There are quite a few perks to coming from a Greek family: priding yourself from being from the most beautiful country in the world, the Greek language, feta cheese, Greek weddings, Greek dancing, knowing that many successful people are Greek, etc. But most importantly, the food. The food is the very center of our culture.
Of course, if you’re Greek, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re not, then I’d love to share with you some things that would be way too familiar if you grew up in a Greek family.
1. You converse in Greek with your parents while in public, to make sure that no one else knows what you’re saying.
There is a certain benefit to knowing a different language from everyone else.
2. And when you think no one knows what you’re saying, some random Greek pops up. And, you become instant friends.
3. Measuring cups are not a thing.
4. You know to never say “I’m hungry” at Yiayia’s house.
Because if you do, you better prepared yourself to be stuffed with every Greek dish on the planet.
5. Your family’s Greek recipes are under lock and key.
I don’t care how much you try to finesse those recipes out of my Yiayia, she’s not going to budge.
6. You felt like a rebel eating ouzo candies as a kid.
They actually taste horrible, and they don’t have any real ouzo in them.
7. If you win in the egg game on Pascha, that means ultimate bragging rights to your cousins.
There’s nothing like a good, clean win.
8. Your family can’t play board games, because it ends explosive fights.
Kind of like this.
9. Yiayia is always right, no matter what.
Don’t you ever try to tell her she’s wrong.
10. You were trained to educate your American friends on how much more beautiful Greece is than any other place.
But come on, was Yiayia wrong? I don’t think so.
11. When your American friends come over, they always ask why your family yells at each other so much.
Actually, we’re just talking.
12. You always got mocked for bringing Yiayia’s cooking to lunch in elementary school.
Hey, those girls have no clue what they were missing.
13. You learned how to Greek dance before you learned how to walk.
Opa!
14. If you're not married by 25, your family thinks you'll never get married.
15. And that boy you marry had better be Greek. If not, he must become Orthodox.
16. You can't go anywhere alone.
Wherever you go, you family goes.
17. You know that you come from one of the oldest, most beautiful cultures in the world. And, that’s something to be proud of.
When I tell people I come from a Greek family, I don’t just tell them of the delicious food that my Mom and Yiayias make. I tell them of the filotimo that the people of Greece have, a principle my family is built on. I tell them how 90 percent of the conversations in my family are had in the kitchen around something we’re eating, and we’re always laughing. My family may be big, loud, and crazy, but that just means it’s full of love. And maybe feta cheese. And I’m pretty proud of that.
