Back in February 2012 I met my friend Trake in Lisbon, at Royce Gracie Academy, during one of my Jiu Jitsu trips, and since then we kept in touch.

Hello Trake, thanks for accepting this interview, can you tell us something about you? What is your education and your professional path and what lead you to work abroad?
Hello my friend my name is Stavros Maniateas, I am coming from Greece. I have a BSc in Computer Information Systems and an MBA(Master in Business Administration).

As I finished my studies I had to go for military service all Greeks we have to do this, before I go to there I was working in IT sales for a greek small firm in parallel with my studies. After the army by the end of 2010 I found another temporary contract for 3 months in Greece again in IT sales, and then I decided to move abroad.

Crisis in Greece is still very hard especially for the young people, I moved in Portugal to work for a 6 months contract in Siemens ,after that I came back in Athens I found another 3months contract but the situation is really bad and finally this March I moved again for Belgium and more specific to Brussels for Louis Vuitton.

How was working and living in Portugal? How the crisis is impacting this country?
For me it was very difficult to communicate with out Portuguese there and my life was really difficult in the beginning.When I started learning Portuguese things were better. After that I found my way for the docas and Bairo Alto and I was happier LOL In Portugal the situation is really tough, crisis hit their economy as bad as in Greece, but I saw people in very difficult living conditions, like in some areas in Athens as well.

People they have told me that they are planning to leave for Angola and Brazil as they are developing economies, I saw also young people talking and planning to go anywhere in Europe obviously they mean UK, central and North Europe. The salaries there are the lowest in Europe, even from Greece the Portuguese basic salary is lower, also many people were working with out insurance as it happens in Greece as well. The interesting thing are prices of the products /services and the rents. Are expensive in comparison with their basic income.

The worst thing which I saw there is they are doing the same mistakes with the greek government. They follow the crazy German austerity rules and they destroy their economy as they increase taxes and they cut the salaries. Unemployment is very high especially to the young people from 18 to 30 years old. Ok I will not analyze it more now about economic and crisis situation,

I can say Portuguese people are very friendly and kind ,they really provide hospitality and is a very beautiful country ,with very good food. I suggest to everybody to go for holiday and not only for the European BJJ Championship :p

What brought you back to Greece and did you try to find any job in your country? Was it difficult?
As I wrote before after Portugal I came back to Athens, as I started to search again for a position it was very difficult to find a job ,but I found one in Athens it was a commercial project contract, but as the situation is very bad the owner was clear that the contract is only for 3 months.
I said ok its nice to try to work in my country it will be another experience.

Can you tell us something about the crisis in Greece?
I can write many pages about it,I will try to describe it in general. The situation now the 6th year of crisis is very bad, especially for the young people and the people in the middle age where they are losing their jobs.

The first group can not enter the market even if they have great studies as they do not have the required experience, the second group when they are losing their job is impossible gain to the market as they are old and they do not perform the same good as the youngers etc as you can understand the situation is crazy the young people are leaving Greece and they go anywhere they can, the older people are trapped with their families in loands,debts etc ofcourse they are people where they have great connections and they live like kings these people the system never touches, they do not pay taxes they do not care to improve their companies and in general they speak for the others and never for themselves.

These people has to pay and not the majority where they are almost poor right now, as the middle class dropped with the poor , the poors are completely miserable and the funny thing of the story is that the rich people becomes richer, do not ask me how you can imagine… corruption of course is the key word for them and the governmental employees in the important positions.

So now you work in Belgium for a leading international company, congratulations! 
How did you find this job, did you apply from Greece? Did you have any other offer from foreign countries?
I found the position from Greece, internet of course. The interviews where from distance. Yes I had from Germany an offer at the same time, but I had already accept the offer from the Belgium.

Can you describe the selection process?
2 telephone interviews, one face to face with a director in greece and finally a telecoference with 3 people

I know you moved recently but can you tell me about the quality of life and overall situation in Brussells, Belgium ? 
The quality of life in my opinion is very good, Brussels is safe in comparison with Lisbon and Athens. Unemployment is around 10 percent. The city is very international you can communicate easily with English almost to everywhere. Also as the centre of EU you can meet people from all over the Europe to live and working here,transportation is very good, the authorities very organized and I am really impressed with the facilities.

Would you suggest someone from Italy to move there to start their life abroad? 
What languages are required? 
Of course I suggest someone from Italy to come and work here. I have to mention that I met many Italians here, they need English or French but if they speak Flemish(kind of dutch) they have more chances to get a position, as the Flemish regions are having very low unemployment rates.

But to be realistic in Brussels you can get a position with English or French but you need to be patient like anywhere in Europe.
I would like to suggest people that they have first to find the job and then move here, as the rents and life here is quite expensive.

What are your plans for the future? Are you and your future wife willing to go back home one day or you prefer planning your life abroad?
Our plans are to live and motivate ourselves in Belgium, I think for me it would be very difficult the next years to come back but you never know what will be happen in the future.
I am optimist that one day south Europe will be better for us to come back.

Finally I am planning to continue training in Belgium as they have a good level in BJJ.

Thanks and good luck!