Christine Zacharatos Coyard  

(by Tess Robeson February 2026)            

“Being a mother is very important to me.”

The first thing one notices about Christine Zacharatos Coyard is her lovely, winsome smile. She radiates a quiet charm. Not surprisingly, friends describe her as one who is “sooo nice.”

Born to Greek parents, Christine grew up in Toronto. She visited her grandparents in Greece from time to time. “I come from a loving family.”

Christine completed a degree in International Relations and Affairs, with a minor in French, at the University of Toronto. She worked as a Parliamentary Assistant in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. During this time she was a member of the National Communications Committee of UNICEF Canada, promoting UNICEF activities and raising funds.

Christine later moved to Paris, France, and took a master’s degree in History/International Relations at the University of Paris-Sorbonne. She also obtained a diploma in French Language and Civilisation.

In 1993 she married her French boyfriend in Paris. “I met him in Canada, but we wed in France,” said Christine. One day her husband suggested to her, “Why don’t you teach English?” Christine went to night school, enrolled in a Teaching of English as a Foreign Language course. She taught English to French students at a business school and a secondary school. “I created a course in Canadian culture and literature and taught that in English.”

In 1998 her husband’s work took them to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was there that Christine’s dream of being a mother was fulfilled. “We had been trying to have a child in France,” she shared, “but it didn’t work out. We decided to adopt.” The adoption process was remarkably faster in Brazil than in France. “The day we signed the adoption papers, we were told a baby boy was ready for us to take home!” She took it all in stride. “I felt incredibly Zen about being a mother.” A year later Christine and her husband adopted another child, a girl. “The children completely changed our lives!” she gushed. “They are a blessing.”

After five years, the Coyard family moved back to Paris. Christine sent her children to Portuguese school there. “As they are Brazilians, I wanted them to learn their native Portuguese.”

Three years later the Coyards were back in Brazil. “With a friend, I set up and managed a travel agency,” said Christine. “We focused on specialized tours for individuals and small groups. I was proud of my work. We didn’t just offer sightseeing tours. We once organized a tour where students from Switzerland played football with local students.”

Christine volunteered in the local communities, helping alleviate poverty in the favelas. She distributed food and presents at Christmas and raised funds for the local daycare. 

Christine’s husband’s job next took the family to London, where they stayed for eight years. Two years in Dubai followed. In August 2020, Christine and her husband moved to Portugal. “Life has taken me on an incredible journey!” said Christine. “Flexibility has allowed me to keep reinventing myself.”

Through all the moves, Christine has remained unruffled. She attributes this to having been brought up Canadian. “Canadians are adaptable, diplomatic, and easygoing.”

These days Christine spends her time on fitness activities, bridge with IWP, and creative endeavours. “I’ve always been passionate about art,” said Christine. She paints on canvas, azulejos, and other surfaces, and works on mosaics and sculpture.

Some of Christine’s paintings hang in her children’s apartments. Her son, now 26 years old, lives in France, while her daughter, 25, is in the UK. “Being a mother is very important to me,” said Christine. “I’m very proud of the adults our children have become.”