Everything Italian

Being a Sunday, it appears to be a “lazier” Sunday than usual. Jason started his fire quite early in preparation for his Oxtail Potjie which he is making. I found myself in front of the TV, but with nothing really to watch. Flipping through my PVR, I discovered unwatched music concerts by Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli, 2 of my favorites!

As I was listening to these great musicians singing in Italian, I started reminiscing about when my love for all things Italian started. Now most of you would say ships, but in fact you would be wrong! My love for everything Italian started way back in 1990 during the soccer World Cup which was hosted in Italy. You might recall Luciano Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma with the mighty Colosseum in the background? I was instantly mesmerized. Now I must confess the Squadra Azzurri (Italian soccer team) might also have played their part. A few years later I had 2 Italians in my class at school, so that is where the Italian language lessons started! As soon as I was able to cook, I started dabbling in what I thought was Italian cuisine. When visiting Italy years later, I would finally be exposed to the REAL thing!

Fast forward to 2000 and my first contract on ships. This is where my love for everything Italian was cemented. Yes, yes, I even had the Italian boyfriend, whom insisted that he was NOT Italian, but Roman! I think Romans can relate to this. Finally I was able to immerse myself in the culture, the people, the food, the music, the lifestyle. The Italian language lessons started, first with my hands and then with the reading and parroting of my now vast number of Italian friends

Currently in the background I am listening to Antonello Venditti. There is something about his music that just transports me back to Rome and years later to Venice, to when a friend and I were wandering through a glass shop and his music came on and I stopped and started singing along. The owner was so surprised by this “foreign looking” girl who seemed to know the music. We wandered the streets looking for Spaghetti Vongole, Chianti and home made Lemoncello.

I will never forget when we had an over night in Trieste on our way to Split, Croatia and me ordering our cioccolato il cornetto and latte macchiato for breakfast. And when we got onto the wrong train heading for Venice, my friend was panicked, but I loved the adventure and somehow managed to understand the crazy conductor whom insisted we get off the train and wait for the next one. I did not care, I was in Italy after all.

Now a trip back to Italy was going to be my 40th birthday present to myself, but instead I got married, lol. Luckily for me, my husband also has a keen interest in Italy and since he has never been we will be making a trip sooner rather than later. It will be my 4th trip and I cannot wait. Because of my ship days I still have very good friends scattered all over Italy, so for me, it will be double special and extremely bitter sweet.

My first time in Rome, I was fortunate enough to experience not only Rome, but Pisa, Florence, Venice and Bari like a local. Yes, I visited all the touristy spots, but more importantly I could “live” like a local. Till this day anywhere I go, I try and immerse myself in the country and its people.

I still have my Italian phrase books and even found my “Learn to Speak Italian” cassette, which is the main reason for this post. On Facebook everyone is on about how you can learn a new language during lock-down. Now let me tell you something about learning a new language. You can learn it, but it does not mean that you are going to remember it! I was exposed to the language intensely for 4 years, thanks to the Roman, and then 2 more years whilst sailing with Italians. Unless you hear the language every single day you are not going to master it the way you want to. The different dialects for each region does not help either!

Until I buy my Italian villa for 1 Euro, I am going to endeavor to practice a couple of phrases a day, whilst cooking my Spaghetti Vongoli and drinking my Lemoncello, whilst listening to Antonello Venditti. Bella Italia, you have the worst of COVID19 and it pains me to see you experiencing it the way that you are. You will rise again.

Mi manchi tanto......Allora.....Auguri di pronta guarigione – I miss you so much, get well soon!

Until next time…….

Love, light and positive change,

Ophelia