According to Greeks

1. ABORTlON--Perfectly legal in Greece as long as deemed necessary and performed by a qualified physician or gynecologist, i.e., in cases of rape or if the doctor decides the mother's health is in danger, psychologically or physically. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to come by if you find a sympathetic doctor.
2. ADULTERY--As common in Greece as elsewhere, but usually the sole prerogative of the male, who operates under the enduring dictum, "My wife's married, but I'm not.” Freedom to have sex whenever and with whomever he wishes is almost considered a Greek man's birthright, as essential to his well-being as breathing, and is tolerated by most members of the community, even the women. On the other hand, should a married woman be caught doing the same, she is considered little better than a whore and the courts would be predisposed towards the husband even if, to punish her, he slit her throat.
3. CATS--Cats, as well as dogs, are considered animals--that is, creatures without souls--and very few of them achieve the status of becoming members of the family. The concept of having pets is completely alien to the rural Greek way of life; everyone must work, including the animals, and if they don't, they are scavengers and must be driven away. Cats seen around living quarters and tavernas without being kicked-out are tolerated because of their mouse-catching ability. The rest are considered fair game for little children with sticks and stones. This is not an innate sensitivity, but simply what they believe to be a fact and necessity of life.
4. DOWRY--Dowries still have a great deal of importance in rural Greece. They continue to weigh like a chain around the necks of both a prospective bride and her family, all of whom must often work like slaves to provide a dowry (usually a fully-furnished home and its plot of land) acceptable to the groom and his family. I know of one girl, the daughter of a sheepherder on a small island, who is now in her fourth year waiting for her father and three brothers to accumulate the money just to begin building her house, while inflation continually pushes the possibility out of their reach.
5. ENGAGEMENT--Greek engagements, particularly in rural areas, tend to last an inordinately long time, from one to three to even five years. This is partly due to the difficulties in getting together a dowry as well as the sensible, old-fashioned idea that people should find out how well they get along together before marriage.
6. FACT--Anything that is stated as a fact" (such as bus and boat schedules, etc.) should be confirmed by at least two other people, preferably more. Facts in Greece are rarely simple, straightforward, objective truths. They change in accordance with both the knowledge of the person being questioned and with what he thinks the answer might be. This is not Iying; it is simply stretching the truth a little so that the person stating the fact doesn't have to lose face by admitting that he doesn't exactly know, and so that you will be as pleased as possible with the reply.
7. HOMOSEXUALlTY--ln Greece, homosexuality does not have the same stigma attached to it as in America and other Western countries. One must first remember that homosexuality was a completely accepted practice in classical Greece and that today it is as equally accepted in many countries of the Leant. There still exists in Greece a socially-rigorous separation of the sexes before marriage (although it is being rapidly eroded by "liberated" Western ideas) that places a great deal of emphasis on the virginity of the bride and thus forces males (and sometimes females) to seek sexual outlets with members of their own sex. Today in Greece one finds a dual attitude towards homosexuality: as in the West, it is looked down upon as an aberration, while at the same time, it is widely and usually unashamedly practiced, often more than not, by heterosexuals. Most of these young men do not think of themselves, and are not thought of by others, as homosexuals; they are merely doing what they need to do until the time and opportunity comes for them to marry.
8. LOVE--Love is often not a word to be taken lightly with Greek men, particularly at the beginning of a relationship--except, perhaps, when you are under the influence of too much Greek sun, wine, music, moon, and/or wine. However, in more sober moments, the words "I love you" might tend to fill most Greek men with such overwhelming sense of responsibility that it could send them scurrying off in search of someone much less complicated.
9. PROSTlTUTlON--Prostitution is legal in Greece, and prostitutes are, for the most part, accepted members of communities in which they work, human beings like everyone else performing a necessary social function. In smaller communities, bordellos make a point of doing their business in the afternoons and evenings, closing before midnight so as not to tempt husbands and young men to stay out too late and offend their wives and mothers. Most, but not all, prostitutes are police-regulated and required to have a medical check-up at least once a week. However, this is no guarantee that the person just ahead of one has not had a communicable disease.
So...
*Reprinted by permission. Stone, Tom. The Greek Handbook. (Athens: Lycabettus Press). 1982.