The world has become one huge melting pot of nationalities, cultures, religions and races. For the most part, this is a good thing, since we’re all human and essentially the same in our habits, dreams and aspirations. However, this global village phenomenon caused many of us to lose touch with our heritage, especially if we’re immigrants or expatriates. Luckily, it’s never too late to connect to your roots, rediscover your cultural heritage and strengthen the bond with your past. If you’re longing for your roots, here are a few ways to rekindle the love between you two:
Learn your ancestral language
Probably the best way to reconnect with your heritage is by learning the language of your ancestors. It’s a very intimate way to connect with another country and culture, but also allowing yourself to communicate with your family and have a more authentic experience when you decide to visit your homeland. And don’t think you have to start taking college classes on this language to communicate. Oftentimes, knowing a few basics in your mother tongue is enough to reconnect with your heritage.
Take a fun DNA test
If you want to know more about your lost ancestors and your family tree, but don’t have anyone to ask, you can take a DNA test. There are many companies today that provide you with a testing kit with a cotton swab to wipe your mouth or a tube to spit in. Once you leave your DNA for them, return the kit and wait for your results. In a few weeks or months, you’ll get a detailed report on your ethnic heritage and even a list of potential relatives. If you’re preparing a serious research peper, take these results with a grain of salt because there can be mistakes.
Do some investigating on your own
If you don’t want to provide your DNA to strangers, you can do your own research on your ancestry and family tree. You can take a traditional route and go to a library to do some research, especially if you can find a library in an area where you have a lot of family. And feel free to ask the staff for help—they are happy to help and maybe even recommend a genealogy expert to consult. It’s possible to find genealogy services and have an established network of local and international institutions and genealogists to successfully find people. The best thing about these experts is that they are discrete and highly trained to conduct accurate, sophisticated and well-detailed research processes.
Talk to your family members
Sit down with your older relatives and family friends and chat about their past and their experiences. It’s one of the most enjoyable and easiest ways to learn about your family, your family tree and your homeland. You can talk to your grandparents face to face or over the phone, and they will be so happy to tell you everything they know. Simply start a conversation and see where it goes or prepare a list of specific questions. You will learn a lot about your ancestry and bond with your family—it’s a win-win situation.
Celebrate your cultural traditions
Even when away from your homeland and your roots, you can incorporate some of your cultural traditions into your current lifestyle. If you know your family at home celebrate certain holidays (or your ancestors used to do so before), celebrate them with pride with your new family and friends. Hosting cross-cultural events is a great way to embrace your root culture and mix it in with your current lifestyle. If you’ve moved to another country, there’s no need to throw out your traditional wear or forget your traditional music.
Prepare some traditional food
At the center of every cultural heritage, there’s food and drink. Cooking traditional dishes is one of the best ways to join your present and past. Thanks to the internet, it’s easy to find authentic recipes and ingredients so you can prepare dishes that will make you experience your culture and make you feel at home. If you can’t cook, visit a traditional food restaurant or host a potluck party so people can bring traditional dishes.
Take a trip to your homeland
If you have the money and time and if your country is in the green zone when it comes to travel restrictions, you can plan a trip to visit your ancestral country. No amount of research can replace the feeling of actually spending on the soil of your homeland, soaking up the surroundings and experiencing the culture firsthand. This is also a great chance to try out your new language skills and check our newly acquired knowledge of your heritage.
Now that you have the will to learn about your heritage and know all the ways you can reconnect with your roots, roll up your sleeves and get to work. This will be the most rewarding task you’ve ever done.
