Greece Is the Word

VOL 26

3 AUGUST 2021

 

Photo Credit: Nick Karvounis

1. 

SHOOTING A TV SHOW IN GREECE

“Crete is an island, of course, but in my own mind it is more like a small country with villages, towns, lakes, mountains, caves, archaeological sites, numerous different styles and periods of buildings and contrasting atmospheres.” 

And, while we are talking about TV shows shot in Greece, here’s one in Kefalonia. The episode’s got a great name: ours.

2.

A SHOT OF HOPE 

“His parents emigrated to Greece from Nigeria. He only learned to play basketball as a teenager while selling trinkets on the street to make ends meet.” 

“Eight years ago, eight and a half years ago, when I came to the league, I didn’t know where my next meal will come from. My mom was selling stuff in the street.” 

3.  

HOT SPOTS 

If you are looking to invest in Greek real estate, take a look. 

4. 

KOSTIS 

People can really break our hearts. Sometimes they do horrific things.

5.

COSTA THE GARDEN GNOME

“Being able to give the tools and understanding of the landscape is a privilege and I will keep doing so until they compost me. I want to leave this place in as good a condition as I could have.” —Costas Georgiadis

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
KYRIAKOS CHATZISTEFANOU

Kyriakos Chatzistefanou is a life insurance agent and author. He lives in Thessaloniki with his wife Poulcheria and children Fotini and Panagiotis, and he practices philotimo in everything he does.

GITW: Where did you grow up, and what was that like?

KYRIAKOS: I was born and raised in Thessaloniki. I was nurtured by friendship, team cohesion, work for the family, the value of philotimo in our daily lives, and offering without return. Basic values that today, unfortunately, are difficult to find. Those were difficult years financially, but we were happy and satisfied for what little we had, with many dreams for the future. It really was like living in a fairytale, since everyone around us lived the same. Blessed years!

Who are you named after, if anyone?

I got my name from my grandfather, the father of my father, who came from Ayvali on the shores of Asia. My grandfather was one of five siblings. Four girls and one boy. During the Asia Minor Catastrophe, they were transferred to Mytilene but because the family that hosted them could not keep all the children they sent my grandfather to a relative in Thessaloniki. There, he grew up and married my grandmother, who was orphaned as a child. My grandfather passed away at the age of 77 but, unfortunately, in the last years of his life he lived in the dark after being blinded at age 60 by glaucoma. I admired him for his iron will to live and control situations until the end of his life, for his courage and his confidence even though he was blind. I remember him always proud, perspicuous, pellucid, with a smile and a nice mood. 

What do you think of when you think about your Greek background? What comes to mind?

Only good moments come to my mind! My childhood years, although my family was poor, were beautiful and peaceful. Unforgettable moments! Many times I thank God for giving me such beautiful childhood years, and I pray for all the children of the world to have the same good time. Our traditions in Greece, the ethics and traditions and the special culture of Greek family, nurture our people with morals, beliefs, goals, dreams, and creation. That is why, as Greeks in general, we excel inside and outside our country. I have received unconditional love, and I give unconditionally, especially to people I meet who inspire me with their kindness and generosity. It is a great blessing to be Greek.

What was the first concert you went to?

It was a James Brown concert, when he toured Athens and Thessaloniki. I will always remember the "Godfather of Soul" James performing "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Sex Machine," "It's a Man's World,” and "Living in America" on a wonderful summer night at Earth Theater (Theatro Gis) in my city.

How did you get into your profession?

I was serving in the Greek Army and—as I approached the end of my service—I started making plans to open my own accounting office, since I had studied accounting. Before the army, I worked for a while in my uncle's accounting office, where I did my internship. The truth is that I never liked the nature of this job—to be stuck in an office, lost in papers, accounting standards, and tax returns. Although the profession of accountant is one of the most important, it did not excite me or make me feel creative. It was 1992, and the insurance market in Greece was growing. I found ads in a newspaper that promised three times the basic salary of that time, education, training, and professional development in the insurance field. It was not long before I made the decision to become an insurance agent, as I was thirsty to do something of my own, to offer something to society and my fellow man, and to advance professionally. I did not regret it. During the past 29 years, I have experienced more good than bad. I charted my course, I enjoyed it, and I continue to enjoy it. They say that in your 50s you have to give another 50% of what you can offer in total. So, I think the best is ahead of me.

How do you deal with failure? What have you learned from it?

There is no better lesson. The issue is how you deal with the negative effect and what effect it has on you. The fact that you are in the arena of life every day, actively and not passively, ensures failure in some of your efforts. You need to stand positively, optimistically, and understand that you are in a temporary situation that has only to teach you. By nature, I am extremely optimistic and positive about any difficult situation as a preparation for the next moment, as if there is a reason that it is happening, as a prelude to success. Through my constant effort to become better and better at all levels of my life and to maintain a balance in them, I have learned the value of failure and its contribution to my success. I became failure’s friend, and I will remain so. Success alone does not mean anything special. But success through a series of difficulties, irreconcilable situations, postponements, negotiations, and cancellations makes you more ready for the future, more calm, and more wise.

What projects are you excited to be working on now or do you hope to be working on soon?

Two main projects are in progress, one characterized by its timelessness and the other by its originality:

  1. My engagement the last 14 years with Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1927, MDRT is a global, independent association of more than 66,000 of the world's leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 500 companies in 72 nations and territories. I have served as Area Chair North Greece, Country Chair of Greece for three years, and now the organization is doing me the honor of asking me to serve as European Zone Chair for 2020-2022.

  2. Another project I am working on is the creation of the world's largest handmade painted paper, with a size of 200 square meters, where we will design a message about the 200 years since the liberation of the Greeks. This will be a joint effort with other parents and students from my children’s school. We are waiting for Guinness World Records' response to our request to get started.

Who are three of your heroes/heroines, and why?

  1. Melina Merkouri, for defending her homeland. Melina fought for Greece and our culture. She was described as "the last Greek goddess," and she was the one who started the effort to have the Parthenon Sculptures returned to Greece, with her intervention at the UNESCO International Conference of Ministers of Culture in July 1982 in Mexico. She said, among other things, “I hope to see the Marbles back in Athens before I die. But if they come later, I will be born again. " These words inspire every Greek and make us responsible for the continuation of our effort. 

  2. Maria, a woman my future wife and I met when we traveled with another couple to Paris, France in 2000. Maria taught me that when you aim for something and truly believe in it, not only can you reach it but you can also excel. At a young age, Maria left Thessaloniki and moved to Paris to find her dream. Alone, without knowing anyone and without knowing the language, she became a high-ranking official in an important service in Paris. She resigned and continued with the same faith and love for her dream to pursue a career in cinema. And she did it. My acquaintance with Maria and the way the events unfolded made me reconsider a lot in my life then, at the age of 29. I saw a human being who, not seeing the difficulties herself, went ahead and created the life of her dreams.  

  3. Women in general. Every woman is a heroine!

What does the world need now?

Simplicity. Globalization and technology are where humanity in all fields changed forever. From how we trade, communicate, and do business to how we pay our bills and where we travel for our holidays. The impact on businesses and people is felt by everyone. In a short period of time, the human race has been called upon to adapt to a series of new things that are often characterized by complexity. And I believe that the main problem of our time is that at the altar of this evolution, people, companies, and organizations have been dedicated to a crazy struggle in order to adapt first to the evolution and secondly to meet their needs. This new situation transcends the boundaries of the human race, complexity often makes it counterproductive, and inherently a sense of inadequacy is born—which is nevertheless false. What we need is a sense of simplicity combined with technology and security. It is a difficult task, but I believe that it will be the next human revolution. Simplicity and development should be humanity’s flag for the 21st century. 

Thank you, Kyriako! You are a living example of philotimo for all of us.

We are continuing to wear our face coverings indoors. #maskupforothers We are committed to protecting those around us. How can we possibly know who has a compromised immune system or for some reason cannot receive a vaccine? #maskupforothers. If you could use another washable, reusable face covering, consider buying one of our brand-new Greece Is the Word neck gaiters. One of the many cool aspects of these neck gaiters is their versatility: They can be used as face coverings, head bands, bandanas, wrist bands, and head warmers.

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Stay healthy and safe!

Opa!
Peter and the Greece Is the Word Crew