For those of you who have been following our travels over
the years thinking you will go another time, this is my official retirement
announcement.
Let me be crystal clear - I do enjoy these trips. But, although I enjoy seeing new places, revisiting familiar ones, making new friends, renewing acquaintances with old ones, and helping others to connect with their ancestors, it is not worth the three weeks away from my life and family.
The only reason I took on this trip was because I had discovered a couple of dozen ancestral villages that I hoped to visit. But, after fitting in everyone else’s requests, I had to drop almost all of them. And I don't want to spend my retirement running a travel business. It is not rational to invest several dozen hours in planning and preparation, leave my life and family, spend my own money, take on the responsibility and risk of shepherding a dozen people across Europe, and spend weeks catching up on things at home, with no benefit for myself other than feeling good. The sacrifices are not worth it when it is all for others and there is little in it for me. So it is not a question of whether I enjoy it, but of how what I give up compares to what I gain.
I have always advertised these trips as an opportunity to walk where your ancestors walked and I think I have accomplished that for many people, but, if there are any trips in the future, they will be to walk where my ancestors walked.
Please don't interpret this as bitterness. I have enjoyed every one of our four trips. I just wanted to explain why I am not motivated to plan any more trips in the future. So, it has been a slice, but this is the end. Thanks to all of you who have contributed to some great memories over the years. I hope that the blogs I have created for each of our trips will serve as enduring reminders of those good times.
Let me be crystal clear - I do enjoy these trips. But, although I enjoy seeing new places, revisiting familiar ones, making new friends, renewing acquaintances with old ones, and helping others to connect with their ancestors, it is not worth the three weeks away from my life and family.
The only reason I took on this trip was because I had discovered a couple of dozen ancestral villages that I hoped to visit. But, after fitting in everyone else’s requests, I had to drop almost all of them. And I don't want to spend my retirement running a travel business. It is not rational to invest several dozen hours in planning and preparation, leave my life and family, spend my own money, take on the responsibility and risk of shepherding a dozen people across Europe, and spend weeks catching up on things at home, with no benefit for myself other than feeling good. The sacrifices are not worth it when it is all for others and there is little in it for me. So it is not a question of whether I enjoy it, but of how what I give up compares to what I gain.
I have always advertised these trips as an opportunity to walk where your ancestors walked and I think I have accomplished that for many people, but, if there are any trips in the future, they will be to walk where my ancestors walked.
Please don't interpret this as bitterness. I have enjoyed every one of our four trips. I just wanted to explain why I am not motivated to plan any more trips in the future. So, it has been a slice, but this is the end. Thanks to all of you who have contributed to some great memories over the years. I hope that the blogs I have created for each of our trips will serve as enduring reminders of those good times.
I found your blogs while searching for information about my ancestors, who immigrated from Zichydorf. They also lived in Sacklehausen at one point. I realize this is an old blog, and you may never get this message. However, if you do read this comment, could you please connect with me at the following email address? gingerichvila@gmail.com
ReplyDelete