You have decided to move to Greece. You have packed up your worldly goods, arranged your accommodation in Greece, and you are finally in the land of your dreams! 

But when the initial excitement dies down you would be less than human if you didn’t feel a twinge of homesickness from time to time. I know that I did when I moved, and yet now I realise it was the best thing I could ever have done – and I’m sure you will feel the same too. However, it may take just a little while before you feel utterly at home. Here are a few thoughts on what made my move easier – hopefully they may give you a few ideas!

Introduce yourself to your neighbours. Don’t worry about your indifferent language skills – or perhaps total lack of Greek at all! The friendly gesture will be appreciated and you will at least have made a move to be welcomed into the community.

Learn to speak a little Greek if you don’t do so already.  Following on from above! This is VERY important if you are going to be living in Greece permanently. There are lots of ways to learn; the best advice I can give you being to totally immerse yourself in the sound of Greek, whether out and about, watching TV or listening to the radio. This is how you learnt your mother tongue, by listening. News bulletins are good: the presenters are often clearer and more concise than in a sitcom or a film. Ask around: Greek lessons are now free in some parts of the country for EU residents.

Invitations: take the initiative. You might like to host a little house warming party? Just ask a few neighbours around and perhaps include a few of their friends too…? A few snacks and a few bottles of wine will soon get tongues wagging – or hands gesticulating!

Buy your local newspaper. If there is an English local rag it may be worth getting hold of it. It may well allow you to tap into the local gossip and local events that you could perhaps join in with.

Shop locally, at least to begin with. Ok, it may be a little more expensive than the huge supermarkets a distance away but it may be money well spent. You will get to know your local shopkeepers this way and may even bump into some of your neighbours. Chatting in local shops is common in Greece: learn how to say ‘hello’ and greet all and sundry…you’ll soon get to know people.

Don’t discount your local church. In places like Corfu for instance you will find an Anglican Church. Many churches welcome newcomers to town by offering advice and assistance plus you may be roped in to help with a fete or some such event – an ideal way to meet people.

Join an expat club. Yes, you are going to fit in and be part of your new country but that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t have a few English friends to chat to. Ask around at the local church or perhaps an estate agent who has sold homes to Brits…

Join a walking club. I have found this a really great way to meet like-minded people and have made a number of great friends this way.

Do you have any special interests? If you do, there may well be a local club catering to this and there you will find a set of people that you already have something in common with!

Like so many things in life, it may all seem a little intimidating at first. Greece is a country with a very different culture and different ways. The key is to embrace these differences, not fight them. Some of the bureaucracy and formality may be frustrating, but perhaps it was this slower pace that enchanted you about the country in the first place? Relax…and soon it will feel like home to you.