No Police? And No Yoga. The Ups and Downs of Cultural Difference

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Greece feels remarkably safe. It’s common to see children under 10—often young girls—walking alone after dark, even riding their scooters through quiet streets at 10 p.m. It’s simply understood: Greece is safe. That sense of security seems to be rooted in the culture itself, where family is deeply valued, and community ties are strong. In the nine days we’ve been here, we’ve seen exactly one police car—a fact that feels both surprising and wonderful.

One thing I didn’t expect, though, is the near-total absence of yoga. When planning this scouting trip, we focused on the obvious: employment, climate, housing, transportation. I never thought to ask, “Is there yoga?” I assumed, as in the U.S., there would be a studio on every other street corner. Rob made a similar assumption about music—surely there would be recording studios and venues to explore. I also imagined that fine art would be as accessible as it is in the States, with dedicated museums, modern art institutions, and galleries scattered throughout cities.

But many of these things we took for granted—because they’re so ubiquitous at home—are surprisingly hard to come by here.

My first question was: Why no yoga?

As it turns out, yoga is still viewed with suspicion in many parts of Greece. Greek Orthodox Christianity is deeply woven into the fabric of daily life, and there remains a widespread sentiment that yoga, rooted in Hindu philosophy and mythology, conflicts with Christian beliefs. In much the same way that some conservative Christians in the U.S. once viewed yoga as idolatry, many Greeks have yet to make the leap toward embracing it as a secular form of exercise or stress relief.

I found just two yoga studios in Kalamata—and none in Nafplio. When I went to visit them, both were closed. One had a sign on the window, which I translated with Google Translate. It explained that the studio was part of a government-supported initiative to promote gyms and wellness centers in the post-COVID era.

As for the lack of recording studios and live music venues, that remains a mystery—one I hope to unravel in time.


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