Greek-American students use their study abroad programs as an opportunity to learn about their homeland and deepen their “Greekness.”
In September, third-generation Greek-Americans Vasili “Billy” Peroulas, Peter Nicklow and William “Billy” Litsos came to Greece through their respective programs. As their studies here come to a close, they reflect on how the experience has changed their perspectives on heritage and homecoming.
Vasili’s mother comes from Nestani in Tripoli and his father from Ditiki Fragista in Karpenisi. His grandparents immigrated to America for economic opportunity and settled in Chicago. They opened a Greek restaurant where he now works.
Peter’s grandfathers immigrated to America in search of the “American Dream.” They settled and shortly thereafter returned to Greece to find wives. After marrying in Greece, they brought their wives back to the US and started their families.
Billy’s grandparents went to America and later returned to Greece where, when Billy’s parents were about 9 and 11, they went back to America. Billy claims Distomo, Gerontas and Hania as his starting points.
The three boys, roommates during the program, met in Wisconsin, USA, while attending a camp for Greek Orthodox youth. The participants came from several Midwestern metropolitan areas and were recent high school graduates about to begin their college journeys. With Peter living in Minnesota and Vasili and Billy in Chicago, this Greek network brought them together.
Among other things, they participated in liturgies in both Greek and English and learned to chant prayers in Greek, surrounded by other young adults of Greek heritage.
Billy has been to Greece every summer since he was a baby and speaks fluent Greek.
“The big thing for me is that I’ve really just been here so much that I know how people act and I know how to act toward those people,” he said. “I’m more familiar with Greece and more accustomed to it because I’ve experienced it more.”
Vasili, on the other hand, has been told that he is not “Greek enough” because he is also half-Polish. However, he has not let these statements damage his relationship with his Greek heritage: “Even though I was not born here, I still feel very attached to this place.”
Back home, Vasili is very active in Chicago’s Greek community. In addition to working at his family’s Greek restaurant, he participates in a Greek dance troupe, teaches Greek dance to children, and attends a Greek school.
“I think it’s really important to pass things on, which is why I wanted to study abroad in Greece. I wanted to validate what I do at home on such a higher level,” said Vasili, who prefers to be called by his baptismal name rather than the one on his birth certificate. “I wanted people to call me that because it represents my culture and my people. Not everyone can be Vasili,” he explained.
The students embraced the program to improve their native language through total immersion. They also connected with their families and embraced the notion of “coming home.”
While all three boys have different, if sometimes conflicting, relationships with their heritage, they said that “being Greek is unlike anything else.”
As they deepened their “Greekness” over the past few months and were able to experience it as their ancestors did, they shared an excitement about returning to the US to pass on this newfound knowledge to the Greeks who will come after them.
Natalia I. Rodriguez is an intern for Kathimerini English Edition, and a third-year student at the University of Notre Dame, currently studying abroad in Greece with the College Year in Athens program.