Santo Stefano

The pace of the city is slow and calm.  I can let char go free to wander the streets and go where she wishes.  The whole family can do as they please for that matter.  You can't get lost.  Within moments of entering, I feel a sense of connection that I'm sure the locals feel is strange.  I know They must think Im odd, but for Americans, we are longing for our roots.  Even Maria, my long lost relative, asks when we see eachother, "how are we related?"  Its so many generations back that it is silly to say we are related, and yet, we do look very similar.  I wonder if she sees it too.  Or is it just my hope to be connected to this place.

So many times I have thought about this odd phenomena.  How many Americans travel to find their roots.  We reach back in history as far as we can to find something, some type of connection, real or imagined to some other place besides the US.  In the US I say im Italian ( although my mother says Im Irish)  but here I can only say I'm American.  Consider the number of my students who wish to be considered American, but will never be so.  Here, I wish only to be something else, and its really something I can never be.  So I settle for saying that my ancestors are from this village and that they all travelled over on the same boat.  That is why there are none left...the name has disappeared here in Italy. but for a short time, they existed here in this small village; with its narrow streets, and beautiful ceramics.

We met a lovely couple today that said they would love to do an exchange with us, they have two children as well 17 & 21.  they have an appartment and they own a small salameria.  How cool would that be... I know somethign great will happen this summer... but is this it? will I really find a way to remain here in Italy for at least a year?  Like me she started her family early, ans like me, she wants change...she is itching for something different, and so is her husband.

Every morning, Johnny has proposed a new way to remain in Italy.  It's like he really gets my love for this place, but more importantly, there is a sense of urgency for him, that now is OUR time, he is ready.  Had you told me 10 years ago that Johnny would feel this way, I think he and I would have been surprised by this, it's a dream come true.  The reality is, life got in our way- how could we think about travelling when we were just surviving working and parenting, his job was to simply get us through the toughest part, and so, now, we are through it, we are stable, our kids are almost grown and we both have accomplished all that we can in both Santa cruz AND in our current careers... we can do all the things that everyone else did when they were in theire early 20's...