Some misinformed children from northern Greece in Canada

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posted by Peperki

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Growing up in Toronto, I remember my parents telling me that I was Macedonian but
always stressed our similarities with the Bulgarians. At that time I did not know much
about Macedonia or my culture until 1991 came along. My parents are from Bitola
(Mother) / Stip (Father)

Before 1991 we were members of a Bulgarian congregation. We were not that

religious then. In 1991 most Bulgarian Churches added the word Macedonian (i.e
Bulgaro-Macedonian Orthodox Church); I noticed the new urges of many people at
my community to be always at church or always at Macedonian functions which were
pretty much non-existant before 1991. We had the odd party but never a huge
"Macedonian" influence like after independence. After 1991, there were like a million
and one Macedonian Organizations in Toronto that had a common enemy - the
Greeks. Today, most have vanished and some have turned Bulgarian Nationalistic.

Anyways, going to school during the 1990's was extremely difficult when Greeks
would taunt the **** out of me and ask me my Nationality. I had made the mistake
in Grade 8 telling the teacher that I "became Macedonian" last week and that all of
Toronto's 200,000 Macedonians are celebrating. That number was overly inflated by
some over zealous members of the Macedonian community in Toronto.

So from Grade 8 to 12 I lost all my friends - even the regular Canadian friend I had
before independence. I hated Greeks. I had these visions of me going to school and
delivering such a speech that the entire class would stand and cheer for me. Of
course, I knew that reality would be me in a body bag.

I decided to go into classical studies and received my MA in the Classics. Going to

university (U of T) changed my outlook on who I really am. I started my first year of
University with the goal of exposing the Greeks for the fraud that they had created
and to avenge my highschool years.

But after studying in Toronto then conducting research in RMacedonia, I quickly

realised that I had a problem. The research I needed to conduct was available in a
foreign country south of my parents birthplace. After getting into Greece - what a
horror - I came to one conclusion. Greece does have a valid point. I freaked is an
understatement. I was taught by my dad that Macedonians don't cry - but I could not
help it.

The arguments with my parents were bitter. I called them liars and condemned the
entire Macedonian community for what they did in creating a monster. I don't want to
be known as anything. I am only Canadian and that's it.
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