#filotimo

The graffiti, painted on the side of a three-storey building on the corner of Marrickville Lane, depicts a female figure associated with Estia, goddess of family in Ancient Greece.

And ‘filotimo’ – commonly referred to as a Greek untranslatable word – is the central inscription.

It is now more than ever that the concept of hospitality or “philoxenia” as devised by the ancient Greeks takes on an added meaning. As the coronavirus frenzy subsides and Greece opens up to the world once again welcoming travelers from far and wide, the true sense of Greek hospitality comes into the spotlight.

Put forth by the gods, the Greek laws of “xenia” demanded that hospitality, kindness, and generosity were extended to a stranger no matter social class or background to create a special bond stronger than friendship.

“Xenia” embodies the idea of hospitality and forms part of the compound word “philo-xenia” meaning “friend of the stranger”.

It is said that the King of the Gods himself, Zeus also called “Zeus Xenios” as the protector of all travelers often wore layman’s clothes and dropped by randomly to make sure he was put up for the night.

If someone turned him away, the wrath of the gods was upon him and his family. And we all know how imaginative the Greek gods were with their punishments.

Besides Zeus Xenios, his daughter the goddess of wisdom Athena Xenia, and the twins Dioscuri Castor and Pollux also watched over strangers.

It is generally known that the Greek language is as difficult as it is fascinating In Greek, we use a variety of words which cannot be adequately translated to other languages, as they describe complex feelings, virtues or situations. Two of our favorite are the words 'filotimo' and 'charmolipi'.

Filotimo “Filotimo” is a compound word, made up of two parts. The first means friend' ('filos') and the second honor ('timi'). Therefore, this characteristic -another Greek word!- describes someone who is a friend with honor', who has a strong sense of honor in their life and social behavior. For Greeks, 'filotimo' is a really essential virtue. It has to do with the respect you have for others, the way you keep your promises and the gratitude you feel for those who stand by you. It is actually a way of life, describing the quality of being trustworthy and decent in your actions and decisions.

Charmolipi 'Charmolipi' is another compound word -we sure have tons of them- made by 'chara' (joy) and 'lipi' (sadness). “Charmolipi” describes a feeling we all have experienced at least once in our lifetime. It is the feeling you have in a situation which is both sad and joyful at the same time. For example, how would you feel if you were about to move from your house to a new one? You would feel sad about leaving the home you had had for the past few years and all the memories you have in it, but you would also feel great joy for your new beginning. See? You feel 'charmolipi'!

In his second summer in the lonesome Greek village of Tolo on the east coast of the Peloponnese, German senior civil servant and writer Andreas Deffner committed a cultural blunder that led him to the celebrated concept of Greek philotimo.

“Good morning, how are you?’ Grandma Vangelió, owner of the pension where he was staying, warmly greeted him one day.

“So, so,” Deffner sleepily answered.

Next thing the German tourist knew, he was sweating over a bowl of delicious, steaming-hot chicken soup, the watchful eyes of Grandma Vangelió and her daughter Irini glued on him. When Irini started wildly gesticulating at her brother Pericles, who had just arrived, Deffner broke out in cold sweat. “What’ve I done?” he asked, warily.

The first reference to philotimo dates back to the dawn of Greek classical period (Credit: Credit: DEA/A. Vergani/Getty Images) The first reference to philotimo dates back to the dawn of Greek classical period (Credit: DEA/A. Vergani/Getty Images) "You said to Vangelió that you weren’t feeling well?" Pericles replied.

"I beg your pardon? I just said I was so, so.”

"If you answer ‘so, so’, locals think you're sick and their sense of philotimo urges them to heal you, thus the chicken soup,” Pericles replied, roaring with laughter.

On the occasion of today’s Australia Day celebrations, a conversation on whether life is better in Australia or Greece tends to always stir some healthy debate – particularly amongst those first-generation Greeks who migrated to Australia back in the 1900’s and the second and third generation Greek Australians who have been lucky enough to experience and get a glimpse of both countries. Many Greek Australians claim that life in Australia is easier.

More career opportunities, an organised society and a relatively rich nation appear to be the fundamental key factors for those who choose to give their vote of confidence to Australia.

On the other hand, drenched in natural light, stunning and affordable Greece, blessed with unique landscapes and crystal-clear waters, a socially cohesive and family-oriented lifestyle that’s heightened by Greek filoxenia and filotimo appears to offer to some, a sense of belonging that they claim is hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Others appear to be conflicted, with their heart yearning for Greece and their brain whispering Australia.

I found Lindaki mou’s family when I was in Sifnos in June, and I must tell you that was a thrill. “I’m from Canada,” I said when I was sure I had the right person. “I know a woman who came to Sifnos in the 1970s and lived with your family. Her name is Linda.”

The woman looked at me and, even though we were relying on her daughter to translate, her answer was instant. “Well, why hasn’t she been back?”

“I was eight years old when Linda was here,” she went on to say. “I remember her.” Then, “How is she? Does she have children? What does she do?” This Canadian teenager who loved nothing more than to hang out with their donkey had caused quite a stir at the time, I could see, and became a part of their family lore.

“The 1980s was a very different time, a bygone era. Six years ago, I came to Greece because of the crisis, in support of the country. I have kept abreast of developments, returning five times since – this time for six months. One thing is clear: In the face of crippling challenges, Greece and its people welcomed others when often they didn’t have enough to feed themselves. For this, they should be recognized.

A truly meaningful way to do that would be to nominate the people of Greece for a Nobel Peace Prize – in keeping with similar efforts to nominate the citizens of Chios, Kos, Leros, Lesvos, Rhodes and Samos in 2016. With the nomination deadlines in the not-too-distant future, the time to start mobilizing is now.

In the spring of 1988,  the lead singer of a US band along with five jazz musicians landed in Athens airport, following a short-term contract on board of a cruise ship. When the shipping company went bust due to financial problems, the 35-year-old singer did not followed her colleagues back to the US.  She took the challenge and stayed in Greece, changed her course of life  and picked up “the new adventure.”

“When I stepped off that plane in Athens into the sweet lemon smell of a Greek spring, I looked up at those beautiful green mountains, felt the sea breeze on my face, and said to myself, ‘I am home.’ Karen told us daily The Newsstar.

“The noise, the disorganization, the traffic congestion, the crazy drivers, the pollution, and the chaos that others complained about was not what I saw,” she added.

“I found everything about this new experience stimulating and exciting but it wasn’t easy. Adjusting to a new culture with entirely different ideas and attitudes takes time.”

After spending some time in Greece, Karen moved to the islands.