Greece has influenced generations of European countries for thousands of years. The civilisation of ancient Greece and its presence can be found in our modern day Olympics and the very notion of democracy, which emanated from its first experiments in Athens. Greek philosophy permeates Western culture, with the sayings and thoughts of Socrates and Pluto still resounding with modern generations. Pythagoras and Euclid’s influence can be found in the reaches of modern mathematics, music and science, and Greek theatre and fables are still performed today. For those wishing to visit the ruins of some of the most important sites in antiquity, then Greece is the place for you. Despite the chaotic bustle of Athens, the Acropolis still remains its crowning glory. Ancient Olympus awaits those who wish to explore its archaeological splendour.

Greece is not just about the past, but also has many areas to explore. With a large coastline on the mainland, Greece boasts beautiful beaches, hills and panoramic landscapes. However, the jewel in Greece’s crown is its Islands.  From Rhodes to Lesbos, to name just a few, the islands can be easily accessed from an impressive array of ferries. Small white houses, decorated with blue shutters and bright pink flowers greet the visitor, while small elegant back streets, as well as beautiful coves, wait to be discovered and explored. Greece also has it very own cuisine, with hummus, feta salad, mezes served with hot pitta and moussaka. The people here are friendly, hospitable, and despite recent hardships, find a way to enjoy life.

As a country Greece is among the sunniest countries on earth. You may not have known that the entire country gets more than 250 days of sun on average a year. 3000 hours of glorious sun if you want to be exact. Some parts of the country 300 days of sun are the order!  Athens is the dominant place in Greece, with 40% of the total population live there in fact. While the Greek islands are perhaps better known by tourists, the majority of Greeks live in Athens or Thessaloniki. Some live in the islands for summer, but lots of them actually live in Athens.

One of the fabled ‘Blue Zones’ in the world, where people are said to live extraordinarily longer and more healthy is to be found in Greece. If you would like to experience the delights of one of these blue zones Ikaria is definitely a must-go. There are a total of 5 in the world. One of the most iconic Greeks of all time was Alexander the Great. Alexander was one of the greatest warriors of all time. He conquered all the way from Greece to Asia and his achievements and conquests led to the Hellenistic period.

Teaching Opportunities

Due to the economic crisis that has hit Greece in recent years, there are fewer opportunities than there were before in the EFL job market.  People have less money to spend on luxuries. This means that there are now larger classes in private language schools with shorter lesson times, to make them more economical. Positions to teach can be found in Athens, Crete, Corfu, Thessaloniki and Larissa. Most jobs start at the beginning of the academic calendar, in September and again in January. Therefore, it is important to apply at least 2 months before these start dates. Greece also favours teachers who originate from the EU. In order to teach in Greece it is now generally necessary to have a 120-hour TEFL certificate. Classes in Greece are mainly focused on examinations, particularly Cambridge English examinations, and the national English proficiency exam, Kratiko. In order to be competitive, you need to research these exams, so that you can talk about them during your job interview. The salary in Greece is low, but this can be increased through private lessons.