NPR's Melissa Block follows up with Michael Iliakis, a Greek man who finished up a doctorate in ancient history four years ago and was desperately trying to find a job as a college professor.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: 

Four years ago on this program, I talked with a Greek man named Michael Iliakis who lives in Athens. It was a time of economic free fall in Greece, one of many to come, and we wanted to hear from a Greek citizen about what the future looked like from his perspective. When we spoke back in 2011, Iliakis had just gotten his PhD in ancient history. He'd been sending out a blizzard of job applications and getting nothing but rejections.

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MICHAEL ILIAKIS: I've actually lost count. It should be somewhere between 40 and 80.

BLOCK: And he told me that at age 35, he was embarrassed to still be living at home with his parents.

ILIAKIS: This is rather distressing because I had to return home because I couldn't afford staying alone. And it's not what I expected my life to be at this age.

BLOCK: At 35.

ILIAKIS: Yes.

BLOCK: And Michael, are you married?

ILIAKIS: I'm trying to (laughter). I have a very good relationship that is heading that direction, but it's impossible to say when we'll get married because there isn't financial stability, meaning that we don't have two salaries to pay the cost of a married life.

BLOCK: I wonder how all of this shapes how you think about the future, the woman you'd like to marry and potentially the children that you would want to have.

ILIAKIS: Actually, my future, now, is on hold until I, you know, I get that first job. And I'll pick it up from there. There is nothing that I can do about that right now but keep sending applications, going to interviews and just hoping for the best.

BLOCK: So four years later, is Michael Iliakis still hoping for the best? Well, since this is my last week hosting ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, I figured I'd check in with him one more time.

Hello. Is that Michael?

ILIAKIS: Yes.

BLOCK: Michael, yasou - good to hear your voice again. How are you?

ILIAKIS: I'm fine.

BLOCK: I keep wondering, Michael, if you ever got married.

ILIAKIS: Well, no. That relationship was one of the casualties of the financial crisis.

BLOCK: Really - what happened?

ILIAKIS: I mean, it's - it was extremely difficult to plan about anything with having limited money and both living with our parents. So when she got the chance for something better, she left - simple as that.

BLOCK: I'm sorry to hear that.

ILIAKIS: It's, you know, it's old history by now.

BLOCK: Michael, are you still living in your parents' home?

ILIAKIS: No. I'm away 11 months now.

BLOCK: Have you been able to find any steady work over these last four years?

ILIAKIS: No. I've been going from job to job, nothing more than two months, and there was always a significant gap between them....