For many couples, moving to a new country and packing up their life is a major decision. However, American citizens Patricia Mahan and Dan Matarazzo have chosen to do so twice in the last 20 years. After leaving the United States for Mexico in 2006, the retired couple who had been married for 37 years decided to move to Greece in 2023.
“We were looking for a village lifestyle, but we also needed to be close to all the amenities we would need to furnish our home, like supermarkets, shops of all kinds, weekly farmers’ markets, and modern medical facilities,” says Mahan. “For us, that village was Krista.” The pair conducted additional research before deciding to visit an inexpensive house in the area in April 2023. “We came here about a year and a half ago to find this one little house,” recalls Matarazzo. Although they ultimately decided not to purchase that specific home, they were immediately certain they wanted to settle in Kritsa. “It was quiet and serene. We had a homey feeling.”
They then paid 137,000 euros, or roughly US$148,200, for a two-bedroom 2900 square foot stone home in the village that had once been Sofia’s Bakery.
According to Mahan, “the villagers traded Sofia for other foods when they couldn’t afford to buy bread.” “We thought the house might have some good ‘yeasty’ karma because of its vibes.” The two travelled to Crete in September 2023, leaving Mexico behind. They entered the country on Type D Visas, allowing them to remain for a maximum of one year.
They were nervous as much as they were thrilled at the idea of moving somewhere fresh. Both a financial and an emotional crisis exist, according to Matarazzo. “We are losing a great deal of our connection to what we were doing.” Our entire social network has vanished. The familiarity with (understanding) where to acquire good pizza and where to avoid for a terrible one. “The fundamentals…We need to begin from scratch. Additionally, there’s an adage that goes, “It’s hard to make new old friends.”
The two were blown away by the “kindness and generosity” of the people when they arrived in Kritsa, where they were greeted with open arms. When we first moved into our small stone home, gifts and produce were brought over by all of our neighbours. The generous Cretans continue to do that.
It’s Kritsa NOT Krista.