John Woschiz

Memoirs of Living in The McGill Ghetto John Woschiz

Author John Woschiz grew up in the area of Montreal known as the Plateau, encompassing a portion known as the McGill Ghetto. There, numerous first-generation immigrants to Canada made their home, in places where the languages and cultures were familiar, giving them a sense of home in a foreign country.

In Memoirs of Living in The McGill Ghetto, Woschiz recalls his time there and emphasizes the contributions of its inhabitants to Canadian culture over the years. After introducing his own family's history, he shares memories of growing up in that environment in the forties and fifties, describing a bygone era in a place marked by its cultural diversity. His memories paint a very different picture from the one usually associated with the word ghetto in modern media. Most of all, Woschiz reflects on the privilege of having had such an experience in his youth.

In this personal narrative, one man presents his recollections and experiences of growing up among first-generation immigrants in Montreal's McGill Ghetto.