On October 17th 2025 after finishing the unit called « Remembering our heritage » I had this wonderful opportunity to have a video call with the American teacher Mrs Heidi Bagley who teaches at «Lake superior» college in Duluth, Minnesota. Mrs Heidi answered my questions with great enthusiasm and I was lucky to be able to get the information that interested me.
Why looking for ancestors became so popular among Americans?
Since the United States is a relatively young country, many people don’t know much about their roots or their original nationalities. Some feel a bit “lost,” that’s why they look into their ancestry. People want to know who they are. In the U.S., there are even TV shows that help people trace their family history.
However, researching can be difficult because names are often changed when people move from one country to another.
How people react when they meet distant relatives from other countries ?
Most people are very warm and welcoming, although not everyone reacts the same way.
Miss Heidi, have you tried to find your ancestors?
Yes, I also researched my ancestors. I found some of them and even traveled to different countries to try to meet them. For a while, I lived in Finland « they make good coffee » there and that place reminded me my city Duluth : the houses, the nature, everything is the same. Maybe people, when they leave their Motherland and cross the ocean, still look for similar places?!
What do you know about your ancestors?
– On my father’s side, there are people who traveled on the Mayflower. I discovered that my Finnish great-grandmother’s name was Hilja, and she was married to William Makela. They moved to America.
Emilie Peroni – 1ère