Question for the Athenians?

Question

OK,I need to have an issue explained by the locals since it bothers me for long now:
I've been to Athens a few times in passing.My everyday contact with the locals was not memorable, to say the least.The taxi drivers overinflated their prices to me, they would not point the hotel I was looking for,(which was only one block away),and were inconsiderate.The bus money collector (ispractoras) was rude and aggravated with a simple question we asked. Cashiers in Acropolis did not bother to explain they were closing in 30 minutes after we bought the tickets, even the person on the kiosk outside Acropolis was rude,trying to sell warm water! And so on..
I am thinking if this is the image we show to the tourists, it 'd be a shame if they form the wrong idea of Greeks and Greece.Was the attitude I saw there the rule or the exception?
What in your opinion should be done to ease this problem?
And what is done so far about it?
Thank you

I don't think that the cashier in Acropolis should not mention the closing time, eventhought it was posted, since tourists like myself are looking for the entrance and not closing signs.
I'd hate to think that Greeks will try to justify this "unusual phenomenon" of rude behavior.I am not talking only about cab drivers here, it was pretty much everybody.
FYI I had totally opposite impresion of people while traveling in other Mediteranean countries.
With all fairness I should add that Athenians are the exception of unhospitable people in Greece and not the rule, as anywhere else we visited we were treated fairly well by the locals

Bus money collector=bus driver nowadays.It was the bus driver who was also collecting the bus fare. Whoever he was, he was very VERY rude.
Do you dispute my statement? Do you have better experience with the bus driver/money collector?
If you do, I'd be happy to hear it

Answer 1

This is a universal problem seen in all big cities. But since Greece mainly depends on tourism and we have the reputation of being generally hospitable, I agree that the Greek government should do something more pro active about it.
This is not about seeing the glass half empty or half full or that people in UK are more hospitable than Greeks since there is nothing further than the truth.
I also refuse to think that ruddiness is the local color of Greeks
It's simply accepting our flaws and trying to correct them.
Most of the stories mentioned above should be easily prevented if people had a friendly attitude towards foreigners (or even their fellow compatriots)and being more humane in general and more appreciative to the people who help them put food on their table, the tourists.
As I always like to say:"The biggest and most important thing we can give in Greece pretty much doesn't cost Greeks a cent and brings them a fortune in return".
A smile and a positive and helpful attitude costs nothing, yet the returns are great.
Please keep in mind, for the Greeks it may be another hectic day in a hectic city. For the unaware tourist who faces their rude comments it may have been "the trip and the memories" of a life time.
Please make sure they leave the country with the best memories for the birthplace of filoxenia and its people.

Answer 2

I am Belgian, not Athenian, but like you, I have been there several times.
Why have we been there?
Me many times since 1992 for business & pleasure & holidays and recently as a tourist last year from 24/12/2006 till 1/1/2007.
Why do I feel that I will be back.. accepting the negative points you are rightfully introducing into the forum..
Because it is a city full off kicking people & experiences.. nothing to be a shame off.. loose yourselve in the city and enjoy the unique spirit.
http://travel.webshots.com/album/556755343odNVmW

Answer 3

It is a matter of seeing the glass half-empty (remember just the disappointing events) or half-full (remember just the good events) or just half (remember both good and bad events)
The truth is that Greeks when it comes to work are not really professionals. It is a matter of good relations with their managers and/or employees.
So when someone who works in a bus knows that no-one will check on him and all he has to do is be nice when a manager is around, does not really care about being polite.
Also keep in mind that people in Athens tend to be more rude year after year. So it is shameful that they do NOT give the wrong image.
What is done for this is filling up Athens with posters about people being nice to tourists.
I feel that tourists see this as a part of couleur locale.

Answer 4

Without a lengthy dissertation on the matter, Athenians are not very different from any other huge metropolis denizens.
The inhospitability is a result of a common infliction of large urban areas. People live like animals in big cities and they behave that way. Have you ever been to New York? Mexico City? Los Angeles? Tokyo? Have you ever seen anyone there smile?
PS I despise big cities. They do not offer a natural way of living and life.

Answer 5

Bus collector? When were you in Greece last? There is no money collector in urban buses for the last 20 years or more!
Cashiers in archaeological sites usually point out that they will be closing if you are there just a little bit earlier, but there are also signs with the opening times.
People outside archaeological sites trying to sell things are by definition people who want to swindle tourists off their money, so don't expect anything better from them.
Taxi drivers are awful everywhere to tourists. I am not saying this to justify them or Greece, but it is a fact. I have been swindled twice in England, once by a black cab, and a friend of mine was completely cheated by a taxi driver in Germany. And I also hate most taxi drivers in Greece, but some are decent.
My point is that what you are saying is probably true, and I would have some more incidents of rudeness to tourists to add to that, and many incidents of rudeness towards non-tourists, which is also bad. It's not just tourists to whom we should be polite, but our fellow citizens too. But the only thing that can make the situation better is a civilian education to people, that starts at home, at school, etc., not something especially towards tourists.

Answer 6

Well, not all Greeks are like that. However there are no bus money collectors in Athens during the past 30 years or so. When did you go?

Answer 7

Well, finally I have found someone that feels the way I do!! I absolutely LOVE Athens in some ways.... But on the other hand I HATE it, too. When I go to Greece, I just can't wait to get to Athens...and then when I'm there, I can't wait to leave! When I was there this past summer I had two experiences that I will remember for always (and they are not good ones.) At the airport, after purchasing a book and 2 magazines from a magazine stand, I asked the salesgirl if she could tell me where there was a public phone. Her answer was "This isn't an information booth...look for the signs, that's what they are there for." That wasn't so bad.....even though talking like that in my country will get u fired in about 2 minutes. The real nightmare was when I took a taxi from one hotel to go to another.....and the driver decided shortly after our departure that the fare was too short. He rolled down his window and asked another driver to take me, but he refused to. So what did the driver do? He asked me to get out and find another cab, because the distance was too short and he had been waiting for so long, that he wouldn't make enough.........so he let me out in the middle of Syngrou Avenue during rush hour!!!!! Try doing that here and you'll lose your job in 2 SECONDS! There are at least a dozen other examples of rudeness I encountered in my 3 days there...

Answer 8

Spartan. i might fairly be a warrior than a logician. Sparta grow to be no longer brutish, it grow to be solid. regrettably, maximum of their lore grow to be orally transmitted, and to that end has been misplaced, however the Spartans have been very solid in the two song and poetry, clever in history, and did no longer in any way overlook the recommendations. The recommendations and the physique form an solidarity in Spartan philosophy.

Answer 9

Because the Good people that treat you like this in Present day Greece are good Christian people who Get their Spirit and Inspirations from the Good lord of Jehovah !!

Answer 10

I've lost count of taxis I've been thrown out of in Athens! One even had his clock going twice as fast (I made the journey daily and I knew the price) I told him instead of taking me to the place I wanted - to take both of us to the police station instead! He soon switched the clock off!

Athenians working in places where they have to have a friendly attitude especailly to tourists seem to be the opposite! I went to UK in Oct - I bought some magazines (I'm sure this is the same girl as the other answerer met) and hubby and eldest daughter plonked themselves in the 'massage chairs' and shouted to me to get 2 2 euros - I told the sales girl and she said this is not a change bureau - but me being the ***** I am told her to give them me .... or else ....(words similar) She did with a sour look - to which I made a comment (which is too rude to type here) I do not take any 'back chat from anyone who is supposed to be serving me!

In UK hubby found himself without a £1 coin twice while using lockers at Centreparc - twice he was GIVEN a £1 by strangers - we were then at a bus stop to get to my sisters and her bus service has the 'right change' system - so we were scatting up coins - I realised we didn't have enough and told hubby (jokingly) he could walk - a woman heard us and offered to give us the rest of the money!

On arriving in Athens - we got our car from the long stay carpark at the airport - it had a flat tyre ( we were supposed to have been travelling back to Preveza - 6hr drive) Hubby realised he didn't have a jack with him - it had broken and he hadn't bought another. So off he went in search of a jack ..... I mean every car carries one, right??? (apart from ours) We were travelling with our 2 young daughters and they were hungry - a storm started - we stayed in the car - hubby went to the desks in the airport - NO ONE would help him .... not their job etc -- He asked every single person who left the airport to the car park ... no one would help! 2 hrs he searched for someone - anyone - everyone said no - it was then 1am we had no food the youngest had fallen asleep - the eldest crying from hunger! Eventually a guy who worked on the short term carpark came to our rescue! We stayed in Athens (our usual Parnatha hotel - cheap 50euro) and hubby went begging for food from the tavernas! (as they were all closing by then)He finally found us something to eat - he was so ashamed of his fellow men - NO ONE would help us!

I'm sure rudeness is in every major city - but people whose job depends on customers should think twice about being rude!
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Vergina - Unfortunately it's not as black and white as that. Greeks in general are not taught common politeness (as seen by other nationalities - please/thank you are not used as much as other countries. I know I even struggle with my own kids with this!
Try finding a shop assistant with a cheery disposition! It's really hard! I have to find them to employ them!
When we are treated well and pleasantly in this country we are shocked and 'tell others' what a lovely person - and how kind - it seems that this kind of niceness is not the norm - whereas in other countries we are shocked at rudeness.

I have experienced this for 20 yrs - Nothing has gotten better - Greeks complain about this also! It's not just a 'tourist' thing.
It's complete lack of 'manner teaching' at homes and school and complete lack of training in jobs! There's no customer service training! Greeks don't see it as wrong as they know no different and accept rudeness (although it's not seen as rude by most Greeks) as the norm. Hubby says in UK we over use 'please - thank you and sorry' I drive my Greek nephews crazy as I end all their questions and answers with .. PLEASE! THANK YOU! or No, thank you, auntie! - My mum can't stand shopping in supermarkets here as when she hands over her money - she says thank you - however 9/10 the assistants ignore her (as they do me on a regular basis - but unfortunately I've gotten used to it). OK depending on my mood - I say sarcastically 'Thank you - have nice day, do shop again at Dia!'

In comparing UK shop assistants and Greek (or anyone in the public service section) there is NO comparison - I am not talking about everyday people - I am talking about services! UK are trained to treat customers with respect - I have NEVER had a rude shop assistant serve me EVER in UK - in Greece I get this constantly.

I remember I had just had a baby and was overweight - I went into one shop (clothes) the shop assistant looked me up and down and said 'We don't have anything for you - you have big hips and a fat belly' .... (I was size 16 uk - hardly enormous) Of course me being me - I said (please add swear words where needed) ' I maybe fat but I can diet - but you, lady are (bleep) ugly and will remain so for the rest of your life!

I am a shop assistant (owner) and I pride myself on being as nice as possible to all customers!