Seeking out distant relatives from your ancestral homeland may be one of the highlights of your travel. Visiting the town where your great-grandparents once lived may be the link to your family heritage that you have always wanted. What better time to look up distant relatives than when traveling? The town or county in which your family once lived before emigrating to the United States may still be the home to distant aunts, uncles, and cousins who would love to meet their relative from America.

Imagine strolling down the cobblestone streets of the village your great-grandmother once lived. Buying fresh warm bread in the bakery your great-uncle started, which is still owned and run by his daughters today. Walking through the two hundred year-old brick home in which your grandfather was born and raised. Strolling across the poppy-filled meadow in which your father and mother fell in love and then decided to take a chance and start a new life in America, the land of opportunity.

Depending upon how much of your family history you know, you probably need to do your research at home before you go. Genealogy societies are spread about the country that could assist you in your search. If you would like to gather the information yourself, here are some helpful hints.

Do Your Homework Before You Go

• Ask relatives if they know the county, city, town, or area from which your family emigrated.

• Locate old letters, photographs, or documents of relatives that lived in the country of origin. Check for return addresses and labels on the back of old photographs.

• Birth, death, and marriage certificates of previous generations will offer a good deal of information about relatives and where they were born, lived, and died.

• A written family tree may offer information about relatives if available.

• Inquire if any other relatives have either visited distant relatives abroad or have researched your family genealogy, someone else may have already done the work.

• Research your family history at a genealogy library.

Towns And Cities Change

Remember many countries have had the terrible misfortune to be the victims of war, destruction, and natural disasters. You may have an address for a house that was bombed or destroyed in combat. Entire cities during World War II were razed, unrecognizable even by the very people who once lived in the community. Although the destroyed cities were often rebuilt, the layout and design of the cities may have changed considerably. Cities change and people move on to where they can make a living and a new life.

Tag Along With A Friend's Family Roots Reunion
Tagging Along With Valerie

Donegal, Ireland

Traveling with my friend Valerie offered me the opportunity to tag along on her search for her distant Irish connections. After spending a few days in Dublin, we set out for Donegal to find her cousins. We decided that if we found them, great, if not, then that was okay too. We were thrilled for the adventure and couldn't wait to see the rolling green pastures of the Irish countryside spotted with fluffy white sheep.

We drove up to Donegal the very top of the Emerald Isle. The seashore was lovely, the boats "bobbed" in their cozy harbors, and the sky was painted with pure white clouds. Driving down a bumpy dirt road, we came upon a simple stone home. The men in front were shearing sheep. The downy soiled sheep hair was all about the dirt-laden road and the men were plastered in dirt, sheep hair, and sweat. Feeling a bit anxious about getting out of the car, I told Valerie to go ahead and inquire as to whether these were her relatives. She gave me a harsh glance and asked me to exit the car as well. We both laughed. I turned off the engine and got out.

We walked up to the men. They looked at us with bewildered faces; who were these foreigners? Valerie began to ask if they were the relatives of her family. They were. We all introduced ourselves and within moments we were inside having tea. The accents were thick but the warm smile on Valerie's face fostered the bridge between the two cousins.

I sat in wonder at the scene which was unfolding before me. I felt so pleased that Valerie had found her kinfolk, and a bit envious I didn't know where in Ireland mine were, but I just smiled and felt happy for my friend. We chatted for a spell and, before you knew it, we were off to the next relatives house, escorted by her sheep shearing cousin.

Our next stop landed us only a few miles away at another cousin's house. Valerie's family in the United States had already visited only a few short years before. We were offered tea once again, little sandwiches, and jam. Although we had just had tea, I couldn't resist it. It had been a long time since our breakfast, and all this meeting and greeting was making me hungry, so Valerie chatted and I nibbled away.

A couple of hours later, we were told that Valerie had yet another relative living only twenty minutes away down the road. We thanked our gracious hosts and hopped into the car, drove down the bumpy dirt roads and set out to find Annie Doyle. When we arrived in the town where Annie lived, we went to the post office and asked if anyone knew her or where she was. Of course, within minutes, we had directions to her home; it was a small town and everyone knew everyone.

We entered a long driveway with a simple whitewashed home at the end. We left the car and smiling at each other, it had been a long and yet wonderful, wonderful day. We knocked on the door. The most delicate-looking woman of ninety-three opened the door and greeted us. Valerie explained who we were and how we found her. Without hesitation, she welcomed us into her home.

Her living room was sparse, a couple of chairs, a table, and a sofa. A light cord hung from the ceiling, like a snake descending from a tree, with a bright white bulb throwing a shine that could have blinded an elephant. Valerie and I sat on the sofa, smiling and making small talk. Annie was a bit deaf so we had to shout if we spoke. After a while, Annie said, "How about some whiskey?" We said okay; she left the room, and was back with three short glasses of golden whiskey. I put my lips to the glass but the vapors of the whiskey just about knocked me out. I looked at Valerie and whispered, "I can't drink this stuff, I'm going to put some water in it." So I excused myself and went to the kitchen. I dumped ninety nine percent of the whiskey out into the drain, leaving only enough to discolor the tap water a bit. When I returned, Annie and Valerie were sipping the Irish brew.

After the whiskey was halfway gone, our hostess chimed, "How about a smoke?" I started to giggle under my breath, she was so cute. Valerie and I both said no and she looked so disappointed, I felt bad. I said to Valerie, "You drink the whiskey and I'll have a smoke with her." Annie drew a pack of cigarettes from her table drawer, God only knows how long they had been there. She handed me the pack, I withdrew a cigarette, took the lighter from her, and lit up.

We sat there, the five of us, Annie, Valerie, the cigarettes, the whiskey, and me. The smoke reached up into the bare pulsating light bulb, the air beginning to thicken and the room to warm with kinship. Although few words were exchanged, the feeling was one of love, family ties, and kindness.

It was getting dark and we needed to drive three hours south that night. We stood up to leave. Annie walked us to the door. I felt a wave of sadness cover me. I didn't want to leave, she was so dear, so fragile, and so giving, the essence of Ireland. We embraced and said goodbye. Driving away, Valerie and I both felt a warm sadness. We waved as we turned the corner and drove into the Irish sunset. Delighted to have met the family she knew she had on the Emerald Isle, Valerie couldn't have felt more satisfied with the day. Thankful to have shared the moments of discovery with Valerie, I felt honored to be a part of the reunion.

Tag along with a friend if you do not have information about your own family of origin; believe me, it's a blast. Although they weren't my distant Irish relatives, I sort of pretended they were and that was a blessing in itself.