Happenings

Many many years ago, probably more than 35, some time in the early 80s, I remember a Kiwi woman coming into the fish and chip shop that my parents owned and operated. I happened to be there too, so it can't have been a schoolday. The woman was a customer, not a very regular one, but maybe she felt like some fish and chips that day.

"Are you from Greece?' she asked us. Yes, I answered (the children were always their parents' representatives in the shop).

"Oh, what a coincidence" (no, not really; Greeks were the main owner-operators of fish and chip shops back in those days), my daughter is living in Greece. She met and married a man on the island of Crete."

"Crete?!" my parents exclaimed, their faces lighting up gleefully. "We are from Crete! Which part of Crete does your daughter live in?" they asked.

"Hania," the lady replied.

"Hania?!" my parents cried, not believing what they were hearing. "We are from Hania! Is she living in the town?" they asked.

"No," said the lady, "she's living in a village called KOU-NOU-PI-DEE-AAAAA-NA". 

Split-second pause. "A-ha!" said my parents, but from the look on their face, you could tell that it was not really an a-ha moment; it was more of a shock to their ears, for they could not believe that this city woman's daughter gave up her comfortable urban life to move to a village where water supply was scarce, and there were more goats than people. 

We exchanged more niceties. If I remember correctly, she showed us a photo of her daughter holding her first child, the lady's grandson. When her order was ready, she paid for it and we said goodbye, at the same time wondering whether we would also see her coming into our shop once again, but this time with both her daughter and grandson; you had to be one tough cookie to leave urban life and go live in a goat village.

"The foreigners are taking over our country," said my mother, mindless of the fact that she was an immigrant. "Who would even want to live in Kou-nou-pi-dia-NAAAAA?" said my father. 

Turn the clock ahead four decades. Google Kounoupidiana and you will see no goats. Instead, you will see a whοle new town, whose residents are fully served in terms of any service, public or private, that they may need: schools, doctors, lawyers, sports centres, chemists, churches, shops, houses, apartment blocks, English language schools, confectioners, all the supermarket chains operating on the island. It even has a university, one of the best tertiary institutes in Greece. The 6,500 residents of Kounoupidiana - 8,500 including the 'suburbs' of Kounoupidiana) can easily live in their own little bubble, without even venturing to the central town of Hania, only 10-15 minutes away by car, depending on the traffic - not the four-legged variety, but the four-wheeled.  

Last night, I met up with Philippa, the woman's daughter, whose life became firmly rooted on the island, despite being a stranger to the Greek world. It wasn't difficult to recognise her, as she reminded me so much of her mother, even after all those years. It's possibly the third time we have seen each other since I moved to Hania. We were at a Kiwi get-together organised by a former Greek Kiwi like myself. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Greeks reminisced their time in a faraway land, sharing some moments together. Funnily enough, among the little παρέα that we created, we were nearly all related, each one knowing someone else's relatives and acquaintances, notably our koumbaroi, meaning the primary attendant to the couple in a wedding ceremony or the godparent of one's child(ren). It really was a small world among the Greek diaspora communities of old. 

And while we are on the subject of Kiwi Greek life, I feel as though I have gone through the full Greek circle, having just invested the last remaining Kiwi dollars of my parents' savings (they both died too young to use it themselves) into the coveted - in Greek terms - 'investment property'. My parents both died too young to use their earnings themselves, but I am sure that they will be very proud of what their daughter did, to firmly root her life in our wonderful island. 

Naturally I will be super busy from now on as I work on my new project. Watch this space...

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

The living dead

Looking after the dead is an important aspect of every modern society. Greeks bury their dearly departed in such a way that we can imagine them as sleeping in the earth, as if they are still with us, only that they are now silent and enjoying a peaceful life. This is one reason cremation has been hard to imagine for modern Greeks until very recent times. Cremation was actually very common in ancient Greece, especially for warrirors, and in Athens where there was a lack of space. Cremations are being reconsidered in our times because more people these days have expressed their desire to have a non-Christian funeral, and there are also people who see it as environmentally more sound to be cremated. But until crematoriums are built in Greece - and this won't happen too soon, although they are on the cards apparently - we will still be buried in cemeteries similar to the one I visited recently in the village of Gerolakkos in the Keramia region of the Cretan highlands.

On the ocassion of the memorial service of a friend's mother, we visited the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where the cemetery of the village is also located. The splendour of the area is not visible from the main road - you have to climb a marble staircase to see it. The winter season's colours were on full display in this semi-alpine region with a view to the snow-capped mountains of the Lefka Ori: the yellow orange shades of the deciduous trees contrast starkly with the evergreen olives, whose trunks show the effects of snow. Olives don't like frost, and their branches break when they are covered in snow. But olive is a very hardy tree, and it does not die easily - at such altitudes, its trunk gets stockier, and it regains its strength by winter's end, continuing to flourish over spring and summer, while remaining shorter than olive trees growing on lower ground.

The church service was rather long, the church was small, and the congregation was huge - at least 250 people turned up. Since we did not all fit into the church, I stayed outside most of the time, and strolled through the cemetery, which is very typical in Greek terms. Many of the graves had some very moving epitaphs (which we call epigraphs in Greek - επιγραφές) inscribed on them, giving away clues about the earthly life as it was lived by the residents of the tombs. The words written by the loved ones of the dearly departed imply that life does not stop once you die: your actions in the world keep your memory alive well after death, and you will be remembered for them - whether for good or for bad. Life goes on, even after death.

What particularly endeared me to the epigraphs at Gerolakkos is that they were nearly all written in the style of the Cretan mantinada, a rhyming poem very popular in Crete, consisting of two 15-syllable parts, often written over four lines. Many of the epigraphs were also written in the Cretan dialect. A few of those epigraphs stood out for the message they wished to convey: the writers know that the people reading them will not be their dearly departed loved ones, but the general public, among whom there will be many people who knew the deceased (it's a village church, after all, and it will be visited by villagers with family and friends in common). Many of the messages are simple poems showing the great sorrow of the writers at the loss of their loved ones, but a few stand out for the story they tell of their dearly beloved.

A picture may tell us a thousand words, as is the case of the accompanying photograph to the epigraph - the traditional face of the Cretan man, with a black crochet sariki on his head and a 'katsouna' (wooden walking stick) just visible, reminds the Cretans of their roots from older times which are still relatively recent in our memories:

"Father, wherever you walked, your name stayed/And it left a legacy for your family"

In a similar way, the family of this man want to acknowledge their father's legacy:

"You were a beacon next to me, a harbour in my life/But now you have left, and my soul is broken." (from his wife)
"Thank you for teaching us to live/You told us that we dont need to conquer the world
You taught us integrity, trust, work and manliness/Necessary in life for it to have value
You will always be in our heart and in our mind/a great ideal, our greatest teacher"

The daughter's epigraph to her dad is a simple farewell expressing sorrow for his loss.

On closer inspection, we realise that the bus shows German placenames which tells us that her father (and perhaps her family) lived abroad but wished to die in their homeland.

Sometimes we wished things had turned out differently, not just for ourselves, but also for others, as this message written from a daughter to her father tells us: 

"Now that you are together with your two children, don't forget your gradson. I want you to find my son so he can have company and not be alone, because my beloved father, you know well how much it hirts to be lonely. Thank you for coming and visiting my son, on pain's bed. You were the only relative to remember that he was confined and helpless. Thank you, I owe you a big apology for your own loneliness."

This beautiful epigraph, written in the Cretan dialect, shows the love that the deceased had for his homeland. It also pictures the last home that the man had ever built, but didn't quite finish. God didn't take him away too soon - someone else did:

"You walked the highlands of Kerameia and Sfakia/And with great enthusaism, you began buidling your 'koumo' (Cretan stone mountain hut).
You will be sorely missed by the Kerameia mathways/Which you traversed up and down, your back heavily laden.
Tell me Father how you are these days in Hades' palace/You, who would say you'd die if you were ever bedridden.
You stood against the monster for four years/And now that you have gone, the vacant space is big..."

A 'synteknos' laments the passing of a good friend: "I lost my favorite bead from my kehribari." Kehribari is the Greek word for amber, which is shaped into beads, to make a komboloi, the popular 'worry bead' necklace that Greek men (and lately women) are seen clicking at cafes. The word 'sinteknos' is used very much in Crete, signifying a friend 'by marriage': someone who shares a relationship due to being a best man at a wedding or baptising a child.

The epigraph continues with matinades about the writer's love for Crete, and sorrow for not being close to this beloved uncle:
"... I'm far away in the deserts of the foreign lands, I want to be an eagle, to have wings on my shoulders, to fly across the Atlantic, to glide across Hania, to run over Keramia, to see the Dancer's house, and to bring you a pot of curly basil, Uncle."
The Uncle must have been a γλεντζές, a word often used in Greece, derived from Turkish, meaning 'lover of having a good time with song and dance'.

Sometimes we feel guilty about why our loved ones never reached out to us and we wished we could reverse the events:

"... I knew your pure and humble soul but I didn't know your egotistic pride..."
"... you always cared for us and kept us close to you but you, mother, did not accept from any one of us, the moment you were leaving this phoney world, to hold you hand, but never mind, we don't hold it against you, we will love and remember you forever..."

This man died too early but he must have been very much loved. There are three mantinades written for him: one by his children, one from his wife and the last one from... his father- and mother-in-law:

"You were our hope and our joy/And now we are full of sorrow for you, in our old age."

The epigraphs at Gerolakkos remind us that there is indeed life after death, and just as we lived life on earth as we wished, so too will we live life below ground:

"Our humble grave resembles our hearts/That it's not dressed in marble is as we wished."

*** *** ***

Bonus photos: Gerolakkos is close to the village of Drakonas, so we decided to have lunch at Ntounias. We were the first customers for the day, and the food was still cooking in the clay pots. So we didn't order anything - we just let Stelios bring us one plate after the other, until we reached satiation point. By the time we left, there was hardly a spare seat in the restaurant.

And as we drove home passing by other villages like Therisso, we could see that the tavernas in those other places were also full, not just with locals, but busloads of visiting school children from other parts of Greece. And that's when I thought that perhaps Greece is now living in the post-crisis period (but we can talk about that next year, lest I speak too soon).

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Walls

"Walls are hot right now" 
Banksy, wall artist, and creator of the newly opened Walled Out Hotel in Palestine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/03/banksy-opens-bethlehem-barrier-wall-hotel

The oldest walls delineating the limits of the town of Hania were built about 1500 years ago by the Romans who ruled in the East - those who conquered modern-day Istanbul (formerly Constantinople and originally Byzantium) at one point - otherwise known as the Byzantines, hence the 'Byzantine wall' (the green line in the above photo) as we refer to them in Hania. These walls were loosely based on the origins of the town which lie in the area of Kastelli, generally regarded as the oldest part of Hania. The Byzantine walls were built to protect the town from Arab invasions, but they were probably not very effective because the Arabs eventually invaded anyway, and despite their short rule, when the Byzantines took back the town, they needed to strengthen them due to the destruction that they had incurred.

The fear of losing what you gained - even if it was gained using illicit, violent means - was great in older times. Building a wall around your belongings has always been regarded as a way to keep yourself and your property safe. Even so, the newer Byzantine walls again failed to protect the town from invaders. The Venetians (Romans from the West) had conquered the city by the beginning of the 13th century. Their arrival also entailed a greater population. Builders began adding extra stories on the existing buildings, and new ones began to be built beyond the Byzantine walls. Since the town had expanded, new walls were in order. These newer walls - known as the 'Venetian wall' (orange line in the above photo) - began to be built soon after the Venetians established themselves in Hania, as they too feared attacks from other invaders (Arabs, Ottomans).

But the Venetian walls - built mainly by forced labour from the region - took a long time to be built. The Venetians weren't really very popular in Hania. For a start, they got rid of the high priests in the town, and installed their own ones. Different language, different customs, and a clearly urban attitude among the mainly rural people of Hania kept the two worlds apart, to the extent that the Venetians (read: Catholic) were living in the urban part of the province, while the Cretans (read: Orthodox) lived in the villages. The town of Hania was being constructed according to Venetian architectural standards - but beyond the urban area, the province remained decidedly Greek.

The arrival of the Venetians transformed Hania into a very beautiful one with distinct Venetians features. Hania was regarded as a mini-Venice. The Venetians built impressive walls around the modern town they created, with ramparts built at vantage points, enough room for a deep moat around the walls, and a large fortress on the west side. But these walls were not without their problems, which were known to the Venetians. They needed constant repair which was too costly to be done at regular intervals. It was to be expected that they too would eventually fail to secure the town against attacks. Barely had the fortress on the west side (known as 'Firka') been built than the Ottomans (read: Moslems) invaded and and conquered the island. The proposed moat had never actually been used, despite its existence. So the Venetian walls really did not live up to their expectations.

The Ottomans really didn't care much about the walls. They had already realised that the walls weren't very useful in performing their original function, so they basically went into decline after that. The Ottomans took over the Venetian buildings without changing them very much, and added a few landmarks of their own, like mosques and turreted towers on the churches and monasteries. Churches became mosques, storage areas, even soap factories. Such is the fate of the spoils of war. But the Ottomans were considered 'nicer' conquerors than the Venetians, because they reinstated Orthodoxy in the town, doing away with Catholicism. The Ottomans simply took over a pretty much ready-to-use town. When Greek independence became an issue of concern to the West, the Ottomans - who stayed in Crete longer than any other Greek territory of the time - must have realised that their time was almost up. Crete became a nation state in 1898, eventually joining modern Greece in 1913. It's been Greek ever since then.

When the Ottomans finally left Hania, and the Greeks took over, no more walls were built. The old walls were allowed to remain, but parts of them were knocked down in order to make way for roads. Ease of access was regarded as more important than preservation of the existing architecture. By then, Hania had become an important centre of trade as the capital of the Crete. Before town planning restrictions came into force in 1960, parts of the Venetian walls were knocked down to make way for roads, and people were living in houses built on, in and around both the Byzantine and the Venetian walls. The walls were therefore still serving a purpose, but it was quite different to their original use.

It's interesting to consider the failures of the fortifications of the town of Hania in the present time, when walls continue to be built (or are at least int he planning stages), and people continue to cross hypothetical walls - country borders - in order to reach their desired destination. The European Union is a prime example of having broken down barriers between countries by doing away with borders. But just 25 years after the fall of communism and the Schengen convention, borders are being reinstated in the EU, and in quite a few cases, physical walls are going up, such as the one between Hungary and Serbia, to stop immigration coming in mainly from Greece and Italy. Natural borders like the sea are no deterrent. A physical wall in such cases is impossible.

Beyond Europe, Donald Trump intends to build a wall to stop people entering the US from the Mexican side, while Theresa May wants the UK to leave the EU to curb migration. Yet Turkish authorities continue to turn a blind eye to people departing from its shores as they make their way to Greek territory, while Greek authorities continue to turn a blind eye to the disappearing migrants that were initially registered here. Whether a wall - physical or hypothetical - is able to prevent the movement of people is pure conjecture - history tells us that walls do not stop people's movements. The Cretan waters surrounding the island are a great deterrent to the movement of people as they are very rough and they are considered too dangerous to cross on a rusty leaky dinghy. But only a month or so ago, 60 illegal migrants were found hiding in caves near the north coast of Hania (they were temporarily housed in the gymnasium where my children do their sports activities), and another 113 were found on the south coast of Crete; the determined will always find a way to execute their plan.

Walls come up and walls fall down. Sometimes they come back up again. Since the late 1980s, the existing walls in Hania have been prominently restored, with work continuing in the present day. Some of the houses were removed from the walls, and a whole hotel was knocked down on the western side of the fortifications, so that the walls could be renovated, restored and displayed. These fortifications are being given a new lease of life for sentimental and historical reasons: for tourists to marvel at, and for future generations to learn the history of the town. As recently as last month, the wall on western rampart was damaged due to bad weather. This part of the wall is deemed a precious relic of our history and will be restored: in fact, it isn't the first time that it has fallen and been restored according to historical records.

Walls against 'invaders' continue to be built, restored and maintained. But they aren't really working.



Collage of Hania's walls by Vaggelis Diamantakis: Byzantine walls (961 -1204AD) red colour. Venetian walls (1204-1645) yellow colour. Hania was captured (sic) in 961AD by the Byzantines led by Nikiforos Fokas who took it from the Arabs and they rebuilt the city with fortifications on the Kastelli hill, turning Hania into a walled city. Of the Byzantine wall, what remains is the north section near the coast  and a small part on Sifaka St.  

My photos were taken on a recent trip to Iraklio, Crete's biggest city, showing another use for walls in modern times: as an outdoor art gallery. This post is based on discussions I had with a group of 60 students from MAICh, when I conducted a tour of the old town of Hania with them at the beginning of the year. See http://www.organicallycooked.com/2016/02/the-multicultural-layers-of-hania.html for more information about Hania's landmarks. 

Buying olive oil from a supermarket

This story goes back further - some useful pre-reading:

• Stolen heritage (Κλεμμένη κληρονομιά) http://www.organicallycooked.com/2012/01/stolen-heritage.html
• Stains in the extra virgin olive oil industry (Λαδολαδιές) http://www.organicallycooked.com/2012/01/stains-in-extra-virgin-olive-oil.html
• Degustation of extra virgin olive oil (Γευσιγνωσία του πρασίνου χρυσού)  http://www.organicallycooked.com/2012/02/degustation-of-extra-virgin-olive-oil.html 
• EU olive oil wars http://www.organicallycooked.com/2013/05/eu-olive-oil-wars.html (Brexiters could use this particular article to justify their voting choice)

I don't buy olive oil because we have our own supplies of 'green gold', made from the harvest of the fruit of our own olive groves, but if I were living far away from my own supplies, I would have to work out how to keep myself supplied with quality olive oil, and I would probably do most of my shopping at the supermarket. So how does one go about choosing the product that will best suit one's needs?

In Crete, we always talk about λάδι (= oil) when we talk about olive oil. The more correct term would be ελαιόλαδο (= olive oil). But we generally assume that everyone is using the same λάδι in their food. We produce so much olive oil in the first place - there isn't a place in Crete where an olive tree isn't visible - that we naturally assume that everyone uses olive oil in their food preparations.
https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211156424883512

This bring us to another issue: Why do olive oil packaging labels use the words 'extra-virgin' to describe the olive oil? The answer to that questions lies in the acidity level of the olive oil: There will be times when your olive oil will not be extra virgin olive oil, because there are times when olive oil need not be extra virgin. Confused? I hope this post will help you. As you read through it, please DO open the embedded facebook posts, and check the comments in them, because this post is based on them. (If you can't see the facebook post, click on the facebook link instead.)

For a start, it should be mentioned that olive oil is more expensive than other cooking oils. That's what makes it the most controversial cooking oils in the world: Its high cost of purchase urges buyers to seek the best quality for the money they pay for it. Olive oil quality is determined by factors such as the following:
- Variety of olive used
- Location and soil conditions where the olives were grown
- Environmental factors and weather during the growing season
- Olive ripeness
- Timing of the harvest
- Harvesting method
- Length of time between the harvest and pressing
- Pressing technique
- Packaging and storage methods
(from http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-olive-oil-works2.htm)

Don't be fooled by things like the colour of the oil, the container shape/design, the label design and the brand name under which the oil is being sold: they do not determine the quality of the product you are buying; you may be paying a premium price for such things without realising it. Such factors all have to do with our perceptions of beauty, which as we all know is in the eyes of the beholder.

The International Olive Oil Council designates 'virgin olive oils' as: "the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.) solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration". But the end product is categorised in different ways, because of the many different factors involved in making olive oil. From the same species of fruit, Olea europaea L., we can have:

- Extra virgin olive oil, characterised by a free acidity of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams
- Virgin olive oil, characterised by a free acidity of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams
- Ordinary virgin olive oil, characterised by a free acidity of not more 3.3 grams per 100 grams
- Lampante olive oil, characterised by a free acidity of more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams, which is not intended for human consumption (it has industrial uses)
- Refined olive oil, obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods, which is then characterised by a free acidity of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams
- Olive oil, consisting of a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils, which is then characterised by a free acidity of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams
- Olive pomace oil, obtained by treating pulped olives with solvents or other physical treatments
(from http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/estaticos/view/83-designations-and-definitions-of-olive-oils)

By the above definitions, my family's production of olive oil is always extra virgin because we never produce olive oil with an acidity level of higher than 0.8. This is no surprise as Crete's olive oil industry is based solely on the production of extra-virgin olive oil, while 80% of Greece's annual olive oil production consists of extra virgin olive oil. To distinguish between very low acidity and and higher acidity in the extra virgin olive oil category, we also have the designation of 'extra-extra virgin olive oil' when the acidity is no more than 0.3-0.4

From the above, we can understand that:
- Not all olive oil is extra virgin.
- Not all packaged olive oil has been produced in the same way.
- The acidity level of olive oil plays a role in its quality.
How virgin an olive oil is will therefore affect olive oil prices: Acidity is the key here.
https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211271807047994

There are also other factors involved in pricing olive oil: In the present olive oil producing season, Greek producers have received good prices for their product, based on the hindered production of other olive oil producing countries, namely Italy and Spain. Italy's trees were ravaged by disease in early 2016 while Spain's were highly affected by drought. Greece's trees do not yet show any signs of the Italian disease, while the very dry summer weather suddenly eased in December which saw a lot of rain in Greece. The rain came at just the right time for olive, as it is usually ripe by this time, and olive oil production is in its full swing at this time.

Since the acidity level of an olive oil is important in pricing the product, the acidity level is the very first thing that will be checked by a producer in Crete. This may sound incredible because in international terms, the acidity level is NOT required to be stated (see https://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/labeling-regulations#Primary). Acidity level can be implied from the name on the label, eg 'extra virgin olive oil' implies that the acidity level is no more than 0.8. But low acidity can also be reached by mixing and refining techniques; therefore, the original acidity level at the time of production loses its importance, (see http://www.oliveoiloftheworld.com/2013/01/22/acidity-levels-in-extra-virgin-olive-oil/).

If you rely on the information on the labels of the products you buy to provide you with all the information you need about a product - and you trust it - you can leave it at that, and feel that you are getting value for money. But if you know that olive oil producers are getting higher prices for their product based on the acidity level of the product, surely that should be just one more factor that you should be considering when you are buying olive oil. After all, most extra virgin olive oil labels state words to the effect of:

"... produced entirely by mechanical means without the use of any solvents..."

which one would think could be taken for granted. But very few packaged extra virgin olive oils will include the acidity level on the label. Most olive oil labels will include information about the origin of olive oil, and will even tell you if it is a 'mixie-mixie' kind of oil (my terminology, to describe a product that contains a mixture of olive oil from different countries). Why the need for such wording, and nothing about acidity?

Despite the fact that mentioning the acidity level of extra virgin olive oil on a label is not a legal requirement, many Greek producers of extra virgin olive oil still mention it. It's no surprise then, when a customer finds acidity level mentioned on the label of packaged olive oil of a Greek origin:

"My customer told me she was purchasing an EVOO from Greece with an acidity level of .3%. She wanted to know if the EVOOs I carried had the acidity level listed on the label like hers. Much like customers that look for the words first cold pressed/ing on the labeling because marketing tactics tell them to specifically look for those words,  her concern arose because of this newest method to market olive oil... the acidity levels of extra virgin olive oil mean very little unless someone has a medical condition where a .5% to .8% would cause stomach upset.  So long as the oil is real EVOO (and many are not even though they claim to be) there is no reason to choose based on acidity. It should be based on taste and what one wants to do with the olive oil." http://www.oliveoiloftheworld.com/2013/01/22/acidity-levels-in-extra-virgin-olive-oil/

If there is NO reason to choose extra virgin olive oil based on acidity levels, why does acidity level determine the price of olive oil? Ignoring the acidity of an olive oil may be misleading for a number of reasons:
- The lower the acidity of freshly produced olive oil, the higher the price it can command.
- Low acidity extra virgin olive oil has a lighter taste, which is why it's the best choice for drizzling over your salads.
- Higher acidity levels are better for use in cooking, ie the process of heating olive oil, because they reach a smoking point more quickly; therefore, cooking with a low acidity olive oil may feel like you're boiling your food rather than frying it.
- Very low acidity in olive oil is a sign of less ripening of the fruit, so it can taste more peppery, with a bit of a zing to it when it goes down your throat. This has to do with the sensory perceptions of the product: Some like it hot, some like it cold.
- High acidity olive oil cannot be labelled extra-virgin.
Is the acidity level of an olive oil really a non-issue, given the above information?

 *** *** ***

When I visit friends in London, I always bring some of our own extra-extra virgin olive oil supplies to them as a present. I put into a clean coca-cola type bottle (they are very strong) and securely fasten the cap. Then I seal the cap with cellotape. Then I place the bottle on a plastic bag and tie it up with cellotape, repeating the last step twice. I also checked the olive oil selection at the two supermarkets that I went to: Waitrose, Greenwich... https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211422859184203

... and Sainsbury's, Lewisham Shopping Centre.
https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211455161471740

Hardly any of the labels mention the acidity level of the product. I found only one in Waitrose (Morgenster, South Africa), and only one in Sainsbury's (Iliada, Greece). Both these olive oils were produced in one region, whereas the other olive oils were made from a mixture of olive oils produced in different places: in other words, mixie-mixie, according to my terminology. Without doubt, such oils are more difficult to control for quality. Own-brand labels are far more common than any other kinds of olive oil. Own-brand supermarket olive oils are a kind of '[generic' of olive oil, and they do not state the acidity level of the product. You cannot guarantee quality in such cases. Monovarietals (olive oil produced with one variety of olives) are rare, as are olive oils produced in specific geographical regions. Supermarkets are competing with each other for prices. And in London, it is only natural to assume that specialised products will command high prices, perhaps too high for the average shopper to consider paying at a supermarket counter.

Crete is a major producer of olive oil, so you may be surprised to see a similar 'small' range of olive oil products being sold at our supermarkets. This is probably because the average buyer of olive oil from the supermarket is NOT Greek! Most of us have our own supplies of green gold. Those who do not will probably not buy their needs from the supermarket... They will buy it from a producer they know, or go directly to an olive oil factory and buy it in bulk. What use is a 1L bottle of olive oil - or even a 5L canister of olive oil! - when the average amount of olive oil consumed per capita per annum in Crete is... 25-30 kilos?! It's a little lower for the rest of Greece - Cretans use more olive oil than other Greeks (and according to statistics, they eat more cheese too, even more than the average French person).

Even so, it is worth noting what local Greek supermarkets are selling. Not all olive oils sold in Crete mention the acidity level on their packaging. Here's what I found at LIDL, a German supermarket chain...
https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211586562956695?pnref=story

... and SYNKA, a supermarket chain founded in Hania:
https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211586529915869?pnref=story

I was mainly interested in extra virgin olive oil. All the supermarkets I took photographs in (both in London and in Hania) sell a variety of olive oil types, not just extra-virgin olive oil. I did not make a point of including the prices for all the olive oil labels I photographed. Sometimes price is misleading: is it a sign of quality, or is it a sign of status? Likewise, if you have a preference for 'organic', you may end up paying more money for organic olive oil, even though its quality as olive oil may be compromised.

Olive oil sold at SYNKA supermarket, Hania. Notice that you can also buy seed oil here too. If you don;t have your own supplies of olive oil, using seed oil to fry with will turn out cheaper.

To conclude, I would say that the best extra virgin olive oil is that which is produced locally. Buying your own country's production is probably the best way of going about buying olive oil for your own use. This includes non-traditional, new producer countries that have entered the olive oil market relatively recently, like South Africa and the US. If you are using olive oil in its raw form, you should be using only extra-virgin olive oil. If you are using it to cook with, you can buy non-extra virgin olive oil which will be cheaper. Finally, since most of the packaged extra virgin olive oil sold in a local Greek non-international supermarket chain mention an acidity level on the label, and it's mainly our tourists who buy such packaged products, you can bet that they are buying very good quality extra virgin olive oil to take back home with them.

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Askeletoura (Ασκελετούρα)

It's askeletoura time in Greece! In the same way, as the pomegranate, this bulbous plant is smashed jut before the new year on the ground before your front door, for good luck!

Askeletetoura, Drimia maritima, is also known by the name of 'skilokromido', which literally means 'dog-onion'. This perennial plant grows up to 50-150cm when in flower, and has a very large bulb diameter of up to 18cm. The large leaves appear after flowering. Inflorescence is large with many white flowers with green or purple veins. It flowers from August to October; now, all we see of it is the leaves. It grows all over the place, especially in undisturbed plots of land which aren't normally cultivated. It's common all over Crete, and in the Mediterranean.

Some of my colleagues at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania run a Mediterranean Plant Conservation Unit. They have collected the following information on the traditional uses and folklore surrounding the askeletoura:

Protective properties were attributed to the askeletoura by the ancient Greeks. The askeletoura has served as a good luck charm since ancient timesand it was hung over the doors of houses. A ring dating back to the Minoan period, which was found in Mochlos, Sitia, Crete, clearly shows the bulb of the askeletouras hung above the stern of a ship, and  above the gate which is shown in front of the ship. Even Dioscorides praises this onion hanging over the door, and the great Pythagoras also followed this custom. This giant onion, which survives the summer drought to flower in autumn with its tall floral ears, symbolizes the power that people wanted to pass onto their lands and their homes. For the followers of Hippocrates, the askeletoura was one of the oldest medicinal plants. Athianios mentions it as 'myofonon' (meaning 'mouse poison'). Theophrastus wrote about it in "On Plant Histories". He mentions that it blooms three times a year, it has a high rate of germination in uncultivated fields, it grows and stays ageless, and it transmits its germination rate onto other plants that are growing closely to it. The ease with which it germinates and its agelessness were gifts endowed by Kallo, the fairy of beauty, who had sprinkled holy water over it as she came across it during her strolls in the moutnains and the valleys. This tradition also exists in Crete, which gives rise tot he saying that "the askeletoura never dies and will never disappear from the fields." In older times, people hung the askeletoura on the first of May on the doors of their homes to bring them luck, and on New Year's Day, they hung one in the doorway, for good luck. This New Year's custom continues to this day, but we also smash a the askeletoura (like the pomegranate) at the entrance of the house for good luck.

https://www.facebook.com/maria.verivaki/posts/10211343696885195

Cretan folk healing does not use the plant as an internal medicine. It uses it externally, in bandages of mashed bulbs, as a drug for the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism. The mashed bulbs were also used with flour as a poison against rodents. In September, the askeletoura blooms, bringing forth a long stick full of flowers. When watered, the askeletoura does not bloom; Greece can be very dry in September. Farmers carefully observed the flowering of the askeletoura. When the floral stem of the askeletouras was looking very bright and full of flowers, the barley yield would be good. In the year when it did produce a stem, farmers believed that the crop would be destroyed. In the area of ​​Rethymno, Crete, when the 'lantzouni' (as they called the stem) was full of flowers, they would understand that the winter would be heavy, while when it was half full, the winter would not be so cold. Children used the dried stems as a toy, making various objects with them. The askeletoura is also a very good bee plant, as it contains a lot of nectar. 

In this world full of prophecies of doom and gloom, it's reassuring to see the askeletoura continuing to grow undisturbed, despite the calamities that have befallen Earth, our only home. Its constant presence is a sign of great hope. 

KAΛΗ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ!
Happy New Year!

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Starbucks

Starbucks - its not just about the coffee.

This is my first time at Starbucks in Hania. Apart from Starbucks, the only other international branded food outlet we have is Dominos pizza. Perhaps this is the reason why I never tried Starbucks before: because I am a snob. I'm into my small and local and I shy away from the large and international. Besides, I've heard and read all the bad stories about Starbucks on the news and social media: they serve standard coffee, it is expensive, the company doesnt pay taxes, etc. I decided to try it out for myself today.

Starbucks Hania

I choose the cappuccino. Safe choice. That caramel brownie also looks tempting. And so does the last outdoor free table. I sit al fresco under a dull grey sky that looks like it's going to rain (the weather forecast was only joking - we haven't seen real rain since March), and a stagnant humid feeling - summer may be over, but the warm weather is still with us. 

Starbucks cappuccino and caramel brownie  

The Venetian port is crawling with young Americans. LA long vowels, NY nasals, Southern drawls. Baseball caps and capri shorts, crew cuts and shaved faces, very white faces and very black faces. Both males and females. And for the males, icky-looking socks pulled up to the mid-shin height, with trainers. It was kind of difficult to find any news on the web about what these Americans were doing here. The USS WASP LHD-1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wasp_(LHD-1) is in town (http://www.haniotika-nea.gr/episkepsi-tou-elikopteroforou-uss-wasp-sta-chania/), for no less than nine days, taking a break from its 'six-month tour of the Middle East' (as Wikipedia claims), purely for the pleasure of the crew, and presumably on the President's orders. Hania is nice for breaks. That's probably why the rain is holding out - to make the 1000+ crew members' holiday as pleasurable as possible. 

"We promise the perfect drink. If your drink is not like you want it, we'll make it again."

I'm about to take a sip of my coffee when I overhear the American man sitting behind me all alone talking to what sounds like his family: 

"How are you all?... I can't wait to come home... I know, I know, I miss you too, honey... Love you..."

It sounded just like an American movie. But it wasn't a movie, it was being played out right behind me. My heart broke at that point. he hadn't seen his family since... June, if I'm correct. 

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2016/06/24/navys-sending-aging-amphib-take-isis-heres-how-sailors-and-marines-got-ready-fight/86289876 

Still no rain: apparently, priests in the Orthodox Church of Greece have begun chanting incantations. 

If only the President - both present and future - could hear that man. I wish him a safe journey home to his loved ones, and hopefully soon.

 

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Walkies with my aunty (Βόλτες με την θεία)

My Kiwi aunt who is somewhat advanced in years has come to her homeland on a short visit. She asked me to help her do some shopping. I picked her up yesterday and drove her into town, parking the car on the outskirts of the city, on a street which marks the break between the residential and commercial parts of the town.

- How much do you pay to park here?

I wasn't surprised to hear Thia ask this question. Where she lives, she has to buy parking space to park her own car outside her own home. Imagine her surprise when I told her it was free! I helped her to get out of the car, and we began walking towards the shops. Although she walks very slowly and with a stick, her steps are very firm and she doesn't get tired.

- Is this where (an old friend of hers) lived?

Thia's friend, who had also migrated to NZ from Crete, had died many years ago, but she still remembers them, as she does all the older members of the Greek community of Wellington who have come and gone. The community is now but a shadow of its former self, as members pass away and their children move away and/or intermarry, so that their Greek identity fades off as it is stirred around in the melting pot. Her friend was a widow who had repatriated to the homeland and lived her last few years close to the town where she was born. I decided to detour at this point and took my aunt via another road to the town, where she could see her friend's home. We then continued on to the town centre. Thia chuckled as she looked through the window of a haidresser's salon.

- A lady's getting her hair done, while a dog's sleeping at the entrance, on a shaggy rug!

That sight must have looked like a bad hair day to Thia. It looked normal to me. If we hadn't diverted, I could have shown her the pet salon that opened up recently. We had just passed the green (KTEL) bus station.

- Is this where you take the bus to Galatas?

She was thinking of the blue buses. I explained the difference between the blue and green buses: blue is for the suburbs, green takes you to the villages.

- Ah! The cars!

In her days of living in Crete, the buses were initially known as 'cars' - there were so few wheeled vehicles on the road back then, and very few people owned a private car.

Thia remembers her hometown of Hania when it looked more like this.

We crossed the road at the traffic lights, and continued walking towards the main shops.

- We bought some tupperware together from somewhere here, the last time I came, didn't we?

Despite being advanced in years, Thia doesn't seem to suffer from forgetfulness. She knows how important it is to keep finding ways to remember trivia. We continued walking until she found her first stop: the jeweler's, not just any jeweler's, but the same one she had bought from before. Like she had done for all her grandchildren, she wanted to buy something for the latest arrival, a pendant with a religious figure on it. [A cross is inappropriate from a grandmother since it will be bought by the future godparent of a child.] We entered the store and looked around. The owner came out to help us.

- I want something 'good' and it has to be 'cheap'.

Perhaps Thia was remembering a different time when money was more plentiful. All over the world, our choices have become severely limited. She eventually downsized her original idea, settling on a cheaper version of what she initially asked for. We left the store via Stivanadika, the street that sells a lot of locally made leather products, which was close to where she would make her next purchase.

Modern Hania looks like more like this these days
(The music, a song about Hania sung by Grigoris Bithokotsis, was composed by Mikis Theodorakis, in honour of his origins)

- Mmmmm, nice things here...

She later told me that leather products are very expensive in NZ. Here, hundreds of leather items sell every year, bought mainly by our summer tourists, and the cost of such items is quite reasonable. In the winter, most of the leather shops close throughout the whole off-season. We came out of the alley onto a pedestrian zone, where the smell of freshly ground coffee from the Archontakis shop wafted through the whole street. If Thia could carry more weight in her suitcase, she would have bought some, but she says she can get good Greek-style coffee back in NZ too. She wanted to buy things she could not get so easily, mainly religious paraphernalia, which is rather expensive to buy in NZ. Karvounakia (little charcoals) and livani (incense) are used to remember the dead at their graves. There are many shops that sell these items on the Katola road, near the coffee store. They look very old fashioned but they are highly used by the locals. Many of them are connected with undertaker businesses.

- Have we got time for a walk through the Agora?

For Thia, there is always time. I am treated like a daughter by all my mother's siblings. We walked a few more metres up the road to the Agora, and as we entered, I noticed Thia being amazed by how many varieties of paximadi (rusks and crispbreads) were being sold. She wanted to buy something to take to her brothers' house where she was staying.

- Choose something that doesn't have sugar in it.

She knows the rules for old age: less fat and sugar keep the doctors at bay. We settled on old-fashioned kavroumakia (small swirls of dried out bread) that go well with some sharp cheese and Greek-style coffee. She insisted on buying some for me too. I wondered if she was tired - at that point, we had been walking for more than 2 hours together, which is quite a long time for an old person. We began to walk back to the car.

- That shop's closed, isn't it?

There aren't a lot of closed shops these days in Hania. You could say that deflation and market correction have helped cheap businesses to open up, selling mainly food, as well as modern services like nail clinics and vape goods. The shops that are closed don't stick out so much, since they are few in number now. However, what Thia was pointing to was not actually a closed shop. Its window was covered in the store's colours, a bit like a betting shop in the UK, so you couldn't see what was going on inside. I explained to Thia that this shop is actually open, but you have to press a button to enter . I pointed out the bell. It also had an OPEN sign on it ('ANOIKTO'). It's one of those shops that proliferated when the crisis hit: ΕΝΕΧΥΡΟΔΑΝΕΙΣΤΗΡΙΟ*. No one really wants to go into one of those shops, nor does anyone want to be seen going in there.

- Is the car close by here?

I knew she was getting tired. But I knew just the right place to make her forget about her physical state. We passed by a florist, who I waved to, and she came rushing out to greet me. I then explained to Thia who this person was: her first cousin's daughter (making me and the florist second cousins). Thia's face lit up when they talked about the old times in the mountain village where they were all born, and Thia told our cousin to send lots of good wishes to her mother who is still living in the mountains. As we headed for the car, my aunt was surprised to town cemetery looming ahead.

- Is this Agios Loukas? It was all so different in my time...

In her days, Agios Loukas was completely isolated from the rest of the town. Now, the graves blend in with the neighbouring houses. The road is lined with marble workers and florists.

Thia in London - for a little old Greek lady, she's well travelled.

And that's the end of our little walk through the town. As I forgot my phone in the car, I couldn't take any photos. So I hope my descriptions do the job well enough!

* pawnbroker's

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

Cretan gastronomy

Sneak preview of what I'll be discussing soon, in good company (more details later).

Crete is the largest island of Greece, with a permanent population of 600,000. At 8500 sq. km., it is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean. Blessed by the gods, unique in the world, thanks to the generous gifts of nature and history, its mild climate, fertile soils and strategic location have bestowed on Crete the gift of year-round agricultural activities with an age-old pastoral culture. Its majestic canyons, caves and plateaus cohabit fields and plains covered in thousands of olive trees, endless vineyards and the richest flora of Europe, all contained within 1000 kilometers of coastline.

Crete is believed to be the cradle of European civilization, and in modern times, the gastronomic traditions of Crete have given rise to what is known as the Mediterranean Diet, with extra-virgin olive oil at its base. For this reason, Cretan cuisine is regarded as one of the healthiest cuisines of the modern world. To this day, Cretan people proudly continue the agricultural and culinary traditions of their ancestors, with a high reliance on grains, grapes and olives, which is what gives us the most famous ingredient of the Mediterranean Diet, extra-virgin olive oil.



The history of Crete is backed up by nearly 8000 years of continuous population of the island. The Minoan civilisation, developed in Crete from 2500 BC to 1100 BC, is regarded as the most significant civilization that first flourished in Europe, attested by the presence of the palace of Knossos. During the period of classical antiquity, Crete was still on the fringes of the Greek world. It did not take part in the Persian wars or the Peloponnesian War. In the Hellenistic, the Roman and the Byzantine periods, Crete remained relatively untouched. This all changed when it was occupied by the Venetians in 1204, when it became an important trading post in the Venetian Republic. Crete maintained its importance in this way for four centuries until it passed into Ottoman occupation 1669. When the Ottoman Empire fell, Crete was declared an autonomous state in 1895, until it was unified with Greece in 1913. In the 20th century, Crete was plagued by post-war circumstances, with poverty and emigration. But the 21st century finds the island in a very different situation, mainly due to the spread of mass tourism. In the summer period alone, Crete hosts over three million visitors a year. If it weren't for tourism, Crete can be said to be relatively independent in its food supply.


Crete is intensively cultivated by the local population, which is engaged in the primary sector, producing mainly extra virgin olive oil, grapes, wine, vegetables and cheese, with a smaller proportion of meat products. Crete also hosts the highest number of PDO and PGI products in Greece. Crete's land-based agricultural traditions provide the impetus for the daily cooking habits of the Cretan people. Cretan food is based on fresh local seasonal produce. The abundance and ease with which a seed grows into a fruit or vegetable on the island provide the source of inspiration for Cretan gastronomy, all based on the the simple olive fruit, with aromatic plants added to dishes to strengthen their flavour. It produces olives and olive oil, grapes and wine, orange and other citrus, many fruits in general, wine and spirits, a wide variety of fresh and hard cheeses, cured meats of all sorts, fresh and dried bread products, thyme flavoured honey, wild greens and aromatic plants, and all manner of vegetables.

The Cretan diet, which is now known worldwide, attracted the interest of the scientific community in 1948, when the Rockefeller Foundation conducted surveys in Crete. The island's culinary traditions were regarded as a model of the Mediterranean cuisine, which was recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Olive oil is actually the biggest secret of the Cretan diet and longevity of Cretans. Around 85 per cent of the olive oil produced in Crete is extra virgin quality. At 35 litres per person per year, Cretan olive oil consumption is the highest in the world. Many families own olive trees that not only meet their daily needs but provide a supplementary income. The island has 40 million olive trees — that’s an average of 70 trees per person. Olive tree cultivation is believed to have been pioneered 5,000 years ago by the Minoans who used it in their diet, as a cleanser, a scent and an ointment. The high quality crop is attributed to the island’s soil and climate — hot dry summers, cool autumns and rainy winters.

The Cretan earth is a botanical paradise with over 1700 species of plants, of which 159 are endemic. The Cretan kitchen uses herbs, especially oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, cumin and fennel, and Cretans still like to brew malotira, a plant gathered from the mountain tops, to make mountain tea), together with other aromatic tisanes like dictamus, sage, marjoram and chamomile. These plants are not only eaten by the people, but also by the animals raised on the island for food purposes, which gives rise to their exceptional flavour. And many Cretans still maintain a tradition of pastoral life from prehistoric times to the present day. Cheese is often served with fresh fruit, it is offered as an appetizer and it is even presented as a dessert wrapped in pastry and topped with honey. Pastry products also form a significant part of the Cretan diet.

Cretans eat less fish than perhaps would be considered normal for an island people. Cretans are more likely to worship snails which they cook in various ways, boiled, fried and stewed. Lamb is roasted in the oven or stewed with vegetables. Meat is often boiled and eaten with rice flavoured in its stock, known as pilafi, which constitutes the main meal of a traditional Cretan wedding. Of the dozens of unique recipes of the island, the most typical local dishes are characterised mainly by wild greens and vegetables. The most well known dish of Crete which has been adopted by the whole of Greece is the dakos, which consists of dried bread slices, also known as rusks, topped by grated tomato, fresh cheese and oregano.

Crete is also believed to have the highest cheese consumption in the world. Dairy products of the island form the basis of many traditional Cretan dishes. Cheese is consumed in Crete at all hours of the day, as an accompaniment, starter, main snack, or even as a dessert. Despite the modernisation of milk production techniques, the traditional form of farming is still based on the experience of many centuries. Nowadays, milk is pasteurized, culture is added, and he milk is heated at specific temperatures to make cheese.

The Cretan diet is all about eating everything that this land produces — organic vegetables and fruit packed full of nutrients, as well as liberal quantities of olive oil, wheat and herbs. Cretan delicacies will delight your taste buds. Cretans linger for hours over freshly-cooked meals. Lunch often extende into dinner. One day, It’s a way of life that is starting to change as youngsters move away from villages to the towns and cities. But Cretans still maintain a passion for their local food and it is this enthusiasm that we want to share with our guests to the island.




So I wish you all bon appetit! As the Greeks say, Kali Orexi!

©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.

ERASMUS work placements at MAICh

It's really heartening to hear such good words about the work and study experiences offered at my workplace. The ERASMUS students of MAICh discuss their reasons for applying to study here. 

The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) takes part in the ERASMUS programmes, hosting 20 foreign students at the Institute during this summer. MAICh is a constituent member of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), and one of four Mediterranean Agronomic Institutes (MAIs), located in: Bari, Italy; Montpellier, France; Zaragoza, Spain; and Chania, Greece, which was the last one to be established, in 1985. CIHEAM was founded after a joint initiative of the OECD and the Council of Europe on 21 May 1962 and now comprises thirteen member countries: France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Each MAI concentrates in depth on the development of its own specific research activities which include Post-Graduate Education, Advanced Research and Cooperation.

Over the years, MAICh has created an excellent environment training ambitious academics and professionals through the combination of education and research. Yearly, the average number of visiting faculty participating in the M.Sc programmes at MAICh is about 120, coming from 13 different countries, and the average number of candidates participating in the M.Sc Programmes is about 150 from 18 different countries. Over the years, in total, more than 1400 students have been awarded a Post-Graduate Diploma or Master of MAICh (60 ECTS), and nearly 1000 students have obtained a Master of Science (120 ECTS). Students from 50 countries have taken post-graduate courses at the Institute since its inception. In the academic year 2014 – 2015 alone, 113 candidates from 20 different countries attended courses at MAICh in the 5 departments:

-      Business Economics and Management
-      Geo-information in Environmental Management
-      Food Quality and Chemistry of Natural Products
-      Horticultural Genetics and Biotechnology
-      Sustainable Agriculture

Numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals have been produced out of Master’s theses as well as presentations, proceedings and posters published by international and other conferences, while the scientific personnel of MAICh have also published books, book chapters and special journal issues. Over the years, MAICh has produced 300 PhD holders as students continue their advanced studies after graduating from MAICh. MAICh graduates can be found around the world holding top academic positions and management roles in both the public and private sector. MAICh demonstrates very strong links with first-class universities, the global academic community and many renowned institutes.

MAICh also hosts an International ISO-certified Conference Center on its campus, which conforms to the standards demanded by the international scientific community, using state-of-the art technology to deliver the highest levels of service. Founded in 1998, it counts about 700 conferences and meetings held so far in its operation, with over 60,000 participants in total over the years.

The ERASMUS programme, funded through European funding, offers university students the possibility to study or do an internship abroad in another country for a period of at least 2 months and a maximum of 12 months. After completing their first year of studies, students can benefit from an ERASMUS study or work placement programme, without an age limitation. It now offers the possibility to even go beyond the European borders as well. ERASMUS gives students a chance to live abroad and experience a foreign culture, meet new people and learn a foreign language, in this way enriching the period of their studies under foreign influence, which may give them better chances while looking for a job in the future.

Students have opportunities to share ideas with other students from all around the world. Each student receives a grant which covers part of the costs of their stay abroad, which differ according to the living standards of the sending and host countries. The grant can often be complemented by regional or national grants. One of the basic rights each exchange student has is the full recognition of courses passed successfully abroad by the home university.

This summer’s intake of ERASMUS students at MAICh come from Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Finland, Vietnam, Turkey and Bulgaria. The students were asked about what motivated them to ask for an ERASMUS placement at MAICh, their experiences during their placement and whether they would recommend MAICh to potential ERASMUS exchange students.

Ralitsa Cholakova - Bulgaria worked at MAICh's Conference Centre. "When I initially started looking for an internship, I came across MAICh and I was immediately interested. Not only was there an offer for a work placement that I wanted, but it was also relevant to my studies: International Hospitality Management and Tourism. Working for the conference center up until now has given me a lot of valuable experience and I cannot be more than satisfied. The most valuable experience was working with people, which I had not experienced before coming to MAICh. I was mostly working at reception greeting guests, escorting them to their rooms and providing information about the place and area. Thanks to MAICh I now had the chance to experience how it is like working with guests, and the best part of all was the compliments that I've received. This was my first time having an internship abroad. I would definitely recommend MAICh because everyone was extremely nice and polite, which made the working environment more relaxed. I felt very accepted in the workplace and I cannot be more thankful to everyone who treated me well during my stay. The hospitality that I experienced in Crete is incredible.

Guillaume Bragagnolo - France worked in the Tourism Observatory of the Department of Business Economics and Management. "I needed to find an internship abroad in order to validate my international mobility. I couldn't afford to go outside Europe. But I also wanted to find a place where I could enjoy my summer, and Crete seemed the perfect choice. Older students from my school recommended MAICh and the internship, so I was glad to be accepted here. My most valuable experience so far are the encounters I have made here. I met a lot of interesting and passionate persons from all around the globe and I feel very gifted to experience this and lucky to have had the chance to work at MAICh. I also fell in love with the Cretan lifestyle; arriving in a foreign country that lacks western landmarks made me grow up a lot. Having the opportunity to enhance my English has also been of great benefit to me. I made quick progress week by week.  I had the opportunity to visit the island and I will go home with a lot of unforgettable memories that I can't wait to share with my friends and family. I will come again for sure; so I would definitely recommend the institute to potential candidates in my university, because of the amazing experience I had here.

Anniina Tuomela - Finland worked in the Botanic Garden of MAICh. "I wanted an internship that has something to do with environmental conservation and also I like gardening so MAICh seemed to be a good choice. Basically I wanted to get some work experience abroad. The experience of living in a dormitory was made easily accessible by MAICh. I was slightly worried about the climate, because I come from Finland, and I knew it would be hard to get used to the heat, but the opportunity was so exciting that I decided to go for it. The most valuable thing for me is that I managed to settle here comfortably. The environment, climate, culture and lifestyle are so different here compared to Finalnd, that at first I felt really homesick. It was a cultural shock for me in the first few weeks. But I got used to the climate and environment and I have made many great friends. Now I feel much more at home than I thought would even be possible. Also I have learnt to get along with people from different backgrounds. My time at MAICh has been a great experience: the people here arefriendly, the atmosphere chilled and work rather easy. I get to learn many new things about my work interests, but I don't feel pressed by too much work. One thing I am very thankful for is the short excursions that we have been taken on. I loved visiting the Samaria Gorge and Kedrodasos. I'm really grateful that they are arranged and that they are free for us to take part in."

Huong Thu Nguyen - Viet Nam also worked in the Botanic Garden. "The reasons for my choice to come to MAICh was for the practical training experience because it is compulsory in my studies. I decided to search for an internship through ERASMUS. I am studying Environmental Engineering for which there are very few internships; this is how I came across MAICh. I am studying at present in Finland. Since I haven’t been to any Mediterranean or South European countries, I was eager to come here, especially since I had heard so much about Greece's beauty.  The lower cost of living in comparison with other western countries was also another factor that convinced me to come here. The most valuable experience that I have had at MAICh is getting a taste of Greek hospitality, and the incredible friendliness and helpfulness from the people here. Whenever I seemed troubled or asked for help, people would unhesitatingly help me to the end. All my problems were solved through the kindness of all the people I interacted with. Even people who did not speak English (while I did not speak Greek!) showed incredible patience with all my requests. My supervisor here also left a good impression on me. She let me work on my assigned projects in the MAICh garden at my own pace. For this reason, I would highly recommend a placement at MAICh. MAICh offers all students a chance to have an amazing experience with open arms.  I also believe that all the trips that MAICh organized for the students offer a genuine chance to get to know the beautiful scenery and nature of Crete, and I appreciate that a lot. I really enjoyed crossing the Samaria Gorge with the other students."

It seems that there are many positive reasons for making Crete a high-demand destination for students and tourists. It's the perfect place for a warm sunny holiday all year round; it's also an economical destination that will suit most people's budget constraints. This makes MAICh in particular a very attractive option for young people wishing to gain valuable life experiences. MAICh combines work and study opportunities in a very conducive environment, close to nature, which differs from western norms. Above all, it is the Greek hospitality that makes MAICh and Hania feel like a second home to young people living far away from their own family.

MAICh offers two-year graduate progranmmes, working towards the MSc degree.
Admission details can be found here: http://www.maich.gr/admissions/conditions_for_admission

Η ΚΡΗΤΗ ΠΟΛΟΣ ΕΛΞΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΙΩΝ ΦΟΙΤΗΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΝΕΩΝ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΟΝΩΝ – Η ΠΡΩΤΟΠΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΜΑΙΧ

Είναι πραγματικά ενθαρρυντικό να ακούμε τόσο καλά λόγια για το έργο του ΜΑΙΧ από τις εμπειρίες των φοιτητών που σπουδάζουν εκεί. Φοιτητές στο πρόγραμμα ΕΥΡΩΠΑΙΚΟ ERASMUS του ΜΑΙΧ συζητούν το τι τους ώθησε να επιλέξουν να σπουδάσουν εδώ. 

Το Μεσογειακό Αγρονομικό Ινστιτούτο Χανίων (ΜΑΙΧ) συμμετέχει στα προγράμματα ERASMUS, και φιλοξενεί ξένους φοιτητές στο Ινστιτούτο κατά τη διάρκεια αυτού του καλοκαιριού. Η Ελλάδα είναι ένα ιδρυτικό μέλος του Διεθνούς Κέντρου Ανώτατων Μεσογειακών Γεωπονικών Σπουδών (CIHEAM), και φιλοξενεί ένα από τα τέσσερα Μεσογειακά Αγρονομικά Ινστιτούτα (MΑΙs), τα οποία βρίσκονται στο Μπάρι-Ιταλία, Μονπελιέ-Γαλλία, Σαραγόσα-Ισπανία, και τα Χανιά-Ελλάδα, το οποίο ήταν το τελευταίο ΜΑΙ που ξεκίνησε τη λειτουργία του το 1985. Το CIHEAM ιδρύθηκε μετά από κοινή πρωτοβουλία του ΟΟΣΑ και του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης στις 21 Μαΐου 1962 και πλέον περιλαμβάνει δεκατρείς χώρες: Γαλλία, Πορτογαλία, Ισπανία, Ιταλία, Ελλάδα, Αλβανία, Τουρκία, Λίβανο, Αίγυπτο, Μάλτα, Τυνησία, Αλγερία, και Μαρόκο. Κάθε ΜΑΙ επικεντρώνεται στην ανάπτυξη της δικής του ειδικής ερευνητικής δραστηριότητας που περιλαμβάνει μεταπτυχιακή εκπαίδευση, προηγμένη έρευνα και συνεργασία.

  

Φοιτητές του ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος ERASMUS, σε έρευνα του Παρατηρητήριου Τουρισμού του ΜΑΙΧ, στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο στα Άπτερα

ERASMUS students surveying tourists at the archaeological site of Aptera, for CIHEAM MAI CHANIA’s Tourism Observatory 

Με το πέρασμα των ετών, το ΜΑΙΧ έχει δημιουργήσει ένα εξαιρετικό διεθνές εκπαιδευτικό περιβάλλον για φιλόδοξους ακαδημαϊκούς και επαγγελματίες μέσα από το συνδυασμό της εκπαίδευσης και της έρευνας. Σε ετήσια βάση, ο μέσος αριθμός των καθηγητών-επισκεπτών που συμμετέχουν στα προγράμματα M.Sc στο ΜΑΙΧ είναι περίπου 120, και προέρχονται από 13 διαφορετικές χώρες, ενώ ο μέσος αριθμός των υποψηφίων φοιτητών που συμμετέχουν στα προγράμματα M.Sc είναι περίπου 150 από 18 διαφορετικές χώρες. Μέχρι αυτή τη στιγμή, έχουν απονεμηθεί περισσότερα από 1400  μεταπτυχιακά διπλώματα ή <aster  of MAICh (60 ECTS), και σχεδόν 1.000 φοιτητές έχουν αποκτήσει Μaster of Science (120 ECTS). Φοιτητές από 50 χώρες έχουν λάβει μεταπτυχιακή εκπαίδευση στο Ινστιτούτο από την ίδρυσή του. Μόνο κατά το ακαδημαϊκό έτος 2015-2016, υπήρξαν 150 υποψήφιοι από 20 διαφορετικές χώρες που συμμετείχαν στα προγράμματα του ΜΑΙΧ στα 5 τμήματα που διαθέτει:

- Οικονομία-Διοίκηση Επιχειρήσεων-Χρηματοοικονομικά

- Γεω-πληροφορική στη Διαχείριση Περιβάλλοντος

- Ποιότητα Τροφίμων και Χημεία Φυσικών Προϊόντων

- Γεωργική Γενετική και Βιοτεχνολογία

- Αειφόρο Γεωργία

Πολλά άρθρα που έχουν προκύψει από μεταπτυχιακές εργασίες έχουν δημοσιευθεί σε έγκριτα επιστημονικά περιοδικά (με σύστημα κριτών), καθώς επίσης έχουν γίνει παρουσιάσεις και έχουν δημοσιευθεί σε πρακτικά διεθνών και εθνικών συνεδρίων, ενώ το επιστημονικό προσωπικό του ΜΑΙΧ έχει δημοσιεύσει βιβλία, κεφάλαια βιβλίων και ειδικά τεύχη σε επιστημονικά περιοδικά. Στο πέρασμα των ετών, έχουν προκύψει 300 διδακτορικά (Ph.D.) από φοιτητές που συνεχίζουν τις σπουδές τους μετά την αποφοίτησή τους από το ΜΑΙΧ όλοι μέχρι σήμερα σαν υπότροφοι. Οι απόφοιτοι του ΜΑΙΧ βρίσκονται σε όλο τον κόσμο, και κατέχουν κορυφαίες ακαδημαϊκές θέσεις και διοικητικούς ρόλους τόσο στο δημόσιο όσο και στον ιδιωτικό τομέα. Το ΜΑΙΧ διατηρεί πολύ ισχυρούς δεσμούς με πανεπιστήμια πρώτης κατηγορίας, την παγκόσμια ακαδημαϊκή κοινότητα και πολλά φημισμένα ιδρύματα.

Το ΜΑΙΧ φιλοξενεί επίσης ένα διεθνές πιστοποιημένο με ISO Συνεδριακό Κέντρο μοντέρνας τεχνολογίας στην πανεπιστημιούπολη του, το οποίο είναι σύμφωνο με τις προδιαγραφές που απαιτούνται από τη διεθνή επιστημονική κοινότητα, ώστε να παρέχει το υψηλότερο επίπεδο  υπηρεσιών . Το Συνεδριακό Κέντρο ιδρύθηκε το 1998, και μέχρι στιγμής έχει φιλοξενήσει στους χώρους του περίπου 700 συνέδρια και συναντήσεις, με πάνω από 60.000 συμμετέχοντες σε όλα αυτά τα χρόνια.

  

Φοιτητές ERASMUS συμμετέχουν σε σεμινάρια στο Συνεδριακό Κέντρο του ΜΑΙΧ

ERASMUS+ students at the Conference Centre of CIHEAM MAI Chania

Το πρόγραμμα ERASMUS, που χρηματοδοτείται μέσω ευρωπαϊκών πόρων, προσφέρει στους φοιτητές τη δυνατότητα να σπουδάσουν ή να κάνουν πρακτική άσκηση στο εξωτερικό  για χρονικό διάστημα τουλάχιστον 2 μηνών με μέγιστη διάρκεια 12 μηνών. Μετά την ολοκλήρωση του πρώτου έτους των σπουδών τους, οι φοιτητές μπορούν να επωφεληθούν από ένα πρόγραμμα σπουδών ή πρόγραμμα εργασίας ERASMUS, χωρίς περιορισμό ηλικίας. Το ERASMUS προσφέρει και τη δυνατότητα κινητικότητας και πέρα από τα ευρωπαϊκά σύνορα, δίνοντας στους φοιτητές που συμμετέχουν την ευκαιρία να ζήσουν στο εξωτερικό, να γνωρίσουν καινούργιους ανθρώπους και να μάθουν μια ξένη γλώσσα. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο εμπλουτίζουν τις σπουδές τους υπό ξένη επιρροή, η οποία μπορεί να τους δώσει καλύτερες πιθανότητες στην μελλοντική εύρεση εργασίας.

Οι φοιτητές έχουν την ευκαιρία να μοιραστούν ιδέες με άλλους φοιτητές από όλο τον κόσμο. Λαμβάνουν μια επιχορήγηση που καλύπτει μέρος των εξόδων διαμονής τους στο εξωτερικό, η οποία διαφέρει ανάλογα με το βιοτικό επίπεδο των χώρων αποστολής και υποδοχής. Η επιχορήγηση μπορεί συχνά να συμπληρωθεί από περιφερειακές ή εθνικές επιδοτήσεις. Ένα από τα βασικά δικαιώματα που έχει κάθε φοιτητής ανταλλαγής είναι η πλήρης αναγνώριση των μαθημάτων που συμπλήρωσε με επιτυχία στο εξωτερικό από το πανεπιστήμιο στο οποίο φοιτά.

 Φοιτητές του ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος ERASMUS κατά την διάρκεια της πρακτικής τους στο Βοτανικό Κήπο του ΜΑΙΧ

ERASMUS students experiencing hands-on training in the Botanical Garden of CIHEAM MAI Chania

Οι φοιτητές ERASMUS στο ΜΑΙΧ το φετινό καλοκαίρι προέρχονται από Ιταλία, Ισπανία, Γαλλία, Πορτογαλία, Κύπρο, Φινλανδία, Ρουμανία, Τουρκία και Βουλγαρία. Ρωτήθηκαν σχετικά με το τι τους παρακίνησε να ζητήσουν να εργαστούν μέσω ERASMUS  στο ΜΑΙΧ, τις εμπειρίες τους κατά τη διάρκεια της διαμονής τους, και αν θα συνιστούσαν το ΜΑΙΧ σε πιθανές ανταλλαγές φοιτητών ERASMUS.

Η Ralitsa Cholakova από τη Βουλγαρία εργάστηκε στο Συνεδριακό Κέντρο του ΜΑΙΧ. «Όταν άρχισα να ψάχνω για μια θέση πρακτικής, βρήκα το ΜΑΙΧ και αμέσως ενδιαφέρθηκα. Όχι μόνο υπήρχε μια προσφορά για μια θέση εργασίας που ήθελα, αλλά ήταν επίσης σχετική με τις σπουδές μου: Διεθνή Διοίκηση Φιλοξενίας και Τουρισμού. Η εργασία μου στο συνεδριακό κέντρο μέχρι τώρα μου έχει δώσει πολλές πολύτιμες εμπειρίες και είμαι πάρα πολύ ικανοποιημένη. Η πιο πολύτιμη εμπειρία είναι να δουλεύεις με πολλούς ανθρώπους, που δεν είχα βιώσει πριν έρθω στο ΜΑΙΧ. Επί το πλείστον εργάστηκα στην υποδοχή επισκεπτών, τους συνόδευα στα δωμάτιά τους και έδινα πληροφορίες σχετικά για τον τόπο και την περιοχή. Χάρη στο ΜΑΙΧ έχω την ευκαιρία να βιώσω αυτή την εμπειρία, και το καλύτερο από όλα ήταν τα συγχαρητήρια που έχω λάβει. Θα σύστηνα σίγουρα το ΜΑΙΧ σε άλλους φοιτητές, διότι όλα ήταν πραγματικά υπέροχα και οι άνθρωποι ευγενικοί, γεγονός που έκανε το εργασιακό περιβάλλον πιο ευχάριστο. Ένιωσα πολύ αποδεκτή στον εργασιακό χώρο και δεν μπορώ να είμαι πιο ευγνώμων σε όλους όσους μου φέρθηκαν καλά κατά τη διάρκεια της διαμονής μου. Η φιλοξενία που έζησα στην Κρήτη είναι απίστευτη».

Φοιτητές του ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος ERASMUS, στο Εκθεσιακό Κέντρο του ΜΑΙΧ

ERASMUS+ students at the Exhibition Centre of CIHEAM MAI Chania

Ο Guillaume Bragagnolo από τη Γαλλία απασχολείται στο Παρατηρητήριο Τουρισμού του Τμήματος Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων. «Έπρεπε να βρω ένα Ινστιτούτο στο εξωτερικό, προκειμένου να επικυρώσω τη διεθνή κινητικότητά μου. Δεν θα μπορούσα να αντέξω οικονομικά αν έβγαινα από την Ευρώπη. Αλλά ήθελα επίσης να βρω ένα μέρος όπου θα μπορούσα να απολαύσω τις καλοκαιρινές μου διακοπές, και η Κρήτη έμοιαζε σαν τέλεια επιλογή. Άλλοι φοιτητές από τη σχολή μου μου συνέστησαν το ΜΑΙΧ και έτσι ήμουν ευτυχής που έγινα αποδεκτός εδώ. Η πιο πολύτιμη εμπειρία μου μέχρι στιγμής είναι οι γνωριμίες που έχω κάνει εδώ. Γνώρισα πολλά ενδιαφέροντα και παθιασμένα άτομα από όλο τον κόσμο και νιώθω πολύ προικισμένος και τυχερός να βιώσω αυτό, μέσα από την ευκαιρία να εργαστώ στο ΜΑΙΧ. Επίσης ερωτεύτηκα τον Κρητικό τρόπο ζωής. Μου έκανε καλό να έρθω σε μια ξένη χώρα που δεν διαθέτει δυτικά ορόσημα - ωρίμασα σαν άνθρωπος. Είχα την ευκαιρία να ενισχύσω τις γνώσεις μου στα αγγλικά, και ήταν μεγάλο όφελος για μένα, αφού έκανα γρήγορη πρόοδο. Είχα επίσης την ευκαιρία να επισκεφτώ το νησί και θα γυρίσω σπίτι μου με πολλές αξέχαστες αναμνήσεις που θα μοιραστώ με τους φίλους και την οικογένειά μου. Θα έρθω και πάλι εδώ σίγουρα, και βεβαία θα ήθελα να συστήσω το ΜΑΙΧ σε δυνητικούς υποψηφίους στο πανεπιστήμιό μου, λόγω της καταπληκτικής εμπειρίας που έζησα εδώ.»

Η Huong Nguyen σπουδάζει στην Φινλανδία. Εργάστηκε στο Βοτανικό Κήπο του ΜΑΙΧ. "Οι λόγοι για την επιλογή μου να έρθω στο ΜΑΙΧ ήταν για την πρακτική εκπαιδευτική εμπειρία, διότι είναι υποχρεωτική στις σπουδές μου. Αποφάσισα να ψάξω για ένα Ινστιτούτο μέσω του ERASMUS. Σπουδάζω Μηχανικός Περιβάλλοντος, και δεν υπάρχουν πολλά προγράμματα πρακτικής εξάσκησης σε αυτό το τομέα. Έτσι ήμουν τυχερή που βρήκα κάτι στο ΜΑΙΧ. Δεδομένου ότι δεν έχω επισκεφτεί άλλες χώρες της Μεσογείου ή της Νότιας Ευρώπης, ήμουν πρόθυμη να έρθω εδώ, ειδικά αφού είχα ακούσει τόσα πολλά καλά λόγια για την ομορφιά της Ελλάδας. Το χαμηλότερο κόστος διαβίωσης σε σύγκριση με άλλες δυτικές χώρες ήταν επίσης ένας άλλος παράγοντας που με έπεισε να έρθω εδώ. Η πιο πολύτιμη εμπειρία που είχα στο ΜΑΙΧ είναι να γευτώ την ελληνική φιλοξενία, και την απίστευτη φιλικότητα και εξυπηρετικότητα των ανθρώπων εδώ. Κάθε φορά που ήμουν προβληματισμένη ή ζητούσα βοήθεια, οι άνθρωποι με βοήθησαν χωρίς δισταγμό. Όλα μου τα προβλήματα λύθηκαν με την καλοσύνη των ανθρώπων. Έδειξαν απίστευτη υπομονή με όλα τα αιτήματά μου. Η προϊστάμενη μου εδώ μου άφησε επίσης πολύ καλή εντύπωση. Μου επέτρεψε να εργαστώ στον Βοτανικό Κήπο του ΜΑΙΧ με τον δικό μου ρυθμό. Για το λόγο αυτό, θα ήθελα να συστήσω ανεπιφύλακτα το ΜΑΙΧ για μια θέση εργασίας μέσω του ERASMUS. Το ΜΑΙΧ προσφέρει σε όλους τους φοιτητές την ευκαιρία να έχουν μια καταπληκτική εμπειρία με ανοιχτές αγκάλες. Πιστεύω, επίσης, ότι όλες οι επισκέψεις που οργανώνονται από το ΜΑΙΧ για τους φοιτητές προσφέρουν μια πραγματική ευκαιρία να γνωρίσουμε το όμορφο τοπίο και τη φύση της Κρήτης, και το εκτιμώ αυτό πάρα πολύ. Το φαράγγι της Σαμαριάς θα μου μείνει αξέχαστο."

Φαίνεται ότι υπάρχουν πολλοί θετικοί λόγοι για να γίνει η Κρήτη ένας προορισμός υψηλής ζήτησης για τους φοιτητές της Ευρώπης. Είναι το ιδανικό μέρος για εξειδικευμένες σπουδές υψηλού επιπέδου αλλά και θερμές ηλιόλουστες διακοπές όλο το χρόνο. Είναι επίσης ένας οικονομικός προορισμός που ταιριάζει στην οικονομική δυνατότητα των περισσότερων ανθρώπων. Το γεγονός αυτό ιδίως καθιστά το ΜΑΙΧ μια πολύ ελκυστική επιλογή για τους νέους που επιθυμούν να αποκτήσουν πολύτιμες εμπειρίες ζωής. Το ΜΑΙΧ συνδυάζει ευκαιρίες πρακτικής και σπουδών σε ένα πολύ ελκυστικό περιβάλλον, κοντά στη φύση, σε ένα τοπίο που διαφέρει από τα δυτικά πρότυπα. Πάνω απ 'όλα, είναι η ελληνική φιλοξενία που κάνει το ΜΑΙΧ και τα Χανιά σαν ένα δεύτερο σπίτι για τους νέους που ζουν μακριά από τη δική τους οικογένεια.

Το ΜΑΙΧ προσφέρει διετές μεταπτυχιακά προγράμματα, για σπουδές που οδηγούν σε Master of Science (M.Sc.), αναγνωρισμένα από όλα τα πανεπιστήμια και το ΔΟΑΤΑΠ. Λεπτομέρειες για αιτήσεις μπορείτε να βρείτε εδώ: http://www.maich.gr/admissions/conditions_for_admission

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