Feeling nostalgic for the Greek language of Greece

It is commented how homesickness for everything Greek can act as a deterrent in learning English. As a result of introversion, there are difficulties in communicating with public services, especially with the health-care sector.

A.M.: Most people came to find relatives. Relatives who, let’s say, had come first and had set up a small restaurant. Then, they could continue working there, get adjusted more easily. The negative thing is that their social network was very limited. They did not feel the urgent need to learn English. Inevitably, their social circle got limited and it could not open up their minds. It was harder for them to comprehend other mentalities and... the... the local, let's say, the local way of life, its culture, the expectations and the demands of life here. This... this difficulty was big. Most of the times, they did not understand it, because they had a circle in which they could act without having to learn English. But when they needed to go outside, to the hospital, let's say, they needed a translator. It was a bit of a shame that, because the immediate needs were met in their circle, they needed to make a bigger effort to learn English. Then, there were programs in different areas that were funded for learning English. Let's say here, because there were Greeks, they used to employ Greeks to teach who knew English, but they had difficulty finding the students they needed. People did not go there easily. They did not feel so much this need. I mean, as a community, I think we were wide off the mark at this point. We have been limited mostly to our stuff. Our nostalgia was sο great… to hear Greek, to find ourselves in a Greek environment...