“We were heartbroken that our plan was ruined, but at that moment, we didn’t know that this would last for so long,” Ioanna told Expats.cz in an interview over messenger. The couple has communicated by video chatting several times a day; the pair even watches Netflix shows together over calls. The pair held out hope, and when the Czech Republic announced a process for couples to reunite in August, they felt initially hopeful.