My Mom passed away in 2014 and I couldn't pick any of my relatives on her side out of a lineup.. I haven't seen any of them since I was 10 years old and only talked to a couple by email once or twice.. So, pretty much no way to communicate with anyone on my mom's side as they're all in Germany..
My dad passed away in 1988 and I do have communications with one of his nieces, but have never met her as they are all in Connecticut.. I, for all intensive purposes, might as well be adopted (I'm not) as I really don't know any of my relatives or have any communication with them..
My grandfather, the German who was in the Russian gulag for 3 years who would have been SO interesting to talk to, didn't speak English and I didn't speak German, so I even though I stayed with him a couple of weeks and he stayed with us a week, I never said one word to him or vice versa that we understood.. so weird...
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..