An interview with:

Christina Constantinou

Greek teacher

What do you like the most about teaching Greek?

I enjoy the transformation of my students. From " It' s all Greek to me" to " I love Greek". This is a path which has difficulties but also a lot of enthusiasm.

When did you start teaching Greek?

In 2013. Oh!... That means more than 10 years...

Now I realize how time flies!

In your experience, what are the most common reasons for wanting to learn Greek?

It depends...if the students are native speakers their purpose is to pass the exams in order to study at the University. If they are foreigners their most common purpose is to get the citizenship.

How difficult is it to learn Greek, compared to other languages?

It depends from the native language of each speaker. For example the European languages have a similar alphabet with Greek language, so it's easier for them to learn the alphabet than Arabs or Russians. But even Europeans have a different starting point. For example, in English language there is only one article (the) but in French there is a variety of articles just like Greek.

What's the hardest part of being a Greek teacher?

You have to be flexible all the time. Even if you have organized a specific lesson plan, you have to be ready to make changes depending on the mood of your student...