Family Migration Study
Laura Keeney
1629 a.d. and Me.
I chose to focus on my father’s migratory patterns for this project because I see a greater connection with them than my mother’s side. My father’s ancestors were travelers and explorers, constantly moving, trying something new, doing something different, something I connect with everyday.
In 1629, my ancestors paved the way for the new colonization of America. They were the original explorers, and their blood runs through me. After settling in Pennsylvania and developing Keeneyville, they didn’t stop there. Families continued to migrate North, South, and West, going to New York, Boston, and Virginia; eager to discover new terrain and settle in new places. My ancestors traveled the world of the 1600’s, and I follow in their footsteps by traveling the world of today. As a lineage constantly on the go, I can see now where my restless nature originates. My Great Grandfather was a traveling salesman. He moved constantly and took his family with him. Similarly, my Grandfather spent his career in the Air Force, and lived in Alaska, Japan, Korea, Wisconsin, and California, among other places throughout his career, taking his family, including my father, with him. My father would tell me countless stories about their lives in Japan and Alaska, and I knew someday, I wanted to do that too. |
Now I am 12, about to make my first big move to Virginia. Florida used to be my home, but moving is something we just seem to do. The excitement and anxiety cant seem to keep each other in check, and I am nervous about what this new world will bring me.
Virginia seems to treat us well, and I graduate and move on to college. Of course, I move away from home, another mini-adventure. I am the first of my siblings to get their degree. But now that I am 22 and certified, my restless heart begins to stir. Chile seems to be the place I want to go, so I pack my bags and continue my ancestors venture into the unknown. I spend 6 months there, some of the most difficult yet most rewarding times of my life. Similar to my 17th century relatives, I cant just stop there, I have to keep going in this 21st century neighborhood we call the world. Now, I have a full passport, and still so many places to go. I have lived in four countries and visited twenty-two, all with the strong support and encouragement of my family. As I put little pieces of the world into my back pocket, I wonder, where will my lineage be in 300 years? Fully equipped with the restless sense of adventure, I can only imagine there is no need to stop now. My ancestors discovered a new world for me, and I am discovering the whole world for them, where will they go next? |