Stand up for yourself, stand up for your dreams!

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.