JOBS IN GREECE

Travel Nursing Series: Travel Nursing in Greece

2011-01-02T22:28:00.000-08:00

By Sally Ryan

Why do people travel? Perhaps plain wanderlust urges people see new places and have new experiences or the need to get away from everyday stress or pressures at home or work. Some may want to make a religious pilgrimage to a sacred site or a new career may beckon. Whatever the reason, travel allows you to make a connection in another country, meet different people and experience different cultures.

One of the easiest careers to "take on the road" is that of the health care professional. Physicians and nurses are in demand in every country in the world and it is easy to find work overseas. Nursing skills are universal and those of nurses in the United States are among the most advanced. Getting certified to work overseas in a foreign country, although a bit tedious, is relatively easy. Usually a placement agency can help guide the US nurse through the process. Salary and benefits are in line with standard travel nursing guidelines. Subsidized housing, signing bonuses, paid vacations and health insurance are offered, depending on the particular job. You will need to pack your own nursing uniforms and nursing shoes as these items are not provided by the employer.

Nurses in Greece are in significant demand. To find and apply for a position as a nurse in Greece it is best to use a professional agency to help with the procedure. Travel nurse agencies help guide nurses to find the ideal job in Greece. International employment applications can be overwhelming with the amount of paperwork required but a good agency will help with the necessary visas and certifications. The agencies are the intermediary between employer and nurse, negotiating a contract that is beneficial to both parties. They will provide job particulars such as work hours, overtime regulations and nursing uniform requirements. Many international hospitals have adopted the US trend of wearing uniform scrubs instead of traditional nursing uniforms. Shopping for medical uniforms in Greece may be difficult, but online websites offering large selections of uniforms scrubs at discount prices are available for your uniform needs.

The Greek National Health system provides a basic medical service to Greek nationals and it has a reciprocal agreement with the British National Health Service. There are many public and private hospitals in Greece, all with varying standards. Some private hospitals have affiliations with U.S. facilities. These hospitals are an excellent resource for American nurses looking for positions abroad in Greece. The staff doctors at these private hospitals have been trained in U.S. or another international teaching institution. In public medical clinics, especially on Greek islands, often very little English is spoken. Many visitors to Greece, and Greek citizens, transfer from island care units to hospitals in Athens hospitals for more modern and professional care.

Medical facilities in Greece range from barely adequate to very good. Public hospitals are severely understaffed, especially during the night shift on non-emergency wards. Nursing jobs in these facilities is very demanding work. The standards of nursing and after care, particularly in the public health sector lag behind what is normally acceptable in the US. In order to insure adequate care, those patients who can afford it hire private nurses to tend to them during their hospital stay. For those with good insurance coverage, private hospitals are available with modern facilities and excellent care. Travel nurses generally procure jobs either in a private hospital or as a private nurse in the public hospital. Knowledge of Greek is, of course, helpful. Doctors and facilities are generally good on the mainland, but may be limited on the islands. It is possible to get by with English, but it will take time to translate patients. In public medical clinics, especially on Greek islands, often very little English is spoken.

Life in the Greek Islands is quite different from that in the United States. Greeks enjoy life today on entirely flexible schedules. The relaxed attitude of the Greeks to time is similar to that of Brazilians, rarely doing today what can be put off until tomorrow. It takes a little effort on the part of the travel nurse to reduce expectations based on time. The Greek word "filoxenia" means "love of strangers", thus the travel nurse will find themselves welcomed into Greek life with great exuberance. There are many religious festivals and family celebrations.
The day starts early in Greece, before the heat of the day sets in. Afternoon siestas last from 2pm to 5 pm. Many workers return to their jobs after the siesta to work until 8 pm. The dinner hour rarely starts before 10:00 pm and often lasts well beyond midnight. Travel nurses will need to adjust their internal meal clock in order to join the social scene in Greece.

Strikes and demonstrations occur regularly in Greece and be disruptive, especially if you are on your way to work. These occurrences are normally orderly, but if necessary tear gas will be used for riot control. Local news sources keep locals abreast of news of demonstrations. Purse snatchers and pick pockets operate at tourist locations and on crowded public transportation, as in any public area.

Time off from work should be spent visiting the many wonders of Greek civilization. Public ferries run between islands, making access to antiquity sites easy and affordable. There are numerous good Greek travel guides available to detail the numerous sites to visit.

Travel by car in Greece can be an adventure in itself. Temporary Greek residents must carry their valid driver's license from their country of origin as well as an international driver's permit (IDP). Drivers not carrying an IDP can be penalized for failure to have one in the event of an accident, and may further be open to a civil suit as well. Heavy traffic and poor highways pose hazards, especially at night or in inclement weather. Many roads are typically poorly maintained and frequently pothole-ridden.

Greece has a list of "must see" sites that is unparalleled. First and foremost is the Acropolis in Athens. Situated on rocky ground high above the city streets, the Acropolis represents classic Greek culture at its zenith. A visit to Olympia, the site of the original Olympic Games and the ruins at Epidaurus, where the ancient theater is still in use for festivals, are must see sites for tourists. A popular destination in Crete for tourists is the Minoan palace at Knossos and the opportunity to experience Macedonian culture and view the tomb of Phillip II of Macedon draws people to explore Vergina. The opportunities to explore ancient Greek culture are limitless and a stay in Greece as a travel nurse will yield ample time to get to know this wonderful country and its friendly people.

One of the first things you will notice as you take out on your travels of Greece is the wide array of litter strewn virtually everywhere. Hillsides are awash with discarded appliances, cans. bottles, boxes, rope and other litter, leaving the traveler to wonder why the breathtaking scenery is not more appreciated by the locals. Beaches and the sea are not exempt. Plastic bags, bottles and cans float by on a regular basis.

Half-finished buildings join Greek ruins, dotting the landscapes and streets. Concrete is the building material of choice and it is everywhere. Unfortunately, Greek concrete workmanship is not of good quality and often results in unsightly messes. Greek construction is often done on an intermittent schedule, dragging out for several years. Houses are often left half-finished for months, or even years at a time. Another familiar site in Greece is the chain link fence. It is thrown up around anything and everything. Much fencing falls into the broken, bent or rusted category making one wonder if the fences serve any purpose.

Despite the unsightly aspects of Greek litter and construction, most people will agree that Greece has more wonders than warts, and travel among the islands is the adventure of a lifetime. So grab your uniform scrubs, nursing shoes, stethoscope and travel gear and head off to the beauty of the Greek islands.

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Author: Sally Ryan

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Eight Positive Steps to Cure the Economic Crisis in Greece

2010-02-20T04:01:00.000-08:00

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By Mark Medley

The current state of Greece's economy is shaking stock markets, and creating more worry about the value of the Euro. However there are certain steps Greece could take to relieve the economic pressure it faces, and built a more sustainable economy.

1. Leave the Eurozone

When times were good for Greece, the Euro was an ideal currency for the country. But it also tied Greece to strict monetary policies that may stop the country from initiating the reforms it now needs.

Reverting back to the Drachma, would relieve Greece from the pressures of Brussels, and allow the nation to collect the vast amount of "black" money currently hidden from the taxman to initiate a recovery.

2. An Anti-Corruption Drive

Greece is not the only country in the Eurozone which suffers from high levels of corruption, and nepotism. But a corruption drive could please investors, and allow Greece to clean-up its current status as one of the worse countries in Europe to do business. Ensure Government servants or their spouses cannot run businesses, or politicians receive funding from large business groups.

3. A Sunshine Policy on Tax

Greeks tend to hoard "Black" money, and avoid taxes. Offering a sunshine policy were offenders could repay some of the tax without prosecution, and a possible "break" when the economy turns around. This could entice wealthier Greeks to put something back, rather then hoard, when things are going bad.

4. Encourage Free Enterprise

By allowing Free enterprise to flow into the economy, by giving "tax holidays" to new business start-ups, and other incentives. The unemployed could create their own work, and relieve the state from the pressures of paying social security.

5. Austerity Programs

Start further austerity programs from the top down, shifting the responsibility to those who ruined the country, rather then those who were honest enough to pay taxes. Politicians could do away with some of the perks of power like extensive pension plans, and initiate sharp pay cuts to members of the Greek parliament.

6. Renegotiate Loans

Greece currently has one of the highest debt levels in the World, even surpassing Italy, and the United States. By renegotiating its debts based on a financial plan to encourage investment, and a corruption eradication policy. This could give breathing space to implementing a more sustainable economy.

7. Implement Work-Share Programs

Rather than let the unemployed sit around, implement community work-share programs, were the unemployed can help the local community in exchange for welfare, and valuable training.

8. "Open Door" Investment

After local businesses and the Owners pay the tax they have avoided. Offer an open door investment policy, were they can continue business with "tax breaks," and are awarded for investing funds into the economy.

International investors freed from the restraints of the European Union, could invest in "micro industries," and "green-tech" industries, building a more energy efficient society, which could export to the nearby European Union.

Greece as a nation faces a very hard short-term future, and has to change. But if these strategies are implemented, Greece could have a more sustainable and vibrant economy, that benefits all, instead of the few.

Discover how to survive and thrive in a changing economy

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Summer Work In The Greek Islands

2009-12-23T04:39:00.000-08:00

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By Carol Palioudakis

Each year in Greece, along with the holidaymakers, come an influx of workers who spend anywhere from 2 to 7 months working on the Greek islands in tourist related services. There are numerous seasonal jobs in hotels, cafes, bars, tavernas, shops, travel agencies and car rental offices, to name just a few. For most of these jobs in the tourist areas Greek is not required.

So how do you go about finding summer work? The majority of jobs are advertised locally and by word of mouth. Workers who come to the islands for the summer season usually arrive between April and June to search on the spot for work.

Many North Europeans book a two week holiday at the beginning of the season and start searching the bar, café; and taverna windows for 'staff wanted' notices. Chat to local bar and taverna owners, make connections, and they will very likely point you in the direction of places looking for staff. In the busy resorts this is the norm and hundreds of young people turn up looking for jobs each year. For bartending you will normally need some experience while 'PR' jobs are plentiful (basically handing out flyers for a bar or club, and hanging around that bar encouraging passers-by to go in). Other options are waitressing, cooking or washing up in a bar, café or taverna.

It's not just the busy resorts who take on staff, many taverns, pensions, shops and beach bars in quieter locations across the islands also seek English speaking workers, and in remote spots you are very likely to have accommodation thrown in. Just choose your location, head there and ask around.

The advantage of searching for a job locally, rather than over the internet, is that you will see exactly where you will be working, and for whom. But if you prefer to have a job waiting for you when you get there then you'll find a number of vacancies advertised on the internet on various job websites and in general Greek forums. An internet search will bring up plenty of relevant websites.

Other job possibilities exist with tour operators, the larger of which employ reps, office administration staff and transfer reps, both from their home bases and locally. Generally vacancies are advertised February/ March, but late - starters may still be looking for staff in May and June. Some vacancies may also arise mid season, particularly during July and August when tour operators have an extra workload. Check out the tour operators' websites.

Carol Palioudakis is the author of "Living in Crete. A Guide to Living, Working, Retiring & Buying Property in Crete", a resource for those moving to Crete and Greece, available from her website http://www.livingincrete.net

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Teaching English in Greece - What Do You Need to Know?

2009-04-17T07:22:00.001-07:00

By Emmanuel Mendonca

The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and therefore many people choose to try teaching English as a foreign language, on a full or part-time basis. It can bring in a good income whether it is your preferred career choice, or you wish to do it short-term until another career choice pans out.

Qualifications and Experience

There are many language schools or frontistiria in Athens and all over Greece, to which you could apply for work. In order to get a job in one of these schools, it is still not strictly necessary to have a formal teaching qualification such as TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Often all that is required is a university degree (in any subject) from a UK or US university. That said, if you are uncertain about your ability to teach English and want to ensure that you start off in this line of work with the necessary skills, a course would be useful. It would provide you with some teaching theory, knowledge of English grammar (let’s face it, many of us have never formally studied English grammar in any great depth, even though we speak and write English everyday) and give you some valuable experience of teaching in a classroom, since this is included in most courses. When applying for jobs, you will find vacancies that specify that previous teaching experience is required and others for which no experience is necessary.

It does not matter if you do not speak a lot of Greek. Native English speakers are often valued for other reasons such as having what is seen as a “proper” accent. Many people also swear by the approach of not speaking your students’ language, so that they hear only English being spoken for the duration of the lesson. You will find ways to make yourself understood. In my experience of language teaching, it can even be counter-productive if your students know that you speak their language well, because they may be too easily tempted to speak to you in Greek when they find it hard going.

Finding work

Teaching English as a foreign language jobs are widely advertised in newspapers and on the Internet all year round and most often from August to October. As well as applying before in Greece, you can also go to door-to-door around the frontistiria with your CV, again in the August to October period. If you are visiting them in person, it is not recommended that you spend time doing this any earlier than August because the schools often do not consider their recruitment needs much before the beginning of the academic year.

Pay and working conditions

Pay and conditions offered by language schools will vary enormously, so it is important to check these out in detail first before accepting a contract. If time is on your side, it may be worth speaking to several schools rather than taking the first job you are offered. Also, if you work in a frontistirio it is quite likely that you will be working mainly in the afternoons and evenings, since this is when children and adults are free to take their lessons.

Making some extra money

Many people who teach English as a foreign language in a school, also do private English on the side and this can become a lucrative activity in itself. Working in a language school for a few months is a good way to meet students and advertise the fact that you do private English lessons, on a one-to-one basis. It can be difficult to get the first few, but then through word of mouth, you’ll get more if you do a good job – that great social network of mums and dads on the school run can work wonders! The University of Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) exam system seems to be the most widely known and respected in Greece, many people who want to be taught privately are preparing to sit a Cambridge exam or some other type of test. It is worth familiarising yourself with the system – there is an enormous amount of free information on the Internet, including lesson plans, tips, exam practice etc. The exams which are most commonly sat by students are the "First Certificate in English" (which many people still refer to by its old name: "Lower"), "Certificate of Proficiency in English" (known as “Proficiency”), and “Certificate in Advanced English” (commonly referred to as “Advanced”). More information is available from the Cambridge ESOL web site (www.cambridgeesol.org).

What private students will want from you varies a great deal. Some may just want a conversation class, others may just be starting on the Cambridge examinations path and there will be some who are already at a very high level and may need detailed coaching on specific grammar points or on vocabulary for a particular purpose e.g. business English. And given these differences, the amount of preparation required on your part and the fee per hour you are able to charge will probably vary too. I will finish with a word on advertising. My experience has been that I have paid out money for two newspaper ads, which got back zero replies! What has worked well for me is local advertising - you need to use your imagination. I put a card in local shops and a small notice in the back window of my car and you can see people reading it at every traffic light! Just beware of getting calls on your mobile phone while you're driving - not good! As I said before, word of mouth should kick in too once you have your first couple of lessons.

Emmanuel Mendonca is the webmaster of Greece Travel Articles - a source of interesting articles and information about visiting, living and working in Greece.

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About Jobs in Greece

2007-08-17T08:03:00.001-07:00

A staple throughout history, Greece is a country filled with stories and landmarks that have remained for many centuries. This fact is not lost on the 15 million or more people that visit this country each year.

If you are thinking of planning a trip to the area here is some advice to make sure you get the most out of your Greece vacation.

To start your holiday in Greece, you must visit the Acropolis. This locale has been depicted hundreds of times in pictures, books, and movies. This is an area where legends were born and geniuses gathered.

Just below the Acropolis is the city of Ancient Agora. While in ruins, walking through the area that is over 2,500 years old lets you tread on the same ground as Plato and Socrates.

Discover Greece from the air. There is no better way to really take in the historic city of Athens than by seeing the whole thing, at once, by air. There are many helicopter tours available that will give you a 30 minute ride in the skies over Athens, pointing out all the landmarks you won’t want to miss.

It’s worth the time to make a stop at the National Archaeological Museum with a wide selection of historical antiquities. It is regarded as one of the world’s best museums.

If you are looking for a great outdoor experience while on your holiday in Greece, bring your hiking shoes and take a stroll down the Vindos Gorge. This Northern Greece location is the deepest canyon in the world, as recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Looking for a little water time? Head to the beaches of Crete. These beaches are some that many European visitors have tried to keep as a secret for their own enjoyment for many years.

If you want to make a difference while in Greece and are attached to the oceanfront, there is an organization called the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Protection Society that is always looking for volunteers. They need people who will help them monitor the nesting habits of the sea turtles every summer.

There are also events you can take part if to do as the Grecians do is you choose to vacation at the right time of year. Here are some to consider.

If music is your escape from the world, the Rockwave festival is held every summer. It is a three-day event in which three stages are constantly heralding music. One stage features metal, one showcases rock, and another plays dance music.

Try out a local sporting event. If you’re there in football season (soccer for Americans) you may want to try to attend a Hellenic National League football game. Be sure you’re up for it. Football fans in this area are passionate about their sport and may even storm the field if they don’t like an official call.

If you are the athletic type, head to Greece in November and strap your running shoes on. This is when the Athens marathon is run, on the same route as the Olympic marathon.

About the Author:

Jack Blacksmith repeatedly edits summaries on things dealing with Spain and Torrevieja. You can find his publications on car hire Murcia over at http://www.alicante-spain.com/murcia.html Read more articles by: Jack Blacksmith

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