Introducing the Curator Team

Thanks all ! If I'm a bit slow in responding, it's because I'm too busy dealing with the flood of work ;-)

I should have told Fred this :) but Ashley just reminded me -- the only country I ever traveled in (beside the UK) where they addressed me in the native tongue was the Netherlands. Not strictly true, when I spoke Arabic in 1975 Egypt, they assumed I was Lebanese but then that was when there were few foreigners in Egypt and it was unthinkable that a person speaking Arabic was not an Arab.

I have been working on Genealogy now for 30 yrs., and would like to add information and documentation to those profiles that have none. I have been a member of Geni for 2yrs in a couple of weeks and have found it to be the best site for growing the shared tree.

My Mother, Father, Aunt by marriage, Bro-in-Law have lines that connect in the tree. My mothers line connects to Pomeroy but I have not found a connection to my husbands. I was born and raised in Santa Clara, Calif. moving to Washington State after my first child was born. I was inspired to do Genealogy because of my Uncle's wife who gifted me for many years with "The Genealogical Helper". My maiden name is Erickson, I have a Swedish, English background. My husband's lines are English, Irish, German, Norwegian.
I seem more comfortable working in the United States and England areas, since English is the only language I know, my husband has some German & Norwegian relatives for which I use Google translate.

Carole, I did not know you were from Santa Clara! I have been active in that community for years and live in South San Jose.

It is my great pleasure to introduce to the Geni membership our newest Curator, Peter Rohel (c). I know many of you have been working with Peter already because his nomination actually came from you, the membership.

Please give Peter a warm welcome.

As a Curator, I plan to assist Users in making their experience the Best it can be on Geni, using my 7 year genealogy and 15 year IT backgrounds. At the same time, participate in discussions - to make Geni the Best site it can be.
As a User born in Šternberk (Sternberg), Moravia, Czech (relative of the Sternberg, etc. royals) - abt. 50% (of 50K+) Names of the old site have been Migrated. Ancestors from former Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Germany & other parts of Europe - and Descendants all over - I went very wide with distant Relatives. Thank you for your Continued Migration Help (past 4 years) - very much (now) appreciated.

I am delighted that Geni has appointed me as curator, special thanks to the existing curators for all their support, you know who you are.
I am a researcher since 1996, slowly started off with my own Dutch family tree but quickly became involved in helping others even to the stage I had to abandon my own tree as I was too busy helping others.
As I was born in The Netherlands I spend the first couple of years researching the dutch genealogies, when I moved to Ireland I slowly started to work on Irish projects, and they were and are still very challenging. I became a volunteer for the Random Act of Genealogical Kindness in 2007 and helped many with their searches in both Ireland and The Netherlands. RAOGK stopped their great service so this gave me the time and space to do some more work on Geni.
Workwise I am doing research for a New York writer at the moment in to the girl friends of George Bernard Shaw, another big challenge.
So this is me in short, I will do my very best to become just as great as you all are, but be patient till I am up to speed with this please :)
Thank you all for having me in your team

Welcome, Annemarie!

Private User Congratulations & celebrations, for you did a lot of work already in the little time i have seen you working in geni. Lots of succes and if you're visiting the Netherlands, don't forget to take a train to Oeteldonk as well, ok? ❥jMu.

And although she not yet mentioned in this discussion, I would like to give a great applause also to Private, for she is really a GOOD one if you need a internet-searcher for interesting aspects about geni-profiles and she's doing a great job in Dutch places like LEIDEN and 's-GRAVENHAGE. Succes, SJennie, en als je 'n shotje coffeine nodig hebt, trek aan de bel en Douwe Egberts staat naast je toetsenbord, ok? ❥jMu.

Some days ago I became a Curator and I would like to introduce myself to the Curator community.

My name is Wouter and I live in Wilrijk, a district of the city of Antwerp, Belgium. Married, two children.

First I focused on building my ‘own’ family tree (now part of the world tree). Some months ago I started to work on some new and existing projects (Belgian resistance movements, Mayors of Antwerp, Golden Ages,...) In the meanwhile I try to document the family tree as good as possible: adding rare pictures, tagging birth and death certificates, ... When the weather is fine I go out to visit cemeteries. And when I have enough time I visit archives (military, national, regional,...).

I love facts. Sources, timeline and media are very important to me. They bring the profiles 'back to life'.

Some examples:

* My great grandfather [Eugene De Boeck Eugene De Boeck]
* My 4th great grandfather [Jean François De Wachter Jean Francois De Wachter], who was a soldier of Napoleon (the picture shows the real uniform and colors & I found an original document from 1805)
* My wife’s great grandfather [Léon Delalieux Leon Delalieux], who has been a officer during WWI. The media tab shows his medals and decorations

And of course a lot, lot more to discover in the tree.

Thanks for the support.

SUCCES WOUTER, and let us know more about Napoleon, ❥jMu.

I ment: the soldiers of Napoleon, for about that man there is enough on the internet to find...

I grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. Just about everyone in my neighborhood was born in America but we told people that we came from countries like Ireland, Scotland, Germany or Italy. My answer wasn't very long I just said that my ancestors came from England & Scotland.

When I got older my mother and grandmother let me read the information they had about my ancestors I realized there was a lot I didn't know about them and I wanted to know more about them

My life in America ended in almost more than 40 years ago when I moved to Belgium with my Dutch husband and my Dutch/American children. I kept hoping that the time would come when I be able to find the time to find out more about both my husband's and my ancestors. Finally in 2009 I joined Geni & my search & journey down my ancestors paths began.

The first two years I worked mostly with Americans, Since April 2011 I've been working mostly with Dutch collaborators. I've been enjoying working on the 'New Amsterdam - Immigrants' project and other projects which are associated with it more than anything else I've done on Geni. One moment I'm in Holland and before I know it I'm in New Amsterdam.

I believe that there a many Geni Curators and also many of Geni members in many countries whom I've been in contact with in one way or another during the last 2 1/2 years. I had hoped I would eventually be given the opportunty to be a Curator. Most of all I wish to thank my sponsor, one other person in particular and of course all of those who voted for me ;-).
Ann

Private, another of our newest curators, has been feeling sick for several days. Jennie promises to introduce herself as soon as she feels a little better. I have gotten to know her on the Facebook "Geni" group, and I know you will all enjoy working with her.

Even feeling sick, Jennie would come online. Which means... she's really not feeling well at all ! Get better, Jennie! (Being on Geni can be a good antidote :-) )

George, she's worried about saying something silly while feverish and we'd take away her curator "C." I told her no such luck!

Hey Jennie, welcome aboard!!! I hope you feel better!

Welcome to all new curators - here's hoping you find your feet quickly and enjoy being part of a great team!

Hello everybody, I’m Jennie and I like to thank the people who had the trust in me to make me a curator. And thanks to the people who give me a chance to earn that trust. And to the others I want to say: be patient and give me the time to improve myself to become a good and better curator. I have a lot to learn and am willing to learn.
Maybe that are the skills I already have: to be positive, collaborate, have an open mind, understand the meaning of building together on the big tree, and to understand that there are also Geni users who are mostly interested in building their own tree. I think there is a place for all of us here on Geni. And for me Geni is a good place to be, I love the worldwide community and the way we can make connections by building our own trees and contributing to the big tree.
I too had the experience that building my own family tree is much more emotional than I ever had an idea before I started this and how important it is to make the profiles at the best possible way and have the right merges. And improvement is always possible and needed. It asks joy, collaboration and also to be serious and open minded. And the many projects in so many different ways, from genealogical, historical to “fun” projects gives us opportunity to learn so much about the world, about history, about people and to connect with each other. The more I am on Geni the more I know and learn and get interested and the more I know that I know so little, but that’s a challenge.
Funny to mention I never was interested in Genealogy or history (in fact I had no interest at all in history, shame on me :-)) and since I know most of my family on my fathers side lived for ages in Leiden (Holland) coming from what is now known as Belgium and as a fact “Leiden” “the Hague” and the Golden Ages are my main area. But my interests are broader and I like to collaborate and help where I can. I’m interested in religion, in the New Amsterdam Project (for the New Amsterdam Project I contribute on Facebook),
Now you know a bit about me and I’m aware that just as in real life, there a so many different Geni users and curators, each with their own interest, skills and approach.
But sharing the common interest: working at our own trees, working at the big tree and collaborate to enable ourselves and each other to improve all that.
I realize that my positive approach and the pleasure I have on Geni is the result to be a Pro member since May this year, and I realize what it is to not be a Pro member, but I will and shall be (become) a curator for all members., I’ll do what I can, because I want Geni a place to be for all of us. That said, I’m positive this counts for all curators and many if not all the pro members.
Have I told I’m 56 years, mother of 2 daughters and grandmother of 4 grandchildren? Maybe not that important to you J but it’s who I am tooJ.
Do you want to know who I was when I was 16? Just go to my project “When I was 16” Better: add your 16th’s to it! The more people join in, the more we get to know and maybe understand some more of each other’s world. I invite you all to join the project.
Oh forgot to tell: I’m from Holland, so my Dutch is so much better :-)
And thanks for all the welcomes I received here, on FB and in the mails!
I'm still not feeling well but you'l get to know me better once I'm alive and kicking :-)

Hi Jennie 21st cousin once removed (since you are only 56!!). Welcome and you are a fresh breeze! Welkom jy is 'n vars windjie!

Welcome Jennie,
Glad to have you on board!

Welcome Wouter! I love working with you before, I know it will be even more exciting in the future!

Hi everyone. I am a new curator from South Africa. I speak afrikaans and English. Will help wherever I can. Am looking forward to it.

Welcome Lea!

Welcome, Lea.

Welcome, Private User

Thanks!

Glad to have you join the curators Lea.

Welcome aboard, Lea!! I'm excited to be able to work with you.