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I was born in a small village (Skourohori) near the town of Pyrgos the capital the prefecture (nomos) of Ilias inWest Peloponnese, Greece (also known as HELLAS). The village life was very plain and as kids we had very few, or we had to make our own toys. As I grew older we moved to Athens, the big cosmopolitan city, and there I entered a trade school. But life was still dull and I wanted new adventures. The idea of a seeking a new life in North America was constantly in my mind. I was almost 18 years old when I came to Montreal, Canada. I found Montreal an exciting city, I started working right away and a year later I decide to go back to school. I graduated in Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in 1974 and I obtained my Masters in Mechanical Engineering (Concordia University) in 1981

I am a proud Canadian citizen and proud of my rich Hellenic heritage. I return to my birthplace in Greece every two years. I spend most of my vacation time on the coast Kavouri Beach south of Katakolo (port of Pyrgos)

Spyros P. Skouras (1893-1971) born in my village, Skourohori, became a legend in the film industry as the President of the Twentieth-Century Fox from 1943 to 1962, when he resigned under the financial pressure, resulting from the making of the movie "Cleopatra". His contribution to cinema was his introduction of Cinemascope, the greatest technical development, after the introduction of sound some twenty-five years before. Cinemascope consists of an anamorphic lens (invented by Prof. Henri Chretien), which restores an image to its original shape, the Miracle Mirror Screen, which gives brilliance to the projected image and the stereophonic sound, which creates a natural and realistic effect. This new invention allowed the studios to create a more realistic result. His vision opened new horizons to the film industry

For those wanting to get a taste of Greece here is a short introduction.

Greece (Hellas)

The Greek word for Greece is Hellas. Greece is the birthplace of Western civilization and it has had a long and eventful history. At one time Greece was a major center of science, philosophy and art. The area of Greece is about 51,000 square miles (132,000 square kilometers). Because of its shape and the number of islands, Greece gives the impression of being smaller than its actual area. There are few countries where the meeting of land and sea creates such a complex pattern of islands, inlets, gulfs, and bays. The sea presses deep into the land with hundreds of arms separated by the rocky spines of peninsulas. The contrasts between the deep blue of sea and sky, the white of limestone rugged rocks and whitewashed buildings, and the burnt-orange of tiled roofs contribute dramatically to what strikes all visitors a quality of light that is unique.

Greece is divided into several regions that have been recognized as such since ancient times. The regions of Macedonia (the birthplace of Alexander the Great)and Thraki form a relatively narrow area lying along the northern coast of the Aegean Sea. To the west lies Epirus, which forms the northern boundary with Albania. East of Epirus and south of Macedonia is Thessaly. The southern half of Greece consists of the regions of Central Greece and Euboea and the Peloponnesus. The islands of Greece are divided into the Aegean Islands, including the Northern Sporades, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese; the large island of Crete (also Kriti); and the Ionian Islands off the west coast.

The population of the country is more than 10 million, of which more than 98 percent is Greek. There are approximatley 7 million Greeks living outside Greece, in all parts of the world. All Greeks in Greece speak the Greek language which comes directly from that of the ancient Greeks. From the word Hellas, Hellenism signifies the spread of Greek language, literature, and culture throughout the Mediterranean world.

The Greeks have a typical Mediterranean way of life. In both small towns and villages the taverna, which generally has a terrace or seats on the sidewalk, is the focus of male activities. There the men meet to talk about various topics, of which politics is the most important and the most fervently discussed. Although women in cities go to tavernas, those in rural areas rarely do. The bigger cities have not much to envy from the cosmopolitan cities of the west hemisphere. Greece has an abundance of restaurants, cafeterias, coffee shops, night clubs with Greek and non-Greek music. Its not unusual to get stuck in traffic jams at 2:00 am. The summer heat drives everyone out of the house to the nearest seafront place in search of a cool breeze. Greeks enjoy the country side and at every opportunity, holiday or weekend they storm out of the big cities.

Because of people leaving the country, especially after the two World Wars, there are large communities of Greeks living abroad. Some had settled to the eastern Mediterranean areas such as Egypt, Lebanon, and other Middle Eastern countries. Some have settled in Africa, especially South Africa. Others have established large and prosperous communities in the United States, Australia and Canada. Most of these groups center their activities around the Orthodox church and maintain their customs and language to a greater degree than many other immigrant groups. They still retain their love for their homeland, and in times of crisis many Greeks abroad have returned to fight in the Greek Army.

About 70 percent of the population of Greece lives in cities. The largest city by far is the capital, Athens. With its suburbs the city has about 4 million inhabitants, or about 40 percent of the total population of Greece. Athens has grown at a rapid rate since 1950.