This is an excerpt from the book "With Love from Athens" by Cristache Gheorghiu: it's so refreshing to discover what non-Greeks have to say about local Greeks!
"It seems that what was inevitable has occurred. Among the many of my defects – known and unknown – the tendency of generalizing excessively is often invoked by friends. I admit, I like to do that, but here, in Greece, where I am for several days, any attempt of identification some general characteristics of people hits by its opposite.
To say about Greeks that are friendly, for example, is very true. They are particularly helpful as possible. When I asked an aged gentleman for a piece of information, he immediate requested the help of a young man, which – in his turn - landed another guy who was just walking around, so that, finally, my question becomes subject of a public debate in full street. I say 'finally' because I left, but their discussion went on. It happened in Lavrio, near the southern extremity of the Attic peninsula, where I was looking for a host.
Yes, Greek people are very communicative. In tram, bases, stations everywhere, they started discussions with anyone happens to be there, without knowing someone. Usually do it persons 18 over 40 years old. Obviously, not all of them and never young people!"