rebeccaelia.com 
  • Home
  • Blog

Italian-American Goes Greek: Interview with Patricia Volonakis Davis, Author of Harlot’s Sauce

8/19/2009

 
Picture
You may have noticed by now that I have a love-hate relationship with Greece, one that I value immensely. Whenever I’m there I want to be here, and whenever I’m here I want to be there. If only there were some great books to transport me there. It isn’t that there aren’t books available about Greece, but most modern attempts fall short, way short. Foreigners just don’t get it, even when they live in Greece. They fall into two categories. There are those who love everything Greek, fantasize about everything Greek and ignore things like the 3:00am earthquake garbage collection or the bin of used toilet paper that stinks up the bathroom. And then there are those who thoroughly detest everything about Greece and Greeks (Why on earth, then, do they go there?).

This means that most books are disappointing, at least to me…since I know the real story. It is so rare that someone “gets Greece” that my expectations have fallen deplorably low. As a matter of fact, the last Greek book I read, which happened to be recommended by a trusted friend, was so hideous that I had to force myself to finish it. Even worse, only one out of every ten Greek words was correctly translated or accurately reflected its phonetic equivalent. Sorry, one of my pet peeves. The Greek language is so extraordinary that I feel like I’m the one suffering the rape, along with the Greek tongue.

So, you can only imagine my absolute joy when, after the first ten pages of Harlot’s Sauce, I was not feeling my usual arrogant disgust but actually marveling could it be true? Had I finally found a book that would not disappoint?

Patricia Volonakis Davis gets it. She gets Greece. She gets the Greeks. And she gets the arrogant foreigners. She gets all of it. What a joy! And, today, you are all in for a treat, because Patricia has actually agreed to share her brilliant insight into all things Greek with us!

Picture
[Rebecca Elia] What about Greece/Greek life/living do you miss the most?

Patricia Volonakis Davis: The more relaxed pace, the endless sun, the family relationships, the political discussions, the food, the frappes, the taxi drivers driving by recklessly as you shout at them to stop for you, please. (Okay - I’m joking about that last one)

[Rebecca]  What is the single most important thing that a foreigner needs to know when traveling to Greece? when moving to Greece?

Patricia: Same thing you need to know and accept when you travel/move anywhere – you are not in your own place, so expect surprises in the food, habits, store hours, perspectives, etc. And when they occur, don’t sniff, “That’s not the way we do things at home.” If you want home, stay home.

[Rebecca] What “pearls” can we learn from the Greeks and their way of life?

Patricia: They value both children and education very highly, more than they do money or fame. I sure wish it were that way here.

[Rebecca] What can the Greeks learn from Americans and our way of life?

Patricia: Not to be so steeped in traditions that they drag you down like quicksand. If you’re not happy with the way government is, education is, your global position is (and many are not) allow them to change. Welcome some change, instead of viewing change as the end of “all things Greek”. Keep the 'good Greek things', and discard the things that, though they may be what you’re used to doing, are holding the country (and its youth) back.

[Rebecca] What are the most important things that your experience in Greece (including your relationships there) have given you, personally?

Patricia:  The idea that a life ─a simple life, can be lived so passionately and regally. For example, in Greece, a person who is “only a mom” is as revered for what she does as is a priest or a doctor. People don’t have to multi-task, or be financially successful, politically powerful, in order to earn respect or to be considered crucially important to Greek society.

[Rebecca] Do you have any other Greek projects in the works?

Patricia: Yes! Right now, we are working on podcasting a number of chapters of Harlot’s Sauce, with actors, Greek music, the whole works! I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be terrific fun!

[Rebecca] Thank you Patricia!

Patricia: THANK YOU, Rebecca! I so enjoyed this interview!

 
So, if you haven’t read Harlot’s Sauce yet, you’re in for a treat! And for those of you who have, hurry over to Amazon.com and post a review of her book there or on your website to be entered into a drawing for dinner for two at your fave Italian or Greek restaurant!

For more information about Patricia please go to her website at: www.patriciavdavis.com

You can also follow her on Twitter: @HarlotsSauce

     

     
    Rebecca's Interviews

    With E-Magazine Taksidi2Greece about
    Health, Greece & Life

    With Andi about My Life in

    Ruins on her great Blog!


    Stories about Greece on Rebecca's Blog:

    Are You Artemis or Athena?

    Is Perfection Your Middle Name?

    The Evil Eye

    Got Kefi?

    Red Poppies, Greek Easter

    Craving Greece

    Send comments here

    Archives

    October 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009

    Categories

    All
    Abundance
    Acropolis
    Acropolis Museum
    Alexis Georgoulis
    Artemis
    Assyrian
    Athena
    Athens
    Atm
    Blessings
    Blue
    Blue Moon
    Blue Zone
    Bouganvilla
    Caroline Myss
    Cell Phones
    Dan Buettner
    Delos
    Delphi
    Diet
    Eclipse
    Eleutheria
    Evil Eye
    Feminine
    Financial Crisis
    Flavors
    Foreigners In Greece
    Frappe
    Freedom
    Full Moon
    Generosity
    Giannakopoulos
    Goddesses
    Greek Ceramics
    Greek Chocolate
    Greek Coffee
    Greek Crisis
    Greek Debt
    Greek Easter
    Greek Farmers Market
    Greek Fever
    Greek Food
    Greek Football
    Greek Gifts
    Greek Jewelry
    Greek Men
    Greek Passion
    Greek Pastries
    Greek Products
    Greek Riots
    Greeks
    Greek Smokers
    Greek Travel
    Happy New Year
    Harlots Sauce
    Ikaria
    Italianamerican
    Laiki
    Lamb
    Lloyd Alexander
    Longevity
    Mamma Mia
    Masculine
    Meals
    Mediterranean Diet
    Metamorphosis
    Michalis Hatzigiannis
    My Big Fat Greek Wedding
    My Life In Ruins
    National Archaeological Museum
    National Archaeological Museum Of Athens
    Nia Vardalos
    Noise
    Octopus Love
    Off-season Travel
    Olympiakos
    Onion Skin Dye
    Opening Ceremony
    Ouzo
    Packing
    Patricia Volonakis Davis
    Pierce Brosnan
    Plomari
    Pollution
    Preparing For Travel To Greece
    Protection
    Rebirth
    Red Eggs
    Responsibility
    Rita Wilson
    Rodios
    Scarcity
    Seasonal Affective Disorder
    Sight
    Single Women Travelers
    Skopelos
    Skyros
    Smell
    Smoking
    Smoking Ban
    Sound
    Spetses
    Statue Of Nikandre
    Taste
    Taxi
    Temple Of Apollo
    Thallo
    The Athens Centre
    The Castle Of Llyr
    The Five Senses Of Greece
    Tholos
    Time Management
    Touch
    Transformation
    Travel Tips
    Video
    Warnings
    Weather
    Welcome
    Wildlife
    Worshiping Women
    Zacharoplastio
    Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα
    Στέλιος Ρόκκος

     
    Recommended Links

    Global Greek World: For a bit of everything Greek!

    Girls Trek Too: Travel info for women

    Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guide: On-line travel guide

    Taksidi2Greece: More info about Greek travel + more

    Living in Greece: Info about living in Greece by an American

    Breathtaking Athens: Official Athens Visitors' Website

    The Athens Centre: Learn Greek in Athens

    Kathimerini: Greek News

    Acropole Delphi: My fave Delphi hotel
    Views from the balcony:
    here and here

    Greek Food Faves:
    Peter Minakis' site
    Sam Sotiropoulos' site
     
    Ouzo Faves:
    Plomariou
    Barbayanni

    French Lovers: If you love France as much as I love Greece then you'll also love Misadventures with Andi 

     

    Recommended Books

    Henry Miller: The Colossus of Maroussi

    Lawrence Durrell: The Greek Islands

    Cavafy's Poems, of course!

    Yannis Ritsos: The Fourth Dimension (I love Moonlight Sonata)

    Patrica Volonakis Davis: Harlot's Sauce

    Culinaria GREECE
    : My favorite Greek Cookbook and more...

     
    Movies Filmed in Greece

    Movie-Main Location(s)

    Mamma Mia-Skopelos
    Shirley Valentine-Mykonos
    Summer Lovers-Santorini
    High Season-Rhodes
    Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 & 2-Santorini
    My Life in Ruins-Athens,Delphi and Olympia
     

    Follow me on Twitter at rebeccaelia

    Recommended Tweeple in Grecian Twitterland:

    @GGWorld @Taksidi2Greece @GreekAmericaMag @gogreeceguide @HarlotsSauce
    @TheOPAWay
    @nikoman44 @TwittyWoman @Athens1896 @greekfood @NiaVardalos @AnthonySkordi  @Kalofagas @DailyFrappe @TaniaPV

    RSS Feed

    Follow this blog




     

    website design company guide





    © 2009-2010 Rebecca Elia
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.