Greece - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture

Culture Smart / Cultuur Bewust

by Constantine Buhayer

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Genres: Greece, Travel, Nonfiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2004

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein weiterer grossartiger Teil der Reihe. Informativ, gut lesbar, zugänglich, fundiert. Man erfährt sehr viel über Geschichte, aktuelle Lage, Kultur... Alles, was man über ein Land wissen muss, ist in diesen Büchern vereint. Erneut geriet ich ins Staunen, konnte Neues lernen und Zugang zu einer mir kaum bekannten Kultur finden. Immer wieder einen Tipp wert.

[Emily Sykes · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was useful for getting a vague outline of the country and people however there was little detail with a few mistakes. There also seemed to be quite a lot of personal bias but from a book that's meant to be factual.

(It didn't help that I fell asleep on the plane when I meant to read it and so actually finished the book on the way BACK from Greece!)

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's so little real information in this book. I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know about Greek culture from random American stereotypes in movies and TV shows. Super disappointed in how vague this all was.

[Andrew P · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read. I read most of it flying over to Athens from England though not to live in Greece but to spend a couple of months with a friend doing field work there. By the time we landed I felt I had something tangible to get to know the country and also to use when I met Greeks. The layout of the book offered conversation pieces because you are not drowned in pages of descriptions but snappy paragraphs that can you show to other to read in a coule of minutes and generate some debate. The interesting part is that it avoids classical references, tourist spots and ancient monuments - I got all of that from my archaeology friend - but you get a feeling of life of Greece in more recent times. Now that I am off again to Greece, it's back in my bag.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked out this book thinking that it was a simple guide for tourists, but it is actually a deeper look into the culture, history and customs of Greece and the Greek people. Although the information is interesting and even helpful at times, the author presents much of the information as absolute fact, when it is actually more opinion-based (which is something the author says is quite common in Greece). Despite not having the usually tourist info I was hoping for, I did enjoy hearing more about the personality of everyday Greeks and the author's suggestions for successfully navigating the social and cultural aspects of this wonderful country.

[Oana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent for a complete Greece beginner like me. Probably for someone travelling extensively or working there, a more thorough guide might be more appreciated. I got the message that Greece is more preferable for tourists than a longterm stay through retirement or work. After trying valiantly to explain ways to accustom oneself to Greek ways, author Constantine Buhayer finally concludes: "What the country excels at is allowing you to spend hours sitting in a beautiful, shaded spot, sipping your drink, reading your book, or talking away."

[Rebecca I · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me a good overview of the history and culture of Greece in preparation for my trip next month. I just had a zoom meeting as well to prepare and it seems some of the info is a bit dated. I have 2 other books to compare and contrast. You can not have too much education. The maps were especially helpful to get a general feel for the place.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in preparation of our Greek exchange student. I was able to skim through a lot of it b/c it didn't apply in our situation (we're not going to live in Greece). But I did learn a lot.

[Reachal Bly · Rating 3 out of 5]

so i'm going to greece and i do hope this help but we see if it helps when i go.

[HARTATI · Rating 3 out of 5]

A guide to avoid culture shock even is not complete.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful little guide to the history and culture of Greece, with tips for business people, travelers, and people planning to live there. The writing is a bit awkward but quite readable.

[Mike]

An interesting start, but really only scratches the surface.