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Weekends are spent sipping coffee in the Dempsey area. He also chills out - when he is not grading students' papers - by having a drink at Emerald Hill or clubbing at the Ministry of Sound. Despite his brooding good looks - he is SMU's poster boy and has appeared in several of its corporate photo-shoots - he insists no student has passed him any love note...yet. 'I don't get such vibes when I'm wearing my professor hat,' says the Macedonian, who is dating a Singaporean professional.
Q Name your favourite Greek mythical character. A Ulysses (or Odysseus), the main hero in Homer's Odyssey. His resourcefulness, not the weaponry, led to Greece's victory in the siege of Troy. After the 10-year Trojan War ended, it was again his cunning and strong will that helped him, a mortal, overcome the anger and traps of the gods, and return safely to his kingdom.
Q With 6,000 islands and islets under Greece's name, how does one decide which one to hop on to? A This is a tough one; it depends on what you are looking for. Not only are there numerous choices, but they are all unique too. For a start, I would recommend Santorini, an island made for romantics and lovers. If you are looking for a cosmopolitan island with an intense nightlife, then Mykonos is the place. If dreamy beaches are your first priority, head for the Ionian islands. The list could go on and on.
Q According to Socrates, the unexamined life is not worth living. Agree? A This is in line with an ancient Greek aphorism, 'Know thyself'. I definitely subscribe to it. As an academic and researcher, 'examining' is almost all I do. Apart from thinking about job-related topics, I often spend time examining my life, usually over coffee or during an evening walk in solitude.
Q What's the trick to 'kamaki', that charm game Greek men are supposedly so good at? A 'Kamaki' literally means a sharp fishing tool, and I guess it reflects our view that flirting is like hunting. The general rule is to be straightforward and make a smart introduction, as opposed to using stereotypical, silly pick-up lines. Past the initial approach, the Greek sea and sun are natural aphrodisiacs that give us a great advantage.
Q Is there anything Greece and Singapore possibly have in common? A In an era of globalisation, both places are very successful in balancing modernity and traditional values. For instance, both Greeks and Singaporeans have a strong belief in the concept of family, and honour it devoutly.
Q What's your own take on how the saying, 'sounds like Greek', came about? A Greek is a very complicated language that sounds and looks like none other. Also, Greek words are common in scientific terminology, which is hard to understand. I must mention, however, that the corresponding phrase we use in Greece is 'It sounds Chinese to me'.
Q Which woman of today would you describe as a 'Greek goddess'? A I am generally against idealising or obsessing with Hollywood stars and top models. I believe that one can find 'godlike' beauties in everyday life. In any case, if I were to describe the perfect female body proportions, I would have to refer to Aphrodite of Melos, an ancient Greek sculpture kept at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
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