No need to be. Try a methodical approach. Go to Guide to Tracing Family Trees, click on study guides and then the country of choice. The staff at your library or Family History Center can help. Once you're knowledgeable about the country where you want to conduct research, start surfing the Web.
Many countries also maintain a genealogy Web site.
Ethnic and special-interest sites make good resources. Use quote marks. You'll be transported to places you have never been. Donna Murray Allen welcomes your questions about genealogy and will respond to those of general interest in future columns. St. Petersburg Times.