Here you are in Greece, after fulfilling your dream. Presumably you have somewhere to stay and I am also going to assume that you have either an adequate income or that you have a job lined up.

The door has closed on your old life and stands ajar on the new. How do you set about making this your home, a place where you will be happy and where you will have the support of friends?

If you are working that means that you already have the potential for a group of friends. Join in on planned activities, share a coffee with your colleagues, engage with them and you will find at least one or two like minded people among them. You could also consider volunteering for something?  Help at your children’s school, at a local animal centre – what ever grabs your fancy, but it does mean you will be in the company of like minded people. 

I will elaborate further on this, but when I was on Corfu I went on one of Hilary Paipeti’s walks and found a really lovely group of people, many of whom had met on the walks and had become lifelong friends. Following your interests and join clubs such as b too.

Bear in mind that Greece is far more community minded than the UK. Don’t worry about your indifferent Greek – or perhaps total lack of Greek at all – pop in and introduce yourself to your neighbours. The friendly gesture will be appreciated and you will at least have made a move to be welcomed into the community. You might even like to host a little house warming party? Just ask a few neighbours around and perhaps ask them to ask a few of their friends too… A few snacks and a few bottles of wine will soon get tongues wagging – or hands gesticulating!

I always make a point of buying the local rag and you may well find that your island or town/city has an English newspaper or magazine. 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. Yes, it may well cost a little more but it will be money well spent. 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.

The people I met in Greece who had been assimilated into the Greek community were by and large those that had made an effort to learn at least a little Greek. 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. Think about it: 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. You could watch the Greek TV rapper who begins the weather report with the immortal lines: “Come on everybody, everybody come on…” and then continues to sing the weather report in Greek…! Ask around: Greek lessons are now free in some parts of the country for EU residents.

You may also consider joining an expat club. Yes, I know you didn’t move there to just meet expats but there may well be a day when you feel a little homesick. 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…

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.