Agony? Chaos? Both words of Greek origin; agony means suspense, and well, chaos is just Greece.
Having lived in Greece, life just always seemed chaotic there, well before the financial crisis. Nothing involving paperwork was ever uncomplicated, even paying your bills involved have cash and actually going to an office with euros in hand to pay in person. Trying to get DSL, and the first one to get it in my town, was an experience that would require a diary itself.
Living there was an experience that held many challenges. And driving in the city of Athens is an adventure not to be missed, or for that matter on winding country roads, where your oncoming traffic is coming to you, not from their lane, but the center of the road! Parking in town (though I have not seen this in Athens) is on the system of creating parking spots in the roadway when the curbside ones are filled, sometimes 4 deep. There was a joke I remember of a Greek driver being asked, "why are you parking in the street, when there are parking spaces available in the next block? And his answer was, "there is no place I want to go on that block."
But that is Greece. Calling the train station to verify that my dog would be allowed on the train with just a lease, and traveling with him on the outportion of trip without any problem, only to stand arguing with 4 to 5 train employees on the return portion that the dog would not be allowed on the train. Yelling helps, because you have to jump into the drama, get with the program there. So finally after enough yelling, my dog was allowed on with his lease again. I recall being in the old airport in Glyfada (I loved that airport, tiny as it was, with soldiers with machine guns outside even that) also yelling with the airport manager as I was trying to get an actual answer after being told when calling from my hotel - on 3 occasions to come back to the airport as my previously cancelled flight would go out, to arrive to find out such was not the case, not once, not twice, but three times.
The Greeks I have become friends with both in Greece and here in Florida thrive on high drama and chaos, and I have come to love them dearly, as for sure, life with them is never boring.
As my family lives there now and have just opened a new business, which if the country is plunged into bankruptcy.........well
I have tried to say on top of what is going on, but it just becomes more confusing to me to really understand what is happening. The drama ongoing now for months heading into the final stretch prompting much angst, (probably also a Greek word).
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today that she has doubts that Greece can be saved from meltdown........
Merkel today expressed doubts for the first time that Greece can be saved from a meltdown, given that after two years of financial assistance and brutal austerity measures, the debt-wracked country still appears unable to rally.
Speaking in a interview with the UK's Guardian and five other leading European newspapers, Merkel described Greece as a special case, saying that despite all the efforts that have been made, neither the Greeks themselves nor the international community have yet managed to stabilize the situation."
Eurozone ministers fail to agree Greek debt deal
Greek PM guardedly optimistic of PSI deal by end-week
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos on Tuesday night expressed guarded optimism that a deal will be reached by the end of the week in ongoing negotiations with Greek bondholders for a writedown of Greek debt.
Speaking to the press following a reception for the diplomatic corps at the Maximos Mansion, Papademos said we will have a positive outcome by the end of the week, adding that Thursday's scheduled trip to Athens by managing director of the Institute of International Finance (IIF)Charles Dallara, will be his last visit.
Papademos also met late on Tuesday with Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos who returned from Brussels, where a meeting of European finance ministers pushed for a compromise to be found with private holders of Greek debt, after talks stalled on demands by the official sector for a coupon of no more than 3.5 percent on the new bonds to complete the debt swap, while private bondholders have insisted on at least 4 percent.
More Greek News
http://ekathimerini.com/
Thu Jan 26, 2012 at 1:48 PM PT: Here's an evening summary from Europe.
Greek debt talks resume - with reports of a new deal on the table, but difficult negotiations with the Troika.
• Eurozone governments and institutions have been warned that they mayu have to increase their contribution to Greece's second bailout. Olli Rehn said that a "sustainable solution for Greece" would include an increase in official sector funding.
• Greece's creditors have confirmed that they could make a new offer to Athens. Josef Ackermann of the IIF said his side were ready to negotiate, but urged decisive action from others. It is understood that the IIF could accept a reducted coupon of 3.75%.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...