Tag: DNA Test Review

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same! 2018 Quick Update

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As is my pattern, I have disappeared off the face of the blogosphere for almost a year.  A few things happened that caused this including my leap into the independent contractor life, and taking a time machine back into the past.  Well not a real time machine, but definitely a figurative one.  Here are the two biggest things that have happened to me so far in 2018.

  1. I teach English.  How about you?

I mention in January that I was hired and opening up classes with VIPKID.  VIPKID is an online portal for teaching English to children in China.  At first, it was touch and go.  I only taught 17 classes the entire month of January with availability all night!  Then the flood gates opened one random Saturday night at the end of February.  I came home from a party prepared to teach a few midnight-1:00 A.M. classes to find almost all of my slots had booked from midnight to 8 in the morning!  Since then my schedule has been 98-100% full.

VIPKID Teacher Shot

I make more teaching online per hour than I did teaching public school in South Mississippi.  The prep time is under thirty minutes and it takes me roughly 45 minutes to write feedback for 8 classes.  It has been liberating to choose when and how I want to work.  I have built connection with some amazing students and got to learn about their life in China.

I plan to post in more detail about VIPKID later. Until then you can apply using my referral link: Apply for VIPKID Today!

You can also follow by weekly teaching adventures on Instagram at @teachingpineapple

My trusty classroom helper!

  1. Who says you can’t go back?

So being an independent contractor is great, but it has one big downside.  It does not provide benefits like insurance or retirement. As the year went on, and property values did not improve, I got nervous.  I began wondering what to do and how long I should tempt fate. Luckily, I had the opportunity to return to a job I loved before I became a teacher.  I have returned back to the special collection of my Baking Book Bunny days.

Making a coffee stop from job A to job B

The collection is now housed in a new facility that was completed as I submitted for my teacher’s license and went to be a school librarian.  It has been comforting and a great change of professional pace.  My teaching schedule and library schedule to not interfere with each other.  I get to be a ham and Teacher Mandy in the mornings.  Then I put on real pants and swing through awesome coffee shops like Jacked Up Coffee Bar on my way to my big girl job.

I love being around coast history and culture again.  I am also pocketing some new professional skills!

Some other bits that have happened:

*My sister was married to a great guy in October, and we celebrated all weekend in Louisiana!

Some Street Art Found in Downtown Austin

*I flew to Austin, Texas for the first time.  It is like the Portland of the south and a lot of fun.
*My hedgehog #2 Penelope passed away October 1stas well.  I miss her snuffling in her cage every night and biting her water bottle.

R.I.P. Penelope

* Started back with my own Trivia Team!

So my thirties continue to shift and change my prospective on what I want my professional life to look like.  Yes, I still want to go back to live overseas.  Yes, I still want to write. However, I am happy with my current teacher then librarian life.

What has been the biggest change for you in 2018?

 

My DNA Results are in!

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My DNA Kit

After years of wanting to give it a try, I jumped at the chance to have my DNA tested when my mother offered to order a kit for me as a Christmas present.  I chose Ancestry DNA because it is the service used by my in-laws as well as a great uncle.  Ancestry is currently running a deal where the kits are 79 dollars instead of 99.  Please be aware there is around a 8 dollar shipping cost.  Bonus:  If you are a member of Ebates you can also receive 7.5% cash back on any Ancestry product!

Anyway, I was curious to see how my genealogy research has stacked up to the realty of my own DNA.  So I would like to take this moment to walk you through the process from beginning to the reveal!

My predictions:

Before ordering the DNA kit, I thought about all my previous research.  I predicted based on my physical features and my own family research.  I predicted the following results:

  • 40% Spanish
  • 15% Croatian, German (Bavarian), and Swiss
  • 10% French
  • Less than 10% British
  • Maybe 1% Native American

I thought about this considering the distance between generations of my family story.  The Croatian, German, and Swiss all come from great great grandparents.  While I know there is French on both sides of my family they came to the US in the early 1700s.  The Spanish was consistent through generations of my father’s family.  Plus I have very Spanish features.  (It has made my travels in Spain an easy going experience because I am never mistaken as a tourist!)

The PRocess:

Ordering a kit is a simple process where you create an Ancestry account, and place the order with payment.  It took less than a week or a small box to arrive. (Photographed above.)  It is the size of a small VHS box, and fits easily into the mailbox.  The kit includes two tubes, a prepaid mailer box, and clear instructions on how to complete the test.

You cannot eat, drink, or chew gum up to thirty minutes before collecting saliva.  You have to spit into the clear tube.  (They claim its only 1/4 of a teaspoon, but I had difficulty getting the tube filled!)  You then place the blue tube on top and shake in the blue stabilizing fluid. This step preserves the DNA.  Make sure to register your kit before sending in your results!

There is no need to go to the post office desk.  You can drop it in the mailbox since it is pre-paid.  I ordered the kit on November 5th, received my kit on November 10th, sent it out the next day.   My results arrived on November 23rd.  The whole process took 19 days!  Ancestry does say give 4-6 weeks for processing.  

My Results:

I was very surprised with my results.  I did not anticipate so much of my DNA to be from Great Britain!  It also showed way less Spanish ancestry than I expected.  There was also very little western Europe countries like France, Germany, and Switzerland.  It was amazing to see how my research has been off.  However, on further thought some makes sense when considering migration patterns and the history of these countries.

About 16% of my DNA is a prediction.  These are markers that are further in m family’s past.  Therefore, it is less accurate or trackable.  The amount of Middle Eastern, and central Asian is expected when considering that both Croatian and Spain have been under control of eastern countries.

My main DNA results!

Estimated DNA results!

 

My Thoughts:

Although my results were surprising for me, it was such a easy and interesting experience.  I would recommend the Ancestry DNA tests due to how easy it is to complete and receive results.  The whole process is sent through e-mail, and updates come in frequently from Ancestry.  You also have the option to link your DNA with other people in order to see possible matches.  (This can be waived if you would like your results to remain private.)  My great uncle showed as my first match, and I see this as a good sign of consistency within the test.

Ancestry uses genetic markers collected all over the world in order to predict your DNA.  Some of these are guesses depending.  Keep in mind that your family may be from other places, and migrated around.  (For example: think of the Irish who left Ireland during the potato famine.)  Also, other relatives are only part of your story.  A uncle only gives you a small portion of possible DNA results.

I look forward to using these results to guide further research by looking more carefully at last names and further into records.