Famiglia

Familia

Our arrival in Corfinio was all the buzz in the piazza. We were unfamiliar faces in the little village and we clearly didn’t know where we should park. Our attempts to ask where my cousin’s street is were met with smiles and then shrugs. Someone yelled over to a gentleman sitting on the porch of a small trattoria and he strolled over. I showed him Rosina’s name and address and he confidently strode off, gesturing that we should follow. We wound through very narrow streets, turning this way and that until he shouted to two folks sitting at the end of a lane, “Rosina, Rosina, famiglia”! I handed her my printed translated introduction of who I am and why I was there and as she read a smile broadened across her face. “Oh, Rena,” she said, “she left when she was 4 years old” and then she gave me a huge embrace and started speaking so fast in Italian that there was no way I could keep up. Her husband, Pasquale, invited us into their home, My grandfather’s family home, the home where my mother was born and lived until she was 4. Of course, a toast, to famiglia, then lots of pointing, gesturing and the naming of cousins familiar to both of us. She examined each photo in the album, quietly studying each face. I had a summary of each photo, who each person is and where they live, which she read and re-read to absorb it all. Her biggest smile and “facia bella” was for Addy RENA, Rena’s great granddaughter and namesake. At that point we toured the house, the small yard and the wine cellar, Pasquale’s pride and joy. Pasqual called some other relatives who came over to welcome us and the gesturing continued! With arrivedercie’s, mille gracie’s, and a kiss from Rosina for Rena, we parted. Rosina was reluctant to have a picture taken (just like Rena) but I did get one of her and the girls. She looks harsh in the photo and she was anything but harsh, she had a beautiful smile and her skin, oh I hope I got some of those genes!!

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So, this internet connection is very slow and if I sit here trying to upload more photos, I won't get to see anything! If I get a better connection in Rome, I'll post more then.