Knowing where you come from can bring with it a deeper sense of
belonging to something more. It seems almost daily someone is sharing their world-wide
roots through DNA testing, which is gaining in popularity. Sometimes known
family history is confirmed. Other times, many a surprising connection to
various places are revealed. But what do you do once you know where you’re
from? Taking a trip to your ancestral homelands is a wonderful way to connect
with your roots, and yourself.
Travel today offers more than just big tour buses and photo
ops. With a focus on unique and in-depth experiences, travel is about
connecting with different cultures and histories as much as it’s about
connecting with yourself and your travel companions. Whether you travel
independently or through a specialized tour or cruise company, you can plan a
magical journey to remember. Such a journey can be made even more special if it’s
to where your family comes from.
We have become such a melting pot of heritages and cultures,
going back to the places we come from is a wonderful way to connect with our
past and discover a part of who we are. My husband Tony and I were able to experience this
on a trip we took to Spain recently. Our travels there also highlighted just
how connected we two really are.
My father’s side of the family is from Ireland, but before
reaching the Emerald Isle, our ancestral clans were in Spain, part of the
Celtic tribes of the Iberian Peninsula who were some of the earliest Europeans
to migrate to Ireland.
My Husband, Tony, looks every bit of a Roman-Italian with
his olive skin and dark hair and eyes. While his family left the Naples area of
Italy for American shores, his ancestral roots actually go back to the
Spanish-Jewish migration which was brought on by the Inquisition of the Middle
Ages.
Imagine how interesting it was for us to discover both our
families come originally from Spain. With both of us having ancestral roots in
Spain, our travels there were that much more special through discovering in
person a part of our own past which we in turn share together.
When we connect with the past, we connect with ourselves and
help create new connections for future generations. Taking a multi-generational
trip to where your family once lived not only offers something special for
everyone, such a trip can bring your and your loved-ones closer through the
memories created in your ancestral homeland. This is what makes knowing where
your roots are from such an amazing thing. A journey to your roots is a journey
to yourself.
We would love to hear from you directly about your family’s roots,
and the exciting connections you have discovered yourself. Call or email us
today and tell us all about your past, and we can help you plan an exploration
to your ancestral homelands.
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