Maria BandolMaria Bandol was born, raised, educated, and married in Romania. Disillusioned by the political and social repression of the country, both before and after the 1989 Revolution, she and her husband made the difficult decision in the early 1990s to escpe the political regime of their home country. By fleeing Romania with their two daughters, they hoped to find a more promising, stable, and corruption-free future in Canada. That decision led them to spending two years in Italy as refugees, facing a myriad of challenges and unpredictable situations, but eventually overcoming all the difficulties through perseverance and positivity.

Settling in Canada almost 30 years ago, Maria resumed her career as a teacher, and eventually went back to school to receive her Master of Education. She now works as a teacher, counsellor, and life coach, as well as a certified translator and interpreter. Maria lives in Peachland, British Columbia, and has two daughters and four grandchildren. Read More Read Less