On February 6, 1963, the two married despite the opposition of Maria's parents. Zein did not reveal to Maria that she was his second wife until after they had married. They moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in fall 1963, then to Paterson, New Jersey, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, back to Rondonópolis, then to Cáceres, Mato Grosso; Tina was born in Mato Grosso.
