Far Away Family…

I often think of my far away family and more so now the new baby is nearly here. As a British born Greek Cypriot, my beloved 95 year old Grandma (Yiayia) lives in Cyprus with the majority of my father’s family and my husband is an English South African whose relatives live in Port Elizabeth.

We wish we all lived closer and over the years have had so many memorable holidays in both countries spending time with our loved ones, but travelling certainly get harder with kids.

Beautiful Cyprus

I made the journey alone (madness) to Cyprus to visit my Grandma when Oliver was 6 months old, determined she wouldn’t miss out on meeting her great grandson and she’s very movingly promised she’ll stay alive for this one. Dad’s family literally live into their hundreds with his own Grandma passing away at 110 (really) so I’m hoping Yiayia will be here for many more years to come.

Just look at how beautiful she is-no wrinkles at 95 and the smartest lady I know.  Despite the distance, we are so close, I’m named after her and she truly understands me, always has, always will.

…Peter’s family visit us annually and we talk frequently on the phone-hats off to them too as my in laws are whizz kids on the computer now so photos and videos go back and forth of their little Oliver and he knows who his grandparents are. I really need to start skyping again the more we can communicate, the better, especially now baby number 2 will be here soon, something I can’t quite yet believe.

So how do you connect with your family far from home?

Photos © Peter Broadbent.