Andrei’s story
Andrei Gilbert knows he has had a far better life in New Zealand than he ever would have had in Russia and he’s loyal to his adoptive Kiwi parents for that reason.
So it took him many years before he felt ready to find out more about his birth mother and father. Even when his brother Alex found his own family, it was still five years before Andrei decided to learn about why he was put into an orphanage.
“I was happy for Alex –
I could tell something was missing for him,” says Andrei. “But if I was going to do it, I wanted to do it in my own time and he never forced me to do it.”
When Alex moved to Moscow for five months to do research for Reunited, it finally seemed the right time, tells Andrei.
“He found out about my birth dad Nikolai and then also my birth mum Galina, who had sadly passed away.”
Alex also learned Andrei had older twin sisters, Tatiana and Masha, who had been put into another children’s home. “I think for some parents who couldn’t cope, it was an easy way out,” Andrei says.
Although Alex was successful
in hunting down his brother’s birth father, Andrei is cautious about taking the next step of meeting him.
“My loyalty is totally with Mum and Dad. Why would I call someone else Dad? My dad is in Whanga-rei. He and Mum were so open from day one, and that made ours a stronger relationship as a family. I’ve had a great life. I didn’t feel like I had that missing piece. But at least now I know.”
Rather than look backward, Andrei is excited about his future, having recently married his partner Charlotte. “I’m happy for Alex, but I don’t need to embrace my Russian side like he has. Getting married three months ago was an emotional day and Charlotte supports me – that’s all I need.”