Argentina is my option since that's where I was born.

I have actively begun my move to Portugal. Just typing it out loud is exhilarating and daunting.

Ireland was my first choice, but given everything going on there, it feels like an extension of DC, what with all the historical internal strife and the pressures imposed by the choices of neighboring states/countries.

This morning, I spent two hours chatting with a close friend who moved to Portugal in January and I'm more excited than ever.

The language is a bit challenging, but I just keep reminding myself that I could read before kindergarten, I've studied Spanish, Japanese and ASL, and the Portuguese seem pretty forgiving of anyone who gives an earnest try. Besides, it's a beautiful, quirky language. What is not to like?

My long-term goal is to open a specialized retreat center, but until that happens, my business won't change much. I, honestly, can't wait.

Hmm. If my father is not in my birth certificate, I doubt I have any options. Also my option is Italy, and I don’t really care for their justice system.

Argentina, JenP? That sounds exciting! It that interesting to you?

I love hearing about people's relational connections. When I started this process, I dove headfirst into Ancestry desperately, trying to find an Irish connection for ease of bureaucracy.

I found it...in the late 1600s.

Turns out, my people have been in America a loooooong ass time, and not even remotely in the blue-blood kind of way. Carpenters and military, of no real renown, as far back as the mind can reach.

Sign. But still, no different than having to everything for myself in this life, eh?

Turns out, my people have been in America a loooooong ass time, and not even remotely in the blue-blood kind of way.

Same. Mostly farmers. Both my father and mother's sides pre-date the revolutionary war.

When I started Ancestry, I thought my grandfathers family were recent German immigrants. They are English and Scottish and have been here since the 1600s. They were just poor and lived in the Germantown/Dutchtown section of the city, so my mom assumed! My grandmothers history was exactly what I thought, except it gets a little hard to trace because there is a Cornelia Bourbeau and a Cordelia Bourbeau in the same town. Cornelia was nicknamed Nellie. Cordelias daughter and mother were Helen, nicknamed Nellie. I am a relative of Cordelia.

Yup, my ancestors were poor Cajun farmers a long way back. I don't think France would take me. Or Canada.

David, SAME. Mississippi, Oklahoma and Ohio. There were a few farmers, but mostly the wood trades and soldiering. I still have some beautiful lathed pieces from my paternal grandfather who was a Mason (so, multi-wood gavels) and an electrician in the Navy known for winning shipboard track an field events. That is 100% the most interesting fact about my family on either side. I guess it is a failing of the US education system, but I never even considered that my family could have been here prior to the revolutionary war.

I don't think France would take me. Or Canada.

Dana, you just never know! It's worth inquiring.

This is true. France seems to continually change their requirements. I believe in my case it would be much easier to claim my French citizenship now than it was when I first did it.