I do not remember where I first found out about pierogies. I think I just saw them in a grocery store. I did not know anything about them, but I decided to try them. I have had prepared them a few ways. I have usually eaten them with whatever else I have had on hand. I had my Mother try them, but she wanted to know what things would traditionally be eaten with them. I did not know, because I did not know where they originated. Later I cooked them for Aziz, I mentioned him in an earlier post. He is fond of them too. It was not until I had grown fond of them that I learned that they originate in Poland or Ukraine.
When I was at the school in Prague there was a very cute guy with dreads working in the cafe. He was always very friendly, and I enjoyed talking to him. Then one day I asked him if there was a phrase in Czech similar to a Slovak phrase I had learned from an article, Čau feši. There was an awkward moment. I do not remember his exact words, but it was obvious that he had a condescending attitude towards Slovaks. I was disappointed with this. I still enjoyed talking to him, but I did not see him the same after that. When I was in Paris in 1979 I met a young woman from Yugoslavia. She was studying at the Sorbonne. She was sad, because her treatment at the school was not very kind. She had been told by professors that she needed to return home, because her French was not good enough to be in school in Paris. I do not know whether or not she stayed in France. She was very hurt by this treatment. I know that in many places that gypsies face discrimination, and this has always seemed unfair to me. No matter where it is no group of people should be treated badly based on who they are or where they are from.
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