(Kiki's Corner by Kiki Angelos - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

With all the schools that soon will be closing for summer, families are looking forward to vacation time.

For many, vacation means being off work, and even if they can’t go anywhere, staying around the house and catching up on things that they couldn’t do while they were working. Others take short trips, others go to the beach. That is a vacation pretty much everyone enjoys, especially when you live far from the ocean like we do here. Others enjoy going to the mountains and many to visit family and explore and visit different states.

And many choose to go to Europe and visit different countries and experience their way of living.

I am from Greece, a small country that has a lot of history. When our children were young, as soon as school was out, I had our suitcases ready. We would spend the whole summer there. For at least 30 years, we were visiting Greece, Greek islands, plus other countries. I always made sure we were taking T-shirts that said, “Almost heaven in West Virginia.” We were so happy when people asked us if we were from West Virginia and with pride we said, yes we are!

I don’t think there is a summer we don’t get calls from different people planning to go to Greece and the Greek islands, asking us to give them suggestions of where to go, what to see and where to stay.

From philosophy and democracy to architecture, the legacy of ancient Greece continues to inspire the world today. Every stone tells the story of strength and heritage that will never fade. Greece is not only a country, but it is a living history. From the ancient ruins to the blue seas, every corner tells a story that lives on forever.

Many people say that Greece is not just where we come from, but it’s who we are. People visiting Greece say, “A taste of Greece is a taste of happiness!” Good food, good people, good memories!

Since I like people and I really like all of you, my readers, I will teach you a Greek word: Filotimo. This word only exists in the Greek language and literally means to honor your friend. The Greeks are born with affection, generosity and hospitality! (I hope you remember the word)

Greece is the birthplace of democracy, the Olympics, philosophy, theatre, geometry, mathematics, modern medicine, classical architecture, political science, mythology, the alphabet and so on. You can tell that our family loves history and my husband Francis and I love the history of Greece.

In Greece , especially in the villages, life still feels simple, no stress, no rushing, just sunsets, good food, village conversations, church bells and memories that stay with you forever. If you have visited Greece, you’ll be able to tell me which island or which place felt like home to you. One of my friends visited Greece and told me Greece is therapy for the soul!

Greece is considered the cradle of western civilization.

Athens, where I was born, is the capital city of Greece and one of the oldest cities in the world, with its recorded history spanning over 5,000 years.

The Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most iconic landmarks of ancient Greece and the world, standing proudly above Athens for over 2,500 years. The Acropolis remains one of the greatest symbols of Greek civilization, history and culture. Dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, it represents the glory, power and values of ancient Greece.

Also, Greece has more archaeological museums per capita than any other country in the world!

The country is made up of thousands of islands, about 227 of which are inhabited. The weather is beautiful most of the time in Greece, and it’s considered one of the sunniest countries in the world.

Mount Olympus is Greece’s highest mountain and was considered by the ancient Greeks as the dwelling of their gods, ruled by Zeus.

Greece is famous for olive trees. Olive oil is central to Greek cuisine, and ancient Olympic athletes were crowned with olive wreaths .

The Greek language is one of the oldest written languages in the world and it has been spoken for more than 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest languages still spoken today. (And trust me, it has the most difficult grammar, LOL.)

The Greek flag contains nine stripes representing the nine syllables of the phrase ” Eleftheria I Thanatos” (freedom or death), a motto From the Greek war of independence.

Greece’s national cheese is feta, which makes up 70% of the cheese consumption in Greece. It can only be named feta if produced in certain areas of Greece.

The Greek island of Ikaria is one of the world’s blue zone regions, with the longest living people.

Santorini is a Greek island famous for sunsets and whitewashed buildings. It is actually the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, around 1600 B.C.

The Olympic games originated in ancient Greece in 776 B.C., held in honor of Zeus in Olympia. They were revived in the modern era in 1896 in Athens. Years ago our son George went and ran the original Athens marathon. He did really well, and all our family went to watch him. What a great family memory for all of us.

The Greek philosopher Socrates is considered the father of Western philosophy. Despite his foundational role, he never wrote down any of his teachings. I can’t figure out why he did that, but anyway.

What I wrote is just a part of Greece’s history. Hopefully, another time I can write more about the Greek islands and Lifestyle and food.

Till next week.