Greece is a country that is just as rich and abundant in beauty as it is in history and culture. With a population of a little more than 11 million, the country is comprised of a cluster of rugged mountainous islands. What drew my fascination to the country was the utter beauty of the terrain, and the eclectic culture of the Greek people.
I was fortunate enough to be able to ask some questions to native Greek, Angela Lekos, and gain insight into the life of a Greek girl, as well as the push to live out the American Dream. The first question I felt I should ask was why she came to America. “I was growing up in a small village where opportunities were limited at that time especially for girls. Education was not so important and a girl was to get married by 18 -19 years old. My parents were told that it would be easy for me to get married in the States so they decided to let me come,” she added, “let me note that things have change drastically since then.”
Lekos’s journey to America started with a detour in Montreal Canada to visit relatives; from there she made the journey to Florida and lived with her mother’s brother and his family for thirteen years. Before coming to the States, she did not know much about where she was going but she, “thought that life was easier and there was an abundance of things and opportunities.”
I am always interested in knowing how people from other countries view the United States, so I asked,” What was your impression of the United States after you spend time here?” “I realized that life was like any other place. People had to work hard to earn a living, but there were definitely more opportunities than back home, such as getting an education,” responded Lekos.
Because the reason for many immigrants coming into the U.S. is to live and achieve the American Dream, “I was curious as to what exactly the dream was for a native Greek. I asked, “What do you view as the American Dream? Lekos replied, “For me, the American dream is the chance to get an education, and then to apply that knowledge towards your field of study. In Greece, even today, there are many graduates who cannot find a job in their field so they are forced to work elsewhere.” Hearing such an emphasis on the importance of an education is refreshing seeing as how many Americans take education and opportunity for granted.
I went on to ask if she thought her idea of the American Dream was possible anymore. “Although it is much harder to become an American citizen now, the dream is still possible for those who are willing to work hard to reach their goals.”
Facing such an extreme change as a young child seemed terrifying to me so I asked If Lekos was excited to come to the United States. She said that although she did not know what the future had in store for her, she was excited. Now that she has been here and been able to establish a life, I was curious, was she still happy to be an American? “I am very happy to be here. It was not easy, but I completed my education, I graduated with the highest honors, I got a job which I love, and I have been blessed with a wonderful family,” said Lekos. That to me sounds like the epitome of the American Dream.
Knowing that Lekos had succeeded in so many facets of her life, I couldn’t help but wonder, did she ever have any plans to return to Greece permanently, were she still has family? “No,” she responded, “Maybe in the future, after my husband and I retire, we can split our time between Greece and the States, but not permanently.”
Greece is such an amazing country and I wanted to know what a native Greek wished Americans knew about the beautiful country to which Lekos suggested, its history and culture. I asked her if she felt that in general, Americans were well informed about Greece. Her response was similar to what I had assumed, “No. I have met many Americans who did not even know where Greece is located on the map,” sad, but true.
I wanted to know what Lekos viewed as some of the major differences between the United States and Greece. Size, power, the people’s attitude, politics, and corruption were all on her list. I could not help but ask what she missed most about Greece, “My family, the music, the food, and the beach.” All elements of a Greek culture that I would love to experience one day.
”Being away from my family was and still is the most difficult part of my journey. At one point, I had not seen them for 13 years. Once I came to the States, I went from being a teenager to becoming an adult over night, “Lekos said in response to the biggest change she had to adapt to.
There is no doubt that it takes courage and strength to go through as intense a life change and Angela Lekos did. In the end, she was able to achieve her own version of the American Dream. I would like to thank her whole heartedly for giving me a view into her culture and her journey to America.
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