Nancy and Nikos tied the knot in Kefalonia last September and not long after, they decided to come to Australia on their honeymoon hoping to explore a part of the world that they had heard so much about but never had the opportunity to visit.

The young couple arrived in Adelaide on 1 February.

For a month, they got to enjoy an idyllic summer completely unaware of what COVID-19 had in store for them and the rest of the world.

“We had heard so many amazing things about South Australia that we just couldn’t wait to get on a plane and come here. As soon as we set foot in Adelaide, we just couldn’t help but fall in love with the place and its amazing people. We felt we were home,” Nancy Karvouniaris, aged 30, said.

As the weeks went by, the Greek couple, who are also professional musicians and often travel around the world for performances, started to realise that a trip back home during COVID-19 was becoming progressively risky as well as extremely expensive and so they decided to extend their stay until things settled and they could go back home.

In the meantime, their love affair with Adelaide grew stronger.

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“Due to the nature of our work, we have travelled to Europe, the East and the US on many occasions but we have never ever seen a place like this. I actually fell in love with Adelaide as the plane was descending and I could see the beautiful clear water and the green landscape surrounding the city,” Nikolaos Filippatos said.
who was born in Kefalonia and studied Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Democritus University of Thrace, in Alexandroupolis.

Ms Karvounaris was born in Patras and studied Sociology at the University of Thrace, while Mr Filippatos was born in Kefalonia and studied Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Democritus University of Thrace in Alexandroupolis. They met 10 years ago in Patras.

Their love for music brought them together.

Now, they are also joined by their love for Australia.

The couple says they have been impressed by the amazing landscape, the unique flora and fauna, the sandy silky beaches and blue ocean, the good climate, the quality of life and the State’s infrastructure.

“At the same time, people have been so polite and respectful towards us. Just walking to the shop and having people say good morning to us feels like a real blessing,” Ms Karvounaris said, adding that she is planning to continue her academic studies in Ethical Sociology while Nikos will be pursuing an academic career in Research in the Molecular Biology field at one of the universities in Adelaide.

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“Even the fact that within a few weeks there are so many work and study prospects for us here, compared to all the knockbacks and difficulties we have had to face back home, makes us think that maybe it is time to pursue a different path. No one can ever be sure what the future holds but we are grateful for the opportunity to live such a unique life experience.

“For us Australia is heaven on earth,” they said.