Levedy

Greek Communication Styles, both Indirect and Direct

Indirect
I’m at church last night to receive unction as part of the preparation for Orthodox Easter this Sunday. Father John has two other priests helping him, but with a church full of people, a third of a million is still a lot of people.

So as I’m winding my way up the line, I finally reach Father John. The guy hasn’t seen me in months, but he knows that I’m pregnant. He doesn’t miss a beat, this guy. He’s painted fifty gajillion people, but still manages a personal message for everyone. He looks at my huge belly and says “Jennifer, you look wonderful!” He paints my face, ears, and hands with the oil and says a quick prayer. He stops short and says “Jen, I forgot your baptismal name.” I tell it to him and he uses it to finish the prayer.

He winks at me and says “So, I guess it’s been too long since I’ve given you communion, eh, Jen?”

DOH!

Direct
I’m at church this afternoon helping the old ladies dye red eggs for Sunday’s service. The ladies society sells the eggs by the dozen as a fundraiser, but the priest also gives every parishioner one polished red egg at the close of the Easter service. I’m helping them dye three skillion eggs with this sketchy, in-no-way-approved-by-the-FDA powdered dye from Greece, as well as bottles and bottles of red Rit dye, thinking I can’t believe people EAT these things and live to see the next year’s egg batch.

The old hens all want to know my due date. I tell them May 7th, and I hear a volley of (in Greek and in English):

-No way you’re lasting that long. Look how wide your nose is!
-Yeah, right. Look how low her belly is. I say she goes next week.
-Look at her feet! They’re so big, she can’t make it to the 7th!

Geez, ladies. You want to talk about my ass, too, while you’re at it?

Posted by Jen at April 20, 2006 7:08 PM