• About Moi

The Real Housewife of Zurich

~ The Mishaps & Sarcasm of an American Hausfrau

Category Archives: hedgehog

Two Adorable Women and Their Worldwide Quest For Their Ancestors

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by Lisa in american, ancestors, dinner, finland, hedgehog, Immigration, kuopio, world war II

≈ Leave a comment

Here is a really cute story from our honeymoon:

Florian and I were waiting in a reeeeeeally slow line for a table outside for dinner one night in Finland and we  overheard a couple of older ladies speaking American English. It’s still a novelty to me when people speak English so I immediately struck up a conversation with them. We chatted for a bit but then Flo and I won the table lottery and finally got seated! We’re so Swiss that we immediately noticed the inefficiency – we were 2 people at a table for 4, and so many people were still in line. We obviously couldn’t leave our new friends waiting so we invited Diane and Merrie to come sit at our table and join us for dinner.

Turns out, the two were in Finland to track down the history of their ancestors (they’re cousins!). Their grandparents had immigrated to America and spoken very little about their Finnish heritage because they wanted to immediately assimilate into American culture. This left M & D with very few clues to go on, but an interest to pursue! I emailed the ladies to show them some pictures (and share the crazy video of how Florian rescued a hedgehog from underneath our table!!).  Here’s the adorable email response I got back with their trek across Finland and their warm kindness showing through.
 —-

Lisa!

What a treat to hear from you!  Merrie and I had great success finding information about our grandparents.  After having no luck at the Kuopio provincial and congregational offices, our guide in Kuopio contacted the Migration Institute, located in Turku.  I had the dates that our grandmother and grandfather arrived in the US (they came separately and met in NY) and, from there, the Migration Institute was able to find the date our grandmother left Finland.  That gave us the town where she was actually born and details about her family.  She was one of 10 children and the only one of her family to migrate to the US, at the age of 16.  I marvel at how brave she must have been!

This is just what I imagine their ancestors looked like coming to America –
it’s not an actual picture of them. I stole it off Google, let’s be honest.
It turns out that at the time of their births, Finland was divided into provinces, though they weren’t called exactly that (whatever they were called had a lot of vowels and umlauts and were unpronounceable), and each province had a provincial “seat” which was where all the births were registered.  Vaasa was the seat of our grandmother’s province, and though she was born in Alavus, a town about an hour east of Vaasa, Vaasa was given as her birthplace.  We haven’t yet located the actual town where our grandfather was born in the province of Kuopio, but we now have the names and e-mail addresses of all the provisional offices in all the towns in Kuopio province. So as soon as we can get caught up with all the paperwork, etc. that awaited both of us on our return, we are going to do a more thorough search for him.

I hope your language lessons are going smoothly and you are progressing well with no more tears!  Remembering my German lessons in Heidelberg all those many years ago, my only advice is to drink lots of beer before each lesson!!  Do keep me updated (in English, please) on how it is going.

I don’t know how often you and Florian are able to get back to the US, but do know that if you ever have a yen to visit Arizona and Tucson, you will always be welcome guests at my house, and I know Merrie will offer the same hospitality in Oregon.  If Florian hasn’t seen the shootout at the OK Corral, in Tombstone, which is an hour south of Tucson, he really must visit.  Boot Hill Cemetery is also there.  We have wonderful hiking trails here (although the terrain is much different than Switzerland’s) and we also have all the US major holes in the ground (Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, and Monument Valley) just to our north.  So don’t forget to let me know if you come west!

Again, thank you for the photos and video.  They are great reminders of an evening filled with laughter!  Do stay in touch and let us know what is happening in your lives.

Fondly, 

Diane   
—-
Doesn’t that just make your heart melt a little bit. So sweet! And such a good reminder to ask the questions of our ancestors while we still have them around to ask. I have dinner with Florian’s grandma next week. I think I’ll ask what it was like during WWII!

Recent Posts

  • 30 Before 30: 1. Sign Up For A Triathlon
  • I’m Gonna Do 30 New Things Before I Turn 30!
  • Adjusting To Life With A Baby
  • My Over-24-Hours-In-Labor Story (Warning: Not To Read For The Faint of Heart!)
  • Welcome To The World, Emilia Rose!

Archives

  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011

Categories

  • 1 month
  • 100 years of winter sports
  • 10k
  • 10k run
  • 13
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 30 before 30
  • 30th birthday
  • 9/11
  • adventure
  • advice
  • AIPAC
  • airline
  • airport
  • al-quaida
  • alcohol
  • allergies
  • allergy
  • alps
  • Amazon.com
  • america
  • american
  • American Women's Club of Zurich
  • amost 30
  • analytics
  • ancestors
  • ancient
  • Angelterre and Residence hotel
  • anne-sophie pic
  • anniversary
  • annoying
  • App
  • april
  • architecture
  • athens
  • audubon
  • aunt
  • author
  • autobahn
  • AWCZ
  • B1
  • baby
  • baby shower
  • babymoon
  • bachelors
  • backsplash
  • baking
  • basel
  • baseler fasnacht
  • beach
  • Beau-Rivage Palace
  • beautiful
  • bella
  • best books
  • best friend
  • better
  • big brothers big sisters
  • bike
  • biking
  • birth
  • birth plan
  • birthday
  • black friday
  • black jack
  • blog
  • blogger
  • Boat
  • boating
  • Book
  • books
  • bootcamp
  • boston
  • bought a house
  • bow
  • Brattle Theatre
  • bread
  • Bridal Shower
  • Bride
  • Brides
  • brother
  • Brunsli
  • bucket list
  • budapest
  • business
  • buy a house
  • california
  • cancer
  • care
  • carnival
  • casino
  • celebrate
  • change the world
  • chanukkah
  • cheer
  • cheers
  • Chef
  • Christmas
  • Christmas mood
  • cleaning
  • Common sense
  • compete
  • competition
  • compost
  • concert
  • confetti
  • consulting
  • contractions
  • cook
  • cookie
  • cookies
  • cooking
  • cougar
  • cows
  • craft
  • crafty
  • crazy
  • Croatia
  • ct scan
  • cultural
  • Curator's Choice
  • dad
  • daisy
  • daughter
  • Denmark
  • desert
  • design
  • deutsch
  • deviated septum
  • Diet
  • dinner
  • DMV
  • Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
  • do something new
  • dog
  • dream life
  • drink water
  • driving
  • drop
  • dubai
  • dubrovnik
  • ear
  • early
  • eastern europe
  • easy pregnancy
  • eat for two
  • eco
  • eddie the eagle
  • einen Clown verschluckt
  • elimination diet
  • embarassed
  • embarassing
  • emilia
  • emilia rose
  • Emily Thorne
  • Emily Van Camp
  • energy
  • english
  • ENT
  • entrepreneur
  • entrepreneurship
  • epstein
  • Europe
  • european
  • exercise
  • expat
  • expectations
  • expensive houses
  • expensive housing
  • facebook
  • facebook graph search
  • fair share
  • Family
  • family vacation
  • famous
  • fasnacht
  • Fat
  • faucet
  • favorite books
  • feeling dumb
  • feelings
  • feety pajamas
  • finland
  • first born
  • first child
  • first-time homeowner
  • firsts
  • flag football
  • flowers
  • fly
  • flying
  • food
  • food allergies
  • Food Day
  • football
  • foreigner
  • forint
  • france
  • Frau hat viel Holz vor der Hütte
  • Fred Durst
  • freeway
  • Friends
  • fruit
  • frustrating
  • fulfilled
  • Full House
  • fundraise
  • funny
  • gaga
  • gamble
  • gas
  • George W. Bush
  • German
  • Germany
  • get active
  • getting busy
  • getting old
  • gettingbusy.ch
  • gift
  • gift wrap
  • glacier
  • goals
  • Goethe
  • goodbye
  • google
  • granite
  • graph search
  • gray sky
  • grayson
  • greece
  • green
  • grindelwald
  • handmade
  • happy
  • hard
  • hard labor
  • hedgehog
  • helsinki
  • highway
  • hike
  • hiking
  • hilarious
  • hog
  • holidays
  • home
  • home decoration
  • home design
  • homebuyer
  • homemade
  • homeowner
  • homesick
  • Honeymoon
  • honeymoon life
  • hospital
  • house
  • housewife
  • houzz
  • http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post
  • hungary
  • idiot
  • Immigration
  • innovation
  • integration
  • iPhone
  • Iran
  • Iran Nuclear
  • ironman
  • islands
  • Israel
  • italy
  • Jamie Oliver
  • Jerusalem Post
  • jessica simpson
  • jessica simpson pregnant
  • Jewish
  • Jews
  • job
  • job networking
  • jobs
  • Jodie Sweetin
  • jog
  • jogging
  • juessica simpson baby
  • jungfrau
  • Kickstarter
  • Kindle
  • kitchen
  • kitchen cabinets
  • kitchen island
  • kitchen sink
  • klutz
  • kuopio
  • labor
  • lactose intolerant
  • lady gaga
  • lake
  • lake Zurich
  • Language Proficiency
  • last day
  • Lausanne
  • lazy sunday
  • learn something new
  • learn to speak german
  • learning
  • Lenzerheide
  • lien
  • Life in Switzerland
  • life with a baby
  • Lillehammer
  • Lily
  • Limp Bizkit
  • live
  • lonely
  • lose baby weight
  • lottery
  • love
  • love life
  • love your life
  • marching band
  • mardi gras
  • marketing
  • marketing consulting
  • marriage
  • Married
  • masters
  • mürren
  • MBA
  • meaningful life
  • memories
  • Michael J. Epstein
  • Michelin Star
  • military
  • miss
  • modern housewife
  • mom
  • mommy
  • mother's day
  • mother-in-law
  • motivation
  • motorboat
  • Move
  • movie
  • Moving
  • My Girlfriend Guide
  • nature
  • nemo
  • nephew
  • nervous
  • networking
  • new baby
  • new blog
  • new born
  • new car
  • new father
  • new friends
  • new house
  • new life
  • new mother
  • new orleans
  • new year
  • new year's
  • new year's resolution
  • new york
  • newborn
  • newspaper
  • nicht die Katze im Sack kaufen
  • nickname
  • niece
  • no alcohol
  • no job
  • no speed limit
  • nobel peace prize
  • Nook
  • northeast
  • Norway
  • nose job ear nose throat
  • nutella
  • NY
  • oasis
  • OK GO
  • old
  • one year anniversary
  • one year anniversay
  • Oslo
  • overrated books
  • parade
  • parents
  • paris
  • party
  • passion
  • pay it forward
  • perfect
  • perfect husband
  • photography
  • phrases
  • pics
  • pictures
  • pig
  • pig roast
  • piggy
  • pigs
  • pinterest
  • plane
  • positive attitude
  • pregnancy
  • pregnant
  • presents
  • President Obama
  • press
  • Pro-Israel
  • Proficiency Exam
  • prostitute
  • queen latifah
  • quinoa
  • racer car driver
  • Rachel Eddey
  • realizations
  • reasons to not work
  • recap
  • recovery
  • red eye
  • reflections
  • rejection
  • resolution
  • RIB boat
  • rockheim
  • roulette
  • ruins
  • running
  • Running of the Bride
  • sale
  • san sebastian
  • save the world
  • sayings
  • Scandinavia
  • scary
  • school
  • search
  • search terms
  • second language
  • sept 11
  • September 11
  • September 16
  • share gas
  • sheep
  • shopping
  • sick
  • singapore
  • sink
  • sister
  • sister-in-law
  • Ski
  • ski bunny
  • skiing
  • Skinny
  • snow
  • snow bunny
  • snowshoeing
  • snowstorm
  • snowtubing
  • Sophia Cacciola
  • spain
  • Spice
  • sports authority
  • spring
  • start your own business
  • stehen die Haare zu Berge
  • storm
  • stupid
  • sunbathing
  • sunset
  • sunshine
  • support
  • support group
  • surgery
  • surprise
  • Surprise party
  • Sweden
  • swim
  • swimming
  • Swiss
  • swiss air
  • Swiss Alps
  • Swiss Culture
  • switzerland
  • swollen
  • teenager
  • TEN
  • ten little piggys
  • terror
  • terrorist attack
  • test results
  • thank you
  • thanks
  • Thanksgiving
  • the bouncers
  • the butcher
  • The Knot
  • the real housewife of zurich
  • thirteen
  • thriller
  • Time Magazine
  • tips
  • top 10
  • top 5
  • top ten
  • tourist
  • tradition
  • travel
  • travel advice
  • travel tips
  • tri
  • triathlon
  • tricks
  • trivial pursuit
  • trondheim
  • try something new
  • tubing
  • tulip
  • tulips
  • uetliberg
  • ugly
  • Uncategorized
  • unemployed
  • University of Zurich
  • uutiset
  • vacation
  • Valentine's Day
  • vegan
  • vegetables
  • vela luka
  • venice
  • viking
  • water broke
  • waterfalls
  • website
  • wedding
  • weight gain pregnancy
  • weird al
  • weird al yankovic
  • winter
  • Winter Sports
  • Wirf nicht deine Flinte ins Korn
  • women
  • women's support group
  • work out
  • workout
  • World Trade Center
  • world trip
  • world war II
  • writer
  • WTC
  • yes
  • yoga
  • Zertifikat Deutsch
  • Zhitch
  • zug
  • Zurich

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy