A woman describes the preparations to take a photo which she would send to the
groom candidate.
Res.: And you grew up there?
Α.S.: I grew up there. Yes. I grew up there. Until I
became fifteen and a half. Eh… then a fellow villager of mine came, a relative
of my parents and… he says to my father “Hey Pantelis… George Sitaras wants a
bride for his son”. Let me tell you now from the beginning. Now that I
remember.
Res.: (Laughs)
Α.S.: “What… what say you? Is there to be a wedding?
Should I say it? Do you want to emigrate your daughter to Canada?”. My father
told him “I’ll discuss with my wife and I’ll… tell you”. They discussed with
my mother, they agreed, but they didn’t tell me anything. They go to my
father-in-law and say that “Yes. Pantelis agrees to give out his daughter.
Inform it, write it to Kostas to see if he wants”. And they informed my
husband and… my husband told them “I want a photo before the job… is done”.
They take me, they take me to Chios, they comb me, they take my photo…
Res.: Without you…
Α.S.: But they didn’t tell me what it is… this thing.
After sending the photo to Canada here and my husband says that “Yes. I want
her”. Then my mother tells me “Come, I want to tell you something”. I say
“What?”. She says “Did you see that you had your photo taken? This” says she,
“We’re going to send it to Canada to the son and if he likes you, you shall go
to Canada and marry him”. I didn’t know anything. When they said it to me, I
said “Yes”.
Res.: Yes.
Α.S.: A fifteen and a half years old girl I was. Not
[…] I… that is I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand that… Eh my husband
sent and… since I had she says “You must go. In order for your brother to
avoid conscription. In time to send him an invitation to leave”.
Res.: Why? He didn’t want to be conscripted?
Α.S.: No. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to come here
and work. But the result was that they made me leave our house and my brother
was not only conscripted, he got married as well. And they sent me here. And
fortunately, my girl, to be honest, since it’s being written also, for the
people to know, I found a good man. But to come fifteen and a half… years old…
to Canada.
Res.: Wow, wow, wow!
Α.S.: Not knowing anybody. Nobody at all. And this I’m
telling you about that I remember him, I remember him younger.
Res.: Yes. Yes.
Α.S.: Because I was five years younger than him as
well. Eh! And still I came. But I… I… let’s say I didn’t do… I didn’t regret
it.
