what is it really like on the street there?

ECS,

We live near The First Cemetery, at a short walking distance from Syntagma! And I never felt unsafe, even if sometimes I can feel a faint smell of tear gas! I have a dog, so I am out a lot with him! My point of view is that the greeks used to be ,,the spoiled children of Europe,, and now, considering their economical situation, they have to live with just 530€ per month, instead of min.800€, plus they have to pay taxes for real, as the mjority of UE  citizens are living for years! I am a graduate art techer, specialised on working with disabled, and my last salary, in 2011 february was 200€! And this is the real situation for all the Eastern European, countries! Note that prices in those countries are lower with just 10 percent! So, if they can adjust their costs they will survive, and if they can look in perspective, not in the present they will survive!

The Greeks in Greece are living in a third world country where they are starving and losing the rights to basic healthcare when unemployed or even in work.

The state gives little or no welfare now.

This when they are taxing the charities that are providing food and shelter to the people, and especially the churches who are delivering soup kitchens.

Many people are being forced onto the streets unable to pay rent.

Old people are losing even the smallest pensions by hundreds of Euros of cuts per month and being taxed on top of that loss. The cost of medicines is rising in social medicine, so they are going to Doctors du Monde to get basic medicines for their children and themselves.

Parents are having to put their children into foster care so that they can be fed, and can get to see them only once a month as they have not the money to come more often.

This is a critical time when Greeks could indeed starve to death, whilst the Germans imposing the cuts just to pay some banker are doing very nicely thank you as a nation with economic growth.

The area of the 1st cemetery of Athens is where the rich live in the city and not where the majority starve.

The city is dangerous because desperate people will need desperate measures.

Help to feed people and look after the sick, old and children in Greece. Here are some suggestions of the charities in the cities. Donate and volunteer.

If you as expats want to help then donate to SOS Children's Villages and Doctors du Monde in Greece. SOS Childrens Villages Greece charity

About Greece's SOS Children's Villages

Doctors du Monde in Greece

Αθήνα - Athens

Σαπφούς 12 - Samfous 12
http://g.co/maps/7zxvf
105 53

info@mdmgreece.gr
210.32.13.150
210.32.13.850

Θεσσαλονίκη - Thessaloniki

Ίωνος Δραγούµη 65, Ionos Dragoumi 65
http://g.co/maps/hfchu
Τ.Κ. 546 30,
Τ/F: 2310.56.66.41
T/F: 2315.31.42.06
e-mail:thessaloniki@mdmgreece.gr

Πέραμα - Perama

Αριστείδου 5 & Ξενοφώντος - Aristeidou 5 and Xenofontos
http://g.co/maps/zy7t3
T: 210.44.14.788

Κρήτη _ Crete

Μπόνιαλη 11, Boniali 11
Τ.Κ. 73 133 Χανιά
Τ: 28210.23.110
e-mail: chania@mdmgreece.gr

Καβάλα - Kavala

Καράνου 13, - Karanou 13
Τ.Κ. 65 302
T/F: 2510.227.224

I moved to Athens recently from South Africa. It is definitely not violent here.  In comparison to Cape Town, where I was living for years, I feel very safe here. It is just amazing to walk around on my own here at night as the rest of the citizens seem to do.  Would never do this in RSA.  Great to walk and not get accosted here.  Find things very expensive though, especially clothing.  Cant belive the way people park their cars here!  Just anywhere but especially on the pavements. Amazing!
No one seems to get traffic fines. 
Just love the bakeries and the Greek coffee.