Sunday, June 17, 2012
We continued along in our “immersion genealogy” experience with a tour of Kučín. My cousin Jack was getting the tour I received back in 2010 and it was great to join him as we walked in our grandfather’s footsteps. Our tour included the Roman Catholic church, the cemetery, the mayor’s office, and the home of another Alzo cousin (Jan’s brother Stefan).
 |
| Visitation of the Virgin Mary Church (original church dates to 1300) This photo was taken by Andy Rabatin in 2010. |
One of the main highlights was taking this photograph with my cousin (who is also my godfather) in front of the baptismal font in the church where our grandfather, Jan was baptized in 1894! This was particularly meaningful as it was father’s day. I was missing my father (it was the seventh father’s day since he passed away) and so I was glad to be able to share the day with my godfather in my grandfather’s church!
 |
| Jan Alzo’s grandchildren, John (Jack Berta) and Lisa Alzo pose in front of the baptismal font in Kucin |
Below is a picture of our great-grandmother’s burial place in the cemetery.
 |
| Cross marking the grave of Borbala Alzo
|
Another highlight was our visit to the Mayor’s office (where else would a mayor come to open an office up on a Sunday???). In 2010, I signed a page marking my visit. My cousin, Renata, translated what I wrote into Slovak and framed the document along with my photo This document and photo will be displayed on the wall in the Mayor’s office (such an honor!). My cousin, Jack and I got to take photos and write new pages for the current visit.
 |
| Lisa Alzo writing her comments on 17 June 2012 |
While I never got to meet my grandfather, I feel close to him. The second visit to his birthplace was just as special as the first. During my first visit in 2010 I was so overwhelmed with emotion; this time I still had some “lump in my throat” moments, but I was able to really think about the significance of each key place we visited. As a genealogist, you can search as many documents as you can find, cite all the sources accurately and completely, gather a long list of names and dates, but truly, nothing compares to physically being in fields where your ancestors walked, worked and played, or stepping inside the buildings where your ancestors lived and worshipped. For me, it’s all about “connection,” and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to see first-hand those places where the people from my past experienced the good, the bad, and the in-between of their lives.
Photos by Lisa A. Alzo (except where otherwise noted)
Copyright 2012, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml
A really nice story, sounds like you're having a great time. Aloha, Donna