DNA Down Under

Have you had your DNA tested?  Are you wondering what its all about?  Can you make sense of all the options for tools available to you?

Perhaps, like me, you are a complete novice at all this and you don’t know your chromosomes from your centromere. Then perhaps you should consider signing up and attending the DNA Down Under event in a capital city near you or the three day extravaganza in Sydney.  This event is being staged from 14 – 31 August and will feature experts in the field and is suitable for every level of experience in this fascinating aspect of Family History research.

There’s a family conundrum in my research to uncover and explain, and I have wondered whether the best solution would be DNA testing.  As it’s a sensitive topic, I had struggled over whether to propose testing as a potential solution to the unanswered question which overshadows that particular family line.  I was delighted when one of the younger members of the family declared a real interest in finding out and was willing to take the test.  In fact, he was prepared to do it right on the spot, but I had no test kit to hand!

I suggested we bide our time – firstly so I could source kits (at a reasonable price) and secondly, so I could attend this conference to find out just what I should know before I embarked on this journey.  He was happy to wait – but he’s keen as mustard to get moving on it so I won’t be dragging my feet either. So, I’m off to the Melbourne event to learn as much as I can.

It was secretly thrilling to find someone who was so enthused as to what the family history had to tell us and was keen to be part of that process to uncover more of the story.  I often read of other family historians bemoaning the lack of interest on the part of their family and wondering what might become of all their hard work.  I count myself lucky that I have found at least one in mine that is positively bursting at the seams to help.

For those of you who are fellow bloggers and are attending – check out Alona Tester’s post regarding blogger beads and register your attendance! You can read about it here: Blogger Beads