing Old<\/h2>\n

The reaction by many close family and friends was disbelief \u2013 from a few, it was outright disapproval. After all, they reasoned, we were retired white-collar professionals, living a comfortable life in one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Why would we want more<\/em>?<\/p>\n

What we wanted was less: traffic and taxes, population and politics. We wanted to live differently <\/em>by focusing on growing olives instead of on growing old.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say we didn\u2019t consider our ages and health. We also pondered our ability to adapt to a new culture and village life in a sparsely populated agricultural area. Our bottom line: we weren\u2019t getting any younger, it was time to give it a try!<\/p>\n

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Students dress in traditional Mani outfits for Independence Day celebrations and often perform traditional dances. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Living Differently<\/h2>\n

Traffic slowdowns these days are caused by sheep or goat herds, maybe a cow crossing the road. Population swells occur from May to September when European tourists flock to the area\u2019s villages and beaches, raising numbers from a few hundred year-round residents to a few thousand individuals.<\/p>\n

Our cost-of-living has dropped dramatically. A multi-course dinner at a village taverna with a miso kilo<\/em> (half liter) of wine averages 20 Euros (US$22) or less for the two of us. A cappuccino served in a cup with cookie on the saucer is 3 Euros. Annual Greek health insurance premiums for the two of us cost 300 Euros (US$334). Our property taxes dropped from $9,000 a year in the U.S. to less than US$400 here. We do pay more for gasoline, roughly 1.60 Euros (US$1.81) per liter or US$8 a gallon.<\/p>\n

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Langada, a hill village 20 minutes from our home, dates back to the reign of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 161 to 180), when Romans captured this region. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The autopilot of our retired life\u2019s routines has been shut off. Adapting to a new culture and lifestyle has required stretching our brains and changing our behaviors. English is generally spoken. When it isn\u2019t, Google Translate <\/em>or pantomime get us over any communication hurdle. \u2018Speaking Greek\u2019 means uttering a word or phrase, maybe one day, a full sentence. The Metric system is used for temperatures and measurements. Our currency is the Euro.<\/p>\n

We are more self-reliant here than in the U.S. There\u2019s no curb-side service for garbage removal \u2013 we take ours to community bins in the village. We fill our bottles with potable water from faucets in the villages. We shop at grocery stores in the area yet buy fruit and vegetables from vendors who travel between villages selling from the back of their trucks. Letters and parcels (including Amazon orders) are delivered once a week to a caf\u00e9 in the village. There they remain until we pick them up.<\/p>\n

The Stone House on the Hill<\/h2>\n

The road on which we live has no name; therefore, we have no street address. Directions are simple, \u201clook for the house with the red gate on the road to Platsa (the village just above us).\u201d<\/p>\n

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The islet where legend says Helen of Troy was born is just below our home. The Mani tower on the bluff dates back to 1795. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From our three-bedroom, two-bath home \u2013 The Stone House on the Hill<\/em> as it\u2019s called — our view stretches 180-degrees from the Taygetos Mountains over a valley carpeted with olive groves and across the Messinian Bay. Legend has it that the islet in the harbor below us is Helen of Troy\u2019s birthplace. On the bluff overlooking the harbor stands a pyrgos <\/em>(tower), dating back to 1795, once used for defense. Only a few hundred of these Mani icons remain. Some have been converted to houses or tourist accommodations, others are deteriorating. They are vivid reminders of a time when pirates plied the sea, invaders roamed the land and you were likely involved in a feud with your neighbor.<\/p>\n

Our modern appliances — a stove, microwave, refrigerator, and washing machine — contrast with towel drying dishes and hanging clothes on the line to dry. We don\u2019t have a television, but the internet provides world news and entertainment. We frequently socialize with friends and are finally reading all those books we never had time for before.<\/p>\n

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Expats and visitors join in the New Orleans style parade that kicks off the Annual Kardamyli Jazz Festival. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Faith, Festivals and Fun<\/h2>\n

With 90 percent of the population being Greek Orthodox, the Church plays a large role in village life. Pascha <\/em>(Easter) outranks Christmas and our villages swell with Greeks returning to their roots to participate in activities during Megali Evdomada<\/em>, Holy Week, preceding Pascha<\/em>. January\u2019s Blessing of the Water draws dozens of villagers to the harbor. We have two Independence Days, one in the spring and one in the fall, with parades and performances for both.<\/p>\n

In nearby Stoupa village, a September celebration honors author Nikos Kazantzakis, who lived there in the 1920\u2019s, unsuccessfully running a lignite (soft low-grade coal) mine with George Zorbas. That experience gave rise to his book, Zorba the Greek<\/em>. In nearby Kardamyli village, a modern-day jazz festival each May draws hundreds of jazz fans from throughout Europe.<\/p>\n

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Historic cobble stone roads or kalderimi make enticing walking routes between villages, especially with spring flowers in bloom. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Outdoor activities range from hiking and biking, to kayaking and swimming. We often take day trips to explore villages \u2013 so many we will never get to them all. There is nothing better than walking between them on an ancient kalderimi, the original stone roads built for donkey carts. In some areas asphalt roads didn\u2019t replace kalderimis until the 1960\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Season of the Olive<\/h2>\n

The seasons of our life are now defined by olives. We, like others in the area, grow Koroneiki<\/em> olives, small fruits with a high ratio of skin to flesh, perfect for making emerald green olive oil. The larger, Kalamata olive is also grown here and called \u2018the salad olive\u2019. Trees bloom in the spring. By late May olives are forming. Harvest begins around the Feast Day of Agios Dimitrio<\/em>s (Saint Dimitri), October 26th and continues through January.<\/p>\n

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Olive harvest at The Stone House on the Hill involves paid and volunteer help. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Harvest, done by hand, is still a mom-and-pop operation. Olives are beaten from branches and gathered from nets on the ground. Too much for the two of us, we enlist paid and volunteer help. Then we watch our harvest transformed into oil at the local press.<\/p>\n

Now, approaching our fifth harvest, we\u2019ll admit it is some of the hardest work we\u2019ve ever done. It is also the most rewarding. We really are focused on growing olives, instead of on growing old.<\/p>\n

Follow Up Facts<\/span>Greece:<\/strong> is a Schengen country allowing tourist stays of up to 90 days every six months. Penalties for over-stays can be severe. Info: www.schengenvisainfo.com<\/a> Getting There:<\/strong> Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos is the country\u2019s gateway airport. Several European airlines also fly into the airport at Kalamata, the capital of Messinias Mani, from early April until late October. Driving from Athens to The Mani is 3.5 to 4 hours on a modern four-lane, divided toll road. From Kalamata to our villages, the \u2018highway\u2019 is two-lane, drive time an hour.<\/span> Living in Greece:<\/strong> For information on the process of obtaining a residency permit, contact the nearest Greek Consulate. The application process for a Financially Independent Residency Permit<\/em> is lengthy and costly. It begins with a face-to-face interview at the Consulate. They will advise on the documentation dealing with health, wealth and other topics that you will need to present during the interview and again later to the Greek Immigration authorities.<\/span> Recommended Reading:<\/strong> Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese<\/em> (1958) by English writer Patrick Leigh Fermor and News from the Village: Aegean Friends<\/em> (2010) by American poet David Mason. Both lived in The Mani.<\/span> Other recommended Moving Abroad feature articles in our Travel Article Library:<\/strong> \u201cTips for Moving Abroad to southern Spain<\/a>\u201d, and \u201cLiving Abroad in Costa Rica<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The author explores an ancient Greek church. <\/em>\u00a9Karen McCann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Formerly a regular contributor to The Seattle Times<\/em>, Jackie Humphries Smith<\/strong> is a freelance travel writer who tells tales of world travels and life as an expat in Greece on her TravelnWrite<\/strong>, www.travelnwrite.com<\/a> blog and TravelnWrite<\/strong> Facebook page. She is writing a book about expat life in Greece. Jackie \u201cThe Scribe\u201d shares the expat adventure of moving to Greece with \u201cThe Scout\u201d her husband Joel, who scouts out travel deals and destinations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Moving to the Stone House on the Hill Living the Expat Life on Greece\u2019s Peloponnese Jackie Humphries Smith shares a rare retirement story of how she and her husband, Joel, moved from Seattle, Washington to the Greek Peloponnese to grow olives. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are copyright to the author. The men seated outside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12201"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15092,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12201\/revisions\/15092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}