The Dream That is Italy: Six Days Before a 43-Day Journey

It feels strange to start a blog about my dreams and an upcoming trip to Italy just as war has broken out in Eastern Europe. Even as I type this I’m listening to the BBC Livestream about the evolving situation in Ukraine. Wars are horrific beasts with no concern for boundaries or human life. Military conflicts have a way of escalating until they become bonfires that consume everything in their wake. Watching Russians roll out mobile incinerators just as I am packing my bags made me feel an incredible sense of powerlessness. My excitement to go on my second-ever solo trip is tinged with anxiety, but I am more determined than ever to make it count.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from the last two years is that life is short. To quote Jim Morrison, “The future is uncertain and the end is always near.”

Early in 2020, my husband was laid off from his job after many years of loyal service. This blow coupled with a series of challenging family situations began a lengthy debate regarding our future and what we wanted out of life. We felt blessed to have the privilege to be able to make a life shift but had no idea what that change might look like. At 46 and 49, respectively, my husband and I became acutely aware that we weren’t getting any younger.

Eight years ago, my husband placed a magnet on the fridge in the shape of a speedometer with numbers ranging from 20-50. Beneath the number 50 in bright red letters is written the word RETIREMENT. Eight months before his 50th birthday, we are at a crossroads. Do we take the path least traveled or do we continue doing what society tells us we should? Do we choose courage or fear? The familiar or the unknown?

Almost every time we talked about doing something crazy and changing our lives, moving to Italy would inevitably come up. We often joked about buying a 1€ house and fixing it up. We daydreamed about cappuccino and dolci fueled mornings and lazy afternoons spent exploring European capitals.

Dreams aside, the reality of moving from one continent to another is not an easy decision. We have our family and friends to consider as well as our cat. Then there is our house in the Hudson Valley which we absolutely adore. On paper, Italy seems like an ideal place for early retirement. Italians don’t pay property taxes on their primary homes and have a very good (and affordable) healthcare system. Geographically speaking, Rome is a convenient hub for visiting all the places on our bucket list. A life where we don’t have to be glued to our computers also promises to be more active and healthier. Finally, Italy’s great year round weather, amazing food, and cultural richness is compelling.

Through the years we’ve visited Italy more than any other country. I first traveled there in 1990 when I was fifteen. The two-week whirlwind tour with my High School Italian Club began in Venice and ended in Naples with stops in Umbria, Tuscany, and San Marino. To this day I can recall the moment my jaw hit the floor as I looked up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. All of Italy felt like a beautiful dream I didn’t want to wake up from.

Some years later my would-be husband wound up in Milan while working for Donna Karan and had similar revelations. We had both fallen in love with Italy long before we fell for each other. In fact, one of the first international trips we took together was to the Venetian Carnival of 2002.

As we explored our Italian options during the lockdown, I came across an article that said anyone with a blood relative born in Italy after 1848 could claim Italian citizenship. I mentioned this to my husband and he became intrigued. He knew he was half Italian, but didn’t know the family history. He immediately contacted his mom who had in her possession countless family records. Within a month, they gathered a treasure trove of paperwork including marriage certificates, photos, and naturalization records. His great grandfather Salvatore Garzillo and his Hungarian wife Barbara emigrated from Campobasso via the Port of Naples and entered the US through Ellis Island. Salvatore, known to friends and family as Solly, settled in the Bronx and became a mason and electrician. One of his daughters (the little girl on the right) became my husband’s grandmother.

After sorting the paperwork, my husband contacted My Italian Family, an agency specializing in Italian citizenships based out of New Hope, PA. After reviewing his case, they concluded that he was a good candidate for citizenship. Because he is a descendant of a female ancestor, the evidence must be presented in an Italian court and the case files translated into Italian. This has added to the cost, but we’re well on our way to proving his Italian descent.

For the last two years, we’ve devoured every article and blog post both positive and negative about a potential move to Italy. In June 2020 we traveled to Frosinone and came close to buying a stunning albeit dilapidated palace. We loved the house but weren’t sold on the location. Luckily for us, we were working with a superstar real estate agent who helped us every step of the way. I cannot recommend Via Vecchia enough. If you’re thinking of buying a home in Frosinone, there is no better team than Kylie and Antonio. Love them!

As the disappointment faded, I jumped back into the house hunt. This time, I focused my efforts north of Rome in the provinces of Viterbo, Terni, and Perugia. This is an area that we’ve visited several times and which we adore. Two hours from Rome and within driving distance to the Saturnia Terme is ideal. We love historic properties and aren’t scared of a bit of work. Every single property on my list is charming in its own way.

This journey is half research and half fun. Sure, I want to find answers to the existential questions that have plagued us for the last two years, but I also just want to live a little. Travel recharges my creative batteries, and Lord knows they need a reboot.

During the next forty-three days, I’ll be trekking Lazio, Tuscany, and Umbria to figure out if Italy is for us.

Can we live there? Yes. Do we want to? Time will tell.

Thus, I invite you to tag along with me for forty-three days and share my adventures.