The Greek Wars have just begun...

This blog will be one of heated debate since my posts might be banned by the general Greek public or they may typically be ignored or misunderstood, which I'm hoping will be the case. Or perhaps, they may even be amusing to some and cause some to have a laugh or two; in this case then I'm content knowing that somebody out there finds my stuff somewhat entertaining. Those to whom might have a common understanding about that which I'm about to disclose will be those whose mindset was predisposed to another region or local - typically that of the U.S since that is where I grew up. Before I lay forth the purpose and content of this site I would like to make a few things clear so that no one out there thinks that my intentions are to solicit anything that might be otherwise labeled/qualified as sensitive or biased in nature.

The posts that will follow this one will be mainly to lay the groundwork for the discussions that will inevitably ensue as a result of what I'd like to call, the "domino effect." This term will have greater meaning of course once the tide(s) have shifted and headway is made on the intended purpose of this blog. There will be debates and peoples' views will vary, but I'm not the one who will act as judge over whatever matter may spawn; I'll just offer my views and opinions like everybody else and try to steer the discussion toward another interesting topic that might be of interest to those who will contribute to this blog. My posts will essentially be innocuous and neutral and try to target those living in Greece as well as expatriates living abroad. I will also be providing many anecdotes from an observational point of view; sharing many of the experiences/adventures that I've had since my repatriation to Greece four years ago. Much of what I say may also be in the form of metaphors or some symbolic language that will help the reader visualize it in more detail.

So, now that all is said and done let's get to the heart of the matter: what is this blog going to be all about? Well, to answer that I've already given you a clue from the title of this blog. Also, the URL address(the "GreekJedi") plays a role in the overall ideology of the world that I'm symbolically trying to use to parallel ours(the everyday system in which we live, be it political, social, educational, etc..) to the one I've so clearly alluded to before using the oxymoron, "GreekJedi." For all you Star Wars fans out there you know exactly what I'm talking about; however, for those of you who don't have a clue about George Luca's acclaimed Sci-fi movies/books, don't worry, I'll fill you in on the terminology as we move along. To sum it up in a few words, this blog is a wholesome form of gossip coming from an outsider to help Greeks understand and see their world as outsiders do. Now this trek may be a perilous one and many may find my views to be prejudice and slanderous but please rest assured that my intentions are not so(as I've stated in the previous paragraph). How could I betray my actual bloodline? My parents are Greek, which makes me 100% Greek; so, why would I try to oppose myself - it's ludicrous! In other words, whatever "would-be" discriminatory statement it is that you think I'm making, I'm also including myself in the equation. I just want to address some extraterrestrial factors of Greek behavior which normally would seem alien to most people, and see what can be done in order to adjust the general "attitudes" out there that might be a cause for all the havoc and turmoil out there. It has often been said that in order to correct a ubiquitously recognized problem one has to consider the units or ingredients which make up the problem. And that would be none other than ourselves. If we don't change than we can't expect society to change either. Hopefully, with that said, I've pretty much summarized what this blog will be about. But I don't want anyone to misunderstand me up till now. I'm not claiming to be a psychologist or some PHD professional who's an expert on behavioral/social science. I'm just a normal guy trying to send a statement in the form of a dewdrop; hoping that it'll hit whatever watery surface and echo its ripples of hope. Now, I know that my underlying message for "overall change" may seem overexagurated or to many a bit of a hyperbole; but who's to know what may be the result if someone doesn't actually try.

So, now its time to think outside the box by starting our blogging journey at the "point of entry" - my arrival to Greece and some of the culture shocks that I had to endure over the years, and some of which I'm still enduring. However, to think outside the box would mean that you have to be open-minded to whatever it is that I'm going to say, and yet I know that most Greeks tend to favor the "stiff-minded" approach to things by sticking to the mentality of the: whatever-I-was-born-with-I'll-stick-to-that mentality. For example, "I was born a Greek Orthodox and I'll die as one too." As you noticed in my above expression about Greek mentality I used a hyphenated compound word; I'll be using a lot more throughout my posts in this blog, so stay tuned. You may also notice many spelling and grammar mistakes as well, and since I don't have a personal editor to make any corrections I apologize ahead of time in hopes that the intended meaning may come across as legible. However if that doesn't do the trick either then write back to me and tell me what it was that was befuddling you. Bye for now...