An Adoption Story: Victor’s Search for His Birth Mother in Russia

S2 EP4: An Adoption Story - Victor Victor was adopted as a young boy and came to Auckland, New Zealand, when he was just four years old. Born in the town of Velikiye Luki in western Russia, his journey began with many unknowns. Now a science teacher and photographer in Christchurch, Victor has built a life full of curiosity, creativity, and meaningful connections in New Zealand. Alongside his everyday life, he continues a deeply personal and emotional journey — that lifelong search for answers about his birth mother. This is his story. About Me: Welcome to my channel! I’m a Russian-New Zealand adoptee, adopted at the age of two from Arkhangelsk, Russia, and raised in New Zealand. Here, I share my personal journey as an adoptee, from growing up in New Zealand to reconnecting with my roots and birth family in Russia, while also exploring my extended family links to Ukraine and Kazakhstan. I’m also the creator and producer of An Adoption Story, a series sharing the journeys, experiences, and voices of adoptees from around the world, and the founder of I’m Adopted, a peer-to-peer adoptee community established in 2015. This channel is where I share more about my life as an adoptee, my birth family links, and the stories of others adopted. Thanks for being here! Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexgilbert/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/alexgilbert Facebook : https://facebook.com/nzalexgilbert