The expedient

A man explains how he came over to Canada through the invitation of his wife-to-be, whom he met through an arranged marriage.

RES.: And for what reasons did you come here in Canada?
S.R.: The reasons were because we were poor. Necessity made us leave.
RES.: OK. But why Canada and not somewhere else?
S.R.: Eh, here I found the opportunity. Here I came.
RES.: What opportunity was that?
S.R.: Eh, I mean I didn’t have... Because you need to have an expedient as well, something to go somewhere to a state. But I chose Canada because it’s a good state.
RES.: Did you have expedients, did you have someone here? What…?
S.R.: Here, no, my wife brought me.
RES.: Ah ok. She invited you over.
S.R.: Yes.
RES.: And, and… How did you meet your wife?
S.R.: I didn’t know her.
RES.: You didn’t know her?
S.R.: A cousin of mine was friends with her and she told her I’ve got a good guy. And that’s how the arranged marriage as we say in Greek took place.
RES.: Was the arranged marriage in Greece or did your wife stay here this…?
S.R.: My wife was living here.
RES.: So, you never met her.
S.R.: My wife, was here a couple… she had come in fifty-four.
RES.: And when did you meet her?
Σ.Ρ.: I got married in ’57. The…
RES.: So, without knowing her you came to Canada?
S.R.: Yes, yes.
RES.: And how… how is this possible.
S.R.: I trusted my cousin. Because she was her friend and…
RES.: So. You had nothing? Not even a picture?
S.R.: And praise to God.
RES.: ...Not even?
S.R.: We exchanged pictures.
RES.: Ah, Ok. And… and, and how did you feel that you were going to another country…
S.R.: I was…
RES.: ...with an invitation from a woman you didn’t know?
S.R.: Eh, on one side I was anxious, on the other I was satisfied, pleased that I was coming to Canada. I wanted to come.