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The bus to Pisa from Piandelagotti negotiated the tight turns down the mountainside. With every passing kilometer my parents knew there was no turning back. They stayed to themselves. My mother kept crying while my father was stoic, and my sister and I remained silent. Pisa would be the first stop. There, we would change buses to continue on the final bus leg to Genova, the Italian port city. We stayed the night in a hotel near the docks.  Early the next day, we boarded the Andrea Doria, the principal Italian, luxury ocean liner. All travel arrangements had been made …

  The 81st Venice International Film Festival took place on the Lido di Venezia from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7. As always, films from around the world were presented by a diverse lineup of filmmakers. One lesser-known program of the festival, but one very important to young filmmakers, is the Settimana Internazionale della Critica, which showcases both genre and art-house cinema made by emerging directors experimenting with their unique filmmaking styles. An important feature of the program is the presence of short films, both in and out of competition. Having that opportunity opens the door for young Italian filmmakers looking …

As the American presidential election approaches, some may wonder how the posts differ in America vs. Italy. How does the election work in Italy? What powers does the president have?  Is the position as high-profile as it is in America? While the U.S and Italian presidents share a title, their roles and powers are worlds apart, reflecting the distinct ways Italy and the United States have structured their political systems In Italy, the president of the republic is largely a ceremonial figure. Serving a seven-year term, the president is selected by an electoral college of Parliament members and regional representatives. …

Getting  Upset in Italian —  Turbato and Sconvolto Many scenarios, either real or imagined, can prompt a feeling of concern. In short, in life there are many reasons for us to get upset, and we often try to get advice or find solace by speaking with another. In Italian, there are many ways to convey the emotions we feel when we get worried and upset. Therefore, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! In our last blog in this series about how to express emotions in Italian, “Talking About Emotions,” we discussed how an …

Worry and Anxiety in Italian — La preoccupazione, L’ansia and L’ansietà.  Many scenarios, either real or imagined, can prompt a feeling of concern. In short, in life there are many reasons to worry, and we often try to get advice or find solace for our worries by speaking with another. In Italian, there are many ways to convey the emotions we feel when we get worried and upset. Therefore, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! The Italian noun that means   “the worry” or “the concern” is  la preoccupazione. If one …

Most genealogists are familiar with the term “brick wall.”  We use it to describe a situation where we think we have tried every possibility to find some piece of information but have come up empty. Sometimes, the information exists but it’s not on the internet.  You might have to go to some courthouse in South Carolina, or write to them, to get a copy or an extract of somebody’s birth record. Sometimes, the information is on the internet but you have to either pay a subscription fee, or go to a public library or FamilySearch center to use their web …

We can spend countless hours talking about our memories of Roseland because our youth there was wonderful. We can read about someone else’s life and experiences and immediately recall similar events in our lives. That’s what life in an ideal community is all about: the shared experiences. For us Roselandites, those experiences centered on the “The Ave.” The Michigan Avenue shopping area, otherwise known as “The Ave,” ran from about 110th Street south to 115th Street. All of us Roselandites remember going into the stores on “The Ave” as children when we were shopping with our parents. Another part of …

World War II reached from end to end of the Italian peninsula, leaving devastation in its wake. With the Allies’ aid and support through the Marshall Plan in 1946, structural reconstruction and governmental reform began. The monarchy was abolished by popular vote. Benito Mussolini’s death minimized the Fascist Party. America supported the democratic forces in Italy and worked to reduce the rising power of the Communist Party. Political and social dynamics began to stabilize. Italy became a democratic republic in 1946, and the people elected a president. By 1947, this new government ratified the constitution and promulgated it in 1948. …

The world lost a legendary actor in June when Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88. The New York Times called him “a Chameleon of a Movie Star” and mentioned many of the iconic characters he portrayed in an extraordinary career that spanned seven decades. Among them were a few unforgettable roles in films directed by Italians or made in Italy. In 1976, Sutherland appeared in two films by equally legendary filmmakers Federico Fellini and Bernardo Bertolucci. He portrayed the title role in “Fellini’s Casanova,” taking on the larger-than-life character Giacomo Casanova, described as “a man who never …

For many Italian Americans, the dream of returning to their ancestral homeland lingers. But tax concerns can often be a major deterrent. Those concerns might be overcome by the extension of the so-called New Inpatriate Tax Regime. Although there are some aspects that are less favorable than the previous special tax regime, the new regime applicable as of January 1, 2024, still has some interesting perks to offer. The new program is designed to attract highly skilled professionals back to Italy by offering significant tax breaks and making relocating and working in Italy a more financially attractive proposition than ever …