This week’s topic on Traveler’s Night In, a “tweet-up” for travelers, was Roots. Ten questions were asked, tagged #TNI, and afterwards I wanted to be on that celebrity reality TV show where they hunt for their ancestors! (You know the one, where they act completely surprised that their great, great, great aunt somehow was the secret cousin of Abe Lincoln?! YES!)
And, if you don’t have a real family, do as @wheresandrew says, “Virtual family reunion on Twitter a la #TNI? Everyone can be doing whatever they want w/o annoying anyone else.” WooHoo!
Here are the questions:
Q1. What country(s) are your ancestors from? Have you visited?
- @kerrinsheldon Germany! And yes, I ate/drank my way through bratwursts and beer during the 2006 World Cup. Best. Time. Ever.
- @lisajanPA: Mars of course! No I haven’t visited but I’m on a list
- @banff_squirrel: My mother was a hamster and my father smelled of elderberries.
- @wheresandrew Been to 300 year-old farm of my Welsh ancestors & ancient Scottish church where my great (x2) grandparents got married in Glasgow.
- @davidmfrey: Mostly from Germany. Here’s a picture of my great, great grandfather: [|:{)
Q2. Advice for tweeps trying to trace their Roots in a foreign land?
- @bberwyn Since my Dad had a mysterious past from behind the Iron Curtain, learning some of those roots has been interesting.
- @travelling_mom Visit old hometown church’s baptismal registry for ancestral family records. If it hasn’t been bombed during any world wars.
- @karindumaire I am considering traveling to Salt Lake City sometime to search the extensive worldwide records at the Family History Library.
- @anjaniladki aso for stories from parents, grandparents — you’ll be amazed at the stuff they tell you (or make up.. lol)
- @travelerkate: I am lucky to have lots of “older” living relatives who know more about where we are from
- @depagliaro My great-grandfather ran away from home (Italy). Nobody knows his original last name.
Q3. Dream destination for your next family reunion?
- @aadhuu Shire in Middle Earth of course.
- @ugandatravel Uganda of course! 🙂
- @culverlake We keep it simple, so either a chill week on #Sanibel or a crazier week on my cousin’s coffee plantation on #Kona.
- @jessicakhill Scotland, b/c it’s the only place I haven’t seen from my roots… preferably in an amazing pub with beers, music & dancing
- @acarlton In a rented-out castle in Ireland with a Celtic band to give us the soundtrack.
- @McMedia: Beach House on Fire island or Cape Cod
- @DEPagliaro My fam reunion requires a 2-drink minimum.
- @kgoingglobal Yeah, right. I don’t think we could get most of the family to travel out of Minnesota
Q4. Best drink/traditional dish from your mother land?
- @teamcocktail That one is easy…BEER! And lots of it! #TNI Didn’t eat a lot of traditional dishes growing up.
- @kerrinsheldon Bratwusrt! Sweet, juicy bratwurst. Sweet, juicy, grilled bratwurst. #TNI #ifrigginlovebratwurst
- @travelmamas Pula – a sweet Finnish breakfast biscuit bread flavored w/cardamom. Trust me, it’s delish!
- @ZipSetGo: Fav dish from mother land – spaetzles! I make them for special occasions! Messy, but worth it!
- @hugointhecity: My litter’s from Louisiana: Cajun shrimp and a Hurricane
Q5. If you could time-travel to visit a destination, where and when?
- @thecitizeny If I could time-travel to a destination… hmmm… the Court of King Arthur, and I’d be Guinnevere, for sure.
- @baltobabe The 1950’s Cuba! Always loved hearing about it from my Dad and Uncle and love the movies of it…
- @camorose: I blame Oregon Trail, but I’d love to visit California during the Gold Rush!
- @GoApril Easter Island during the hayday of the Moai construction
- @zainyh: Paris, in some underground jazz bar in the 60s
- @asmallplace Las Vegas in the 50’s or New York in the 20’s.
- @esthercrumpet: The Libraries of Alexandria before they burned, Rhodes to see the colossus, Ancient Greece in its prime
- @izufall Tough one…Darwin’s expedition to Galapagos 1835
Q6. Favorite childhood travel memory?
- @llgable Camping on beach in Ensenda, riding horses in the dunes, fresh caught lobsters & family campfires
- @allaboutmexico Island hopping in the Philippines in an outrigger boat and saw a school of dolphins swimming along us
- @yushouldtravel We were too broke to travel
- @ilovebellyrubs When I was a puppy in South Carolina, I’d chase squirrels!
- @santafetraveler A trip w/y father to the Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Q7. Most interesting fact/secret about your family?
- @londongirlinla my grt grandfather got on the wrong boat from Poland, meant to go to New York, ended up in York, England oopsie
- @LuxeTiffany: Gung Hay Fat Choy! My Great-Grandfather was 1st Chinese man born in Canada. Happy Chinese New Year http://bit.ly/1dvyra
- @intoxabroad I am a distant cousin of Robert Goulet.
- @americansahara Both my sons were born in a house built by their great grandfather. And I delivered them.
- @gat_chinatours My grandfather was the coach for the 1972 HK Olympic Judo Team in Munich. He was held hostage with the Isreali team.
- @giopalatucci My ancestor Giovanni Palatucci was a police official who saved thousands of Jews from being deported to Nazi extermination camps.
- @natgeokrista We don’t really know our real heritage. My great great grandfather was the product of an affair and got our family name that way!
- @hiptraveler: We were all born on different continents! Africa, Asia, North & South America
Q8. Cultural traditions that your family still practices?
- @drafted_boy No sweeping or washing your hair on Chinese New Year (today)!
- @mannysamaniego We still wear a barong in place of shirt and tie to celebrate formal occasions
- @reggaebeachskb we still bake ham and change curtains on Christmas eve
- @bbadwoman another tradition…putting salt and pepper on apples, oranges, and bananas…eating eggs with mango pickles.
- @marisagreen We have a Thai nativity set with traditionally dressed dolls. I think that’s pretty cool.
- @christinenspain The lasso at weddings- Mexican tradition of putting a rosary around the shoulders of bride/groom to signify a circle “love” w/o end
Q9. Tips for multi-generational travel?
- @chimeratravel Everyone won’t be happy all the time. Give ppl time to explore/be on their own – everyone doesn’t have to do everything 2gether.
- @silverantigen Don’t plan every min, leave room for unexpected or spontaneous events. Color code bc no one wants to wear gramma’s panties
- @esthercrumpet: Don’t mess with grandma’s gin and cheese supply.
- @bbc_travel Cruises work really well. Allows everyone the space to do what they want, but still meet up for dinner
- @ibackpackcanada: Expect to be bragged about by ur folks while your standing right next to them.
- @raisethatglass Bring a video recording device. You may capture the next successfully viral clip.
Q10. Celebrity from your mother land that you “must be” related to?
- @magellanpr has to be Her Majesty – much removed, wrong side of the blanket etc but still related somehow, generations back
- @radioceleste Kate Middleton. It’s about time I received a title!
- @friedman_rachel Dostoevsky. What a dark #TNI answer. Must be the weather.
- @coreyann I’m related to Mary Queen of Scots. I can blame her for being a royal bitch. 😉
- @ecuadorguide “Must be” related to Robin Hood & Sir Walter Raleigh (English side) and most probably William Wallace (Scottish side)
- @lisajanpa Peeps tell me I look like Sharon Stone but Pam Anderson is from my hometown-she’d be my BIG sister
Miss #TNI this week? Join in with your answers to the questions in the comments below and make sure to join us next Thursday from 3:30 pm EST- 5:00 pm EST for all the fun!
Thanks to the ZipSetGo girls for organizing a conversation with travelers from all over the world and to YOU for participating in this great group!
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