I got to do this summer what all Italian Americans dream of. I visited Italy and met for the first time, my Italian relatives. I have talked about this on our blog and the podcast and detail the trip in my forthcoming book 40 Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia – but nothing can explain these moments like a video. So the video above is a glimpse into the few days that we spent with relatives in Sortino, Sicily.
You’ll notice in the video how everyone is so happy and excited. You’ll also notice how everything is simple. We ate outdoors most nights, and often picked food from the gardens and trees.
This entire trip opened my eyes to a whole other side of my Italian American experience — the Italian side; and now I can dig deeper into that side as I get to know my newfound relatives.
Please share your thoughts on my video or your experiences with your Italian relatives.
You can check out my book Forty Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia here.
Anthony Fasano
Co-host of The Italian American Podcast
Author of Forty Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia
Buongiorno Anthony, Thank you for sharing that video. I loved seeing you and your family and most especially, hearing you all speak our beautiful language. Even without understanding everything, I can still pick up quite a bit from my childhood, spending those Sundays at grandma when the adults were in the kitchen and garden, and the cousins were in the other room at their own table, laughing and feeling safe and loved. Ciao, Dora
Thanks so much Dora — I always enjoy hearing your thoughts! Ciao Ciao.
This is heartwarming; my family too! Wow–thank you for this. I heard her speak of Rosanna–are they speaking of my sister Roseanne, who visited some years ago? Grazie mille!
Yes they were trying to understand how I found them and we were talking about how it was through Roseanne. I was trying to say in Italian that Roseanne found you and connected us 🙂
I just saw this video! Yes, she is referring to me. Wow. Also, “sfoglia” is a leaf–remember sfogliatelle, the delicious pastries?; ‘mpanata (impanata in Italian) is a half-moon pastry-pie, from the Spanish “empanada”, which are much smaller, individual-size meat pies. They can be filled with various items. Grandma Rose (your great-grandmother) used to make some with broccoli, onions, and tuna, if I remember correctly. Thanks for sharing this video. I loved it. Who is the cousin who everyone says I look like?
Yes I have hours of more footage like this. Who is the one they say you look like?
I think it was Francy Pagliaro that your mother says I look like. How is she related to us?
Francy is Nunzia’s daughter, and you and Nunzia share the same great-grandmother – Margherita.
I didn’t meet Francy when I was there in 2009. Nunzia’s grandmother Alfia and my grandmother Rosina were sisters.
Exactly so you and Nunzia have the same great great-grandmother – Margherita – and I visited Margherita’s grave when I was there.
Margherita was our great-grandmother (your great-great-grandmother)! You probably saw the photo with her husband Serafino Blancato–your grandfather Sal’s namesake. I can’t wait to read your book!
What a great video! I also will visit my relatives for the first time in April of 2018. What a blessing!!
Thank you for sharing, Ciao, Donna
You’re welcome Donna, you are going to have a blast 🙂
Thanks for sharing the video. It makes me appreciate the five weeks I spent in Italy last Sept – Oct. visiting cousins and an aunt that I met for the first time in 68 yrs. I came to this country when I was 8 yrs. old and even though I have spent well over 60 years here in the US there is something deep inside that keeps pulling me to Italy. Last fall I got to relive my boyhood wandering around and savoring all that my hometown of Gaeta has to offer. Ciao, Lino
Lino thank you — I know that something inside that pulls you home, it’s a strong feeling. Thanks for explaining it! Ciao Ciao.
Great video Anthony. Me and my wife took a trip to Italy for our 25th anniversary. We did the usual touristy stuff but on the last day we hired a driver and took a trip to Colli in Monte San Giovanni. My great grandfather was from this hamlet and I figured it would be criminal if I didn’t visit since it was only a little more than an hour from Rome. Our plan was just to drive there, check out the town and maybe, just maybe get a little information on my family. We had our driver (Giorgio) once before during our vacation so we were quite comfortable with him. On the way there I looked up Tomassi in the local online phone book and there were a few listed. I told Giorgio and he actually suggested we knock on doors to see if we could find family. A long shot but worth a try. Well, we hit the jackpot. The second door we knocked on ended up being the home of my great grandfather’s nephew Bernardino. I had a picture of my ggf in 1958 when he visited Italy for the first time in 50 years. Bernardino saw the picture and immediately says “That’s my Uncle Biagio. He visited here in 1958 with his wife Emanuela. That picture was taken right here in my house.” I was blown away! Good thing Giorgio spoke English and could translate for us. We went inside and was greeted with wine, meats, cheeses and all the usual Italian awesomeness. After a few phone calls Bernardino’s two cousins arrived with a whole slew of family members. We went from there to his cousin’s for dinner, took a trip to the family cemetery where my 2x great grandparents were buried. It was a genealogist’s dream. I filled so many holes on my family tree. They also took us to the family church so we could see the font where my ggf was baptized. A 6 hour day trip ended up being an amazing 12 hour experience of a lifetime. We can’t wait to go back.
Awesome Rob..I got goosebumps reading this. This is why every Italian American needs to visit their ancestral village, no matter what! Such an amazing story….just imagine if you didn’t make that one hour ride…