Discovering My Italian Roots

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 .

Agostino's Home and Italian Seafood

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 .