This is a 2-chapter post: before the trip and
during/after the trip.
BEFORE THE TRIP – be as much prepared as possible.
You invested a lot of time and energy on this and you don’t want to miss
anything!
Tip #1: Research within your reach.
Do all the research you can before even buying plane
tickets. This means talk to your family, get data,
search online (ancestry.com, jewishgen, yad vashem, google, etc.), read books
(it’s always useful to learn some history to understand the context of
immigration and uncover hidden clues), investigate old pictures, go to museums
(if available in your town) and talk to other people who have done what you
want to do. Write all the information down and try to draft a plan of attack:
places you need to go, people you need to talk, how long you may need to stay
in the city/cities, etc. Make a list of important questions and family/town
names to locals so when the time comes you don’t stutter or forget stuff.
Tip#2: Research out of your reach.
There are lots of information not located online
or reachable from where you are. That is why you are traveling. But before you
catch a plane, it is worth it to contact some professionals and people in the
country where you will be visiting. That can include a professional researcher
that can look into doCuments in the local archives, community centers that can
give you some practical information, a guide/translator that will work with you
before and during your trip. Do this in advance, in some places people take a
lot of time to answer e-mails.
Tip #3: Plan your trip.
Collect all the information you found. Now add some
more variables into your travel. These include:
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When to go: take into account the weather and
try to avoid holidays (I was once stuck in Germany because I missed the plane
to Moldova on Easter and everything else was already booked, besides the fact
that airports in Europe were kind of a mess). Be generous on the itinerary as well; try not
to have many layovers, especially if you’re taking film equipment or your kids
with you.
-
Things to learn: don't be a stranger, it won’t hurt learning a few
sentences on the local language (take a phrase book) and more than that, the
culture of the country you are traveling to. By doing this, you make the locals
your allies – and you will need them! Besides that, at this point you have a
natural curiosity for the place where your ancestors came from, and will want
to be as close as possible to its characteristics. And be aware you
will be in a different time zone (and sometimes a complete different reality!).
-
Hotel: get as much information as possible
before you make your choice. Take into account localization, price, comfort,
etc. I booked a 3 star hotel in Moldova, not even considering it wouldn’t have
an elevator. When we got there, the 3 star hotel was more like a 2 star – and
no elevators. I was worried because my father had just undergone heart surgery
and would have to go up and down stairs; we were on the 3rd floor.
But all went well.
Tip #4: Build a realistic schedule of your trip. Leave
room/time for the unforeseen events that will most likely happen.
Tip #5: What to take.
Think about all the things you will need. Some items:
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Power adaptors
-
Usage of cell phone (will yours work there? Will
it be expensive? Is it worth buying an international cell phone or a local SIM card?)
-
Medications (try not to rely on medication
you’re not used to): the ones you normally take, plus painkillers, some
Tylenol, cold and cough medicine, band aid, Imodium, etc.
-
Travel insurance, including health insurance
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Copies of passport and other key documents
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How to use money? Take some cash with you, see
if ATMs are common, see if most places accept credit card, etc. Warn your bank
you will be using your cards overseas.
-
Take some presents to the people you have previously
made contact and showed interest in working with you. These will be greatly
appreciated. In some cultures, they will be waiting for these. But more than
that, it’s just a nice thing to do. These little gifts can be as simple as
chocolates, hand crèmes or peculiar things from your hometown.
-
Take some snacks; think about your dietary
necessities. In Moldova it was hard to find diet coke, for example. I also took
some energy drinks in case we got stuck in the middle of nowhere for hours
without coffee.
-
Make sure you will have internet access, at
least in the hotel.
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Photo camera/video camera/microphones (if you
are recording interviews or making a film)
-
Make large prints of historical family photos to
show to locals – you never know if somebody will recognize your relatives, and
if someone will, they will probably be old enough not to see very well.
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Take your own toiletries, plus sunscreen and chapstick.
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If you will be in an old cemetery, take a cloth
to clean the gravestone as it will probably be very dirty.
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A leatherman (https://www.leatherman.com/) can be extremely useful.
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Earplugs.
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Think about the worst things it could happen in
your trip and prepare to avoid them. This will surely make things run smoother.
Next: during and after the trip
