"Broken Greek: A Language to Belong" by Adrianne Kalfopoulou: Book Review

"Broken Greek: A Language to Belong" by Adrianne Kalfopoulou: Book Review

Broken Greek: A Language to Belong

by Adrianne Kalfopoulou

Plain View Press (2006)

ISBN 9781891386565

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (8/06)

"Broken Greek" is truly an inside view of the real Greece. As both an 'outsider' and 'one of them', author Adrianne Kalfopoulou gives a unique look at Greece and all of its glory or sometimes lack of glory. Showing the true side of a country that so many visualize as romantic and historical, she creates a rapport with the people of Greece as only a true native can. As both Greek and American, she sometimes gets a much different attitude than a typical tourist would get as she decides to change her life and hopes to no longer be viewed as a 'xeni' (foreign) person. As she pushes through a system that is truly different than anything she experienced in America, she realizes the need to be considered 'one of them' as the entire system seems to be based on who you know and not what you know. Applying for a teaching position at a university, her application is over looked simply based on the fact that a less knowledgeable person knows the right people to obtain the position even though she is truly not qualified. Putting up a fight, Adrianne takes on the system to prove a point.

Becoming 'one of them' means not only learning the system and how it operates but learning how to live amongst the people and learning their ways. What most Americans might consider to be a completely obsolete way of thinking, Adrianne quickly learns that much of the time business transpires based upon trust and one's own word, as opposed to legal papers and contracts. When she cannot afford to have the dream home she purchased with her life savings renovated all at once, many of the tradesmen are content with payments 'as she can make them', with no written contract. One of the factors that makes her realize she is becoming 'one of them'.

Throughout the book you see the subtle changes occurring as she begins her life living with her grandparents and ends the story as someone who truly is a Greek, living in a small town with her daughter. She becomes 'one of them' with slow changes in her lifestyle that she later realizes is something that gives her an inner peace. While she still finds that she must sometimes fight the system, she also learns that perhaps 'traditional ways' aren't always bad, even if they do seem a bit backwards compared to the life style she had in America.

As she and her daugher take a vacation back to the United States, she realizes as she puts up with a complete culture shock, that the transformation is complete and she now feels like an outsider in the country she grew up in. Both she and her daughter seem to long for what they now consider home, the country of Greece.

Beautiful and poignant, the story transforms a stereotype of the Greek people into a real look at their lives and actions. Sharing everything from the way the government handles jobs to how neighbors help each other, you realize the importance of belonging in this beautiful country of tradition. Sharing old fashioned ways and means, the author comes to realize that the real Greece is nothing like the Greece many are introduced to as tourists. Creating friendships that are built on honesty and trust, she comes to grips with her true roots as she shares the many facets of being Greek with the reader.

If you don't come away from reading this book longing for a taste of days gone by and perhaps wondering if our more 'modern' world might not be as wonderful as we're told it is, I would be surprised. It not only shares the outer beauty of a country that is grand, but shares the inner beauty of a people who are often just as grand.

A great read for anyone interested in finding out t

Now Pay Close Attention --

Using Video Testimonials to increase your websites sales and revenue is simpler than you've been told. Everyone with a website faces the same two problems:

[Problem #1] How To Build Credibility With Potential Customers

[Problem #2] How To Obtain Testimonials Which Have Been Proven To Improve Sales

Fast Video Testimonials has been solving these two problems for hundreds of satisfied customers. Fast Video Testimonials has been tried and tested and known to produce excellent results.

First: Click Here For Fast Video Testimonials

Fast Video Testimonials always supplies REAL VIDEO TESTIMONIALS created specifically for your website and business.

Second: Order Your Video Testimonials Package of 1, 5 or 10 original Video Testimonials for your website.

Your new Video Testimonials will arrive within 7 days and all Video Testimonials are done by REAL PEOPLE and are guaranteed to boost your sales by up to 30%. Buy Video Testimonials today and boost your businesses online presence overnight.

POST COMMENT

Stop Language Barriers-- Communicate by Finding the Right Translation Service Languages are sterile to reality and truth: They are inadequate for knowledge Chinese Language Learning Methods Involvement of a language services provider in the process of founding and managing a European Company (SE) Selecting a Language For Web Application Development The Italian Language: Some Interesting Facts AP English Language and AP English Literature What's the Difference? Show Me The Secret To Learn The Spanish Language Fast Benefits Of Learning A Second Language Synergy Spanish Review - Can You Learn The Language With 138 Words? Dissertations and the Language Barrier Simple Methods to Learn Sign Language Language skills with ‘Spanish Verb Drills' for drilling in to you by Vivienne Bey