Ioanna Robyn Zalewa (Giannopoulou), who was adopted at 15 months old in 1958 by an American family in Houston, Texas, and who recently obtained Greek citizenship after a three-year struggle, spoke briefly about her story and the battle she fought against bureaucracy, as well as how deeply moved she was to have recently used her Greek passport for the first time. She shared her experience on the Voice of Greece, on the program “Our Global Voice” with Dimitris Kontogiannis.
Ioanna emphasized her desire to stay close to her biological family, who are urging her to settle permanently in Greece. While she feels that she truly belongs here, she also deeply misses her two adult children, who remain in the United States.