Greek families struggle with austerity

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Two elections, two rounds of austerity measure and endless strikes and protests, Greece has struggled through 2012. Under the huge financial pressure, how are Greeks holding up?
Six people, all crushed into this small apartment of less than 100 square meters in Athens. But with the sole income coming from a near-bankrupt small jeweler firm, this is the best Annasta’s family can afford.
Annasta’s husband lost his job four years ago. To add more woes, six months earlier, he was paralyzed from the waist down after a stroke.

Annasta, Athens Resident, said, "We don’t have any other income besides the small family business. But the cost of my husband’s medicare alone is huge. We have to pay for everything. The cost of his medicine is more than 150 euros per month."
To secure funds from international creditors to keep the debt-laden country going, the Greek government has imposed serious austerity measures. The retirement age has been raised by 2 years. Pensions have been cut on average by 5% to 15%. Several bonuses have been scrapped. The unemployment rate has soared to a record 26%. Annasta’s eldest daughter Manto is about to take the college entrance exam in 2013. But with the public sector frequently striking in protest, she had to study at home for a third of this year.
Manto, Annasta’s daughter, said, "I am a bit worried about the future. I like classic philosophy. But most students taking this major work for the government. So even if I make it into college, I may not get a job after graduating."
But things seem to have turned around a little bit for Greece lately. Earlier this month, Greece managed to get the latest tranche of bailout funds from international lenders. Standard & Poor’s recently raised Greece’s credit rating from selective default to a level approaching speculative grade. Though it doesn’t mean the economic hardship facing Greece is over, but people can start to see light at the end of the tunnel.
.english.cntv.cn
30/12/12
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