Christina-en France!: Italian Roots

I'm home! The last couple months in Europe were amazing! So amazing, I didn't have time to write any blogs. So to catch you up, I'll start from my last few days in Italy with Mom and Aunt Mary in mid April.

During the winter break in February, I was blessed to be able to trace my roots on Dad’s side back to Ballyhooly, Ireland. For this spring break, I had the chance to trace my roots on Mom’s side to Cellara (Nanni’s side) and Domenico (Nonno’s side), Italy. We stayed with family, who I met for the first time, and even got to see the houses where Nanni and Nonno lived growing up. Here’s a summary of our four days in Calabria, Italy!

"Tracing my roots"
I took this at my cousin's farm in Cellara, Italy

After seeing Breanne off, Aunt Mary, Mom and I took the 6-hour train from Rome to Cosenza, Calabria. We had a bit of an “event” while leaving. After asking some woman for help finding our cart, Aunt Mary caught one of them with her hand in her purse. She was not impressed (can’t blame her). The women left empty handed and we had a nice train-ride after that.

I even learned some Italian on the way. Up to that point, this was the extent of my Italian:

1. Nonno = Grandpa

2. Nonna = Grandma

3. Manga = Eat!

4. Stai zitto = Be quiet! (I talked too much at the table)

5. Oggi, fa caldo. = Today, it’s hot. (not useful during our stay)

6. Oova = grapes

So when I met my only Italian-speaking family, I was able to tell them “eat grapes.” Good start.

We arrived in Cosenza, then headed to Assunta and Pepe’s farmhouse in Cellara. Assunta is Nanni’s first cousin. They were really close friends when they were little. She is honestly one of the kindest women I know.

And what’s the first thing Italian’s do when they get together? Eat! MANGIATE! The whole family was there to greet us and have supper with us at 10 PM that night.

From left to right:
Sebastiana, Maria-Grazia, Jean-Pierre, Gioseppe, Pepe, Rose (Mom), Aunt Mary, Christina, Maria-Francesca, Assunta

Assunta and Pepe live in this beautiful, over 200 year old farmhouse. It’s enormous, but over half of it is closed off now.

Worn stairs up to the bedroom where Mom and I stayed

The "Romeo and Juliette" balcony and the original door

Part of the side of the enormous house

The house is heated by a woodstove. Pepe and Assunta “live off the land”, with their vegetable gardens and sheep and goats. Pepe does the barn chores each morning, even being in his 70s. Until a few years ago, Assunta would make cheese from her goat’s milk.

The water they use for irrigation
...and to house the grandkid's goldfish

We learned some cool skills. Like how to do laundry outdoors…

…how to “tend to the sheep”…

…and how to defend oneself from being over-fed.

“Basta !!” or “Enough!” was an important word added to my Italian vocabulary. Typical meals included lots of courses. We'd start with pasta, have some salads, lots of "sizitza" (a meat), bread, sometimes rice, more pasta, chicken, pasta. pasta. PASTA. and finish with salad. so you can fool yourself into thinking you just had a light meal.

Most of our 3 day stay at Assunta’s was spent visiting and eating. We went for supper at Sebastiana's. Maria-Francesca taught mom how to play Wi.

Mom's getting pretty good

Love this picture

Antonella took us for a drive to show us the town.

Skinny Italian streets

I think they said this building was 800 years old?

One of my favourite parts was definitely going to see the house were Mom was born. Everyone lived there at one point, Nanni and Nonno, Zia Gina and Zio Ray, Uncle Roger, and my great grandparents (who I never got to meet). The house is abandoned now. It’s called “Riposa” or place of rest.

The plants have taken over now

Back home

I learned a lot about my family history and plan on putting together a more detailed family tree this summer. Assunta showed us some old photos, some of which I have never seen before.

Laura Soda, my great-grandma

Laura's sister, Teresa Soda, with 2 of her 6 children

Assunta and Pepe's wedding photo

Signing the wedding papers;
their landlord (the "rich man in town") was the sponsor

Amazing picture,
forth and fifth in from the left: Zia Gina and Zio Ray
eighth in: Nonno!

I’m going to miss Assunta and her family lots. She reminded me so much of Nanni. I can’t wait to go back and visit them again some day.

We left Cellara for the town of Domanica, where Nonno grew up. While I was here, I learned that Nonno had a baby sister that died before she was 1 year old, as well as a brother (Emilio) who passed away in a motorcycle accident at 28 years old.

Emilio Pasqua
26 07 1941 - 10 06 1969

We stayed with his wife, Giovanna. She has 3 daughters and 3 grandsons. The girls are named Rosetta, Maria and Lucia. [Side-note: Mom and her siblings are named Rosetta, Maria and Gioseppe or 'Joe'...Italian's aren't that creative with names] Guess what was the first thing we did upon arriving at her place?

I wasn’t expecting to do this, but we ended up going to the house where Nonno grew up! As a child, he lived in the ruins of a castle, but it’s not as awesome as you’d think. The damp, dark living conditions were probably why he lost his sister at such a young age. But eventually his family made enough money to buy this white house on the top of the hill near the church.