Hello - Please Introduce yourself here

Continuing from this Discussion: https://www.geni.com/discussions/160522?msg=1107045

Private User said: Hello - I am a volunteer curator, My focus is on South Africa. To read more about the curator program see the Geni Community Wiki: Curators -- and how YOU can help

My day job is Industrial Design and have worked in the product development field since 1989- first at various design consultancies and currently as a independent consultant.

My interest in ancestry began after my first daughter was born in December 1998. I bought some software and began building my family tree from a typewritten document my mother had received from one of her cousins. That interest has grown to the point that it has become a hobby that consumes more of my spare time than any of my other interests, which include: Politics, History, Art, Motor racing, and Sailing- (yachts and models).

I joined Geni in May 2008. I believe Geni is the best platform for my genealogical research because I enjoy collaborating with like minded people in order to discover our common ancestors and roots. Without that collaboration no tree can grow to its full potential.
This to me is what Geni is all about, and I love working on a shared or “big tree” and having a platform to share my discoveries with my extended family and other genealogical researchers. They are the only ones who can imagine the passion, the determination and the great exultation that we experience when achieving a breakthrough.
I love the fact that genealogical research brings history alive. It is the link between us living now with all that has happened in the past.

I moved to Port Elizabeth from Johannesburg in December 2011 to escape the rat race and have joined The East Cape branch of Genealogical Society of South Africa.

My main genealogical research interests are far reaching. I am interested in the early arrivals in the Cape including researching aspects of the Slave trade especially the history those originating from Madagascar. I am interested in the Anglo Boer war, especially the research of the prisoner of war camps overseas particularly in St Helena and Ceylon. I am interested in the early pioneers in Kimberley and Johannesburg. I am interested in researching the Gold rush to Pilgrims Rest and particularly the minting of the Veldpond during the Anglo Boer war.

The names I am researching are:
Paternal: PENALUNA from Cornwall, England, with ancestors in Redruth, Crowan and surrounding area. GRAHAM from Nova Scotia, Canada and Warrenton, South Africa. VAN DER KEMP from Cape Town and Uitenhage, South Africa
Maternal: WALSH from Bloemhof and before that Astley Moss, Lancashire, England. MEYER from Bloemhof, South Africa. QUIN from Ireland and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. KOTZE from Colesburg, South Africa

Some of my other skills are Graphic design, Web design, Photo editing, Cartooning.

Patricia Ann Blacklaws said Hello all - my name is Patricia Blacklaws and I live in the gorgeous little town of Montagu. I am a mom of 3 teenage boys Dylan (18), Nathan (16) and Joshua (13). Much like Donavan, my interest in genealogy also started with the birth of my eldest child.
We had decided that we didn't want to name him after any of the grandparents, that way we wouldn't offend anyone - and so he came to be called Dylan, but little did I know that when I would write up just his grandparents on both sides in his little "My Baby Book" we would notice how many William's there were on both sides of the family and so it came to pass that his brother, got to be Nathan William and because I liked the sound of Joshua Thomas (my mother-in-law's maiden name) - another "continuation" of a name. I do hope that Dylan won't, one day, be cross with me for not giving him a family name!!
In the meantime I have gone back generations on both sides of my and my husband's family - I've been fortunate enough to meet (until recently unknown) 2nd cousins and even my late granddad's sister-in-law (she is the ripe old age of 89!!!!) - I have made incredible friends who share the passion for those gone before us!! I look forward to smashing my brick wall - the challenge is on!!!
Long may this journey continue.
I am having nothing but fun, fun, fun.
Thanks for the invite!!
Warm regards Patricia

Some of the names I am researching. NUTT, LINEKER, BUTLER, WEEBER (on "my" side) and BLACKLAWS, THOMAS, BROWNING (on my husband's side)

Private User said Hi guys,

My name is Anastassia-Valeska van Gavin. My name was chosen by my mother from a Russian dictionary. My father didn't object, at all, as his mother's name was Anna.

My surname is a "double-barrel" creation. My maiden surname is van Zyl and my ex-wife's surname was Gavin, so we combined the two.

I only joined Geni.com the other day when I realised that technology could actually answer the thousands of questions that I have regarding my family. I never knew my grandparents on my father's side and my dad passed when I was very young.

Now, I fear I may be hooked on the tons of information that I can actually absorb from simply doing my own research on genealogy. I've always had an extreme interest in history and this is probably the best thing since the invention of Wikipedia.

I have lived in The Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal. I used to be in advertising in Johannesburg but decided that the occupation takes up too much of my life and that it has pulled the fun out of art. Now, I am beyond happy with my life as I have more free time, I get to see the ocean every day and I can pursue my other hobbies and interests - which include art, history, theatre, ballet and now genealogical research.

I am currently researching general VAN ZYL, IMMELMAN, CLOETE and ELLIS. I am interested in Concentration Camps from the Anglo Boer War as well as Concentration Camps throughout WWII. I am also interested in The South African Border War.