VOICES From Migrations | Aliona Stepanidou's story

“VOICES From Migrations" is a project co-funded by the European Union exploring untold migration stories. Aliona Stepanidou is from Georgia, and she moved to Greece in 2005. This is her story:

Aliona Stepanidou | VOICES From Migrations

“My name is Aliona Stepanidou. I was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and for the past twenty years I’ve called Thessaloniki my home.

Life in Georgia was not always easy after the Soviet collapse, but I remember my childhood playing endless games in the yard, surrounded by friends. At seventeen, I left everything behind to study in Greece. The journey was three long days by bus with all our belongings, and when I arrived, I felt both excited and terribly lonely. I didn’t know the language, and that made me feel invisible at first.

Dancing saved me. Back home, I had always danced, so when I arrived in Thessaloniki, I joined a studio. Due to the lower level I found here, they asked me to teach, and through dance I learned the language, the culture, and slowly, I could build friendships. 

I didn’t feel much discrimination, perhaps thanks to my Greek family roots. I’m not part of any Georgian group here; the only thing I do is go to Georgian restaurants. The food from my childhood brings back memories, makes me feel like time hasn’t passed. 

The hardest part was adapting academically. At first, I failed the exams, ashamed to even speak in class. But I tried again, passed, and entered university. Later, I also studied fashion and opened my own atelier, creating dance costumes.

Integration is never simple. Nevertheless, Greece gave me space to grow up fast, to become independent. Looking back, I believe young people should take the risk of moving abroad if they dream of it. You can always return, but you should never wonder what if. For me, leaving at seventeen was not just moving places; it was a rebirth.”

Interviewers: Petros Katrakoulis, Honorine Akoguteta, Sara Russo, Alexandre Vovea, and Fiorella Rodriguez Santos

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.