A Little History?

It all started somewhere, right?

It sure did!  And here's a shortened version of it.  From my paternal side, it all started on the Seychelles Islands way back when, however,  for me it began when I visited the island with my little family (Brett and Nicole - no Shelley at the time) in 2002, for the first time.  I hesitantly looked up (kind of stalked) the family I had only  heard about once before.  

My grandparents were both born and raised on the island and married in 1938.  After two years of marriage, my father was born.  A short time later, my grandparents divorced and grandmother left the island along with my father, never to return.  I found myself hesitant to reach out to the family and feeling unsure of their reaction to my presence on the island, I waited.  On a small island and in the 1940's, divorce was not a welcomed act and therefore, leaving the island for sake of shame, never to return, may have some consequences for later generations wanting to return.

How wrong I was! All the while I was procrastinating making contact, they already knew (from my maiden name in my passport) that I was on the island.  I went to the lobby at the hotel we were staying at and asked the reception clerk if she would mind looking up a name in the telephone directory (yes, telephone directory!). When she asked for the last name, which I willingly gave to her, she looked at me with a puzzled expression.  She prodded with a couple more questions and at the end of our conversation, and before she gave me the phone to dial the number she had found, she said "And, I'm your cousin"!  Did I mention small island yet?  The rest is history.  The next evening we were surrounded by family at my aunts home in Beau Valon on Mahe island, having dinner. Overwhelmed does not justify the feelings rushing through my veins. 

Since then, we have returned for vacations and maintained amazing relationships with all our family on the island.  My older brother and his family have since visited and spent time with them, too.  And so our generations story begins......

My father left us when I was nine months old and we never had any contact thereafter.  He remarried, a few times I believe, and died roughly two years ago.  It was at that time that my siblings and I learned of two wonderful sisters we hadn't had the opportunity to meet (or know about).  While I have had constant contact with them both since his passing, it is only now, on my upcoming trip to South Africa, that I will finally meet them face-to-face.  

I am about to embark on a trip that will fill me with all sorts of emotions.  From being in my homeland - amazing Africa, reuniting with my siblings and larger extended family after five long years, to meeting my two beautiful sisters for the first time, I'm not sure how or if I even should, contain the excitement and overwhelming anxiety I feel.  So, on this note I say, let the fun begin this Friday.  I can honestly say that after this trip I have experienced all the wonderful things in my life and I have not one regret.  Not many people get to say that - I am one fortunate girl.

Watch this space ....