I am Ákos Varga, I am 20 years old. After
primary school, I continued my studies in Kisvárda. Unfortunately, as early as
the age of 14, I have experienced what is it like if you are regarded as
different because of your origin. I got into the advanced English/German class
of an elite high school with 30 students. Out of 30 students, I was the only
Gypsy. A Gypsy coming from a small village whose parents have only finished the
8 years of primary school. It was not easy to settle in. It took me one year to
be accepted by my classmates. In the first year, I had to cope with slander and
racist comments that were implicitly but undoubtedly addressed to me. Thanks to
them did I first have such negative experiences and I say thanks because these
offences persuaded me to show the people what I am really like.
My story started at a PE lesson, playing
football, when my peers shouted to me: "Run, Gypsy!" Suddenly, I did
not know what to do as no such thing had happened to me before. I replied
shouting back a dirty word. But it was me who got the fuzzy end of the
lollipop, it was me who had to make 10 push-ups for speaking dirty. After this
incident, bullying and negative comments on Gypsy people continued.
There was a central figure in the class who
hated Gypsies openly and he was even proud of it; we were
"archenemies". The turning point came when I was drawn into conflict
with this guy. The situation was worsening, we were almost fighting when my
homeroom teacher – whom I owe a lot and will be grateful forever – entered the
room. At that point it became clear how difficult my situation was in this
community. My homeroom teacher rearranged the seating, and thanks to this my
classmates started to be more open and interested in me. We started to speak
and became friends.
The end of my story is of course happy, as
for the last two years I became a central figure of the class. I complied our
show for the prom and I taught the dance to my peers, too. At graduation, the
homeroom teacher praised me for the community service I did and rewarded me
with a book.
Presently, I am a 3rd year social pedagogy
student at the University of Nyíregyháza. My goal is to help Roma children to
handle discrimination and to stand up against it. This is my message to
everyone who is bullied or discriminated against: "Stand up for yourself,
stand up for your dreams, stand against discrimination!"
The post was written by Ákos Varga at the Feather Picking
workshop of Independent Theatre.
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