Long-Distance Struggles
Center of image: Gisele's Mom
Across The Atlantic
Both Gisele and Ruly knew that moving to America would come with many consequences. However, none were as bad as their family connections tremendously diminishing. "It has not always been comfortable living with one foot on each side of the Atlantic, and it has often been painful not to be able to be with family, during important milestones as well as for simple celebrations. There always was an empty spot in our hearts, a hole that could not be filled." (Gisele)
Ruly's Mom
Ruly's Dad
Christine and her husband, Brian with Gisele's Mom
"It was very difficult for the children to grow up far apart from their grandparents and aunts and uncles. It was very difficult to visit them and have to leave them knowing that it would be several months before we would see them again. It was definitely the hardest thing because it was very sad. It was very sad for my family and my husband's family to have grandchildren that they saw very rarely. I heard from relatives that my husband's father was talking to their pictures when he missed them. Today, of course, we have computers, and we could easily have a conversation with them face to face. But that did not exist. At one point, I made tapes and sent cassettes every week. They needed to hear from us. They needed to know how the kids were doing, how they were growing. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get that done." (Gisele)
The Next Generation
Although Gisele and Ruly lost the close connections they had with their family, overtime, a new family emerged. Kimon and Christine got married, and the Zachary family welcomed new members. "It has greatly broadened my life experiences, and I have gained perspectives I probably would not have developed otherwise. In this land of immigrants, I am a fortunate exception never to have experienced the trauma that leads so many to leave their country of origin, and I have also been very fortunate to meet wonderful new friends who have definitely enriched my life." (Gisele)