Tr\u00e8s chers lecteurs, j\u2019ai finalement entrepris de me vider le c\u0153ur. Pendant 10\u00a0semaines \u00e0 compter du 8\u00a0septembre, je vous raconterai cet \u00e9pisode de ma vie en Gr\u00e8ce. Vous revivrez avec moi pr\u00e8s d\u2019un an de ma vie pass\u00e9e au fin fond d\u2019un village pauvre et quasi d\u00e9sert\u00e9.<\/p>\n
---------<\/p>\n
\u00c0 l\u2019hiver\u00a01972, sans m\u00eame m\u2019en avoir pr\u00e9alablement parl\u00e9, l\u2019\u00e9poux avait d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de retourner en Gr\u00e8ce. Nous \u00e9tions mari\u00e9s depuis cinq ans, j\u2019avais deux enfants et un troisi\u00e8me qui grouillait dans mon ventre. J\u2019allais devoir quitter mon pays, ma langue, mes parents. Mon plus vieux, lui, devait dire adieu \u00e0 son \u00e9cole pr\u00e9maternelle. \u00c0 l\u2019\u00e9poque, l\u2019homme r\u00e9gnait en ma\u00eetre, et sa femme n\u2019avait d\u2019autre choix que de lui ob\u00e9ir\u2026 dans mon mariage, du moins. Pour adoucir cette trag\u00e9die, quelques belles-s\u0153urs me confi\u00e8rent en cachette qu\u2019elles aussi \u00e9taient retourn\u00e9es en Gr\u00e8ce une ou deux fois avant de revenir au Canada pour toujours. Subirais-je le m\u00eame sort? J\u2019appr\u00e9hendais le pire.<\/p>\n
Quelques amis du mari ont transport\u00e9 jusqu\u2019au bateau cinq immenses valises par lesquelles notre vie et tous nos p\u00e9nates changeraient de continent. Deux autres valises remplies du n\u00e9cessaire pour vivre le temps que le reste de notre mat\u00e9riel arrive \u00e0 bon port nous accompagnaient dans l\u2019avion. Une fois install\u00e9s, mon gar\u00e7onnet et sa petite s\u0153ur se sont couch\u00e9s \u00e0 nos pieds et ils ont dormi pendant tout le trajet. La t\u00eate accot\u00e9e dans le hublot, le mari fumait comme une chemin\u00e9e. \u00c0 cette \u00e9poque, on avait le droit de fumer \u00e0 bord d\u2019un avion! \u00c0 tout bout de champ, il sonnait l\u2019h\u00f4tesse de l\u2019air pour un \u00e9ni\u00e8me caf\u00e9. Me savait-il d\u00e9sol\u00e9e, contrari\u00e9e? Voyait-il mes yeux noy\u00e9s de larmes et mes mains entourant le nouvel enfant gigotant dans mon ventre?<\/p>\n
J\u2019avais si peu dormi et pourtant, lorsque le jour \u00e9blouissant r\u00e9veilla les passagers, j\u2019ai senti que l\u2019oiseau m\u00e9tallique g\u00e9ant touchait d\u00e9j\u00e0 la piste d\u2019atterrissage. Les petits se r\u00e9veill\u00e8rent et voulurent manger. L\u2019homme endormi d\u00e9plia ses longues jambes et se leva. Il h\u00e9la une h\u00f4tesse et insista pour du caf\u00e9 et des grignotines pour les petits.<\/p>\n
En sortant de l\u2019avion, j\u2019ai cru mourir de chaleur. Je me demande encore aujourd\u2019hui si, \u00e0 cette \u00e9poque, le vieil a\u00e9roport d\u2019Hellinikon \u00e9tait climatis\u00e9. Partout, dans l\u2019immense b\u00e2timent, des vapeurs chaudes assaillaient les passagers. L\u2019eau coulait sur nos fronts, les enfants pleuraient, le mari s\u2019impatientait, fumant une cigarette apr\u00e8s l\u2019autre et cherchant le lointain cousin qui devait venir \u00e0 notre rencontre \u00e0 l\u2019arriv\u00e9e des passagers.
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Quelle heure est-il?\u00a0\u00bb, demandais-je au mari.
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0J\u2019ai soif!\u00a0\u00bb, criait le plus vieux.
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Pipi!\u00a0\u00bb, implorait la toute petite.<\/p>\n
Mon c\u0153ur empli d\u2019inqui\u00e9tude battait trop fort. Allions-nous pouvoir endurer une telle chaleur? O\u00f9 allions-nous vivre? \u00c0 Ath\u00e8nes, \u00e0 Thessalonique peut-\u00eatre, ou ailleurs? L\u2019homme avait-il s\u00e9curis\u00e9 un logis? Un travail? Les enfants braillaient, ils avaient chaud, ils avaient faim, ils voulaient rentrer \u00e0 la maison. Lorsqu\u2019enfin le cousin arriva, il s\u2019empara des deux derni\u00e8res valises encore sur le carrousel. Le mari empoigna le plus vieux et le plus gros sac de voyage. Je transportais moi-m\u00eame une assez grosse sacoche remplie de linge d\u2019enfant et d\u2019articles de premi\u00e8re n\u00e9cessit\u00e9\u00a0: les passeports, les baptistaires grecs orthodoxes des petits, le carnet qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de vaccination du plus vieux, et la petite \u00e0 moiti\u00e9 endormie dans mon cou d\u00e9goulinant de mouillure.<\/p>\n
L\u2019horloge indiquait presque midi lorsque le cousin nous d\u00e9barqua chez sa m\u00e8re. Les enfants chignaient et pourtant je fus tout de suite \u00e9blouie en levant la t\u00eate. \u00c0 droite, l\u00e0-haut sur la colline mythique, je vis enfin de loin le c\u00e9l\u00e8bre Parth\u00e9non, litt\u00e9ralement \u00ab\u00a0la demeure des vierges\u00a0\u00bb, et le symbole architectural de la supr\u00e9matie ath\u00e9nienne \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque classique. Wow! Je constatais de visu ces tr\u00e9sors de vieilleries que j\u2019avais \u00e9tudi\u00e9s dans mon jeune temps. Tout me revenait soudainement, probablement parce qu\u2019on m\u2019avait oblig\u00e9e \u00e0 m\u00e9moriser m\u00eame les dates de construction des diff\u00e9rents monuments dont l\u2019Acropole d\u2019Ath\u00e8nes, \u00e9rig\u00e9e entre 443 et 438 av. J.-C., et bla bla bla. L\u2019arch\u00e9ologie, le mari s\u2019en foutait. Il me pr\u00e9senta sa tante qui nous offrirait \u00e0 tous l\u2019hospitalit\u00e9 aussi longtemps que n\u00e9cessaire et, \u00e0 moi, un ou deux apr\u00e8s-midi sur le Parth\u00e9non en sa compagnie. Enfin, il m\u2019arrivait quelque chose de bon! Mon c\u0153ur de jeune femme palpitait.<\/p>\n
Nous dormions \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9troit sur un lit d\u2019appoint avec les deux petits au milieu et le troisi\u00e8me dans mon gros ventre. Lorsque les b\u00e9b\u00e9s gigotaient, le mari s\u2019installait sur l\u2019unique sofa de la maison. Le cousin avait emprunt\u00e9 d\u2019une voisine une poussette double facile \u00e0 transporter. Chaque jour, je promenais mes petits, nous acclimatant ainsi aux temp\u00e9ratures \u00e9lev\u00e9es. Pas question d\u2019\u00e9courter mes robes ou de porter un pantalon, le mari ne l\u2019aurait jamais tol\u00e9r\u00e9! Comme je ma\u00eetrisais d\u00e9j\u00e0 plusieurs plats typiquement grecs, la tante appr\u00e9ciait beaucoup mes r\u00e9sultats et continuait \u00e0 guider mon apprentissage.<\/p>\n
Entrant dans mon septi\u00e8me mois de grossesse, j\u2019ai questionn\u00e9 l\u2019\u00e9poux.
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0O\u00f9 allons-nous nous installer?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Dans mon village natal\u00a0\u00bb, r\u00e9pondit-il en anglais.
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Est-ce pr\u00e8s d\u2019ici?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Pas du tout.\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0C\u2019est o\u00f9?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0C\u2019est dans le nord de la Gr\u00e8ce \u00e0 quelque 70\u00a0kilom\u00e8tres de Thessalonique. Le village s\u2019appelle Krya Vrysi et c\u2019est l\u00e0 que demeurent ma m\u00e8re et ma s\u0153ur.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
La maison sera-t-elle assez grande pour tout le monde, y compris les enfants? L\u2019homme de peu de mots semblait avoir en t\u00eate un plan pr\u00e9con\u00e7u. Le surlendemain, le cousin nous amena \u00e0 un terminus d\u2019autobus et c\u2019est \u00e0 ce moment que j\u2019appris que le trajet entre Ath\u00e8nes et Thessalonique prendrait approximativement cinq heures quarante-cinq minutes. Heureusement que la tante bien pr\u00e9venante nous avait pr\u00e9par\u00e9 un bon panier de victuailles.<\/p>\n
La toute petite et son fr\u00e8re \u00e9taient coll\u00e9s \u00e0 mon ventre habit\u00e9. J\u2019avais peur, j\u2019aimais mes petits et je surveillais ce vieux conducteur d\u2019autobus qui ressemblait \u00e0 un fou du volant. Assis derri\u00e8re moi, le mari fumait encore et j\u2019avais mal au c\u0153ur. J\u2019ai tourn\u00e9 la t\u00eate vers lui pour lui demander d\u2019ouvrir une fen\u00eatre et c\u2019est alors qu\u2019il s\u2019aper\u00e7\u00fbt qu\u2019en d\u00e9viant de sa trajectoire pour \u00e9pargner quelques moutons, notre vieux chauffeur allait foncer dans un camion \u00e0 benne basculante rempli d\u2019oranges.<\/p>\n
\u00c0 SUIVRE\u2026<\/p>\n
Cora
\n\u2764\ufe0f<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tr\u00e8s chers lecteurs, j\u2019ai finalement entrepris de me vider le c\u0153ur. Pendant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":49915,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lettre-mme-cora"],"acf":{"img_en":"","contenu_en":"Dear readers,\r\nI\u2019ve finally decided to pour my heart out.\u00a0Over the next 10 weeks, starting September 8, I\u2019ll be sharing with you the almost year-long period in my life I lived in Greece. You\u2019ll relive with me the events that occurred in the poor and almost deserted village where we stayed.\r\n\r\n---------\r\n\r\nIn winter 1972, without even consulting me, Husband had decided to go back to Greece. We\u2019d been married 5\u00a0years by then, had two kids, with a third one growing in my belly. I\u2019d have to leave my country, my language, my parents. My eldest would have to say his goodbyes to his kindergarten class. In those days, a man was king of his household, and a wife had no other choice but to obey...in my marriage, at least. To take some of the sting out of this Greek tragedy, a few of my sisters-in-law secretly confided in me that they\u2019d been back to Greece one or twice themselves before finally settling down in Canada for good. Would I be subject to the same fate? I feared the worst.\r\n\r\nA few of Husband\u2019s friends helped carry five huge suitcases to the boat that would move our lives to another continent. Two more suitcases, filled with the essentials we needed to survive until our belongings made it safely to Greece, were coming with us by plane. My young boy and his sister laid at our feet and slept the entire way. With his head resting on the window, Husband smoked like a chimney. (Back then, of course, you could smoke onboard a plane.) He\u2019d ring the stewardess every minute for yet another coffee. Did he know that I was sad or upset? Did he notice my eyes filled with tears or my hands cradling the new baby in my belly?\r\n\r\nI\u2019d barely slept, but by the time the bright daylight stirred the passengers awake, it seemed like the giant metallic bird was already touching down on the tarmac. The kids woke up and were hungry. Sleepy Husband stretched out his long legs and got up. He called for a stewardess and insisted on a final coffee and snacks for the kids.\r\n\r\nWhen we got off the plane, I thought I\u2019d die from the heat. Still today, I wonder if the old Ellinikon Airport was air-conditioned back then. Everywhere in the large building, hot air assailed the passengers. Sweat was dripping down our foreheads, the kids were crying, Husband was impatient, smoking one cigarette after another and looking for his distant cousin who was supposed to meet us in the arrival area.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhat time is it?\u201d I asked Husband.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m thirsty!\u201d screamed the oldest.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cPee-pee!\u201d implored the youngest.\r\n\r\nMy anxiety-riddled heart was racing. Would we be able to withstand such heat? Where would we live? In Athens, in Thessaloniki maybe, or elsewhere? Had Husband secured an apartment? A job? The kids were wailing, they were hot, they were hungry and they wanted to go home. When the cousin finally arrived, he grabbed the last two suitcases that were still going around in circles on the conveyor belt. Husband grabbed the oldest child and biggest travel bag. I was carrying a large bag myself filled with the kids\u2019 clothes and our essential items: passports, the little ones\u2019 Greek Orthodox baptismal certificates, the eldest\u2019s Quebec vaccination booklet and my baby girl, half asleep in my dripping-wet neck.\r\n\r\nIt was almost noon when the cousin dropped us off at his mother\u2019s. The sound of the kids\u2019 complaining became a dull clamour the moment I lifted my head to look out the window. On the right, high up on the mythical mountain, I caught sight of the famous Parthenon, literally the \u201ctemple of the virgin\u201d and the physical symbol of Athenian supremacy in the Classical era. Astonishing! The old treasures I\u2019d studied in my youth were right before my very eyes. Everything suddenly came back to me, probably because I\u2019d been forced to memorize when the various monuments had been built, including the Acropolis of Athens, erected between 443 B.C. and 438 B.C. Husband couldn\u2019t care less about archeology. He introduced me to his aunt who\u2019d offered to take us in for as long as was needed. She also suggested we visit the Parthenon together on a few afternoons. Finally, something good was happening to me! My young heart was quivering.\r\n\r\nWe slept in cramped quarters on a double bed with the two kids in the middle and the third one in my big belly. Whenever the kids moved around too much, Husband would move to the only couch in the house. His cousin had borrowed a convenient double stroller. Each day, I\u2019d take a walk with the kids to get us used to the hot climate. Shortening my dresses or wearing pants was out of the question, since Husband would never allow it. The aunt praised the classic Greek dishes I had already mastered, and I continued to develop my skills with her guidance.\r\n\r\nEntering my seventh month of pregnancy, I felt an urgency to query Husband about our future plans.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhere will we live?\u201d I asked in French.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cIn the village where I was born,\u201d he replied in English.\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cIs it near here?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cNot at all.\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhere is it?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cIn the north of Greece, about 70 kilometres from Thessaloniki. The village is called Krya Vrysi, that\u2019s where my mother and sister live.\u201d\r\n\r\nWould the house be big enough for everybody, including the kids? The man of a few words seemed to have a plan in mind. Two days later, the cousin drove us to a bus terminal to go to Thessaloniki. The trip, I was informed, would take 5 hours and 45 minutes. Fortunately, the thoughtful aunt had prepared a basket full of food for us.\r\n\r\nThe little one and her brother were cuddled against my inhabited belly. The maternal instinct put me on alert; I kept my eyes fixed on the old bus driver, who was driving like a madman. Sitting behind me, Husband was still smoking. I began feeling nauseous and turned my head towards him to ask him to open a window when suddenly things took a frightful turn. The bus had just veered sharply to avoid hitting a few sheep, and Husband saw that the bus was headed straight for a dump truck full of oranges.\r\n\r\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026\r\n\r\nCora\r\n\u2764\ufe0f"},"yoast_head":"\n