“Greece or Australia?” What one man has to say after 12 years abroad
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
What is it like to return to your homeland after twelve years spent on the other side of the world? What do you leave behind, what do you take with you, and how do you reintroduce yourself to a place you never stopped calling home?
Nick Vlachos spoke to Neos Kosmos about the reasons that initially led his family to emigrate to Australia at the height of the economic crisis in 2013, as well as the decision to return a year ago. Having lived abroad, he can compare the two countries with clarity, in terms of quality of life, cost of living, and day-to-day realities.
Born and raised in Athens, “in one of the most beautiful suburbs, Ilioupoli,” as he tells Neos Kosmos, Vlachos travelled widely with his wife and their two sons, both within Greece and abroad. Yet they had never visited Australia, even though his wife was born in Melbourne before her family moved back to Athens when she was one.
“Funnily enough, when we were teenagers, we would often smile at each other over a pizzeria in Ilioupoli called Canberra, which has been around since the 1970s and had a kangaroo as its logo. We used wonder where this place was and what kind of animal that was. Who could have imagined that many years later we’d end up living exactly there…”
The decision to emigrate
In 2012, at the peak of the economic crisis, the idea of emigration began to take shape. Working conditions had become extremely difficult and the future looked bleak, Vlachos recalls.
“We were thinking about the future of our children, who were 13 and 16 at the time. We first decided to secure their Australian citizenship while I began the process for a partner visa, so that we’d have a plan B ready.”
The final decision came in August 2012, and the family booked their tickets to depart in March 2013.
He admits it was a difficult choice, “with two children and just one suitcase each, leaving your home, your friends and relatives, and the country where you were born and had lived most of your life.”
What followed were 12 years in Canberra, until the boys reached adulthood, completed their studies, and established their careers. The family travelled regularly to Greece for holidays, so the connection was never lost. “We could see both the positives and the negatives.”
The return to Greece
After 12 years in Australia, the couple decided to return to Greece. The two main reasons, he says, “were that we had many years of employment in Greece, so it would be easier to retire after completing a few more working years here.”
Now 58, Vlachos explains that in Greece you can retire at 62 if you have 40 years of service and began working before 1993. The second reason was that they owned their home, which would make their financial transition easier.
They returned in September 2024, after discussing everything thoroughly with their children. Weighing the pros and cons, the children chose to remain in Australia.
“It was a decision we made together. Besides, if we were younger, we too would choose Australia to live and start our life. Let’s be honest, no country is perfect. Depending on our age, each country suits us a bit more or a bit less, depending on the life we want.”
Today, a year on, “we still hold onto that sweet feeling we always had when coming to Greece for holidays.”
Vlachos now works as a sales consultant for an air-conditioning company, while his wife works for a chain of electrical and electronics stores.
“We chose jobs that don’t create stress or pressure, so we can enjoy our daily life, our weekends, and the long weekends, and there are plenty of those.”
The challenges of life in Greece
He also sees clearly the difficulties in Greece.
“The cost of living is disproportionate to salaries. For a young couple renting a home, one entire monthly salary goes to rent and electricity, and the other covers groceries, petrol, clothing, and a bit of entertainment, leaving no room for savings or for starting a family.”
He adds that low birth rates and the depopulation of rural areas are among Greece’s most serious issues. Many young people, he says, continue to live with their parents well into their 30s because they cannot afford to rent their own place when the average salary is around 750 euros.
“Work conditions are also not good in most businesses, resulting in high staff turnover. Unfortunately, meritocracy still doesn’t exist in Greece. As I like to say, ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know.’ Australia, on the other hand, is a workplace paradise compared to Greece. In Australia, overtime or public holiday pay is an incentive to work. In Greece, it’s usually compulsory, with the reward being an extra day off.”
There is, however, a stronger sense of work-life balance in Greece.
“What helps is that within minutes you can be in the mountains or by the sea, having a coffee or a bite with friends. And it is something you can do without much planning, and without spending a lot, since there are options for every budget.”
“Where is life better?”
The truth is, they don’t really miss anything from their life in Australia.
“The children come in the summer, and we’ll visit Australia once we retire. Ilioupoli has plenty of green spaces, and the traffic isn’t so heavy that it becomes a burden. I believe this also helped our decision.”
So where is life better?
“It depends,” Vlachos says.
“For someone thinking of returning to Greece who has young children and is far from retirement, it’s better to stay in Australia and come to Greece for holidays. The opportunities there are incomparably greater, for both the children and the parents.
But for those nearing the end of their career, who want to spend the next chapter of their life in a more conservative yet higher-quality way, returning home is worth it.”
*Are you a Greek who has recently moved abroad or a migrant who has repatriated and would like to share your experience? Send your message to editor@neoskosmos.com.au.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
