Being Greek

**American Kids: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of their parents
**Greek Kids: Move out when they're 28, having saved for that nice house and are a week away from getting married...unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds.

**American Kids: When their Mom visits them she brings a nice bundt cake and you sip coffee and chat.
** Greek Kids: When their Mom visits them she brings 3 days worth of food and begins to immediately tidy up, dust, do the laundry or rearrange the furniture.

**American Kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them and its usually only on special occasions.
** Greek Kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads come over, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00 and starts pruning the fruit trees. And if there are no fruit trees, he will plant some!

**American Parents: You can leave your kids with them and you always worry if everything is going to be ok plus you have to feed them after you pick them up.
** Greek Parents: No problem, leave your kids there and if they get out of line your parents can set them straight...plus they get fed.

**American Kids: Always pay retail and look in the yellow pages when they need something done.
** Greek Kids: Just call their dad or uncle and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done...cash deal, knowwhatImean?


**American Kids: Will come over for cake and coffee and get only cake and coffee, no more.
** Greek Kids: Will come over for koulourakia and coffee and get salad, feta, bread, few bottles of wine, a choice of two meats, potatoes, a nice dessert cake, fruit, coffee and a few after dinner drinks...time permitting there will be a late lunch as well.


**American Kids: Think that being Greek is a great thing.
** Greek Kids: Know that being Greek is a great thing.


**American Kids: Never ask the reason you have no food.
** Greek Kids: Are the reason you have no food.


**American Kids: Will say 'hello".
** Greek Kids: Will give you a big hug and a kiss, pinch your cheeks, and pat you on the back.


**American Kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
** Greek Kids: Call your parents Thea and Theo.

**American Kids: Have never seen you cry.
** Greek Kids: Cry with you.


**American Kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
** Greek Kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just being together.


** American Kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
** Greek Kids: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.


**American Kids: Know a few things about you.
** Greek Kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

**American Kids: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
** Greek Kids: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you.

**American Kids: Would knock on your door.
** Greek Kids: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"

**American Kids: Are for a while.
** Greek Kids: Are for life.


**American Kids: Will ignore this.
** Greek Kids: Will forward this.