Take a Home DNA Test and Open Your World!

Do you believe travel makes the world a better place?

We do!

In fact, here at The Travel Tester, not being afraid to try new things and meet new cultures is at the core of everything we stand for. We have seen with our own eyes how travel brings people of different backgrounds together and how it fades the lines between our different beliefs, religions and nationalities. Travel turns every day encounters into valuable life lessons, understanding and compassion.

That is why have partnered with a company that shares this belief with us in an unconventional campaign. Together with momondo, we joined the Purpose Movement and tested our DNA to find out with which other places in the world we share a connection.

OPEN YOUR WORLD & TAKE A HOME DNA TEST

momondo was founded on the belief that everybody should be able to travel the world, to meet other people, and experience other cultures and religions. Travel opens our minds: when we experience something different, we begin to see things differently.

Home DNA Kits: How it Works

Your DNA carries traces of your family history: who your ancestors were and where they came from. AncestryDNA has analyzed our DNA at over 700.000 markers and compared our DNA signature to the DNA from people all over the world who are native to a specific region.

Here’s how testing your DNA works with this fun little kit that was send to us by AncestryDNA & Momondo:

First, you activate the kit online, so you get access to your results

Then you gather your DNA (a.k.a. spit in a tube – it’s really that simple)

And finally, you shake the tube, add it to the bag and mail it off. And wait nervously for a couple of weeks, of course!

Then what?

With the latest science, AncestryDNA calculates your ethnic mix into percentages and ranges, based on 40 separate analyses. The results don’t just show you where you’re from, but also how strong of a connection you have with each of the regions.

When you get your results, you can see the average estimate as the given percent for each region. The general spread of the 40 estimates is shown as the probable range. AncestryDNA’s analysis suggests that your actual ethnicity for this region lies somewhere in this range.

While it’s just an estimate and the genetics of regions are influenced by migration patterns, it’s still great to get a rough idea of which parts of the world you have a connection with.

The Home DNA Test: Our Expectations

Before we got the results of our tests back, of course we asked both our parents if they had an idea of where the family tree led back to. Nienke’s dad had done some digging in the past, and he’d found Swedish, but also British Roots. Her mom’s family (“Van Sligter”) originates from the town of Sligtenhorst, somewhere in the Gelderland province of The Netherlands.

Nick’s family is said to have come from Eastern Europe, possibly Hungary gypsies who made their way over to The Netherlands to work on the land. Most of Nick’s family are gardeners, all the way to his grandparents. On his mother’s side, the story goes that the family are descendants of Napoleon, living in the North of France.

Let’s find out of any of this shows in our DNA:

Ready to send off!

Moment of Truth: Our DNA Results

Nienke

Nienke had ‘top scores’ in Great Britain, Western Europe and Scandinavia. While this was a bit what we expected, we were surprised to find out the British connection is 48%! We hope it’s enough to be able to stay here after BREXIT, haha.

Other (tiny) traces were found in more unexpected places like the Iberian Peninsula, Ireland, Eastern Europe and Italy/Greece.

Wow, I’m even more British then Western-European, I would have never guessed that!! Perhaps that’s why I have less problems with vinegar on my french fries and milk in my tea than Nick has. It all makes sense now.

Nick

As you can see on the map below, Nick’s family is 73% from Western Europe, only then followed by Scandinavia, the Iberian Peninsula and Ireland for 8-6%.

Even smaller traces were found in Great Britain and Italy/Greece… and even in Asia (around India)!!

73% from Western Europe, that’s even more than expected. Perhaps my family is related to Napoleon after all! It would explain why I like to wear funny hats, at least.

GO ON YOUR OWN DNA JOURNEY!

Are you also curious to find out where in the world your ancestors came from? You can! Simply visit www.letsopenourworld.com to read more about this campaign and check dna.ancestry.co.uk to order your own DNA kit.

PIN IT!

Disclaimer: This post came together in collaboration with Momondo