I open my DNA report and blink.
I what?
when 23 and me, the DNA testing people offered to help me research my ancestral roots and find out where in the world I came from.At least I know that I human.
However, the next line in the report is more encouraging.
“But your Neanderthal ancestry makes up less than 4% of your total DNA.”
More than 96% human! I’ll take it.
In fact, we all have Neanderthal DNA. national geographic:
[quote]Today, everyone living outside of Africa has a small amount of Neanderthals carried as living relics of these ancient encounters. We concluded that most Europeans and Asians have 1-2% Neanderthal DNA.[/quote]
and a few lucky Americans double Those Neanderthal quantities. So what does this mean? Am I endowed with some sort of non-human superpower?
(I don’t think I’m going to be in the next Marvel movie.)
It is a very deep thing to face the ancestors. This is cutting-edge science, showing faint traces into my past over hundreds of generations, traversing half the world in the process.
Modern humans left Africa over 100,000 years ago, and my lineage settled in Europe, coexisting with Neanderthals and interbreeding with them at some point.
In other words, I am an immigrant. all immigration.
As someone who has longed for a deeper connection with the world all his life, this is music to my ears.
Skip closer to the present.
Like many modern Americans, I am genetically new to this part of the world. There is no contradiction here. I am 100% born and raised US citizen. But genetically speaking, I am 100% European.
I offal I often felt like I was born European in an American body. I think this proves me right.
The footprints of my ancestors are walking all over Europe. their Incredibly distant ancestors can be traced as far south as Africa.
As a traveler of the world, I couldn’t be happier. These are the results I wanted.In every way that matters, I am the result of my genes many of travel.
I am an immigrant too.
Why don’t Americans travel more?
The alarming fact is that in 2016, only 36% of Americans had a valid passport, according to State Department statistics. This compares with 60% of Canadians and 75% of British and Australians having passports. It has since risen to about 45%, but questions remain. Why do we naturally hate traveling abroad?
Blake Snow gives many good reasons Click here for paste magazine—But the statistics, in particular, show that American travelers I’ve met in all corners of the world are just as curious, adventurous, and open-minded as people from other countries. It hurts my heart to know.
I think that once we go abroad, we are better at traveling than anyone else.
Maybe the rest of the world feels like too much of a challenge.There are new cultural rules to learn, new ways of living, new languages to speak. The United States is vast and has a lot to see. So we tend to ignore everything outside our country as if we were living on another planet…
And maybe you need a DNA test to get your head straight.
Every time I leave the United States, I am leaving my current home behind, but also stepping into the world that made me. is a member of all a member of that family.
Imagine, all these stories are lost except what we can glimpse through our strands of DNA.
These comprehensive (and very engaging) reports have given me new reasons to explore parts of the world I’ve been spending so little time on.
Literally a cousin I didn’t know I had.
Dear American: Travel is in your DNA
If your background is similar to mine, your ancestral roots span the oceans. If you follow them, you will have the most amazing adventures (what I am about to do. Now I know the truth about my heritage.)
I have dedicated my life, and this entire blog, to helping people achieve their dreams of traveling the world and living a more passionate and fulfilling life. So if you need help getting started, you are in the right place. (Here are my best travel tips.)
But before you start your trip, you have to decide where travel—and 23andMe DNA test can point you in the right direction.
So what happens next?
I’m European by genetics, but now I’ve been able to keep in touch with a whole new family.
I was looking for a good excuse to explore Europe a little better, so this didn’t fit well with my plans. Ask all of your living relatives about their parents and grandparents, and dive into the records records to see what you can find…
But for now, 23andMe Ancestry Service provided me with a to-do list for my DNA journey.
For reference, Ashkenazi Jews were born in western Germany and northern France. Their descendants now live mainly in the United States, Israel and Russia.
It comes from my father’s side. My great-grandparents died in the Holocaust and my grandparents fled and settled in Europe in the 1940s (Austria/Poland then Italy) before moving to Israel. the rest from my mother. I already know “British & Irish”, TRUE means Scotland and Ireland.
In other words, this list includes all of Europe, plus Russia and Israel.
I still don’t know the details or where to start, but this already feels like the mother (and father and grandfather…) of all travel adventures!
Now the bigger question remains…where do we start?
Europeans (or anyone for that matter) want to join the recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!
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