What character traits do you think Greek men have?

I try not to generalize.

I just assume they look like John Stamos and give her a high-five.

Hyacinth hair, wine-dark blood, aquiline nose ,bronzed-armored, strong-greaved,
glancing-eyed…

I am part Greek, and I am friends with first generation Greek immigrants. We all are…(be right back)...

They’re not wild about taxes.

There is not telling what an individual will be like, but culturally, they tend toward the patriarchal.

@gailcalled, thus do you urn my applause.

@Jeruba: Am always phora good pun.

I have seen Greeks have many varied features, but there is a certain look/face that I can usually peg as Greek. The particular look is a kind of roundish or squarish face, nose is often slightly crooked, well defined cheek bones, hair usually has some wave in it and fairly thick, skin is a little dark, but not very, unless they have spent a lot of time in the sun. John Stamos does not have the look I am talking about just as an example of you can’t generalize all Greeks. Sometimes I guess that the person is either Greek or Italian if I am unsure. And, of course the guess can be wrong still. But, I am pretty good at guessing,

When people ask me to describe my husband I usually say he looks mediterranean or what an America might think is a Greek look, especially his coloring. But, he does not have the face structure I was talking about above. His family going back several generations is from Israel, Spain and France.

My experience is they tend to be very family oriented giving people who like to enjoy life. But, I can say that about many people from many countries.

@jleslie – spend an afternoon in Tarpon Springs. The eye candy is incredible.

@Seek_Kolinahr Oh, don’t worry, I have already had a gyro and baklava down by the docks. LOL. There are tons of Greeks around me constantly in the Clearwater and Palm Harbor area. I interact with more women than men really. Several in my zumba class. I hear older couples speaking Greek at restaurants and in the mall. They are everywhere. You have probably seen pics of my husband, do you think he would pass for Greek?

Maybe. To me he looks more Italian.

But what do I know?

I think of them as being enthusiastic, hearty, good-natured and kind.

@Seek_Kolinahr That’s why I just say Mediteranean. Italy counts. He’s Mexican by birth as you know.

Okay, here goes: not wanting to generalize, because you can’t put everyone in the same boat, as there can be some wonderful people out there, I will focus on the negative and then the positive. Show-offs, overbearing, over-passionate, not very discreet, ready to criticize, many of them GLUED to mommy’s apron strings even at 40 and sometimes jealous and pushy! Loud(not so much the new generation), lazy(lots of them but not all) and they just want to have fun all the time not focusing on the serious things. There is more, but I don’t want to get into it. Ah yes, bad tempered too!

On the up side, yes, they are enthusiastic, hospitable, friendly, men of their word, positive and ready to help out in any sticky situation. Fun-loving, good-natured, family-oriented and always THERE for you. Never a dull moment and ready to pick you up when you are down.

Again, it all depends on the person, his background, family and education, so it would be wrong to put them all in one category. They leave a bitter-sweet impression and luckily in most cases the sweet side is more intense!

I lost my virginity to a Greek. He took it and ran. Was devastated at the time. He was gorgeous, short, but gorgeous.

Let me go on since there is so much more: arrogant, rude, indiscreet, not very courteous, sly, avoid working when possible, two-faced back-stabbers, immature and indecisive, jealous of a person’s deserved success, bribing bastards and the list goes on.

To be fair on the other side: very often good and devoted fathers, good sense of humour, sweet-natured(some of them), honest and sincere, cute and vivacious. Otherwise the well-educated are wise, well-read, people of few words, reliable and generally very respectable people.
Don’t let me start on most women(again, I don’t like to generalize)which would be five pages of mostly unpleasant description. As I say, there are exceptions, but very few!!!!!

@ZEPHYRA Your answer…answers…cracked me up. I’m thinking you have had some bad dealings with some Greeks. With all you said I am thinking they fit the stereotype of men who cheat on their wives also. Would that be a good guess? I’m trying to help you add to the negatives because your list is so small. ~ I’m not saying I agree with your list as a description, I don’t know enough Greek people to feel like the majority are as you describe. But, I do know the type of man you are describing and he usually is willing to have sex with every girl that will let him whether he is married or not. But, maybe the Greeks are different.

I am not saying that they all cheat on their wives, as I know that there are some great family men who treasure their home and family. But yes, in some cases what you say is true. I must admit the new generation is better, however I hate to say that they tend to take advantage of situations to come out on top. What I hate most of all is that their whole society(sorry I am going off the point here)is based on who you know and on wheelings and dealings. It’s no surprise Greece is going to the dogs!

@ZEPHYRA Funny, my SIL who is Mexican said she was shocked when she first started living in America that even here it is who you know. She had always thought from afar that America was not supposed to be like that.