Speaker: Sonja Irani

Areas of focus or expertise:

  • Emigration history from the north German ports of Bremen, Bremerhaven and Hamburg.
  • Emigration journeys and ancestry-inspired travel.
  • Organizing and conducting ancestry-inspired guided tours and customized travel packages as a tour guide / tour operator / travel advisor.

Email contact: sonja@myancestorsjourney.com

Web/social media: https://myancestorsjourney.com

Home: Germany

Native language: German

Presentation language(s): German, English

Preferred presentation type: virtual and in-person

Travel preferences: within Germany and from Germany to USA

Biography

As a professional tour guide and tour operator based in Bremen, northern Germany, I organize ancestry-inspired tours and tour packages in Bremen and beyond. I also hold a Master’s degree in “Tourism Destination Development” from Dalarna University, Sweden. My Master thesis was about ancestral tourism of American travelers to Germany.

In which societies are you a member? none

Speaking experience/references

IGGP 2021 virtual only: Virtual IGGP Conference 2021 (Connection Session): Presentation titled “Emigration-themed virtual tour of Bremen and Bremerhaven” I also took part in a panel with three other panelists about “How to plan a heritage trip to Germany” at the virtual IGGP conference in July 2021.

IGGP 2023 in Fort Wayne Indiana (in-person and virtual): Walk in your ancestors’ footsteps: Emigration-themed virtual tour through northern Germany

Recording of previous presentation OR an IGGP partner you have presented for: IGGP international conferences as noted.

Payment/expense arrangements

How do you approach payment for making a presentation? I do not charge any speaking fee.

Other expenses you would like to have reimbursed if you travel? Transport, hotel

Recordings/additional materials

Are you willing to prepare a handout? Yes

Would you be willing to develop a presentation on another topic? Yes

Do you have any restrictions on recording, re-use of recordings, handouts, etc? No

Are you willing to have the presentation translated or translate it yourself? I translate it myself.

Presentation topics

All of my topics are in English and for all levels (Beginners to Advanced). I am open to other suggestions for topics or can provide other topic ideas if interested. Basic topic always around travel to Germany on an ancestry-inspired trip & (emigration) history:

  • “Planning A Family Heritage Trip To Germany: All You Need To Know”
  • “Walk In Your Ancestors’ Footsteps: Discover The Best Places To Visit On Your Ancestry-Inspired Trip To Germany.”
  • “Germany in 2025: Current Travel Trends, Timeless Traditions, and How They Shape Your Ancestry-Inspired Journey”
  • “Germany Then and Now: What Every Ancestral Traveler Needs to Know Before Their First Trip”
  • “Beyond Castles and Cathedrals: Discovering Everyday Life in Your Ancestors’ Germany”
  • “Train Journeys Through Time: Navigating Germany Like Your Ancestors (and Modern-Day Locals!)”
  • “Festivals, Food, and Family Ties: Experiencing Modern Germany with a Taste of the Past”
  • “Hidden Gems in Your Ancestral Hometown: Unique Places and Experiences Beyond the Tourist Trail”
  • “The Great German Migration: Why Your Ancestors Left and What They Took with Them”
  • “Sailing to a New World: The Perils and Triumphs of German Immigrant Journeys”
  • “The Village Exodus: What Life Was Like in German Hometowns Before Emigration”
  • “Leaving the Homeland: Stories of German Emigration and the Journeys That Shaped America”
  • “Crossing Oceans and Cultures: How German Immigrants Shaped American Life”