Italy

Wish. Dream. Plan. Repeat.

April 3, 2014

Sometimes you make a wish in a moment, that builds into a dream. Which then turns into a plan of action. And then becomes an achievement.

Some of the Backstory

Growing up my part of my summers where spent with my Dad. He lived in Alameda, California in a condominium with my step-mom and three step-siblings. The San Francisco bay and skyline where the backdrop. I lived in small town, rural Utah in a trailer (mobile home) with my Mom and step-dad and three younger brothers. Going to town was a 15 minute drive and the city was 3 hours away. The backdrop of my life was mountains and sagebrush.

I thought my Dad’s life was glamorous. My Dad wore suits, slacks and dress shirts with ties, and golfing clothes. I rarely saw him in jeans. He worked in the city. My step-mom was Italian and fashionable, always had her “face” on including lipstick. She smoked and left behind cigarettes with red rings around the ends in the ashtray. My step-sisters (one older than me and one my age) tanned easily and had beautiful olive skin. I wanted to be like them, cultured and tan. Living in the big city.

I was (am) fair skinned, burn easily, and really don’t have a heritage that I can say I am __________. I am a bit Dutch, English, Irish, pretty much a little bit of everything Northern European. I always wanted to say Swedish, that sounded glamorous.

My Utah life included walking to the school bus and living on a dirt road. All the grown men in my life wore Levi’s and either drove truck or farmed for a living. Family vacations were camping and fishing. Playing with my little brothers was Tonka trucks and dirt. We pulled weeds, feed rabbits, and hung our clothes out on the line. Our big chore for the week was washing and detailing my step-dad truck. I always was in charge of making the bed in the sleeper and this was way before the nice walk-in sleeper that diesels have today.

My life was wonderful. Simple and mostly happy. We didn’t have a lot and there were times we went without. We had a good family. My step-dad always worked hard and my Mom was always there cooking and sewing (she made most of our clothes) and making a good home for us. I went to a very small school and was on the drill team all through high school. Small town life has a lot of wonderful qualities.

Then once a year we would drive to Salt Lake City and I would get on an airplane all by myself (from age 6 to 17). I would fly off to the city. To California. To my Daddy. To life in a condominium and dress up clothes. Fashionable, Italian step-mom and sisters. And I would try to fit in.

My Dad adored me. My step-family was a bit cautious of me. Here I was this hick child from Utah that stole all my Dad’s attention for a few weeks. We all tried to make the most of it. I remember hearing rock and roll, Led Zepplin, for kind of the first time. My sisters had a stereo in their room! We would go to San Francisco, Great Adventure (amusement park) and a take mini-vacations in Napa Valley while I was there. I would go golfing with my Dad and try to drive the golf cart. I would compare my fair skin to my sisters beautifully tanned skin when we went to the pool.

It was fun. It was surreal. It was not my normal life.

Enter the first wish

My step-mom’s family was Italian and Portuguese. Loud, amazing, fun. Languages and laughter and lots of air kisses and hugs. Flying hands and gesturing, I loved it.

I remember a family dinner, I was probably 10ish. Sitting there in my Dad’s stylish condominium with the oh-so-fashionable 70’s decor. (I still remember some of the art on the walls and the burnt-orange velvet chairs) I had a way as a child to put myself in the middle of adult conversations. And I remember sitting in the middle of everyone, probably next to my Dad.

Then a cousin or aunt started showing slides of their recent trip to Italy. I was in awe.

Someday I will go there. Wish made.

That wish turned to a dream. For years I said, if I could travel to only one country in my lifetime it would be Italy. Years.

I tried to learn Italian on my own several times. But with no real plans to go to Italy or anyone to practice with, I never got very far on that journey.

Two years ago, my Dad passed away suddenly. Eight days between his cancer diagnosis and the day he left me.

I got a little bit of money and decided this is my chance to finally go to Italy.

Plans were made.

Dream fulfilled. Amazing fulfillment, trip of a lifetime. New friends made and new dreams birthed.

Italy is now the ongoing dream

Going to Italy birthed more, bigger dreams.

More plans are being made. Big plans. I am currently starting to make plans with one of my new Italian friends to coordinate a tour to Umbria, next Spring (2015). I can’t even put into words how much this means to me.

And it fits perfectly into my other BIG dream. I live in Italy for 3 months the Spring of 2015. It’s really going to happen. 🙂 My plan is to live and experience Italian life for real. Real daily life. I will be taking my business on the road with me and instead of working from my Utah home office I will work from Italian home office.

This dream makes my heart soar. Dream do come true.

Make a wish. Cultivate it into a dream and a passion. Make a plan. And the LIVE IT!

I have another big wish, dream fulfilled but I will save that for another post.

Sto Imparando Italiano

October 8, 2013

I am learning Italian. Still. Hopefully always. It takes a lot to get a new language into a old lady mind. A mind that is full of multiple to-do lists and constantly multitasking. My brain is already full ya’ll.

But I love this language. It’s so beautiful and magical. When I return to Italy I want to do better with my Italian. I’m sorry to say that there where a few times that I was reduced to pointing at a slice of pizza at simply saying “questa” (this). I did all right when someone spoke a bit of English to go with my bit of Italian.

I need more words. More verbs. More Italy.

It’s always good to travel to Italy with an Italian instructor who is Italian. The group portion of my trip was lead by my friend and Italian professoressa Giuliana. Our first day in Roma, three of us went into a bar (don’t worry, that is what they call a coffee shop). As we ordered coffees Giuliana told the cute, young barista that Laura and I were her students. Then she instructed us to talk to him and walked away. Ha! He was sweet and patient, even coaching us along at times. When Giuliana returned he told her what he knew about Laura and I. It was an on the street pop quiz and we did OK.

The Italian people are so kind and they love it when you are trying to learn their bella lingua. One hundred percent of the Italians I met where more than happy to help me say things correctly and coach me along.

I would tell them “Parlo un po ‘italiano, ma non molto bene” (I speak a little Italian, but not very well) and then it seemed very thing I said correctly was met with a “Brava!” Or a gentle correction. It really was a blast.

I want more!

When I was in Florence, the owner of the hotel I stayed at (the amazing Davanazti Hotel) would giggle at me a bit but then tell me I was doing well with my Italian. He said that most people didn’t bother to learn words like “Abbastanza” (enough) and “Pomeriggio” (afternoon).

He also told me I should find an Italian husband, which now that I’m back in the United States I think maybe I should.

I recently shared some of the ways I’m trying to get more Italian language into my life and my brain on the Italian Club of Salt Lake’s blog. You can read the whole post here. But here are the bullet points in case you want to get some bella lingua in your life.

Listening in the car – I commute each day to work about 35 minutes and listening to an Italian lesson or podcast in the car makes the drive more fun and the traffic less stressful.

Pimsleur – I’ve checked the CD’s out at the library and purchased some sections through Audible.com to have on my phone.

30 Minute Italian Podcast – I just recently found this podcast and I’m trying to catch up. I love Cher’s fun style.

Let’s Speak Italian Podcast – this is the first podcast I ever listened too, it’s great and short and gives you some great vocab practice.

Apps and Online – I’m always attached to a computer or my iPhone so I love things I can do for a few minutes several times a day.

Memrise – is available both online and has an app for iPhone and Android. And it’s FREE! This is my favorite right now.

Google Translate – I’ve been told not to rely on this because it’s not always accurate, but I use it often to check short phrases or look up a word. Both online and as an App.

WordReference – I just found this one and I haven’t used it much yet. You can search for a word in English or Italian and most words listen to the pronunciation.

Movies – If you have Netflix there are a lot of movies you can watch with and without subtitles. Here’s a few to start your list

Cinema Paradiso

Life is Beautiful

Marlena

Marriage Italian Style

YouTube – Oh YouTube you are such a fun way to waste time. But if you watch things in Italian you can call it learning.

Cartoons – watch something fun and that you are already familiar with like, Winnie the Pooh. Search for something your children watch(ed) or something from your childhood in Italian.

Music – There is a lot of Italian music available for every musical taste. Try this one (wow, can you believe the voices on those young men?!?!) or this one (just a fun summer song).

Lessons – There are also many Italian lessons available on YouTube, just do a quick search and you’re sure to find something that will help with your listening and pronunciation skills.

If a new Fiat really came with an Italian family I would rush right out and buy one. Wouldn’t that be cool to have them in the backseat!!

The Day We Went to Spoleto…Part 2

September 5, 2013

Just to catch you up…we arrived in Spoleto on Day 3. Part 1 here

Charming hotel – check
Wonderful lunch – check

After lunch we met Daniella at the Duomo (cathedral) for a brief meet and greet.

Two things we learned about Daniella right away: she has an adorable baby, Malitde, and she knows her Umbrian history!

Giuliana & Matilde
photo by: Laura

Sitting on the porch of the Duomo. We chatted about options for our free day and Daniella told us where we would be visiting over the next several days. We were all very excited about our next day learning about Spoleto’s history.

We said Ciao to Daniella until the next morning.

What’s next? Rest or discover the Ponte delle Torri? A few of us chose to discover!! As tired and achy as I was I just couldn’t stop to rest yet.

From Wikipedia:
Ponte delle Torri, a striking 13th-century aqueduct, possibly on Roman foundations: whether it was first built by the Romans is a point on which scholarly opinion is divided.

I don’t know about scholarly opinon, but what I do know for certain is it’s bellisimo!

The view is absolutely breathtaking. The walk to the Ponte delle Torri takes you around the base of the Rocca Albornoziana, which is a stunning castle/fortress on the top of the hill. (more on the Rocca soon)

We didn’t cross the Ponte today since we were just killing time between amazing meals. (click photos to see larger size)

Before we went off to dinner, Alfredo and Patrizia hosted happy hour for us at the hotel. (they are such amazing people.) Prosecco (my new favorite drink) and appetizers made from all local foods.

And yes we are back to food again. Our dinner was served family style, course after course.

More of those yummy Umbrian potatoes. I think I could have lived on potatoes…oh wait, no I couldn’t because everything was so good.

And dinner was concluded with an espresso and biscotti. And yes a tired traveler can go to sleep and sleep well even after a late espresso.

Well fed, happy, tired. A short walk back to our hotel through the lovely, cobble-stoned streets in a soft rain and we all head off to bed. Buonanotte!

The Day We Went to Spoleto…

August 27, 2013

…and back to the story of my trip to Italy. We last left our heroine (me) in Rome after a busy day seeing Vatican City and a walking tour of piazzas.

Day 3 we said goodbye to bella Roma (beautiful Rome).

First glimpse of The Rocca which sits at the top of the hill in Spoleto.

And in Spoleto I fell in love. In love with Spoleto…don’t get excited. The closest I got to romance in Spoleto was a sweet, old man asking me to have coffee with him and telling me I was beautiful. I stumbled around with my Italian to tell him I was waiting for friends. I remember him turning around and waving goodbye to me again as he walked up the street. I should have had a coffee with the cute little man.

This medieval hill town is beyond all my Italian dreams and more beautiful that I can describe. I am making plans to live in Spoleto for 3 months in 2015.

First stop, our hotel the Palazzo Dragoni in the heart of the historic center of town. Palazzo means small palace and the palazzo dates back to the 1500 and parts of the building are built on ancient ruins. The views from every window are amazing. I’m pretty sure my room was the maid’s quarters, tucked away from the heart of the hotel. But I loved it. It was quiet and quaint and so old world Italian. And it was cozy and comfortable.

I could gaze out of my bathroom windows for hours. Seriously, the view from my bathroom!

Old world Italian charm. Some of the details of my room.

The curtains in my bedroom.

The view from the bedroom, past the curtains.

Once we settled into our rooms we were off to a fabulous Umbrian lunch feast.

Appetizer Sampler. It was a meal really! Just looking at this picture I melt into the memory of all those flavors. My first time having cantaloupe and prosciutto, thought it would be weird (fruit and cold cuts?!?!?)…not weird, so yummy! Umbria has a big farm to table outlook on food and everything was fresh and local.

More feasting on Umbrian fresh grilled vegetables. I don’t know what they do to the potatoes in Italy, but they are AH-MAZING!!! They are better than Idaho spuds…hands down!

Me and Laura at lunch.

Some pictures from our first stroll around town.

I guess I should finish the rest of the day in another post. Up next…our walk up to the Ponte delle Torri. If you’d like to read more about Spoleto check out Wikipedia, or just wait I’ll be back soon with more.

My Love Affair with….

July 23, 2013

Clouds. Well really all things sky.

I love clouds. I love the sun. The moon. The stars.

I will stop everything to watch the sunset. And if I can’t stop I’ll do a drive by photo.

drive by sunset

I adore the way the sky meets the tops of the mountains. The horizon. A city skyline.

I love the sky meets clouds meets mountain…makes my soul sigh.

I am enamored by the sun peeking through the clouds. A contrail of a plane leaving it’s mark on the sky.

Last night while snapping a shot of the sunsetting and the magnificent pink colors I realized I only saw one Italian sunset.

Last night’s sunset from my patio…no filter, no edit.

Why? Because we were always eating and dinners lasted 3 hours. Next trip, I need more sunsets. Maybe more dinners out on the terrace.

Florence Sunset – take me back there…….

Oh and yes I will be returning to Italy.

And in Italy….I love crosses in the sky.

Clouds make me happy. Even rain clouds. Here in Utah the evening after a storm usually means an incredible sunset.

And the sun always peeks back through.

Here’s a little more cloud love for you…Cloudy with a Chance of Joy

Intending on Italy

July 18, 2013

Intention: I will LIVE in Spoleto, Italy for 3 months the Spring of 2015.

This will be a few months after I turn 50. Everyone seems to find something big to do when they hit the big 5-0. Jump out of a plane. Learn a new skill. Have a big party. Go on a cruise. I’ve heard of lots of different celebrations.

But what do I want most? I want to live in Italy for a substantial amount of time that I can be a local. That I can really work on my Italian. Experience everyday life in Italy.

I want to BE Italian. (I have searched and searched and so far I have not discovered one ounce of Italian blood in my heritage…which honestly, disappoints me.)

I’m essentially a small town girl, having grown up in rural Utah. And the medieval town of Spoleto really spoke to my soul when I was there this year. I kept thinking, I could live here. (I also thought that about Assisi) I’m also drawn to the fact that big city culture (Rome and Florence) are a short train ride away and could go whenever I choose.

But how does a non-rich girl get herself to be able live in Italy for 3 months while maintaining her home in Utah at the same time?? I’m not wealthy. I struggle to pay the bills and have a little spending money each month just like everyone else I know.

I don’t have the answers to the how’s yet. But I am certain things will fall into place to make it so. I can take Design by Thauna anywhere in the world and for 3 months I will work from Italy.

Working with a view like this would be a dream come true!

And someday I will hike to the top of that scared mountain.

I did make it across the aqueduct and a bit up the mountain this year.

I want to be close enough to hear the church bells.

Next time in Spoleto, I will be ready for her hills and stairs leading to stairs of shortcuts. Which means getting in better shape. I want to hike to the top of the scared mountain and see the scared forest and the convent. I want to make a daily trek around the base of the Rocca and cross the Ponte delle Torr many times. On the way to the Ponte delle Torr, there is a little cafe with the most magnificent view. I will stop there for un caffe or una birra often. Sit. Enjoy. Count my blessings.

Blogging about my days in Spoleto is coming, I promise. And then maybe you will understand why I need to go back. Alla prossima volta (until next time).

Italy

Some of the Backstory

Enter the first wish

Someday I will go there. Wish made.

Italy is now the ongoing dream

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