Jablunkov - Born in Navsi, but has been living in the US for the past 26 years, in Houston, Texas, where she met her husband Gary and founded a center focusing on expecting new moms and their babies. She has also published her first book, which will soon be available in the Czech language. Gabriela Gerhart, born Bockova, spent a few weeks back in her hometown with her family.
You went over the pond to gain experience?
After I received my physical therapy and pediatric nurse degrees at medical school in Ostrava and worked in a hospital for a year, I decided to spend a year in America as an au pair, which was starting to be popular back then. I also knew that once I started working in my field, it would be for the rest of my life, so I decided to travel to America to explore.
Was it difficult to travel to America?
Because of my pediatric nurse background, it was pretty easy for me to receive a match with a family after I signed up with an au pair agency. They were expecting a baby and also had three additional children. I took care of the four children—the newborn and the 9, 7, and 5-year-olds. Since I didn't speak much English, just some words, after I read the children's books and did homework with them, I became more comfortable speaking English. Of course, at the beginning, I frequently used a Czech-English dictionary. Watching American TV with subtitles also helped me a lot.
You never came back from America?
After living in America for just about 4 months, I met my husband. We traveled and enjoyed each other's company but never planned or spoke about marriage. Just three weeks before I was supposed to go back home, my husband proposed to me after experiencing a dream, which he shared with me. His late mother had spoken to him in the dream and told him that he should marry me, as we are great for each other. Gary proposed the very next morning, and before I said yes, I shared with him that I needed to speak with my parents first. My parents and my sister confirmed that if I'm happy, they are happy for me as well. And Gary and I married 3 days later, which was now 25 years ago.
How did you come about building this unique Motherhood Center concept?
As I was trying to figure out how to transfer my education to the US, my husband received a call from one of his friends. They shared that they had just gotten home from the hospital with a newborn and had no idea what to do. And they asked if I would be able to help them. I agreed, and assisted these new parents with the transition, helping them learn about the baby and teaching them about feeding and overall baby care. After that, I was referred from one family to another, and that is how my career started. I quickly learned that the support system in America is not as available as it is common in my hometown. Motherhood Center is now in its 24th year, with over 60 team members and over 50,000 clients, offering services 7 days a week.
What all do you offer at your Center?
In the Czech Republic, if a mom wants to go to the grocery store, she can drop off her child at a friend's house, or a family member, or even a neighbor. In America, life is different. The services we offer range from babysitting, nanny and baby doula services, pregnancy education classes, childbirth support, and yoga classes. We are available to our clients during the daytime or nighttime after delivery, assisting them in their homes from just a few days to a few weeks or even months. We educate the whole family, including dads, in our classes. Most of our clients are professionals with dual incomes, higher-income families. At the beginning of my career, I would be not only working overnights, but also running a business, which was not sustainable long-term. I had to step away and focus on running the business only. I quickly created a team of educators, instructors and therapists to support the needs of our clients, even creating a boutique with a focus on moms and babies.
Are you involved in the community outside of your work?
I'm very involved with many organizations throughout the Houston area, as well as the Czech Center Museum, and I even met with the Czech president Petr Pavel, whom I was able to visit about my hometown, which he confirmed that he is familiar with. There are around 200,000 Czechs living in Texas, with the early settlers arriving in the second half of the 19th century and creating the foundation of education and arts in Texas. I'm hoping to help showcase the craftsmanship and culture of my region at the Czech Center. I also recently published a book, After the Fall, which should be available in the Czech Republic this fall. My cousin is helping me with the translation.
What is your book about?
It's basically an autobiography, with my memories and experiences of childhood during the Velvet Revolution, the fall of Communism, which was when I was in 8th grade. I'm also describing the experiences of living under socialism, stories I learned from my friends and family, travel experiences, and building my business and entrepreneurship. The book also includes some romance!
How often do you travel to the Czech Republic and your hometown?
We go home every year, for about 5 or 6 weeks. Most of the time we spend in my area, and love visiting all the festivals, like Gorolski Swiênto. My family lives all around the area, in Navsi, Mosty u Jablunkova, and Český Těšín. My husband is a big fan, and loves spending time with my family. We love spending time in nature, grilling, and visiting with friends and family. We go mushroom hunting and pick fresh fruits and veggies. We enjoy our visits very much, and always look forward to them. It would be very hard not to be able to go back home on a regular basis. During the COVID lockdowns, we were unable to travel, and that was so very difficult for me.
Have you ever thought about moving to Europe with your husband?
My husband is a third-generation Texan, and he would never leave his home! But we do love to travel throughout America.
