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    Smitha Shastry

    May 27, 2016 3:52:34 PM

    Smitha Shastry

    Humans of AMS: Efraimia Fassa

    “My close friends and my family call me Mia or Miaki.
    I think that Mia is more like a freak. It's from a Brazilian TV show.”

    Efraimia Fassa/Mia- MGSCM

    I come from a village near Athens, a small village, only 800 people. For my studies I went to Athens, it was the first time I was living alone. I like being the only Greek student because this is the reason I did a masters abroad. I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures. The only guy that is more or less familiar with my culture is Yiannis from Cyprus but it's not the same. We speak the same language but if he wants to speak his local language I can understand him. I really enjoy this.

    I was in Antwerp 5 years ago and I really liked it. After my master’s I hope I will find a job here. I met so many people from different countries so it's exciting. I want to find a job but be able to travel a lot. So I will try to go in every country to meet my classmates again.

    The situation in Greece hasn’t affected my family too much because they don’t work for someone. They have their own business. My dad is a farmer so he has everything and won’t be hungry. A lot of my friends can’t find a job so they continue their studies to gain some time. They want to study until they hope the situation will be better. It’s sad to be 30 years old and to live with your parents. I don’t know here if this is normal, but in Greece not so much. If you want to create a family, you can’t. The basic salary is around 400 euros. It's not good. The taxes are going up again, we have so many debts we have to pay.

    I almost forgot the most important thing! I love when some of my classmates are crossing my street where I live and they shout “Miaaaaaaaa hello Miaaaaaaaaaaa!!”