Tracing Our Roots
Growing up in Minnesota, my family was very proud of its Norwegian heritage. Like many Minnesotans, our families had immigrated to the United States in the late 19th century from Scandinavia. While factions of both my mom and dad’s family emigrated from Norway during this period, my mother-in-law’s family emigrated from Finland. It has always been a dream of ours to trace our roots and understand where our family came from and why they emigrated.
After many years of dreaming, it will finally become a reality. This summer we will embark on an epic trip to explore our Norwegian heritage and trace our roots in Norway. Not only are my kids going, but my mom, dad, grandma and my brothers and their families are going. Together we will be able to meet our family that still lives in Norway and explore the seaside towns, the countryside and farmland where they once lived.
We look forward to connecting with our heritage and the rich history of Norway while disconnecting from everyday life. Kayaking on the beautiful fjords where one can see seals instead of alligators. The beautiful mountains and mountain valleys will be a site for sore eyes since we barely have what can be called a hill here in Florida.
In the coming years, there will be more trips to plan. With family having immigrated to the US from Finland, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, we have plenty of trips to make in order to truly connect with our heritage. Our heritage is an important part of our identity, but more than that the experience of exploring the world with my boys is priceless. Nothing beats living a life full of wanderlust.