This past weekend my mom, aunts, and cousin came to visit and do their grand tour of Italy. They traveled first to Rome then to Florence, Verona, and Venice. The plan was for me to catch the train to Verona for one night and then travel together to Venice for the weekend.
I’ve always known that I had Italian roots, but up until now I didn’t know exactly where in Italy my family was from, how many people there were, or what they were like. Before I had come over for the semester and my mom had started to plan her visit she contacted some cousins of my grandpa who they hadn’t heard from for a few years. Turns out the majority live near Verona and they were more than happy to welcome us to their home for aperitivo.
It was really amazing (and a little overwhelming) to meet all these new people who were so extremely excited to meet us and welcome us into their home all because we were distantly related. I think it says something about Italian family values. The little bit of Italian that I knew was helpful but thankfully the younger members of my family knew English and could help translate when needed. After about two hours of trying to figure out everyones names and how exactly they fit into the family tree we had to leave. Unfortunately we were only there for one night so we had to say goodbye only hours after meeting but everyone made sure to let us know we were welcome to come back soon!
The next day we got a very quick tour of Verona from my grandpa’s cousin and her husband before we had to catch our train to Venice. After living in Rome I compare just about every Italian town to the one I know the best. Verona is much smaller but seemed to me like the Piazza Navona area of Rome with narrow roads lined with shops, hotels, and restaurants and small piazzas in between. No major traffic roads going through town. We got to see the famous house of Juliet, her balcony, and her statue (which you have to touch for good luck!)
Overall it was a really great experience that made me appreciate the fact that I am an Italian American. I would really love to spend more time there and have the chance to explore the city longer. I’m hoping that I will be able spend more time with them when I return to Verona in November! That’s all for now! Ciao ragazzi!
Location: Verona, Italy
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