A study sponsored by Expedia, recently found that America trails behind the rest of the world in work-life balance. On the metric of paid vacation, Americans typically receive 15 paid vacation days from their employers but take only 12. Across Europe, paid vacation days are an undisputed right. Spanish workers, for example. are given 30 days off and take all 30. The same is true of the Finnish and French. Italian and German workers are given 30 days of vacation and take 25 and 28 of those days, respectively. Australians also benefit from a month off. What’s worse is that Americans report checking their email several times a day while on vacation and are often on call.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel incredibly blessed and happy to be able to take such an extended break. Since I’ve been here several things have happened:
- I’ve lost weight
- My aches and pains have miraculously disappeared, including my neck and wrist pain for which I’ve been in therapy for the last 2 months
- I have more energy than ever despite drinking a lot less coffee
- I’m no longer suffering from mind fog or feeling anxious and sad
- I’m sleeping better and feel overall optimistic
- I’ve regained my confidence
- I have not gotten a single headache since I got here despite averaging one a week back home
Perhaps it’s the sunlight, the food, or the daily exercise. Perhaps it’s having time away from everything. Whatever it is, Italy is agreeing with me. I’m a little travel weary because I’ve driven and seen A LOT, but that being said, I haven’t felt this good in ages.
My husband asked me today whether I could live here. The answer is, absolutely yes. I have felt so welcome here. Strangers have helped me solve many little problems during the last few weeks and have always been ready with a smile. I love that in smaller borgos people politely greet each other on the street. It’s been nice to see children play in the piazzas and teens interacting with each other rather than just their mobile phones. I like that signage along roads is limited. I could count the number of billboards I’ve seen driving around. The countryside is gorgeous in just about every direction and public transportation is a joy to use.
I know I haven’t updated in a while. I’ve been terribly busy running around and enjoying myself. So let’s go back nine days ago to March 20th (the day Hertz decided to sell my rental). I had seen an intriguing palazzo from the 1700s with a walled garden online in Collelungo (San Venanzo) and on a whim, I drove there from Todi.
Collelungo Is Tranquility Defined
Collelungo is a fascinating little corner of the world. Collelungo is mentioned in a land registry of 1292 in the Historical Archive of Perugia as the ancient Villa collis longis under the jurisdiction of the territory of Orvieto, hence the exact name of the place: Collelungo di Orvieto. From the 13th Century onwards it was under the jurisdiction of Orvieto, of which it was an outpost that dominated the Tiber river route and the Tiber valley. In 1295 the Municipality of Orvieto borrowed the sum of 1222 florins from Monaldo Monaldeschito in order to defend itself from conflicts with neighboring Todi, Viterbo, and Arezzo.
When the war was over, the municipality was unable to pay its debt and so it sold the Assets of the Mountain (Monte Peglia) with all the neighboring lands of Melonta, Terracane, Castelvecchio, S. Venanzo, Rotecastello, Ripalvella, and Collelungo to the Monaldeschi family who then fortified. In 1394 Monaldo di Bernardo di Monaldo feudal lord of the Guelph party, annexed these assets under the protection of Pope Boniface IX. In 1816, Collelungo became part of the municipality of San Venanzo.
The medieval walls are still standing and quite impressive with their intact watchtowers. The garden of the house I was interested in includes one said tower (the one in the front of the photo) inside which is a well. Inside the walls, there is an ancient building dedicated to St. Matthias the Apostle with frescoed walls, and in the parish church, known as the sanctuary of the Madonna Della Luce, it is possible to observe a precious 15th-century fresco of the virgin attributed to Pietro di Nicola di Orvieto.
The image of the Madonna della Luce remained hidden for several centuries in the old church by a layer of plaster which miraculously fell on April 24, 1827, at 9 o’clock. during the return of a procession. At first, only the face of the Virgin emerged, but strangely, the plaster continued to fall piece by piece until the full image was revealed. From that moment onwards the legend spread and pilgrims began flocking.
When I arrived, a funeral was taking place and it was a little awkward as this is a very small place (with only 168 residents). As I’m wandering the streets taking in the peaceful surroundings, two of the townsfolk approach me and introduce themselves. They are thrilled that I might be interested in this villa, you see, as they live across from it. “We can be neighbors,” they tell me. “This is such a wonderful villa! The cellar used to be the old post office. It’s from the 1600s. Surely there are not many places like this with such a beautiful garden”–they swoon–”with the old tower and the well. Come, let us show you.” Next thing I know we are through the gate. I follow them to the old tower and marvel at the deep well. With global warming and no rain for the last 100 days, having water is very handy. After our brief tour, we spend the next forty minutes talking. They tell me how wonderful the town is, how in the summer tables are set up outside and everyone eats dinner together. They were so sweet that I considered calling the number on the for sale sign. We’d literally have the best neighbors in the world.
Before I departed we exchanged email addresses and are corresponding with each other. They tell me that the town is served by fiber internet access and that the nearby train station of Marsciano will soon reopen. During the summer months, a bar opens at the entrance of town.
At 2+ hours to Rome, Collelungo is a tad too remote for us…but it’s got peace and quiet in spades.
