'But I don't want to…'

A woman reports that she emigrated to Canada against her will and without her knowing.

RES.: And how did you hear about Canada?
C.C.: About Canada, my little girl, what can and what should I tell you now? This is the… the choir of my life. Eh, I was fifteen years old and I finished primary school, of course, my father was telling me to get me to become a seamstress to learn sewing, to… santé, become a seamstress. I didn’t like it at all but we couldn’t say no to our dad. We had to say “Yes”. And I was going to the seamstress, anyway, I became fifteen years old. And while we were at the church once, there were the Greetings, they come and take us out of the church, they call my mum, myself, my sister, we went home. My father-in-law came and he wanted a girl to marry to his son and he went to my father. I was young but I was developed. They took us to the house for my father-in-law to see, if he likes me… his son was in Canada, to send you to Canada. But I wasn’t told anything. Now you’ll be hearing a story which is very odd. They didn’t tell me “You know, we’ll engage you”. We went to the house, my father brought appetizers from the café, this and that, they treated ouzo. They got me to go and treat inside for my father-in-law to see how I look. Am I alright? Have I got legs? Have I got arms? I tell my mum “Mum, why do we have visitors tonight? Who’s this man?”. Everything was over. They said the “Ok” they said “All the best”, they engaged me but I didn’t know though…
RES.: That it was for you?
C.C.: That it was for me. The next day that my father-in-law woke up, we had him sleep over, we fed him, he left, he left, he embraced me, he kissed me. They tell me also “Kiss his hand as well”, in Greece we used to kiss the old men’s hand.
RES.: Ah, ok.
C.C.: My father-in-law left. When afterwards a neighbor whom I loved very much invites me and says Chrysoula, I’ve got to tell you something. I went, aunt Eurydice we called her. I tell her “What do you want?”. She says “You know” she says “Yesterday evening they engaged you”. Unbelievable things. I say “Not me, not me aunt Eurydice, I’m young”. I had just become fifteen”. She says “Yes, my baby we engaged you and don’t worry your mum and cry and worry…” “Me” I say “This can’t be happening”. I went inside to my mum, I ran, and I had some braids as well, with thick hair, braids, braids… one behind, one in front I go towards my mum, I say “Mum” I say “Aunt Eurydice told me” -see I took off my jacket because I know I’ll get warm- eh… “You engaged me?”. Mum tells me “Yes, my baby, yes my baby. You’ll go to Canada and you’ll see stuff and you’ll see goods and you’ll live in wealth”. Myself “Me?”. She says “Yes, you’ll go see”. “Mum I…”, I say, “…I don’t want to leave here. How am I supposed to leave here? Do I know this man? What kind of man is he?”. “He’s good, he is… he’s got money, you’ll live well, you’ll take your siblings”. That’s why I was to leave, so that I’d take my siblings. I say… What time was it? What time did we start?
RES.: Now we’re at about eight minutes.
C.C.: We’re fine. And, anyway, I went upstairs in our house and I was crying and despairing. She says “Now though we must take your photo, to send you to the groom to see. How are you going to like the groom?”.