MY SENTIMENTAL RETURN TO SOUTHERN ITALY

 I barely remember the town in which I was born. It is a little village by the name of Adami, found in the province of Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy. At the early age of three my family and I left Italy on a journey to America, hoping for a better way of living. It was May of 1967. Twelve long years passed by before we could scrape enough money to return to our native region. Until I saw Calabria, I was not sure of what to expect, my childhood memories being so vague. My mother told me how beautiful it was.

I imagined her words and how it would be, for twenty-three hours of tedious and uncomfortable travel…. ten by plane, ten by train (cramped between suitcases) and the last hour by cab from Catanzaro’s train station. Tired and dreamlike, but still anxious to look around. I can recall arriving late at night to my grandmother’s house. She was so happy to see us. My mother was exultant with joy at seeing her mother after twelve years. Tears of the most joyous moments flowed down their faces. I was too young to have remembered my grandparents when I left Italy, but their love and affection showed so vividly I felt I had never left them.

The first morning there I was awakened by the sunshine gleaming into my eyes coming from the open window. After getting dressed I reached for the door, open it, and a breeze of freshness filled my heart. My grandfather shortly came outside, hugged me, and began to talk joyfully. His memories came to life as he told me stories of when I was a little girl. As he spoke to me, I could see many tears of joy flowing from his eyes. He was happy and proud. All I could think of was to embrace him tightly and tell him how much I loved him.

I did not recall any of the stories my grandfather told me, yet, I saw myself reliving those days of many years earlier, long gone years. Later in the day I went for a walk as people gazed at me from their balconies and smiled at me with a certain enchantment. “The Americans have arrived”, they were whispering. They began opening their doors and came out, reaching out to embrace me. As they did a lot of them knew me by my name. I could not recall their faces, but I could see by their faces that they knew who I was. I felt as if they were all apart of my life, my family. And they were.

I started back to my grandfather’s house. When I arrived, the house was full of people. My mother was so happy that she had finally come home, where she had left a part of her life, a life she loves and relives in her heart every day. I had never seen her as happy as she was during those moments in all of my life.

I soon met my cousin Ida, the one my mother always talked about. I remember her telling me that she was a beautiful girl and indeed she was. Ida came up to me and embraced me. She remembered me as a little girl because she was a few years older than I. We began to talk and in that short time we grew close, feeling as though we had simply been apart from each other for years. She asked me if I wanted to walk with her to her house. So I went along as we took a short cut down a path through my father’s land. This path was very old. You could see it was made out of stone. It was very hard to walk down on it because it was very steep. When we reached the bottom of the hill, there was another path leading to her house. I noticed a mule, a barn of chickens, and the house which was right above the train station. We were soon near the door when all of sudden, the biggest turkey I had ever seen appeared right before us. It had a long skinny neck and long legs. It began to chase me. Ida tried to chase it away, but it would not go. Soon Ida’s little brother, Raffaele, came out with a huge stick, waved his hand, and the

turkey ran away. I was so relieved. I had been running from it. Both my cousins began to laugh; they told me I need not be afraid it was a harmless animal.

Later in the evening when everyone was gone, I sat with my grandmother at the kitchen table. We smiled at each other at first and as I looked at her, I saw my mother. My grandmother began to tell me stories of when I was a little girl. She said “Lina when you were a little girl you would come over to me and ask for a broom, and then you would go outside and begin to sweep and as you did you would sing and sing.” And she also told me that I always wanted to be with her. I looked at my grandmother with such a meaningful smile. She returned my love message and reached for me. And I went to her and we embraced. Shortly after we went to bed. And as I lay down, I thought to myself; Everyone has stories to tell, feelings to show, moments of yesterday to return, and people to give all their love. There was something I learned in just one day, that there was such a place where everyone cared. And I went to bed, my heart full of happiness, thinking that I was born in that certain place.

The following mid-afternoon I went on a journey of exploration, looking, feeling, seeing, touching, all of the spectacular surroundings. The village six scattered blocks of old homes, one corner store, two taverns and a church at the hilltop. The population was very small. You could see the church at the very top of the mountain. You can see from the church the other little villages around in the distance. Walking distance from one end of the town to the next. The town surrounded by forest and weaving roads. There are beautiful creeks and running water coming from the mountains to drink. There is land plenty of land where fruits and vegetables grow. A train station that will take you to the neighboring small and big towns or what we would call the city.

The people in the town lived very differently from what I have grown accustomed to. They did not have all the convenient modern commodities. My grandmother didn’t have hot water in the house or even a bathtub to bathe. In order to get warm water, she would put water into pails and take them outside where the sun could warm it. Not having the convenience of a washing machine, my grandfather had built a tub by a spring of water. I learned to wash my clothing at that spring with ice cold water by hand. Taking a big clean rock to help scrub them, the rinsing the cloth and hanging it on trees to dry. Later in the evening around six o’clock I had come to understand that the water in the whole town shuts completely. I then had to take jugs and walk about a mile where the running water from the mountains flowed filling the jugs and carrying them upon my shoulders. I thought to myself ‘Is this really happening?’ I feel as if I was back in time in a different place.’ I would then start back home thinking to myself. ‘This is a fantastic extraordinary experience!’ I’m learning so much about life, the nature and the beauty of the world. I have been brought to appreciate what I have and what I can give to others. I can’t help, but to feel beautiful inside, the atmosphere, the experiences put floating warmth inside of my heart! With is experience I can share it with others and by my knowledge they shall learn about a different culture. A restful night is a head of me.’

One beautiful morning as I awoke to birds singing, the wind feeling so warm and the sun shining bright, friends in the town asked if I would like to go to the Mediterranean Sea. Being such a gorgeous morning, I went along. We drove about one hour, driving along the mountains sharp winding weaving roads. Looking out the car window you could see the breathtaking Mediterranean Sea. I was so anxious to get out of the car that the minute we parked I ran onto the sand and just stared endlessly into the clear blue sea. Big sun umbrellas dotted the shore line. I felt as though I were in a postcard of Italy. The first thing I had to do was run into the water, as I did the taste of salt from the ocean-spray reached my

lips. As the morning became afternoon you could see everyone along the sea-shore enjoying their afternoon lunch. Shortly after we had eaten our lunch, I had gotten up to enter the water. As I did friends had warned me not to. I wondered why and they simply told me that I would soon understand. A half-hour passed by and suddenly this strong beautiful breeze came off the sea, blowing warmth through my hair. The waves became higher and higher, the gusting wind stronger and stronger. It was fascinating to see and feel. At the moment an exhilarating sensation came over me. Words to describe the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea are illusive. Soon the day was over and the night was still the beauty of the day was in my thoughts as I close my eyes to sleep.

The final day had soon arrived, the taxi cab waited outside. My mother cried and cried as she said her goodbyes to her mother and father. My grandparents were so sad at seeing us leave after being with them for a month. We soon walked out the door, the house surrounded by people it seemed as if the whole town was present. I looked at them as I did, I could see tears filled in their eyes. It brought so much warmth inside my heart I could not hold back the sensitive feelings; tears came rolling down. The people in the town came to kiss me. It was a sentimental return to the people and place where I was born. I said my last good-byes and it was time to leave I thought to myself. ‘I hate to leave all these wonderful people behind me. I love them all. They have brought so much happiness I will return one day. ‘

We waved as the cab took off, I knew someday I would return. I thought to myself as I gazed out the window. ‘I can think again of all the stories my mother had told me about Adami that appeared to be true. The people so joyous and loving. They have far more values in their ways of living. They did not have much of things, but yet had respect for one another, cared, and appreciated life to its fullest, it helped me understand a true meaning of the word love. Their love for life was far more valuable than any material thing.’