Humans of Athens: Portraits of a City

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Martina Mathe, Traveler and Alfajores seller

“I am from Argentina, but Greece has always been one of the dreams of my life since I can recall. Two years ago, I came to Athens for 6 days and I was like I need to live here. I wanted to stay for a long time, but I was living in Denmark at the time. Last March, I decided to go home to Buenos Aires to visit family for 3 months, but it ended up being 10 months because the borders closed for COVID. In October, when borders finally opened to come here, I came to meet my boyfriend, who is half Greek. We worked in a cafe in Exarchia until everything closed down. It was an amazing place, so full of energy, and I love cooking. We had classes for Zumba, yoga, meditation, and people from all over the world. Now we are just waiting for things to open. I am a traveler. I spend my life going with the flow and I try to get to know as many cultures as I can, and as many places as I can. It is an endless discovery of people, of places, of the world, of myself.” 

George Stefanis, Flag-hoister at the Panathenaic Stadium

“My favorite part of living in Athens is going to the sea. I live in Glyfada, and the coast is beautiful. I work here at the stadium on security. Just go to the booth and ask for George, I am the only one.”

Katerina Kekkou, Co-owner Kékkos Bakery

“Kékkos is a family business, but it is also my second home. I learned so much from my parents when they used to work here with me. I love this place as if it were my child, I love this job and everything that comes with it. Living in Athens, I can be at the sea in a minute, or go visit the mountains. I love the weather, I love the people, I love the surroundings. There are so many nice places where you can go and relax and feel close to nature. I think this is it- the chance to be near nature and to let it take away the stress and the bad things, and to know that you will always have the blue sky.”