- The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014

Page 1 of 10

Dear OMILO friends and students,

The clock moved one hour forward and the days are lighter and brighter again. Spring is there and summer getting closer. For the OMILO-team this means that we start the busy season with many intensive courses in various locations. We cant wait!

In this Newsletter we write about: 1. Some Greek grammar and useful expressions 2. Easter in Nafplion 3. Greeklish 4. Ouzo or Tsipouro 5. News from the Greek community in Soudan! 6. The famous Rio-Antirro bridge

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. Some grammar and expressions: Kalos ton- Kalos tin

In a few days we will experience the megali evdomada (holy week) and welcome the participants at the Easter course in Nafplion. The end of May we will move to the island of Lefkada and again welcome the OMILO students to this wonderful island. In both courses there are many known faces to OMILO, as well as many students that became friends during an OMILO course and will meet each other again in Nafplion or Lefkada. We are very happy that so many students keep contact and become an international parea with a common hobby, Greece and Greek! So what do you say in Greek when you meet your friends or teachers again?

Picture this: after a cold or rainy winter in your country, you finally make it to Greece again! You are enjoying the sun at a lovely coffee-shop by the sea waiting for a friend/ friends of yours! And there they are! Instead of just saying jasou, kalimeraor kalispera, give them the impression you had been studying Greek all winter long, and use something different!

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 2 of 10

So, you only need to use the word and the Accusative Case of the name of the person you are talking to. For example, you are expecting or . The moment they show up, you say: ! or !

(In case you forgot the concept of the Accusative Case, generally speaking, when talking to a man, simply use and his name without the final s, and when talking to a woman, simply use and her name!) Most of you probably know already the expression /! (= Welcome!), so its easy to figure out that when you say !, you mean something like Welcome, Peter! or actually Good to see you, Peter!. So practically you use this structure in order to say how happy you are to see a friend (or friends)! Some examples of how this expression works: You are meeting up with Kostas ! You are meeting up with Eleni ! You are meeting up with male friends You are meeting up with male and female friends u are meeting up with female friends You are greeting your friends children ! ! ! ! or just or just or just or just or just or just ! ()! ! ! ! !

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 3 of 10

In case you are very fond of the person you are meeting up with, you can also use the expression ! ( = the eye). Its like you are saying to this person that they are as precious to you as your eyes are!

Always keep in mind that this structure is only used when the person(s) you are expecting show(s) up! You should never use it when you arrive at a place and you see your friend(s) waiting for you! This means, be on time! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

2. Easter in Nafplion
This year the Easter holidays in Greece start on Saturday 12/4 and end on Sunday 27/4. For the 11th time, OMILO organizes the Easter Course in the beautiful town of Nafplion.

Easter is a special time in Greece and has many celebrations and traditions. For more information, have a look at the BLOG article http://www.omilo.com/greek-orthodox-easter-food-and-traditions/

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 4 of 10

3.Greeklish or the Greek Alphabet?

The Greek alphabet is unique and special. It has survived thousands of years without significant changes. From the times of Omiros and Platonas, in Byzantine and Kavafis, it ended up in our times with barely any changes to it. Will it survive our times though? Now it has to respond to changes that are not particularly favored. In the environment of computers where everything happens quickly and obligatorily in the simplest way possible, it seems that the Greek alphabet has started losing ground. For sure youve heard of the term Greeklish: writing Greek with Latin characters! This trend started with cellphones. It was easier to write with Latin characters: 1) Less letters are used and hence more writing space, 2) there are no grammar rules so the writing of the messages becomes a faster procedure. Of course this trend started from the younger generations, but today Greeklish is also used by the older generations. There has been a huge debate about whether or not the Greek language is in danger due to Greeklish. On the one hand, many support that the danger is high for the particular nature of the language is getting lost. The spelling they say signifies a lot about the roots and the meaning of each word. On the other hand, there are the advocates of Greeklish who claim that a language must serve the needs of the people who use it. The internet requires quick actions and an easy way of writing. Besides, the language is an alive organism which keeps on evolving and we have to observe it without being stuck to the past. There are no grammar rules for Greeklsih. In general terms it has to do with the pronunciation of the language, for example: Ti kaneis/kanis? Ola kala? Moreover in Greeklish abbreviations are very common: :filakia flk :ta leme tlm. Ofcourse the English terms and abbreviationsm are also used often: asap, btw Below are a few rules for the translation of the words: : th or 8 ex. : thalassa/8alassa

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses : ks,x, 3 ex. : ksenos, xenos, 3enos : ps, y ex. : psema, yema : o, w ex. : tora, twra : d, 6 ex. : den, 6en : i, h ex. : ilios, hlios. www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 5 of 10

The difficult part though is not really in writing the Greeklish but rather in reading it! Try for example to read the below conversation. Can you do it? -kalhmera! ti kns? -kl. esi? Pws paei shmera? -Pl douleia sto grafeio. 8a se dw to vra6i? - eda3ei. T wra? -9-9misi. -ok. tlm.

If you are interested, you can also use the new tool in the internet, to find out how your Greeklish is actually written in the real Greek and vice versa! Have a look! http://www.ellinikoarxeio.com/2010/05/greeklish-to-greek.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4. Ouzo or Tsipouro : or ;
Which Greek drink do you prefer? Ouzo and tsipouro (raki) are two highly favored drinks for the Greeks that match perfectly with their appetizers. For sure youve visited an ouzeri or a tsipouradiko in Greece and have gotten a bit dizzy by drinking ouzo or tsipouro under the sun, accompanied by fish appetizers or appetizers of another variation.

If not, next time have it on your list! Do you know how exactly those drinks are made?

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 6 of 10

Ouzo is a mix of alcohol, water and various aromatic herbs, the main one being anise. The distillation is done in special boilers which are made of copper. In the first stage the mixing of the ingredients happens and in the second, the boiling of the mixture multiple times. The final product usually is comprised of 40-50 ABV. The history of ouzo is unknown. Maybe a similar drink was produced in ancient times. For sure it was known in the time period of the Byzantine Empire. During the Ottoman Period ouzo was known in the location of todays Turkey as well as in many other places in the Middle East as well. Tsipouro is produced by the distillation of the grapes left after the pressing which is a process in which the juice of the grapes is extracted for wine production. During distillation sometimes various flavourings are added such as anise, fennel, etc. Tsipouro is often distilled a second time as this improves its quality. Tsipouro production dates back a long time ago but it is said that it started in the 14th century in Mount Athos by the monks. Throughout the years it expanded to different places of Greece, like Macedonia, Epirus and Crete where it is known as raki or tsikoudia. Moreover with raki the famous rakomelo is made: Raki is heated together with honey and baked raki which is raki boiled with cinnamon and other flavorings. In older times, tsipouro (or raki) was produced at houses. Today though there are many organized production lines for tsipouro which follow specific rules during the production based on the legislation. Beside, legislation only allows for the distillation of tsipouro to take place at specific times of the year (end October to beginning December). In all of Greece there are distillation centers that one can visit and watch the procedure as well as try these drinks straight from their source. OMILO usually visits the local distillatio n center of Nafplio during our intensive courses during Easter. Cheers! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 7 of 10

5. News from the Greek Community in Soudan, by Kostas Papadakis

A mid-February Night This one night in mid-February I was given a chance. A chance to work for a few months in the Greek school located in Xartoum, Sudan. It was as if a train was passing by me heading in another direction than mine. I could either reach my hand out and get on it or I could let it pass by. Finally I reached my hand out and since then I travel on that train. That is how in a time span of a few days I ended up from Greece, the country of light as its name signifies, in Sudan, the country of the black by definition in the Arabic language. One could say that the contrast between these two countries was evident on all aspects of life, even the names. Starting from the life in Xartoum (I havent had the chance to visit other places in Sudan as besides the time you also need special permission to leave the city) I would characterize it as completely different from the life in Greece. For a European citizen to adapt flexibility and an open-mind is highly needed. The every-day costs, the quality of life, the means of transportation and the interaction with other people all start from a different base. For my transportation the first few days I chose the buss. The buss had a certain destination as busses usually do and hence I stayed seated for a while. I didnt know though that in Soudan, when the busses do not have enough passengers, the driver chooses to change route so as to pass from places with more people, therefore changing the destination! Not knowing Arabic I didnt understand much from all this and hence I ended up somewhere completely different than I expected. Things like these make every-day life here an adventure as nothing can be taken for given! As far as the cost of life here is concerned I categorize it in the positive contrasts. For example, the price of gasoline in Greece at the moment is approximately 1.60 euro. Here the equivalent price in euros would be approximately 40 cents and take note that the price has gone up a lot the

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 8 of 10

past years due to the secession of North Sudan (in which 75% of the country s gasoline production was situated). Generally the people live and are happy with very few things. Even that way though they are always willing to share a piece of bread with the person next to them and Id say this is another contrast with the western word. Here, the families and the neighborhoods mutually support each other substantially and authentically. The Greek community is constituted from something like an oasis in the centre of the city but you cant help but follow the way of life of the locals in some things. At some point I had a problem with mosquitos. Xartoum is situated exactly where the two Niles meet each other, the white, which emanates in Uganda and the Blue Nile that comes from the highlands of Ethiopia. Hence mosquito problems sometimes become quite evident. Trying to face the

problem I tried several mosquito sprays and even mosquito nets but without any significant results. I then went on to ask a neighbour thats Greek to see how he deals with it and he gave me the solution. He himself didnt use any industrial means. In his house he has a slow worm, a small lizard that comes out at night and walks on the walls! In Greece we have something similar, only that here the slow worms are bigger since the mosquitos are bigger. That way any mosquito that made its presence would be killed. Society is one of the most conservative in Africa. In recent year the Muslim law of Saria (the path that leads to Allah) holds with all the stringent provisions with the result that Sudan gradually gets isolated from the rest of the Arab world. There are no movie theatres, entertainment centers and many more which we consider given in our daily life. This fosters the introversion of a regime that in recent years has become more and more conservative. In Sudans market Turkish, Chinese and Indian firms have moreover entered strongly which reveals the aversion of society from anything western. Sudan is a country with rich subsoil and fertile soil. I have to say that before I came here I did not know the real taste of mangos, bananas, grapefruits and many other products which reach Greece unripe and processed.

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses On the 25th of March, on the national day of Greece, we organized our schools feast and the memorial in memory of the heroes and I can say that it was one of the most moving moments in my life, especially when I delivered the solemn speech for the heroes of the revolution in the Orthodox Church. It was strange for even though I was kilometres away from the motherland I felt closer to her than ever. As if Hellenism from the diaspora holds within it another Greece, a Greece which has not been alienated from the conditions of an international crisis, as if keeping a character that has not been hurt by impositions and requisitions. I came to this country to teach at the Greek school, but my stay so far allows me to say that Sudan is itself a school for me. I wish all the teachers and students of OMILO good luck, happy holidays and to discuss even more from up close! Alaikum Salaam, Kostas
(Kostas was teaching for OMILO in 2013. We expect he will join the OMILO-team again from June 2014 onward , unless he decides to stay longer in Soudan.we are looking forward to his next update of this great adventure!)

www.omilo.com

April 2014
Page 9 of 10

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

6. The RioAntirrio Bridge

The 1- or 2-week intensive Greek course on the island of Lekdada will take place from 25/5 till 6/6/2014. Lefkada is an ionian island, south of Corfu and connected with a bridge to the mainland. More information on Lefkada you can find at: http://www.omilo.com/lefkada/. Although Lefkada is an island, it is possible to travel by car or bus, since the island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Students traveling by bus or car from Athens or from Patras, first also cross another bridge : the beautifuful Rio-Antirrio Bridge ! It is a real joy to cross the bridge by car (10 euro), by public bus or on foot. For those traveling by plane to or from Athens towards North/West Europe, half hour before

 - The OMILO Newsletter

Greek Language and Culture Courses www.omilo.com April 2014
Page 10 of 10

arriving or leaving Athens you many times can see the bridge from your plane window! (look carefully at the photo taken from the sky in March 2014!)

Read here some more details about the masterpiece, and have a look at the great video! http://www.omilo.com/the-famous-rio-antirrio-bridge/

Just for your info: if you would like to enjoy the bridge even more, you can also take the ferry from Rio to Antirrio, which gives you the opportunity to sail for 40 minutes along the bridge , relax, have your coffee and take beautiful pictures! (6 euro to take the car on the ferry and 1 euro/person). This is what the OMILO staff many times prefers to do!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hope you had the time and finances to arrange your holidays in Greece. Looking forward to hear from you or see you in one of our courses. Many greetings from Athens, The OMILO-team
OMILO Greek Language and Culture in Greece
Pan. Tsaldari 13, 15122 Maroussi, Athens (GREECE) Tel. (00 30) 210-6122896 Fax. (00 30) 210-6122706 Email: info@omilo.com - URL: www.omilo.com FB: www.facebook.com/omilohellas - Twitter: www.twitter.com/omilohellas