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Leasing a property in Italy is a different from the rental process you may be accustomed to in the U.S. Here’s a breakdown of key things to know: Finding an Apartment: Forget the multi-listing systems you might use in the States. In Italy, real estate agents typically focus on specific properties, not finding them for you. So, if you see 10 apartments you like, you may need to contact 10 different agencies. Agent Communication: Sending lengthy emails with desired features (hardwood floors, balcony) might not be the most effective approach. Focus on the essential details (location, size, bedrooms) in your …

Italian Telephone Phrases to Use with Friends Once one is in Italy to visit relatives or friends, and especially for business, it is important to know both the familiar and polite Italian phrases used to initiate a telephone conversation. When making a telephone call to a friend, two common greetings are used, depending on how well the friends know each other. Pronto. Sono Caterina. Ready. (for hello) I am Kathy. Pronto. Sono io! Ready. (for hello) It’s me! (lit. It is I!)   In some households in Italy, landlines are still in use. In this case, of course, one needs …

Dealing with immigration matters can be tricky, especially when it comes to your visa or residence permit in Italy. A visa is a document, usually stamped in a passport, that allows a person to enter a country for a certain period of time, while a residence permit is a document that allows a person to stay in a country for an extended period of time (for work, study, family reasons or other). If you are entering the country for tourist purposes, as long as you do not exceed the 90-day period, no visa is required. It is crucial to know …

My aunt Margaret had blue eyes, a blue dress and a pair of hairbrushes backed with blue velvet, all of which made sense because her birthstone was the sapphire for September. She lived with us in our Bronx apartment, but when she was in her early 20s in June 1953, she decided to revisit her native Italy. My aunt’s departure from a Hudson River pier is my earliest memory, occurring well before my third birthday. I remember my father cradling me in one arm and telling me to wave goodbye to his youngest sister. All I could see high up …

North America’s only full-size, fully functional antique Italian organ is located at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. Built in central Italy in the mid-18th century, this remarkable organ was discovered in Florence around 1980 by a German craftsman who specialized in restoring musical instruments. It was almost taken apart and sold as pieces of home furnishings. Fortunately, the renowned Eastman School of Music, which is part of the University of Rochester, acquired the organ and restored it to its former glory. In 2005, it was installed in the Memorial Art Gallery’s Fountain Court. Featuring 600 pipes and …

In March, my sister Rosie proudly turned 80 and, at the same time, I happened to review some of my Roseland memorabilia. I came across a great many nostalgic newspapers, letters, photos and yearbooks that have been given to me for safekeeping. What caught my eye was a couple of notebooks that St. Anthony’s Fr. Mark Krylowicz shared with me quite a few years ago. Fr. Mark has been a part of St. Anthony’s for more than 18 years and knows and honors the parish history. The notebooks he shared contain copies of St. Anthony’s newsletter, Broadcast, and the thought …

I haven’t taken a trip for genealogy purposes for some years. I used to go to Salt Lake City for one week a year to do research on microfilm, but now that those films are available on FamilySearch.org, I don’t need to spend the money to fly and stay at a hotel anymore. However, I did fly to SLC for a conference called RootsTech, which is a huge gathering of genealogists and computer tech people. Unlike conferences hosted by the Federation of Genealogical Societies or the National Genealogical Society, which are designed to link up local genealogy groups and train …

“Su” in reference to a place: Physical Position: “On” “On top of” The Italian preposition “su” means “on“ and provides a literal description of one’s physical location or movement upward. The concept is simple: if someone or something is “on” something, it is above that thing, often connected to it in some way, but usually able to be removed and repositioned. As with other prepositions, su is combined with the definite article for the noun that follows and in this case, describes what the subject is “on.” The combination means, “on the” or “on top of the.” Of course, an …

I can’t be the only Italian American who watches movies well after they’ve ended to search for Italian surnames in the credits. Do you do it, too? As the film’s countless contributors scroll by, I feel a twinge of pride every time a paesan appears among them. Often there are quite a few, holding positions ranging from best boy, stunt double and key grip to writer, producer and director. With so many Italian Americans helping to put the sparkle in Tinseltown, one has to wonder: Why does Hollywood continue to treat us so shabbily? Our enormous positive impact on the …

The Italian verb  dovere fills an essential role in everyday life, whether one is a traveler to Italy or is speaking to an acquaintance, friend, or family.  Dovere is used as a helping verb to emphasize the obligation or the need to complete an action with its meanings of “to have to,” or “to must.”  Think of how many times a day we say we “have to” or “must” do something — leave for work or school, run an errand, meet a friend we haven’t seen in a while — the permutations are endless!  Also, it is important to note …