🔁 BEST OF - Discovering My Italian Roots - Part 2

Julie Rogers: 0:05

No one ever said life is easy, but I believe by giving yourself permission, you will find you have more control over your life than you realize. I'm Julie. I hope you will join me by taking responsibility for yourself, by only controlling the things you can and letting go of the things that you can't. By doing this, you will have discovered the secret to having happy, healthy and more fulfilling relationships. This is Nearest And Dearest Podcast. I'm Julie Rogers and you are listening to Season 2, Episode 9, Discovering M y Italian Roots - Part 2.

Julie Rogers: 0:48

The six of us took a fast train from Rome to Guardia. Visiting Guardia was all about family. We spent five days with Joe and Becky's familia, who live in the Calabria region, located in the toes of southern Italy. Cousin Agostino made our hotel arrangements at the Katisan Hotel and Pizzeria Bar. Guardia is located along the Tyrrhenian Sea. We were just a few blocks away from the seafront and the surrounding area is known as Guardia Marina. From the moment we arrived at the Katisan, we all felt like family. Joe and Becky had been here before years prior, but let me tell you, the warmth they gave all of us, felt more like visiting your favorite aunt and uncle, who you hadn't seen in forever.

Julie Rogers: 1:56

Amalia, one of the owners, was especially friendly and welcoming. She was always checking in with us to make sure we were happy. She greeted us every day with not just a huge smile but also a genuine hug and Italian kisses. I totally loved that, because I too give big smiles and hugs, and I absolutely felt connected with those two part kisses on the cheeks. Because we were there in early May, the summer crowds were not vacationing yet. We had the whole hotel to ourselves. The only time we saw other locals was during the late afternoon and evening hours when they would come in for meals. I have never experienced such personal attention and, above and beyond, hospitality from a hotel before. One day we all came back from visiting family and it was cold and rainy. Amalia gave Becky and I a sweater and a jacket. We really appreciated the kindness and when we tried to give them back to her before our trip ended, she let us know that they were gifts. That was so sweet of Amalia. This was when I started to realize that this quiet, tranquil sanctuary was going to capture my heart. Rome was amazing and full of wonderful sights and sounds and history, but coming down to southern Italy, meeting our friends' families, taking in the natural beauty of the sea and mountains connected me personally.

Julie Rogers: 4:05

When I discovered I was 50% Italian in 2017, through 23 And Me DNA, I felt validated. But when I found Joe, my biological father, through Ancestry DNA in 2019, I felt complete. This journey of discovering my Italian roots really began in 2017. I was purposely choosing to learn more about who I was. It wasn't until I was 51 years old before I had been able to have proof of my Italian heritage. I believe it was a gift from God when finding my biological father,

Julie Rogers: 5:07

I put together a small vision board about traveling to Italy after I read a book called The Magic by Rhonda Byrne's while I was in Mesa, Arizona, with Woody in 2020. I wanted to manifest this goal by putting this bucket list trip out into the universe. I still have it hanging in my little studio in our New York home. Now, realizing that I was going to be staying in parts of Calabria where my ancestors' roots are was even more than I could ever have hoped for. It's one thing to read about or seeing photos and videos about someone's own heritage, but to experience the culture, history and, dare I even say, the slightest possibility of finding family connections was making this once in a lifetime trip a spiritual journey. Agostino also arranged a rental car for the six of us. It was a Fiat that had two bench seats. It even had a little trunk space in the very back. Woody was the driver and he knew how to drive a five-speed.

Julie Rogers: 6:36

The weather while we were in Guardia was damp and rainy. We didn't let that stop us. Our first outing was to drive up the huge mountain where Agostino's parents, Francis and Francesco, live. We all fit snugly in the Fiat and we were making our way up and up and up to the very top of this mountain, which, by the way, is 514 meters, which, when I looked it up to see how many feet that equals, is 1685 feet. The views were absolutely spectacular. The higher up, the smaller the images down below. My ears kept popping and we were all hoping that the rain would stop soon so we could enjoy really seeing the true natural beauty all around us. The rain stopped long enough for us to take in the surroundings. The panoramic views were like nothing I have ever seen before. Between the lush green landscapes, skies and historical stone buildings, along with cobbled walkways, I felt like we were transported back in time.

Julie Rogers: 8:02

A little history about Guardia Piemontese. It was a strategic place for a watch tower as part of the coastal defense system that grew and became a town. The stone watch tower still stands today, visible from the hotel we stayed at and the beaches along the marina. The interesting history began when a group of refugees from Piedmont, who were fleeing persecution, and came to these hills for a tranquil life along with their own religious views. Freedom of religion has always been a fight since the beginning of time. Italy is no different. Imagine how hard that plight must have been. Piedmont is a region of Italy bordering France and Switzerland, sitting at the foot of the Alps. Over 1,157 kilometers or 718 miles away. That was quite a hike.

Julie Rogers: 9:19

Introductions were made when we were warmly invited inside Francis and Francesco's home. Joe was the interpreter. It was clear that the family was so very happy to see each other. It had been around eight years since they saw each other last.

Julie Rogers: 9:38

Before I left for this trip, I made a copy of my great-grandparent's family tree, just one page that listed both paternal and maternal names and date of births. From what Joe, my biological father, has told me, his grandparents were born in the Calabria region, both sets of grandparents. I thought how interesting that was to have both sets from the same area in Italy. Because I knew we were going to Guardia, I thought our friends' cousins could be familiar with the towns my great-grandparents are originally from. So on that first day we were visiting them, I asked Joe to interpret for me about those areas they're from, which are Fagnano and Malvito. Earlier I put in Google Maps if Fagnano or Malvito were within driving distance from Guardia. To my surprise, Fagnano was only 10 miles and Malvito is 20. Francesco offered to come with us the next day to show me the town. It was very generous of him to offer. I didn't expect that these areas were going to be so close by.

Julie Rogers: 11:14

Later that day back at the Katisan was another surprise. This time it was for Joe and Becky. Linda, Joe's sister, who we met in Rome, along with her husband Bob, were coming to join us for a few days in Guardia. They too wanted to spend time with their family. The surprise was that Joe and Becky's son, Anthony, who lives in Philadelphia, flew to Rome, where Linda and Bob picked him up to bring him along to surprise his parents for Mother's Day.

Julie Rogers: 11:55

The next morning we headed back up the mountain, Anthony rode with us and he sat in the very back in that little trunk space. He was a trooper and made it into a funny memory to look back on. Agostino also was going to meet us up on the mountain at his parents' home. We also got to meet his sister, Milva, who lives right next door to their parents. The ride up was foggy and misty. The windshield wipers worked but were very screechy, another part of going with the flow. But no worries, Woody did a great job with navigating through the mountain safely.

Julie Rogers: 12:51

Since Agostino was there, I showed him the copy I had with my great-grandparents' names, along with the towns. He recognized the Storino name. He offered to show us the way to Fagnano and stop at the Fagnano Castello municipality to ask for assistance in possibly finding some present-day relatives that still live in the area. Totally did not expect that to happen, so we made new plans to make this opportunity happen the next day, based on his availability, Li nda and Bob would come along as well. Her fluent Italian would assist me with talking with the staff at the municipality. It was going to be so exciting.

Julie Rogers: 13:57

Francesco wanted to take a walk with us and show us around his town. We got to go into his wine making room. It was a short walk just outside and into a separate stone building. When we approached the door, it was a weathered turquoise blue wooden door with a number 16 carved out on a small piece of stone right next to the doorway. I had that feeling that we all were going to experience something special. It was a rare chance to be invited inside an authentic Italian wine making room, not a cellar. It was clear that this room has been here forever.

Julie Rogers: 14:52

The only modern piece of equipment that I saw was a stainless steel tank that holds the wine in the fermentation process. I also saw the wooden barrel with a mechanical hand press with a wooden screen hanging just above it. There were a few shelves that held numerous glass jugs of juices, the good stuff, as my biological father,J oe, always says, that was going to become wine from local grapes. As I looked up, I noticed a real animal horn just dangling down from one of the old beams, with only some wire stopping it from falling. It was attached to a large nail head. I thought it was a little odd, but cool. I found out what the meaning was to have such a thing hanging in this room. It's called a cornicello, and it means horn that brings luck, or to protect against the evil eye or bad luck in general. It also means to promote fertility and virility.

Julie Rogers: 16:20

We continued on with our walk and thank goodness the light rain stopped, but it was still cloudy. Joe wanted to show us the home where he lived with his family until he was seven years old and the family immigrated to New York. He also took us inside the church he attended with his family. He shared some of his childhood memories and I could tell by his smile and how his eyes sparkled just how much it meant to him to show all of us. He was so proud of his Italian roots and we all were honored to experience it with him and his familia.

Julie Rogers: 17:12

Strolling along the cobblestone walkways, looking at the ancient stone buildings with various doorways, some that were untouched from the first construction, to beautiful refurbished wooden doors with golden, warm tones, along with brass, ornate knobs and flower filled balconies, you couldn't help but feel a sense of true peacefulness. There would be an occasional dog who roamed the alleys wagging his tail, and a few cats perched on top of parked cars. It all seemed to blend together in harmony. Francesco showed us his garden, not as large as it once was, but still producing fresh vegetables. This kind of lifestyle isn't for everyone. The majority of families who reside full time here are older generations. However, there are still some younger families along with their children. You have to want the simplicity, quiet surroundings, in order to make this lifestyle choice yours.

Julie Rogers: 18:39

Later that afternoon, back down at the Katisan, we were invited to visit Augustino's lovely home and meet his beautiful wife, L ucia. It was close by and the rain was keeping its distance, so we all decided to walk there. I couldn't help but notice the abundance of lemon trees everywhere. It was still spring, so there was also native flowers blooming and you could smell the freshness of the sea, so close by. Lucia embraced all of us and we were offered a few glasses of their family's homemade wine, and I chose a German beer, a light barbarian lager with a fine, hoppy note. That was delicious. We sat around their table enjoying each other's company. Linda translated an Italian passage that was proudly displayed on a wall in the dining area. It says Rules of the house - Be happy, don't complain, laugh a lot, be sincere, keep the promises, believe in yourself and to love each other. Very similar to the rules of the house wherever you call home.

Julie Rogers: 20:15

We ended this amazing day by driving along the waterfront beach and having a wonderful Italian style seafood feast. It only took a quick phone call from Agostino to let the restaurant know we were coming and the tables were set up to accommodate the nine of us. The sun had set and we all enjoyed the sounds of the sea against the rocky coastline. We walked along the boardwalk and took in the thousand lights blinking along the shoreline as well as on top of the mountain, clearly seeing Torre di Guardia, the tower, where, just a few hours ago, we all had left our footprint. The views and opinions expressed by Nearest And Dearest Podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Nearest And Dearest Podcast. Any content provided by Julie Rogers or any other authors are of their opinion. They are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything. Thank you.