What I Said First to My Birth Parents in Russia

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Here on my channel I share my journey, topics for adoptees, my vlogs, and support for others adopted, including their stories and journeys with my An Adoption Story series.
As a Russian-New Zealand adoptee, adopted at the age of two from an orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia, I share what I've been learning on my journey with my upbringing here in New Zealand, my current life, and how I connected with my birth family. I also share what my bloodline means for me with those connections from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
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[@vianntah9253]

Alex, I truly appreciate you uploading these videos. The unimaginable happened yesterday after I watched this video. I downloaded the OK app that you showed in this video and looked up family names that I knew. I ended up finding my older brother that got separated from me at a young age. He sent me pictures of our father, and we have been talking since last night. He is still in Russia with our oldest brother. He said they have been looking for me for a long time with no luck. They had no idea I was adopted to an American family. I have been in shock since last night. Thank you from all of us for bringing us back together. I cannot be any more grateful.

[@alexgilbert]

Congratulations Victoria! Every story is different :) Thank you for sharing this with me! Thank you!

[@vianntah9253]

Alex Gilbert ❤️❤️❤️

[@gracer5923]

Thank you for simply welcoming us into your world Alex 🙂

[@monicafuchs6837]

Amazing! You got a nice reunion with birth parents! So happy for you!

[@whiteribbonman1]

Thumbs-UP #127 I gladly am, Thursday early morning 20 February 2020! Thank You for this video! Your birth mother is such a story I would LOVE to read or see on film. To learn what her life was like in the days, months and years after giving birth to you, not being able to hold her son, is tense. And for your birth father, NOT KNOWING he had a son. Whoa. You are a blessing to all 4 of them.

[@breadandcircus1]

Heart moving videos, Alex

[@Coupal1]

I am a great believer in truth. Truth can be painful but ultimately, it leads to a better place. 48 hours ago, I discovered a new cousin. We had both done our DNA on ancestry and ancestry had put us as a very close match. I sent a message inquiring how we might be related. She said that she was adopted and named her birth mother as one of my cousins. My cousin had gotten pregnant at the age of 17 and was sent away by her mother to give birth alone. NO ONE knew about this! This new cousin had found her birth mother when the adoption records were opened up in Canada in 1996. They corresponded for several years, but because my cousin did not want to meet her, she stopped communicating with my cousin, her birth mother. Then she did her DNA earlier this year and POOF, turned up as a close match to me. I am absolutely overwhelmed by this. I wept for the fact that my cousin does not want to know her. In the last 2 days we have exchanged about 25 long messages. I told her I was thrilled to get to know her. I am already planning how we can meet. I live in Quebec and she lives in British Columbia. She wants to know everything about her family and I want to tell her. It's fraught with emotion but I believe it is a good thing! It will be an interesting journey.

[@whiteribbonman1]

+Coupal1 Thumbs-Up #10 I am, Thursday morning very early 20 February 2020! I am a believer in truth as well. I never care how painful it is going to be for me, I want the truth anyway. How is your previously new cousin doing? Has her birth mother softened and embraced her? I hope for both their sakes she has. Thank You for sharing these facts.

[@AndersGehtsdochauch]

Wow that's absolutely fascinating and heart warming that you both have decided to meet and you can tell her so much of what she really wants to know about her birth family!
I just wanted to say - maybe it was so difficult for your cousin to be open towards her because her child will always remind her of that injustice that was done to her by her own mother. Being left all alone, sent away to have that child all on her own, being rejected by your own mother when you need her most.
Sometimes "history repeats" when wounds were never allowed or possible to be healed.
Maybe that's the case with your cousin? (Just my thoughts of course)

[@gml9312]

Hi Alex, any video from your recent visit to your birth parents in Russia?

[@alexgilbert]

geegee very little I filmed recently. Just small clips - I was taking more photos rather than videos. I will organise something for TH-cam though sometime soon!

[@gml9312]

I've enjoyed watching recent photos and clips you posted on Facebook. Hoping to watch more videos soon. God bless!