Changing Expectations

The other day I was in one of my favorite coffee shops and started chatting with a couple of guys next to me. One was from the US, and the other from Sweden.

After a few minutes of talking about life in the US versus other countries, the American asked me how I deal with the slow service in Greece. He said he’s been going crazy with how slow the service is here.

I laughed, paused for a minute, and then told him that I’ve dealt with it by changing my mindset. To me, there’s no other way.

In the US I got very used to the fast service culture and the idea of instant gratification. Amazon Prime allowed me to get practically anything sent to my door by the next day, or even sooner, and at restaurants it’s common to get service, or at least an acknowledgement of your presence, as soon as you sit down.

Things are different in Greece, and definitely different on an island. I’m not going to lie, I had to go through an adjustment period. I was very frustrated when I first arrived because I wasn’t able to find things I needed.

You can’t just google and find where to buy what you need, and it’s very difficult to ship things here (there’s a story there that I don’t even want to get into, but the main takeaway is that I had to pay 40 Euros to pick up a package that only had $70 worth of items in it because of the high taxes and customs process here). Also, the speed of service here is different. People aren’t in a hurry to serve you, and so you may sit for a while before you get that coffee, or even a menu.

At first I kept looking around and wondering if people didn’t see me, but then I realized that it’s just the way it is here.

Instead of getting frustrated, I chose to change my expectations and outlook. When I go to a coffee shop or restaurant I’m rarely in a hurry. I expect that a meal may take a couple of hours, and I’ve embraced it.

I went to lunch today and we were at the restaurant for two hours. The waitress didn’t take our order for at least 10 or 15 minutes, but instead of getting angry, I appreciated the time I had to catch up with friends.

Sometimes the best way to avoid frustration is to pause, breathe, let go of your expectations, and take the time to enjoy what’s around you - whether it’s nature, the company of your friends, or just your own time to reflect.

Another change in perspective - instead of being sad about rain, think about the beauty after the storm passes!