Well, this probably isn't exclusive to European's who came to America, it's probably true all around the world that there are those who wonder what ever happened to their ancestors or related family who left their home countries.
But I will admit to you that when I read about this on a Polish genealogy chat, I realized I HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. I suppose it's because American finding their roots in other countries have that mind set, a roots mindset.
I read so much about the goodbye rituals that took place in various cultures.
Irish villagers all seeing a person off, who once out of sight, they turned their backs on, knowing they would probably never see that person again...
Women who would take a ball of yarn and give one end to the person on land, board the ship, hold it as it unraveled - the yarn then left to blow in the wind.
40% of all Americans who have an ancestor who came through Ellis Island have an ancestor who probably could never afford to go back to the country of their birth, or historical circumstances made it dangerous or impossible.
As I do my personal research, I realize that I am DNA related to people with dozens of surnames, quite possibly the whole town over hundreds of years. Yet, because a few generations have gone by, it just never occurred to me that someone from that town might want to use genealogy to connect with me...
