# So what's Cyprus REALLY like??



## star77

Hi all,

I hope those of you currently living in Cyprus can help. 

Having never been to Cyprus our family is considering a move there. My husband has applied for a job, has an interview this week (not in Cyprus!) and if offered it we will have to make a decision pretty quickly! It's very hard to make that decision when you can't picture what the place is really like. Unfortunately we just can't go there for a visit at the moment.

What I would love is if some of you could give me an idea of the "feel" of Cyprus.
The good, the bad and the ugly so to speak! For example, what do you LOVE about living in Cyprus? Is it the weather, the friendly locals, the pace of life, etc.
What makes life difficult? Water shortages? Cost of living? Traffic?
What drives you absolutely MAD, so much so that some days you'd consider going home because of it? 

Is it a place where everybody knows your business but at the same time would help you out if you were in trouble or do people keep themselves to themselves? 
What's the working culture like? 
Is there a good "buzz" to the place?
What are the tourist areas like? tacky? Upmarket? Some of both? Is it easy to get away from the tourists?

We would be bringing a young family (a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn) and living in the Limassol area. I would especially love to hear from young families living in this area. How is your day-to-day life? What do you do in your free time? Do you think it's a good place to bring up children? What is the general attitude towards children in society? Are you happy you made the move? Any regrets and if so why?

How is the economy holding up? Is the place full of doom and gloom with everybody defaulting on loans because they've lost their jobs or are people getting on with it and just tightening their belts a bit?

The only other country I have experience of which I think might compare slightly to Cyprus would be Spain. I've been there many times visiting native Spanish friends so I have an insight in to the "real" Spain and not the tourist version. Are there any comparisons to be drawn between Spain and Cyprus for a familiy LIVING there (not holidays!)

So many questions, I'd love to hear from you if you can answer any of them and anything else you can tell me about Cyprus in general!! Now that you're living in Cyprus, what have you discovered that you wished you'd known before you came??!

Many thanks in advance,
Anna


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## kimonas

star77 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I hope those of you currently living in Cyprus can help.
> 
> Having never been to Cyprus our family is considering a move there. My husband has applied for a job, has an interview this week (not in Cyprus!) and if offered it we will have to make a decision pretty quickly! It's very hard to make that decision when you can't picture what the place is really like. Unfortunately we just can't go there for a visit at the moment.
> 
> What I would love is if some of you could give me an idea of the "feel" of Cyprus.
> The good, the bad and the ugly so to speak! For example, what do you LOVE about living in Cyprus? Is it the weather, the friendly locals, the pace of life, etc.
> What makes life difficult? Water shortages? Cost of living? Traffic?
> What drives you absolutely MAD, so much so that some days you'd consider going home because of it?
> 
> Is it a place where everybody knows your business but at the same time would help you out if you were in trouble or do people keep themselves to themselves?
> What's the working culture like?
> Is there a good "buzz" to the place?
> What are the tourist areas like? tacky? Upmarket? Some of both? Is it easy to get away from the tourists?
> 
> We would be bringing a young family (a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn) and living in the Limassol area. I would especially love to hear from young families living in this area. How is your day-to-day life? What do you do in your free time? Do you think it's a good place to bring up children? What is the general attitude towards children in society? Are you happy you made the move? Any regrets and if so why?
> 
> How is the economy holding up? Is the place full of doom and gloom with everybody defaulting on loans because they've lost their jobs or are people getting on with it and just tightening their belts a bit?
> 
> The only other country I have experience of which I think might compare slightly to Cyprus would be Spain. I've been there many times visiting native Spanish friends so I have an insight in to the "real" Spain and not the tourist version. Are there any comparisons to be drawn between Spain and Cyprus for a familiy LIVING there (not holidays!)
> 
> So many questions, I'd love to hear from you if you can answer any of them and anything else you can tell me about Cyprus in general!! Now that you're living in Cyprus, what have you discovered that you wished you'd known before you came??!
> 
> Many thanks in advance,
> Anna



Cyprus, for me, is a bit of a paradox. I never imagined, or intended, to live here but ended up living here because of circumstance, fate and cupid. I’m married to a Cypriot and am raising a young family here. There are many things I like about living here, and many things that infuriate me, to the point of desperation and planning a move back to the UK. But I do appreciate at the end of the day that we are very well off here in comparison to what we could achieve in the UK – but a large part of that is being included in the support networks of having Cypriot roots (through my wife). Culture shock takes about three or four years to wear off. In my experience you have to get into the laid back culture of average performance in almost every aspect of life and just get on with it. Eventually I’ve learned that the important things in life, family, children, healthy eating and having fun are pretty high on the agenda – but to enjoy them of course one needs to survive financially which means adapting to the culture of the average and learning to accept the rough with the smooth at work.

Cyprus is an immature and mixed up sort of place – immature politically – poorly served by politicians and by state structures. It is failing on almost all measures put in place by the EU and faces EC infringement proceedings in relation to healthcare, health and safety, employment legislation, economic reform, environmental protection and education. Economically it is in a poor state, but external investments (to do with the emerging gas and oil industry) may resolve this. Unemployment is rising, the cost of living is rising – tourism is declining. On the surface, however, things look quite good – infrastructural improvements include road developments, a new airport, several new international marina and an expansion of the luxury and agro-tourism sector. Cyprus has also become more cosmopolitan (Limassol especially) with many Arabs and Russians investing and living and working on the Island. Overall it has (unsurprisingly) a Middle-Eastern feel to it – although there is still a hardcore minority who insist that it is Greek. This led historically of course to the coup d’état of 1974 and the subsequent Turkish invasion which is still not resolved. The pent up aggression of the youth seems now to be spilling out at football matches which has led to uncontrolled hooliganism and football violence which the police seem unable to control. There is also a rather unsavoury and unfortunate rivalry among some families which (mafia style) results in quite a surprisingly high number of car bombings, arson attacks and grenades being lobbed into rival businesses. Unfortunately you’ll be in the most expensive part of the island, but some of the surrounding villages might be doable financially (with the downside that you might feel a bit isolated as a young family). On the whole I’ve found the people living in the country to be friendly and hospitable, and the people in the city to be xenophobic and just rude (if not hostile) – my least favourite incident being the time we (including four month old twins in a buggy) as pedestrians were run off the pavement by a guy in a fancy sports car in front of an ice cream parlour in Nicosia. When we complained he told us to ****off back to England if we didn’t like the fact that Cypriot Men were allowed to drive on the pavements. Charming.

The weather is wonderful (although sometimes extreme) too hot in the summer, tornadoes and storms in the winter, but overall very pleasant and a definite big plus to living here. Everyone loves children it seems, and you’d be welcomed into shops, tavernas, restaurants – well anywhere really – which cannot be said of the UK.

I used to complain about how awful the drivers were over here – jumping lights, cutting people up, tailgating etc. but that was just the culture shock. I now do all of those things and now see the roads as perfectly normal. 
The countryside is wonderful and another big plus. Mountains, seascapes, fantastic flora and fauna, especially birds and reptiles.

The cost of living is very high for young families. Be prepared for high bills for healthcare, children’s clothing and ‘fussy’ food.

Limassol tourist areas are reasonably upmarket – the east of the island is tacky (and parts of the west) the Polis area is reasonably unspoilt and Paphos has a bit of both. 

I think the biggest shock for me has been the healthcare system here. I’ve already told the story elsewhere of how I nearly lost my wife to a botched C section. I’ve recently lost my father-in-law to a stroke. I visited him just after he’d been taken ill and the brand new Nicosia Hospital he was in was virtually abandoned – a warren of dark and unused wards. There were just a few trainee staff in attendance (it was over the holiday period). My mother in-law nursed him and doctors finally returned to work a couple of days later and started tests etc. he died a couple of weeks later after many interventions. I just have a creeping feeling based on my previous experience here that he would have survived had he been treated in a top hospital in say Isreal or London. There are very few paramedics too in Cyprus – ambulances have drivers with limited medical knowledge and just stretcher you off as quickly as possible to the nearest hospital – I think this leaves me feeling a bit uneasy. I hope things improve on the medical front.

Overall I’d give Cyprus 7 out of 10 – must try harder. But by the same concerns the UK gets about 5 out of 10 so I know I’m enjoying life and my family much more here than I would be able to in the UK where I used to joke with my wife that we hadn’t seen each other in daylight for weeks (but it was actually true during the winter…)

Hope that ramble helped a bit…


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## Monty

What more could be said about life in Cyprus, an honest down to earth opinion.


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## Veronica

I can agree with just about everything that Kimonas says although some of the more extreme things such as the mafia style rivalries etc are not evident in the Paphos area but we do hear of them in Limassol and Nicosia.
As for the situation with Ambulances, in the Paphos area we now have Houston Medical which is an ambulance service run by British trained paramedics. The ambulances have all the latest equipment and the team includes a fast response paramedic who will attend in cases of suspected heart attacks, strokes etc. They have the medical records of members on file and details are given to the attending ambulance team while they are on their way to you so that they know of anything which might be affect their treatment.
We have joined it for our peace of mind as we know that the first hour after any heart attack or stroke etc is crucial in recovery. The great thing is that not only are we covered but any visitors who are staying with us and also any clients we might be out with on viewings are covered.
I would strongly recommend that anyone in the Paphos district join this scheme.
It costs around 400euros per year per household and IMO that is not a lot for the peace of mind it gives.


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## karunaji

Hi - just a quickie on this one - having lived several years in central Europe, I have it on good authority from several sources that Cyprus is now run by the Serb mafia - (since they shifted interests during the war years of the 90s in what is now north Serbia. Then you also have the unresolved issues with the Turks.

As lovely as the place is - especially the part under Turkish occupation, I could think of places which were less mafioso controlled!!


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## Toxan

karunaji said:


> Hi - just a quickie on this one - having lived several years in central Europe, I have it on good authority from several sources that Cyprus is now run by the Serb mafia - (since they shifted interests during the war years of the 90s in what is now north Serbia. Then you also have the unresolved issues with the Turks.
> 
> As lovely as the place is - especially the part under Turkish occupation, I could think of places which were less mafioso controlled!!


Where do you get this information from? Limassol is the business centre of Limassol. The Russians may have their differences, but it is kept to themselves. You can walk the streets of Limassol safely! Do not be put off going to Cyprus beacause of this thread.


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## zin

star77 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I hope those of you currently living in Cyprus can help.


Will respond to your post from a Limassol point of view rather than Cyprus in general. I would say although there are many similarities between the main towns there are enough differences to generalise the island as a whole. 



> Having never been to Cyprus our family is considering a move there. My husband has applied for a job, has an interview this week (not in Cyprus!) and if offered it we will have to make a decision pretty quickly! It's very hard to make that decision when you can't picture what the place is really like. Unfortunately we just can't go there for a visit at the moment.


Good luck with that, make sure he knows he needs to be earning at least 30k euros a year otherwise it won't be comfortable, especially with kids.




> What I would love is if some of you could give me an idea of the "feel" of Cyprus.
> The good, the bad and the ugly so to speak! For example, what do you LOVE about living in Cyprus? Is it the weather, the friendly locals, the pace of life, etc.
> What makes life difficult? Water shortages? Cost of living? Traffic?
> What drives you absolutely MAD, so much so that some days you'd consider going home because of it?


Your first impression will be the weather, your second impression will be the drive down Limassol seafront. The locals need to know you before they are friendly, you will see more friendliness initially in a family run restaurant than a well-known venue for example. As you get to know people the better it becomes. 

Pace of life is slow, you don't get people walking fast down the pavement, it's all very relaxed and very coffee shop orientated and "tomorrow, tomorrow". Think Spain. 

Water shortages are not much of an issue anymore, even when they were people managed to work around them and it became routine. 

Cost of living will depend on salary. You can get a 2 bedroom apartment for around 600 euros a month. Everything else you can only compare with your current country of residence. Many people compare the price with the UK but in my opinion the UK is cheap rather than Cyprus being expensive and in any case there is more tax in the UK which you don't have in Cyprus so it's all swings and roundabouts.



> Is it a place where everybody knows your business but at the same time would help you out if you were in trouble or do people keep themselves to themselves?


Everyone knows your business and if they don't some will make something up. This is an annoyance but if you are open about what you do expect word of mouth.



> What's the working culture like?


Not worked in Limassol but heard it's quite competitive and difficult to move up the ranks without "knowing people". 



> Is there a good "buzz" to the place?


Limassol is buzzing, there's a lot of development from EU funding which will change the place in the next 5 years.



> What are the tourist areas like? tacky? Upmarket? Some of both? Is it easy to get away from the tourists?


Limassol is more resident/local in terms of going out. The tourist area is all mostly a few hundred meters, everything else tries to be upmarket and mostly succeeds but you do get pubs all around the place so you can pretty much find whatever you want for going out.



> We would be bringing a young family (a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn) and living in the Limassol area. I would especially love to hear from young families living in this area. How is your day-to-day life? What do you do in your free time? Do you think it's a good place to bring up children? What is the general attitude towards children in society? Are you happy you made the move? Any regrets and if so why?


Can't comment on this other than when I have kids I would not want to raise them anywhere else purely for the social aspect and safety side.



> How is the economy holding up? Is the place full of doom and gloom with everybody defaulting on loans because they've lost their jobs or are people getting on with it and just tightening their belts a bit?


Limassol hasn't been hit too bad however everyone always complains they are not making enough  Not heard of anything losing their job and I have a lot of friends there, many have moved jobs in the new year to better salaries.



> The only other country I have experience of which I think might compare slightly to Cyprus would be Spain. I've been there many times visiting native Spanish friends so I have an insight in to the "real" Spain and not the tourist version. Are there any comparisons to be drawn between Spain and Cyprus for a familiy LIVING there (not holidays!)
> 
> So many questions, I'd love to hear from you if you can answer any of them and anything else you can tell me about Cyprus in general!! Now that you're living in Cyprus, what have you discovered that you wished you'd known before you came??!
> 
> Many thanks in advance,
> Anna


I've lived in Spain (south-east coast), in a tourist resort granted however I had to deal with the Spanish way of life and learn Spanish and it's very comparable. In fact when my friends visited they commented how much it was like Limassol just in Spanish.


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## zin

karunaji said:


> Hi - just a quickie on this one - having lived several years in central Europe, I have it on good authority from several sources that Cyprus is now run by the Serb mafia - (since they shifted interests during the war years of the 90s in what is now north Serbia. Then you also have the unresolved issues with the Turks.
> 
> As lovely as the place is - especially the part under Turkish occupation, I could think of places which were less mafioso controlled!!


Having lived in Cyprus most of my life and having many Serb friends I can without hesitation say your sources don't know what they are talking about.

If you live a life which involves "mafia" interests (e.g. own a cabaret, deal in illegal drugs etc..) then as far as I'm concerned what country you live in is irrelevant as this will be at your doorstep in any country, especially smaller ones.


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## zin

Also - and with the greatest respect. I keep hearing about xenophobia and the whole "f*ck off back to your country" comments. This is not a Cypriot thing, this is a foreigner living in a foreign country thing and coming across an idiot. I can't for a minute believe this is unique to Cyprus and if you moved country you wouldn't get the same abuse. I myself have been told to f*ck off back to my own country by a Brit in the UK, does this make the UK xenophobic? In which case is the pot calling the kettle black?

Food for thought.


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## Toxan

Quite simply, do the research, come to Cyprus, see for yourself and make your own judgements. You see all this crime in films about New York, but that still does not put people off going there, as they know most of it is make believe. Limassol is the most cosmopolitan area of cyprus, year round there is something to do, and has lot's of money.


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## Veronica

zin said:


> Also - and with the greatest respect. I keep hearing about xenophobia and the whole "f*ck off back to your country" comments. This is not a Cypriot thing, this is a foreigner living in a foreign country thing and coming across an idiot. I can't for a minute believe this is unique to Cyprus and if you moved country you wouldn't get the same abuse. I myself have been told to f*ck off back to my own country by a Brit in the UK, does this make the UK xenophobic? In which case is the pot calling the kettle black?
> 
> Food for thought.


I had a similar experience with a woman a few weeks ago but it didnt make me think that all Cypriots are Xenophobic. I just came to the conclusion that by the she was ranting and raving she was an unbalanced loony
In the 7 years I have lived here I have had only two such incidents and on the whole have found Cypriots to be friendly and welcoming. We have a great many very good Cypriot friends and we know that they would be there for us if we needed them.

I also know from a friend of ours who is in the Paphos police drug squad that while there is a mafia style element in Limassol the only people that they bother are rivals and this is no different to anywhere else, especially in t he Uk where there are not only Russian and Italian Mafia but also Chinese tongs.
I for one feel very safe here, much safer than I did in the UK.


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## zeeb0

Cyprus is not heaven and there is a lot wrong with the place.. BUT i think there are more problems in the UK. I was lucky enought to get a good job and that makes it ok for us.. however on a good salary things are still tight and i would not advise coming on a low income.. 

To put it another way if i have to live on pool cleaning / bar work wages then there would be enough negatives to make me hate the place and want to go back to the UK.. u simply wouldnt be able to enjoy the good things.

SO if the $$$ is right then go for it.


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## cliveost

zeeb0 said:


> Cyprus is not heaven and there is a lot wrong with the place.. BUT i think there are more problems in the UK. I was lucky enought to get a good job and that makes it ok for us.. however on a good salary things are still tight and i would not advise coming on a low income..
> 
> To put it another way if i have to live on pool cleaning / bar work wages then there would be enough negatives to make me hate the place and want to go back to the UK.. u simply wouldnt be able to enjoy the good things.
> 
> SO if the $$$ is right then go for it.


Does it not depend on the individual?

Some people are not happy unless they have a large house and x amount of money to spend while other people may be happy with a small cheap house and enjoy the outdoor life and dont need to have a huge amount of money to spend. 

When we were in Paphos in Oct some of the staff at the bar we went to were on low income and survived ok. Yes they would like more money but the same is true no matter where you are. People always want more money.

Just a thought as were coming back over at the end of March for a recce.


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## zeeb0

look i aint being a snob.. its just with kids etc you cant really live cheap.. Yes if i were a single dude and shared a 2 bed flat with 3 other people and lived to party then yeah its the best.. But when you need to educate kids, pay for greek lessons, but nappies at 3x the price it is hard. 

If you live in agia nappa or pafos and live in a flat then i have no doubt you could make it alone. But if you need to support kids then it isnt easy or cheap.. Please dont get me wrong we barely survive after our bills etc and i drive a 10 year old car and lift share with others to reduce costs.. 

Im going to list it out and do it in be kind with the bills:

MONTH
Rent 600 minimum
Electricity 50
water 20
petrol 50
shopping (2 adults one kid) 400

Average wages for low income full time workers 1500 - 1800 Euros..

Doesnt leave much for anything else.. add 6k school fees (if you go private)...


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## cliveost

Hi sorry I was not trying to insult anyone but its just the way I see it.

In an ideal world we would all like an excess amount of money but some people who visit the site might not have a huge wage where they live now and so may be able to get by on a lower wage and renting a cheaper place. The last time I looked at Veronica's site the cheapest property she had was 350 a month and that might be fine for someone.

I can see the school fees are a huge issue and thankfully I wont have to worry about that where others will. 

I have read many posts on the forum and the huge figures banded about for living expenses etc are quiite frightening and i just cant believe that they apply to everyone and it is to some extent down to the individual.


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## zeeb0

No worries im not offended.. I just thought i may have painted myself as an AudiR8 driving rich guy with tonnes of cash.. I meets lots of these people who say "oh send your kids here, buy this car etc" without realising i cant afford it and it gets up my nose.. So i dont wanna be that guy lol.

I think 600 is a safe averge rent. Im sure there are places for 350 but they will prob have a 100 community charge and be in a location that will require lots of driving to get to work. 

I have tried living cheap and it can help but it still costs around 100 euros a week for food for a family.. We are orthodox and often fast.. This means a vegan diet so no expensive red meats or booze or anything.. on fasting weeks its still around 80 ish.

Little things take you by supprise.. Eg in the uk i was paying 28 pounds for virgin media 8mbps tv and phone.. sweet! here its 60 euros for a cruddy 1mbps adsl link.. (i dont have internet).


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## cliveost

Thanks for the honest answer.

We will have a good look around in March and get some prices for the extras we would like to have. We will be doing the move on a tight budget and any info will help esp the extras like the community charge etc that we might not have thought about.

Thanks, Clive


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## zin

zeeb0 said:


> Little things take you by supprise.. Eg in the uk i was paying 28 pounds for virgin media 8mbps tv and phone.. sweet! here its 60 euros for a cruddy 1mbps adsl link.. (i dont have internet).


Maybe you are just not looking hard enough?

Apply Online Now | PrimeTel PLC - ?????????, Internet, ?????????

40 euros a month for a 4mb plus phone line. 

Also consider that making phone calls from Cyprus locally and abroad are the cheapest you'll find anywhere.

Sorry zeeb0 I'm not picking on you but I hate when incorrect comments are made without being proven.


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## zeeb0

Sorry i made it all up becuause i want to have cyprus all to myself mwhahahahha... Everything is half the price of the UK and the salaries double! Bring it on!

Cyta is more, but like i said i dont have internet it so have gone on what others have said..


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## Toxan

This is what these forums are all about. People asking questions, and others helping out!


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## star77

Aaarrrghh!!! Just sent a long reply thanking everyone for their contribution but my internet crached and I lost it! Don't have time to rewrite now, just to say the comments have been fantastic and will really help in our decision (that's assuming my husband gets this job but fingers crossed!) 
You've confirmed what I suspected but at the same time allayed my worst fears. I've lived abroad many times and know you only get out what you put in, but you can only put your best in if you're comfortable in your surroundings I think.
All in all Cyprus sounds great and an interesting place to be. 
One more quick question: How do people find not being able to speak Greek? Can you get by ok or is it very difficult if you need to deal with official agencies etc.? Here in Luxembourg practically everybody in the state organisations, utility companies, health service, etc. speak very good English so I'm a bit spoiled at the moment!
Thanks again everyone, 
Anna.


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## zeeb0

learning greek is great and i am trying but everyone speaks English anyway. I know people who have been here 20 years or so an dont know greek.. (i think thats pretty shameful really)


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## Veronica

I've been here for 7 years and have picked up some Greek but it is made very difficult by the fact that the Cypriots insist on talking to me in English


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## Toxan

It is the same the world over. The English try to learn the local language, but the locals want to practice their English, so the English get lazy.
Best way to learn the language is to mix with the locals, especially in the mountains. Highly recommended, as you get to know the locals better.


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## star77

Toxan said:


> It is the same the world over. The English try to learn the local language, but the locals want to practice their English, so the English get lazy.
> .


Not in Luxembourg! Locals very reluctant to admit they speak English. They'd much rather let you struggle in either French or German and then get offended because they have something against one or both languages, reply in Luxembourgish (yes there is such a language!), roll their eyes in pity when you look confused and then proceed to pretend they don't speak any English until they get so frustrated with your pitiful efforts in what is either their second, third or fourth fluent language that they switch to to immaculate English in clipped tones, making you feel pretty inadequate


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## Guest

Having lived in different countries with different local languages I think its rude to not at least try to learn some of the local language. Its a myth that everyone speak english. Why should f ex spanish people speak english, when their own laguage i far bigger. An in europe only 2 countries have english as their mother tongue.
I learned english for twelve years during my school years but and also thought that everyone spoke english. When we first moved to Tenerife and then Germany I ralised that this is not the case.

On Tenerife you came much closer to the locals if you spoke some spanish.

Here in Germany you must learn German to get a unlimited permission to stay, perhaps that model should be used in more countries to help immigrants better integrate

So for me, of course I will struggle to learn some Greek when we move, even if I am 56 y.o and will have harder to do it than younger people


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## karunaji

I suppose that is a way of interpreting the situation. The English education system does not really encourage multi-lingualism-despite the society being multi-cultural. After all, over several hundred years they could never wrap their brains around becoming familiar Irish and Scots Gaelic, Welsh etc. On the Continent graduates cannot get their university diplomas without having an elementary level in one foreign language and intermediate in another. Perhaps this is one way forward.But I would not say that the English fall over themselves to learn the language of the host countries they inhabit.This is not merely an opinon based on a number of decades teaching, but is also backed up by research and many publications in this area of research.


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## MrB

karunaji said:


> I suppose that is a way of interpreting the situation. The English education system does not really encourage multi-lingualism-despite the society being multi-cultural. After all, over several hundred years they could never wrap their brains around becoming familiar Irish and Scots Gaelic, Welsh etc. On the Continent graduates cannot get their university diplomas without having an elementary level in one foreign language and intermediate in another. Perhaps this is one way forward.But I would not say that the English fall over themselves to learn the language of the host countries they inhabit.This is not merely an opinon based on a number of decades teaching, but is also backed up by research and many publications in this area of research.


Yes, I noticed a big superficial difference when I start speaking a little Greek to the check out girls at Papas, or waiters in hotel restaurants. Their eyes really do light up, and they smile: and they normally say "Bravo", not "F back to wherever". Just a comment, as I have been learning some Greek.


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## zin

As a Greek speaker I find it quite frustrating unable to speak Greek in Cyprus when I go to some places. I have to speak in English just because the person behind the till can't speak Greek. So yeah, Greek is hardly a requirement!


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## Toxan

When i worked in Greecr, the Greeks were frustrated that they had to order their drinks in Englich. The same in Paphos, does anybody speak greek in Paphos?


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## Veronica

Toxan said:


> When i worked in Greecr, the Greeks were frustrated that they had to order their drinks in Englich. The same in Paphos, does anybody speak greek in Paphos?


It is only in the some of the bars run by Brits that no Greek is spoken. Most of the bars and of course the traditional tavernas are run by Cypriots and of course Greek is spoken. They do mostly tend to have a decent command of English though for the benefit of those who cannot speak Greek.
Cypriots tend to avoid the British run bars and I dont blame them. We avoid them as well in favour of the Cypriot run establishments.


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## Guest

zin said:


> As a Greek speaker I find it quite frustrating unable to speak Greek in Cyprus when I go to some places. I have to speak in English just because the person behind the till can't speak Greek. So yeah, Greek is hardly a requirement!


For me that is even more rude.


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## theresoon

Veronica said:


> It is only in the some of the bars run by Brits that no Greek is spoken. Most of the bars and of course the traditional tavernas are run by Cypriots and of course Greek is spoken. They do mostly tend to have a decent command of English though for the benefit of those who cannot speak Greek.
> Cypriots tend to avoid the British run bars and I dont blame them. We avoid them as well in favour of the Cypriot run establishments.


In that case Paphos must be the exception. I have encountered it all over, even up the mountains and it is indeed very frustrating because these people who bring foreign workers don't even make an effort, even though they are in service industries. I watched two older ladies struggle to figure out where the hotel restaurant was over the weekend because two waiters couldn't tell them to go down the five steps. I have no idea how they managed to order food.:confused2:

I believe language is an integral part of any culture and so to be part of it or to at least understand it you have to immerse yourself in it. I avoid reading translations because most of them are done so bad where the meaning is really lost in translation. Unfortunately this leaves us with very few choices of Greek childrens books but that is another discussion.


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## Veronica

I find it incredible that staff serving in Tavernas and restaurants that are used by the indigenous Cypriot population are allowed to get away with not speaking the local language. It is something I have not noticed in the restaurants and Tavernas we use but perhaps in some it is the case.
To me there should be a requirement to speak Greek when working in such establishments.


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## Toxan

Veronica said:


> I find it incredible that staff serving in Tavernas and restaurants that are used by the indigenous Cypriot population are allowed to get away with not speaking the local language. It is something I have not noticed in the restaurants and Tavernas we use but perhaps in some it is the case.
> To me there should be a requirement to speak Greek when working in such establishments.


The Cypriot workers demand more wages, want to be on the books, their tax and pensions paid etc, so they are more expensive. The foreign workers usually are offered less wages, and probably not on the books either.


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## zin

It's not even about demanding more wages, the Cypriot culture is that restaurant jobs are done by Cypriot teenagers to make some pocket money. The "adults" that end up staying in Cyprus and not getting a university education end up living off their parents and taking over the family business (which in some cases is working in a family restaurant). There's not as many Cypriots around that don't fall in one of the two categories.

The worst experience I had was going to a village taverna where the waiters were Eastern European and did not speak Greek or English, just knew the words for the dishes. I mean seriously, if I can't speak to them in either language then what's the point? Needless to say we haven't been back since and at this rate I'll have to start going for dinner with a large group of linguists.


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## Veronica

Toxan said:


> The Cypriot workers demand more wages, want to be on the books, their tax and pensions paid etc, so they are more expensive. The foreign workers usually are offered less wages, and probably not on the books either.


Yes I am aware of that Toxan but I still think that to work in that sort of job they should have to learn Greek.
Perhaps customers should complain and tell the the owners they wont use them again until they get staff who can speak Greek.


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