Megan (Lethbridge) and Aris Tsifopanopoulos

Education is a wondrous thing which can open up opportunities, including marriages.  Megan was a theatre major at K.U. and studied abroad in 2014 in Iniades.  The first evening in the area, the group went to a bar.  Their Greek friends called Aris over to join them because his English was very good and he could translate.

“In Greece, it is very common for students to study English for 7 years,” Aris explained.  “And my English was good enough to understand what the Americans were saying.”

Both Megan and Aris said it was love at first sight.  The couple spent the next few weeks of Megan’s stay in Greece together as much as possible.  After that, it was pretty much a long distance relationship for 2 years, interspersed with occasional visits and Skype and Facebook Messenger calls.

“Long distance was pretty much a pickle,” Aris declared.  “But we figured it out.”

After graduating from K.U., Megan moved to Hungary where she and Aris lived for 2 years before moving to Greece so Megan could finish her Master’s degree. The couple then decided to move to Aris’ home area of Missolonghi, which is the metropolitan area of Iniades.

Their wedding in 2018 was not without drama, however.  “Greece is well known for paperwork.” Aris explained.  With the wedding scheduled for noon Friday, Aris went to pick up the paperwork on Thursday only to be told the papers were not good to get married at their chosen location.  He was informed he had to go the Mayor’s office Friday to correct it.

“So, I had to pick Megan up at 9:30, go to the Mayor’s office, and fill out all the paperwork before noon, and get back.  We barely made it,” Aris said.

Megan feels right at home in Missolonghi.  “I teach English on-line, so I can do that from almost anywhere,” Megan said.  “But we have more of a community here (in the city of 34,000) with Aris’ family and our friends close by.” 

That proximity works well for Aris’ photography business.  His comfort and knowledge of the area and people provide a good background for his business.  But, Megan’s home was somewhat more of a challenge for some of Aris’ family.

“When I told my grandmother that I had met Megan, and it was pretty serious; my grandmother asked where she was from?   Not here.…far away.” Aris told his grandmother.  Her response was, “Where from….Athens?”

Aris’ family loves Megan dearly now.  “To be honest, we are very open-minded about family, as long as you are good to each other and get along, that’s all you need to be called family.  You don’t have to put blood into the equation.”

Aris’ family is also adjusting to Megan’s diet, vegetarian.  “They just don’t understand I don’t eat meat,” Megan lamented.

Megan has for the most part adapted to Greek society, but still has issues with what she considers to be a Greek issue of lack of planning.  “The Greeks do not schedule far in advance,” she indicated.  “That makes it more difficult for me to do my long-term planning for my classes, etc.”

Both Megan and Aris say communication is a must for a successful transcontinental marriage.  “Communicate.  Try to communicate what you mean if something is misunderstood,” Megan said.  “The language barrier is not always the language; it is the cultural aspect of it.”

“The most important thing is to be open to things and don’t get offended easily, “ Aris explained.  “For example, a lot of the older people in Greece call everyone fat.  In America, that is taboo, and people are offended.  Here, it’s not a big deal.  It’s different every culture.”

It is education such as that which makes good marriages between persons and peoples.