Aahana Swrup
The HBO Max show ‘Coming From America’ presents the unscripted real lives of different American families who move to Africa, looking for a new start. Among these families are the Smileys, helmed by a mixed-race couple, spouses Elaine and Gabriel “Gabe” Smiley. The couple moved to Lusaka, Zambia, with the intention of a more international lifestyle as well as a different upbringing for their kids, River and William. Despite the challenges that came with the new move, the Smileys quickly adjusted to their new lives, enjoying the Zambian country for all that it has to offer. As such, having followed their initial journey from Beacon to Lusaka, viewers must be eager to learn how their lives have unfolded since then.
The Smileys Have Built a Prosperous Life in Lusaka
In the summer of 2021, the Smileys—Elaine, Gabriel, William, River, and their adorable dog, Mango—moved from Beacon, New York, to Lusaka, Zambia, to start their lives anew. After Gabriel found a job at Lusaka International Community School as a college and career counselor and the kids swiftly enrolled in schools, the family settled into a nice home in the suburbs and began a new adventure. Naturally, the move came with some issues, particularly for Elaine, who had to tirelessly job hunt in an entirely new city.
Furthermore, Elaine couldn’t help but lament her mother, Marjorie Baynes’ newfound absence from her life due to the latter’s reluctance to travel via airplane. In the end, Marjorie overcame her fear of flying and visited Elaine and her family. Meanwhile, Gabriel extended his contract with the school for two more years. As such, the Smileys were able to resolve all these issues with time and establish a life for themselves in the African country. During the early months of their move, the family even documented their journey through their YouTube channel, The Smileys in Zambia.
Today, Elaine, Gabriel, and their kids continue to live in Lusaka, where they have created a wonderful life for themselves. In fact, even after three years of being Lusaka residents, the family continues to find new wonders and adventures. In October of 2023, the Smileys toured Zambia’s Kafue National Park through the Mukambi Safari Lodge. The trip was made memorable by spotting a wild leopard camouflaged in its natural habitat. Soon after, the family undertook another vacation for the holidays and visited Kenya in December, where they went sightseeing in Nairobi. Likewise, this year was no different for the adventurous family who visited Tanzania in April 2024 to enjoy Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar. Ultimately, the Smileys’ move to Zambia seems to have been the perfect choice for the family, who are continuously thriving in their new lives!
Elaine Enjoys Traveling the World
Back in the States, Elaine Smiley worked in the Healthcare industry, where she specialized as a service specialist for organ transplants. However, after moving to Zambia, she initially faced some issues with job hunting due to the nature of her profession as well as the area’s generally hard-to-find job opportunities. During this time, she remained the CEO of her personal company, Smiley Industries LTD, which deals with real estate, microfinance, and e-commerce. Furthermore, Elaine continued doing freelance work as an Independent Logistics Consultant in Marketing and picked up an international project shortly after. Currently, she’s pursuing the same professional ventures.
Thus, Elaine’s flexible working schedule allows her to indulge in her true passion: traveling. The logistics consultant enjoys jet-setting around the globe for family vacations as well as solo trips. Consequently, after enjoying a family beach vacation in April, Elaine undertook a trip in May and traveled to New York on her own. During this visit, she caught up with her American friends and family, including her siblings. From Brooklyn to Troy, Elaine had a great time reuniting with some of the closest people in her life.
Once back home to Gabriel and the kids, Elaine and her family once again planned another trip—this time to the Philippines. The detail that set this trip apart from all others remained Elaine’s mother, Marjorie, who previously overcame her decades-long fear of flying, joined her daughter on the lovely vacation. With the scenic mountains of Bohol as their background and plenty of fun-filled activities to engage in, such as parasailing—the Smiley family made the most of their time in the Philippines.
Gabriel is the Founder of Zambridgian Leather Company
While Gabriel Smiley continues working in the education industry, his relocation to Zambia has helped him find a new professional passion. Early in his move to Lusaka, a visit to the local market gave him the idea of combining leather travel bags with traditional Chitenge cloth to create high-quality leather products made entirely in Zambia. As such, through Gabriel and his wife Elaine’s hard work and effort, Zambridgian was born. The couple runs the company together and donates a portion of the profits they make to an orphanage at Luska, the Living Hope Foundation.
Zambridgian also hires local Zambian workers at fair wages to achieve their unique and authentic craftsmanship. The brand specializes in bags, including a variety of products, from duffles to crossbody bags in their inventory. Furthermore, they also sell merchandise apparel and handmade houseware on their website, bringing a diverse range of selections for their customers. Recently, the company also announced future plans for accessories, such as wallets, shoulder straps, and more. Since Gabriel prefers not to have a social media presence of his own, fans can stay updated on his professional and personal life through Elaine or Zambridgian’s Instagram accounts.
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