The Good, The Bad, & The Beautiful
Two Months as Digital Nomads in Greece
After getting settled in Greece, it's time for some unfiltered reflection... We have explored beautiful places, made new friends, and struggled with housing and visa woes. Here's the reality behind the scenic posts.
The Good
Social Scene
After just a few weeks in Chania (Han-ya), Crete, we were already plugged into the digital nomad community here. There are 20+ WhatsApp chat groups with themes from Board Games to Hiking, Cooking and Sports. We started attending the Sunday night Board Game gathering at a seaside cafe, and were happily welcomed by the regulars, who hail from Norway, Germany, and Greece, to name a few. Rousing game nights last 3-4 hours, and lots of laughs and finger pointing are had.
A regular Friday night dinner is organized at a sampling of restaurants in old town Chania. We simply show up, visit, and enjoy the delicious food that keeps on coming.
The Social Cooking club organizes potluck meals a variety of themes, and again, everyone is welcome.
The "Weekend Adventures" club is all about hiking around the island. Last Sunday we snagged a ride with a willing Dutch driver and joined a group of 18 people on a 5-mile hike through one of the many rocky gorges here.
Irini Gorge hike to Sougia Bay in November
Each event has allowed us to meet a wide variety of Greeks and world travelers- some who are just passing through, and others who intend to make this their permanent home. Not everyone is a digital nomad; some are retired, others work full time in person, and still others are on a sabbatical. The resounding commonalities have been an openness and positivity- we all seem to have a similar appreciation for Greece, Crete, and a less stressful lifestyle. This has been a big change from our experience in Mexico, where, I admit, we did not make a concerted effort to socialize broadly. So I am very thankful for the warm reception we have had in the city of Chania so far.
English is Widely Spoken
Thankfully, the Greeks do not expect everyone to speak their language. We are also in a very touristy city, which attracts visitors from around the globe. While I did take one semester of Greek in college, that was 20 years ago! So I do understand a bit, and we practice with Duolingo daily. But it's a huge relief to be able to complete our daily tasks and errands without the need to prepare or translate. I do plan to sign up for language classes soon though!
Walkability
In Athens and Chania so far, it's been a 5-10 minute walk to all of the necessary amenities we could need, including: Supermarkets, Cafes, Bakeries, a Bus Stop, and Pet Food Shops. When I google new apartment locations to research the amenities, I am pleasantly surprised to see that yes, we will be able to walk to everything!
The Bad
Housing Woes
When we arrived in Athens, we’d booked a 10-night stay and immediately dove into the apartment hunt but heard nothing back from most Greek rental sites. Somehow, others we've met seem to have better luck. In the end, we had just two options: Kalamata or Crete. We chose to rent in Crete via a rental agency for peace of mind—though we soon realized we overpaid for the privilege, which was pretty discouraging. At least our landlord turned out to be helpful, and the place was comfortable, but after a few weeks and a lot of long walks to town, we knew the neighborhood wasn’t for us. Cue the search all over again—now, after months of searching, we’re finally close to landing a long-term lease and hoping to end the housing hunt for a while.
A Never-Ending Job Search
When we launched our digital nomad life, I was sure my background in higher ed would land me some part-time consulting work. Instead, I’ve struggled to find US-based jobs that truly let me work from anywhere—most “remote” roles still require travel back home, which just isn’t realistic. Job hunting brings all the classic ups and downs: endless resume tweaks, rejection let-downs, and interview nerves. I’m starting to explore other ways to earn income and keep me engaged, so stay tuned for updates.
Visa Stress
If you read Our Challenges Getting to Greece blog, you know that we arrived in Greece without visas, misled by incomplete info from the consulate and unaware we’d need to return to the US for our long-stay D visa. As I’m not working now and Trevor’s income doesn’t meet the couple’s minimum, we must apply for the 12-month D visa back home before we can pursue a Financially Independent Persons permit in Greece. Our lawyer has tried to clarify the requirements, but consulate replies remain sporadic and vague. So now, we’re investing in pricey Athens–San Francisco flights this December and crossing our fingers all goes smoothly.
The Beautiful
Cafe culture is definitely a thing here. We see groups of old men smoking cigarettes and sipping coffee with each other at all hours of the day and night, and the rattle of dice rolling across backgammon boards punctuates our walks on the waterfront promenade.
Cats old and young -and in every color combination imaginable- lay claim to nearly every street block and restaurant (and are well fed by locals). Trevor and I have come up with the "cats-per-street-block ratio" as a measure of our favorite neighborhoods. If there aren't enough cats, it's not the place for us!
The Cretan Landscape and Mediterranean Sea boast stunning clear blue waters with an ombre effect from clear to turquoise to a deep sapphire that glistens on sunny days (which there are a lot of). The bucolic beauty of the rolling hillsides lush with olive and citrus trees always lifts my spirits and leaves us with the promise of more to be discovered on the next trip.
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