I was born and raised in Newton, MA. I am 3rd generation Greek-American. My father is 2nd generation Greek and his parents (my Yia Yia and Papou) were 1st generation Greek, born in Greece and came over to the U.S. via Ellis Island.

Growing up, we attended church every Sunday at St. Demetrious Greek Orthodox church in Weston, MA. We participated in Holy Week services and my parents sent my sister and I to Greek school in the evenings at the Greek Evangelical church in Newton Center, MA to learn the Greek language and to Ionian Village Greek Orthodox summer camp in Greece with our church.

My mom, not Greek, learned how to cook Greek food from my Yia Yia from rolling fresh dolmathes (grape leaves) to juicy baklava; and yes, baklava should be moist and juicy, NOT dry.

When my husband and I lived in Boston we lived in Roslindale, MA, from 2011-2016, next to the Greek Orthodox church St. Nectarios. Roslindale has a strong Greek community. Growing up, one of my best Greek friends, who’s parents owned a diner in Newton Highlands, lived in Roslindale.

While living in Roslindale, one Greek Easter Sunday, we were about to head up to my parents’ house in Lynnfield for Greek Easter Sunday dinner (lamb, red eggs, etc.). As we walked to our car, our neighbor who lived in the condo below us was speaking with our  next door neighbor a 1stgeneration Greek man.

Our condo in Roslindale was next to Fallon Field. I would often famer carry kettlebells right past this Greek man’s house to Fallon field to workout.

Our downstairs neighbor formally introduced me to our Greek neighbor and shared with him that I was Greek. This man looked at me skeptically and said to me, “You’re Greek?? You’re not Greek. You are the one who is always exercising. Greek girls don’t exercise.”

To which I replied, “Well, this Greek girl DOES!”

I’m not 1st generation Greek, but I have 50% Greek blood, and growing up in the U.S. my dad did the best that he could to preserve our Greek heritage.

Proof that Greek girls and women LIFT, 30% of my online coaching clients are Greek WOMEN from 1st generation living in Greece to 3rd generation living in the U.S.