List of useful documents to bring with you

1. Your valid ID card and/or your valid passport
2. ID card and/or passports for all your family members who accompany you, or any equivalent provisional certificate (if appropriate)
3. Visa for the members of your family who are third-country nationals, if required
4. Extract from policy records (some public bodies for which you would like to work could require this document)
5. Birth certificate(s)
6. Evidence of the status of your family members or your dependants (normally a document issued by the competent authority of the country of origin, testifying that they are dependent on you or that they live under your roof in such a country)
7. Any legal documents describing your personal situation (marriage act, civil judgement, evidence that you have completed your military service, etc)
8. A student card and a valid subscription to a European university if you wish to be recognised as a student
9. All original diplomas you have obtained in your country of origin or in another country (for study or work purposes)
10. All professional certificates attesting to your professional qualifications
11. Original working contracts establishing your professional experiences (activity and duration) including if relevant the contract under which you are currently working or are going to work
12. The European Health Insurance Card and/or the relevant E-forms which facilitate the continuity of your social protection in another EU country; the same for each family member
13. Necessary documents certifying your rights (period of work and social security cover, entitlement to social security benefits)
14. Recent medical certificate or any personal medical record (to ease the work of a foreign doctor), if appropriate
15. Your most recent bank statements to easily establish your financial conditions, if appropriate
16. Your driving licence
17. Technical specifications of the vehicle(s) you are bringing with you
18. Evidence of payment of VAT in the country where you bought your car, if appropriate
    
    
    Winter in Crete
    
    
    October sees the last charter flights going back to the UK and Europe and from November to March Crete returns to its old rhythms of life. Hotels, tavernas, cafes and bars all close down in the resorts.
    Nightlife changes from the summer scene of beach bars and outdoor tavernas to trendy indoor town cafes and restaurants, and cozy village cafeneons and tavernas with wood-burning stoves or open fireplaces.
    Cretans turn to their fields and gather their olive and orange harvests. Nearly every Cretan family owns at least one olive grove on the island. Weekends are often spent away from the towns as people head for their 'horio' (village) to gather their olives, or to visit relatives.
    The towns are still very much alive and busy in the winter as the locals go about their daily business. On the roads there are numerous pick-up trucks loaded with olives, firewood or livestock as well as the usual traffic, but with hardly a hire-car in sight.
    The weather is changeable. November and December tend to be reasonably mild, with January and February generally the coldest months. Crete has some very heavy rainfall and spectacular storms during the winter months, but invariably the sun always comes out at some point and there are glorious warm sunny days too. Temperatures vary; at sea level it can be as low as 4oC or as high as 20oC plus. There are regular snowfalls in the mountain villages and the White Mountains are snow-covered from November to April. If you are in Crete in winter a trip up to the snow is a must.
    Hotels in the towns stay open during the winter months but there is little winter tourism. There are no direct flights to the island from Europe from November to March but there are regular domestic flights from Athens.
    
    Christmas & New Year in Crete
    
    Epiphany covers the twelve days of Christmas, from Christmas Day through New Year to Epiphany on 6th January.
    Christmas in Crete 'XRISTOUYENNA' - in Greek it literally means Christ's birth.
    Christmas is the second most important religious holiday in Greece, after Easter. It is usually celebrated with quiet church services, family gatherings and Name Day parties.
    Christmas is celebrated on the 25th December, but presents are usually given to children on January 1st, St. Basil's Day (Agios Vassilis = Father Christmas).
    In Western European countries St. Nicholas is celebrated as a great gift-giver, and his name is given to Father Christmas, who is supposed to visit children to give presents at Christmas.
    In Greece St Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, and 6th December is St. Nicholas Day. In centuries of Greek folklore, Nicholas was seen as "The Lord of the Sea'. In modern Greece, he is still easily among the most recognisable saints and December 6 finds many cities celebrating their patron saint. He is also the patron saint of all of Greece. In the past there used to be present giving on this day, and boats were decorated instead of Christmas Trees. The decorated boats are still seen in some places, but have mainly given way to the western tradition of the Christmas tree.
    In Greek tradition St. Basil (Agios Vassilis) name has been given to Father Christmas. St Vassilis Day is celebrated on the 1st January, therefore the Greek Agios Vassilis ' Father Christmas' visits children on New Year's Day to give their presents.
    Christmas is becoming more commercialised in Greece and the shops are full of tinsel and trimmings from November. A week or two before Christmas most Cretans decorate Christmas trees in their homes and many also have an impressive array of lights hung outside on balconies and in gardens. The town streets and villages are also well decorated with Christmas lights.
    On Christmas Eve children go from house to house singing carols, the 'Kalanda' (see below).
    Christmas Day is usually spent with family and the traditional Christmas dinner is roast lamb, pork or turkey, usually without the trimmings! Or fricassee - lamb or pork cooked with egg and lemon sauce. Loaves of 'christopsomo' ('Christ bread' - large sweet loaves) are usually on the Christmas table, along with Christmas biscuits - melomakarana (sweet honey covered biscuits) and kourabiedes (icing sugar -coated biscuits).
    December 25th is also the Name Day of Christos, Christina and Chrysoula, so many people are attending, or hosting, Name Day parties on Christmas Day evening.
    Other Christmas and New Year Name Days
    26th December - Manolis, Manos, Manolia.
    27th December - Stephanos, Stephania
    1st January - Vassilis, Vaso
    7th January - Yiannis, Yianna
    
    
    X_MAS
    The 'Xmas' abbreviation of Christmas is said to come from the Greek 'Xristos' or Christos.
    
    The Kalanda
    
    The Kalanda, or Christmas Carols, are traditionally sung on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and the Eve of Epiphany. Groups of children go from house to house singing the appropriate Carol for the day (there are 3 different songs for each 3 days), usually accompanied by metal triangles (trigono). They will ask the house owner ' na to poume?' (literally 'shall we sing it?') before starting to sing. This is in case there has been a recent death in the family as those in mourning celebrate Christmas quietly. Afterwards the children are given sweets or coins by the house owner.
    
    New Year in Crete and Greece 'PROTOXRONIA'
    
    A Bank Holiday in Greece. The day of Saint Basil or Agios Vassilis, also known in Greece as Father Christmas.
    The 'Podariko' - First footing. It's considered to be lucky for a child to be the first person to step over your doorstep on New Years Day. The tradition is to bring a plant called the 'skylokremmyda' (which has thick green leaves and a bulb) which is left on the doorstep, and the child should step into the house right foot first. The child is then given a gift of money for the New Year.
    Vassilopita - St Basil's Cake/ New Year's cake.
    The vassilopita is a simple sponge cake and is baked in nearly every household at New Year. A coin wrapped in foil (flouri) is placed in the cake before it's baked. The cake is ceremoniously cut by the head of the household and whoever gets the slice containing the flouri is said to have good luck for all of the forthcoming year.
    
    Gambling
    
    Traditionally Greeks spend the days during Christmas and New Year gambling. New Year's Eve is THE main gambling time - after seeing in the New Year many will try out their luck until well into the early hours. Even houses and cars have been lost over a card game or the throw of the zaria (dice)! In all the cafeneons across the land around Christmas you will find the men sitting around card tables. It is actually illegal to gamble in unlicensed places but this doesn't stop the owners or the customers! The cafeneon owners actually charge for the tables by the hour and will go around collecting a few Euros off each player every hour. The most popular card games are 21 (similar to black jack, but with a kitty in the middle), 31 (similar to black jack but each player tries to get 31 instead of 21, and 'thanasi' (like rummy). 'Zaria' or dice is played with two dice by 2 players in turn and there are set winning and losing combinations (win 6 and 6, 6 and 5, lose 1 and 1, 1 and 3 etc.). Betting takes place before the throw of the dice and there is also side betting around the table .
    Epiphany in Crete and Greece - Theofania or Ta Fota - 6th January
    On the Eve of 'Ta Fota' the village priests do the rounds of the village homes and sprinkle holy water to bless the houses and all those who live there - called the "ayiasmos" .
    The Feast of Epiphany, or The Solomn Blessing of the Waters, commemorates Christ's baptism in the River Jordan.
    Waterside ceremonies are held across Greece by priests. During the ceremony the Holy cross is thrown into the sea or river and swimmers dive in to retrieve it. It is a great honour and a blessing for the one who retrieves the cross first.
    
    Apokries - Carnival
    
    Carnival in Greece .... celebration ... a chance to escape everyday monotony and enter into a world of party, fantasy, jinks and 'kefi' (high spirits) ... a feast of dance, wine and meat before the sacrifices and fasting of Lent.
    
    The Tradition of Apokries / Karnavali (Apokries may also be spelt Apokreas, Apokrias)
    
    In Greece the Carnival started in Ancient times, believed to be as a worship to Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast. In the Orthodox tradition Apokries is the preparation period before Lent. Apokries means literally saying goodbye to meat ...Apoxh apo kreas - apo-kreas. In Latin the roots of the word Carnival has the same meaning- 'carne'' =meat and 'vale' - goodbye.
    Apokries runs for 3 weeks immediately preceding Lent.
    In 2009 Apokries runs from Saturday 7th February to March 1st 2009.
    Clean Monday ('Kathara Deftera' or 'Kathari Deftera') falls on March 2nd 2009.
    First Week of Apokries - from Saturday 7th February Apokries starts with the opening of the book of the Triodion, the 3 holy sacraments.
    
    Second Week- Meat week
    
    Officially the last week of eating meat until after Lent. Tsiknopempti - Thursday of meat week. Tsikna is the smell of burning meat. It was the custom on Tsikonpempti for everyone (including the poor) to charcoal grill meat and to melt fat over it so the smell of 'burning' meat permeated whole villages. It is still the tradition to eat meat on Tsiknopempti, although nowadays it is usual to go to a taverna for the meat feast. You'll find that tavernas everywhere are packed and many have live music too. Another glendi!
    Third Week - Cheese Week
    This week was also called 'White Week' as people ate mostly dairy products and eggs. Meat was forbidden from Monday of cheese week until after Lent. Many people still adhere to this. Women never washed their hair during this week as it was said it would turn white if they did.
    
    Tyrofagis Sunday
    
    The final day of Apokries, and it's also the last day until after Easter that weddings are allowed to take place. The Orthodox Church still follows the tradition that no weddings or celebrations can take place during the 40 days of Lent.
    The old tradition says don't get married on this day; if you do it will be an unhappy marriage! Carnival parades are held on this, the last day of Apokrias.
    
    Clean Monday - 2nd March 2009
    
    The day after Tyrofagis Sunday is 'Kathara Deftera' , also called 'Kathari Deftera', or Clean Monday, which falls on the 2nd March in 2009. Clean Monday marks the end of Apokries and is the first day of Lent (Sarakosti).
    Fasting starts today and traditionally no meat, fish, eggs, dairy products or oil are allowed to be eaten for the 40 days leading up to Easter. Clean Monday is a Bank Holiday in Greece and also seen as the start of springtime; it is celebrated by an excursion to the mountains or the beach to enjoy a Lenten picnic or taverna meal, and fly a kite!
    
    Masqueraders (Pronounced 'mask - e - ra - des' in Greek)
    
    During the three weeks of Apokries children, teenagers and adults alike dress up in (often outrageous!) disguises and masks and visit the houses of friends and neighbours who try to guess the identities of the masqueraders. The town and village cafe's, tavernas and bars are also visited by masqueraders, usually armed with cans of foam, streamers and confetti.
    Weekends and particularly the final carnival weekend in particular are the most popular periods for dressing-up and many masked balls, dances and children's parties are held at various venues throughout the three week carnival period.
    Apokries culminates with the Grand Carnival Parades, a number of which are held throughout Crete and Greece on the last day of Apokries - Sunday 1st March in 2009.
    
    Carnival Parade
    
    Carnival Parades are held all over Crete and Greece, and in 2009 the majority will take place on Sunday 1st March 2009.
    Groups of friends get together to form teams and make their floats and costumes. They can take months to make and are usually used only once, with originals produced each year. Prizes are sometimes awarded for the best floats and costumes and there can be great ( friendly!) rivalry between teams.
    The most famous Greek carnival is held in the town of Patras in the Peleponnese.
    In Crete many towns and villages hold carnivals; the largest of which takes place in Rethymnon.
    
    Greek Easter
    
    Greek Easter in Crete is celebrated with many local customs and traditions. Easter ('Paska') is the most important holiday in Greece, and in the Greek Orthodox Church.
    Greek Orthodox Easter usually falls one to five weeks after the Western (Protestant, Catholic) Easter, while approximately once every four years it falls on the same date.
    In 2009 the Greek Orthodox Easter falls on Sunday April 19th, one week after Western Easter.
    Clean Monday APOKRIES (Kathara Deftera) is a bank holiday and marks the start of Lent and 40 days of fasting, although nowadays few people strictly fast for the whole of Lent ( Easter fasting excludes meat, fish - although seafood is allowed-eggs, oil and dairy products,).
    
    Holy Week (Megali Evdomada) starts Monday April 16th 2009
    
    The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week( Megali Evdomada) and this is when most people take their fasting seriously. Church services are held throughout Holy Week. Many tavernas close during this week, and the ones that stay open have mostly seafood and vegetable dishes on their menu. The women dye eggs red (symbolizing the blood of Christ) and bake Easter biscuits 'koulourakia' and kalitsounia - cheese pies- to be eaten after Easter Saturday when the fast ends.
    Good Friday (Megali Paraskevi) April 17th 2009
    Good Friday is a day of mourning and churches usually ring out the death toll throughout the morning - a steady toll of one ring of the bell. The evening church service starts at 7pm and after the service at around 8.30pm, there is a subdued procession through the streets carrying the epitaph, or coffin, with the congregation following behind, usually all dressed in black.
    Shops and supermarkets close at 3 - 4 pm on Good Friday, and many tavernas remain closed today.
    Easter Saturday - (Megalo Sabbato) April 18th 2009 In Crete village children spend the day preparing a bonfire and an effigy of Judas outside the church to burn after the midnight service. The Anastasi, the Resurrection, takes place at midnight and is the culmination of Holy Week. Churches across Greece are packed from 11pm onwards for the service and the lighting of the Holy Flame at midnight. Many tavernas are open after the midnight service. The 40-day fast ends at midnight today so meat is back on the menu and it's becoming very popular to celebrate the Anastasi and the start of Easter at a taverna or 'kentro' with live music.
    Shops close at around 2pm and supermarkets around 5pm today.
    Easter Sunday - (Kyriaki tou Paska) April 19th 2009 Easter Sunday tradition is roasting lamb outside on the spit; family and friends usually get together and make it a big party with plenty of food, wine, music, and dancing.
    If friends or neighbours are hosting an Easter party outside you'll be hailed for a celebratory drink and 'meze' with them if you happen to pass by their house - the more the merrier! If you are formally invited beforehand it is not expected that you take anything with you, but taking along 'glyka' - cakes or biscuits - will always be appreciated.
    Shops and supermarkets are closed today. Tavernas are usually open.
    Easter Monday - April 20th 2009 Bank Holiday
    Shops and supermarkets remain closed. Tavernas open.
    Kali Anastasi!
    
    Information courtesy of Carol Palioudakis www.livingincrete.net and from her book “Living in Crete. A Guide to Living, Working, Retiring & Buying Property in Crete”