Zoe Paravalos
Interviewer(s):
Alexandros Balasis
Project:
Greek Canadian Stories
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Toronto, ON
LANGUAGE:
Greek
DATE:
February 2, 2024

Interview Summary:

Zoe Paravalos (née Dikaios) was born in 1936 in Astros, Kynouria. After receiving vocational training in Athens through ICEM, she migrated to Canada by ship, arriving in Toronto in 1958. She worked as a domestic and met her future husband in one of the homes where she was employed. Zoe remained closely connected to the Greek community through St. George Church and later ensured her children received a Greek education. She recalls her first visit back to Greece and expresses her pride in her heritage.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
February 2, 2024
Toronto, ON
Interviewee(s)
Zoe Paravalos
Interviewer(s)
Alexandros Balasis
Languages
Greek
Reference ID
GICREF044
Project
Greek Canadian Stories
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Categories
Culture and Tradition
Working Life
Education
Historical Events
Migration
Rites
Tags
Dance
Domestics
Greek Civil War
Greek School
Marriage
Ocean Liner
Post-WW2 Migration
Religion
Decades Referenced
1940s
1950s
1960s
Locations Referenced
Astros, Kynouria, Athens, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto
Occupation(s)
Domestic, Hospital Staff
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced

[00:00:37] Prayer

[00:01:10] Her childhood

[00:02:35] Memories of Civil War atrocities

[00:05:34] Vocational training as a domestic in Athens

[00:10:09] Migration to Canada and traveling via ship

[00:13:05] Reaching Toronto in 1958

[00:14:04] Working as a domestic

[00:16:39] St. George church and meeting her husband

[00:19:45] Keeping in touch with her parents

[00:22:31] Her employment after her wedding

[00:23:50] Visiting Greece for the first time

[00:26:05] Her relationship with other Greeks in Toronto

[00:28:01] Providing Greek education to her children

[00:30:00] Greek businesses on Danforth Ave

[00:31:10] Her love for Greece and considering a return

[00:33:10] Encouraging her children to marry somebody Greek

[00:34:24] Pre-war Greek migrants, Greek press, and radio

[00:36:28] Visiting Greece and feeling nostalgia

[00:38:55] The history of Astros

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