An expat who has lived on a cheap Greek island for the last 30 years has shared her experience – and admits one thing that worries her. The woman has discussed the positives and negatives of living abroad on her YouTube channel @AgeanDreams, as well as a “surprising tip” for people who are also looking to move away.
Sherry, a retiree from the US, left her home to live in Greece with her husband three decades ago. While she admitted she had “no idea what sort of life awaited me”, she admits that the move was “more than worth it” in the end. The Greek islands are famous of their beauty and stunning scenery, making them a very popular destination for British tourists and expats. Sherry said the “glorious scenery” is one of the main reasons why she loves living on the island of Salamina.
She said: “It is so beautiful. From my house, I can see the bay below. I pray I never have to live without the view of the sea again; I love it.” Sherry also enjoys the slow pace of life and “relaxed vibes” in Salamina, which is located around 16km west of the centre of Athens.
She explained: “I like to go slow and enjoy things, and at this point in my life, I am able to do that. I do not have the stress of traffic; we have hardly any here apart from a small amount on weekends.”
Sherry added: “I have a little wind chime, and I can hear it with the slightest breeze because there is no noise. You could hear an olive or a lemon drop.”
One thing that might “surprise” people about living in Salamina is the price, Sherry says. She explained that the cost of properties and daily expenses are actually “very cheap” for expats on the island.
She said: “Owning or renting a house on the island, except if you are talking about Mykonos or Santorini, is very cheap. Your daily expenses, too. I can go and sit in a cafe and have a wonderful cappuccino for €1.50 (£1.27), which is cheap.”
However, Sherry does explain how there are “limited job or business opportunities” on the island. There are also a lack of services such as hospitals or health care.
She said: “Having fewer services, such as hospitals and health care, affects me a lot. You won’t find the top doctors. We have good enough doctors, but knock on wood, I never need to see them.”
There are also a “limited amount of shops” on the Greek island. Sherry said that certain stores are only found on the mainland.
