Why did you return to Greece?

In 2011, I left Greece for Ireland with my wife. We lived there for about twelve years, experiencing some of the best years of our lives.

• I advanced my career from a mid-level backend developer to a solutions architect, a principal engineer, and eventually, a co-founder of a technology company.
• I co-founded Ardanis, a digital software consultancy, and helped grow the company for over eight years.
• Both our daughters were born in Dublin.
• We even bought a house near Dublin.

Yet, at some point, we decided to return to Greece.

When I tell people in Greece about my return, the response is almost always the same:

Why did you return?

The question usually carries an undertone suggesting that Greece is inferior—a place not worth coming back to if you’ve lived in a well-run, prosperous country. But for me, the answer was more complex.

Yes, my profession allows me to work remotely, and many Greeks with similar opportunities choose to stay abroad. But what I found abroad was always almost fulfilling, like music playing slightly off-key. The real meaningful moments always felt just beyond reach—a cheap flight away.

The thought of returning to Greece lingered, always quietly waiting. Over the years, I watched friends move back to their homelands—Poland, Cyprus, Hungary, Portugal. If they could return, why couldn’t I? Greece, despite its issues, is not a dangerous place; there is no war, no fear of violence.

A few years before deciding to return, I discovered two practices that profoundly shaped my thinking: Meditation and Stoicism

Through Stoicism, I learned to listen to my inner voice—the ήγεμονικόν. Meditation then helped me amplify that voice.

One morning, during my usual meditation session in the quiet of our attic, I opened my eyes, and a message arrived in my mind, unbidden and unmistakable:

You are moving back to Greece.

It wasn’t just a thought—it felt like a truth revealed, as if someone had simply stated a fact, and now I knew it with certainty.

Six months later, after preparations and farewells, we were back in Greece.

Now that I’ve been here for two years, let me share why I made this choice.

I returned for

• My parents, to be there for them, and my kids’ grandparents, while they are still around.
• My sister and her family
• My friends
• My relatives
• My kids to start Greek school and learn our heritage and culture.
• My father-in-law’s wine
• My mother-in-law’s pastitsio
• The protection and support of my circle which dampened my anxiety and helped eliminate my panic attacks.
• Friendship
• The Greek lifestyle
• The discussions on philosophy with Mr. Kyriakos, the bookshop owner.
• The impromptu coffee/tavern outings where we get to discuss interesting topics.
• Greek food, veggies, and delicious fruits.
• The people I meet that invite me for coffee despite just meeting them.
• 5Γ
• The sea
• The summers
• The nature and Mount Olympus to which I have instant access.
• The 100km of sandy beaches that we don’t know what to do with them in Pieria
• The walks by the sea with the family in the purple lit, summer sunsets.
• My hometown and county that the universe blessed in more than one way.
• Katerini and Thessaloniki
• Chalkidiki
• The things I find meaningful in life
• The fact that we don’t live forever

In order to truly understand why I returned, you would need to spend a decade abroad. Only by losing something can you fully appreciate what you once had.

So that’s why I returned.

But our journey here has just begun, and who knows what lies ahead?