Marina and Ernesto: a no from her son, and a way around it

Marina from Ukraine and Ernesto from the United States. Their introduction began with a video call, ran into resistance from her family, went through a long friendship — and turned into something else. Marina tells it in her own words; the ages she gives are those at the time she spoke.

“I am 50. Five years ago my husband and I divorced. After the divorce I gave my life to my children — I have three sons: 14, 19 and 23,” Marina says.

Marina and Ernesto were introduced through Jaroslavna. During the first video call they both found that music, shared interests and shared values connected them.

The road to a relationship turned out to be anything but simple:

“When I told my youngest son I had met an American, he flatly refused to listen to anything about moving. I had to turn Ernesto down.”

The matchmaker helped them find a compromise. Ernesto began proposing arrangements that took the whole family into account. They kept talking — first as friends, then more.

“What I felt was friendship, and we went on talking. Gradually our feelings grew into love.”

At the end of November they met in Lviv. Ernesto met Marina's family.

“We are still talking and we are planning our next meeting — all together, with our younger children. I have met the man of my dreams and I hope that one day we will be a family.”