Lessons of Greek ancestry

A man refers to the effort to impart the Greek culture to his children.

G.P.: The good thing though in the whole affair is that the children, my children and many children, since we were born, that is, my son in order to speak English which he could speak with his mother because she had grown up here and her first language was English, he learned Greek with me, eh… nevertheless, when he went to kindergarten he didn’t speak English with the thought to learn Greek, which he would learn, but you know, no we won’t be speaking to him to learn Greek. Anyway, he struggled a little with the kids, but alright, he was a little child, he understood the language quickly. The good thing though is that the sacrifices, let’s say, to send him to the dances, to send him to the Greek schools, all these to a percentage were not in vain, because today, let’s say, they say they are Greeks, they might be living here but they say they are Greeks. They love, they go with the first opportunity, I know, one of my daughters goes every year, the other one can’t go now, my son goes… With the first opportunity they go to Greece. And not only that of course. They go here as well, but their mind is there. This is satisfying for me and for the parents who made an effort, that the… the children didn’t become… not knowing where their homeland is, thinking it’s Canada, that is their ancestry, let’s say, they didn’t forget it. And it’s satisfying. They may not be living there, but at least their mind is there.