5^ Sagra Della Castagna – Carpanzano (CS)

It’s that time of year again, the castagne are in abundance and Carpanzano is holding its annual Sagra della Castagna this weekend.

In it’s 5th year, the festival will include a food market, games, music and of course lots and lots of castagne.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy castagne?

Guest Blog Post: The First Five Things I Did in Italy

I have mentioned on a number of occasions how inspired I am by the amazing bloggers I have met over the past couple years.  It is such a close knit community and I’m so happy to have been welcomed in with open arms.  I’m grateful for the oppourtunity to get to know some of these bloggers better as they continue to inspire me daily!

Tina of Tina Tangos, is one of these bloggers I’m talking about.  Her passion and spirit are so beautiful and I’m thankful that she has decided to share her stories, experiences, and words with all who will read.

With that said, I am so pleased to have Tina do a guest blog post for Calabrisella Mia where she shares some of the things she did in Italy upon her arrival.  I will have to put together my own list once I make it there, but in the meantime, let’s take a peak at what Tina did!

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The First Five Things I Did in Italy

I’ve been in Italy almost a month now.  I haven’t been in this country since the beginning of 2007, when I left it for Argentina.  You can imagine that I was looking forward to a lot of things that I was missing about Italy.  Before my departure, I would excitedly fantasize about what I would do as soon as I landed.  Here are the first five things I did:

1. Got a “tour” of Rome – with a Roman driver.  No, not a formal tour.  When I arrived at Fiumicino Airport, I had reserved a shuttle van to get me to my hotel.  This is a shared shuttle service, so the driver had other stops to make.  There were a lot of us and as luck would have it, I sat in front with the driver.  This gave me a chance to get back into the rhythm of the Italian language.  He took a liking to me and dropped everyone else off first.  They were all over Rome, so I got to see several different neighborhoods at dusk.  What a way to re-enter Italy.  Drama, beauty and history around every corner.  I was amused watching him swear at other drivers in his Roman accent, gently bumping other cars to nudge them along.  He dropped me off at my hotel and I was ready to conquer this place.

2. Ate a Roman pizza.  Yes, yes, I know, pizza is from Naples, but have you had the pizza in Rome?  It’s really special.  I went to a little place that shall not be named, ordered a pizza with funghi (mushrooms), and watched as they rolled out the crust, put on the toppings and placed it in a wood fire oven.  I ordered some of the house wine which was amazing.  I tasted the spicy, green olive oil which was sitting at my table, and went to heaven.  The food, the food, the food.  I had arrived HOME.

3. Took an early morning walk around Rome.  I have a tradition, whenever I land in Italy, which is to spend my first night in Rome and then wake up and take a nice, long walk.  I love watching Rome wake up in the morning.  The tourists aren’t out just yet and the streets are full of suited up Romans on the way to the office after downing a quick coffee in the bar.  The chaos hasn’t quite started up yet.  The rising sun casts a misty golden light on everything.  It’s heaven.

4. Bought a cellular phone.  As soon as I got to Perugia, where I live, I checked into the apartment and headed out to get myself a phone.  All my friends here had sent me e-mails to text message them when I arrived.  I got a cheap little phone, and was given a choice of three companies to choose from for my service: TIM, Vodafone and Wind.  I normally use Vodafone, but they were out of Vodafone SIM cards so I chose TIM instead.  It took 24 hours for my number to be activated, which I found unusual.  The plus side is that it came with 5 Euros of starter credit.  (A lot of people here have a pay-as-you-go rechargeable phone).

5. Drank coffee at Sandri.  Sandri is my favorite bar (café) in Perugia.  A caffe latte there is like a cup of velvet.  Whatever they do to the milk is just lovely.  The place itself is gorgeous and classic.  It’s small and there’s not a lot of room to sit and relax, but that doesn’t matter.  That day in particular, I had the occasion of going with a friend, which made the experience even more special.

What are the first five things you did (or are planning on doing) in your new country?

Tina Ferrari is a translator, writer and tango dancer based in Perugia, Italy.  She writes at AffordableCallingCards.net, where you can find calling cards to Italy, as well as on her own blog, Tina Tangos. Comments are always welcome!

Ain’t no mountain high enough…

Seriously where does the time go?

A month ago I was vowing to blog more often and here I am four weeks later with a new blog post.  I’m such a bad blogger.  To be fair, things have been a bit hectic, and all the changes that were going on around me made it really difficult to sit down and put my thoughts into words.  I had to find my footing again, and I think I’m almost back on track.

You see, I’ve been on a path for some time now, and things were moving along.  That is until I found myself face to face with this huge obstacle, let’s call it my own personal mountain.

Photo Credit:  gigi62

At that moment, I had to make a choice, I had to decide if I was going to turn around and go back, or start climbing.  For awhile, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.  So I stood there; I cried, I screamed, I yelled, I prayed, I listened, and then, I decided.

It wasn’t what I planned, it’s wasn’t what I wanted, but it was what it was, and if I wanted this dream, this life, as much as I say I did, then I would have to climb.  And with that, I started climbing with the knowledge that I will be better and more grateful for everything because of it.  I can’t just give up.  I won’t settle.  I owe it to myself to see this thing through and if that means I have to summit another mountain to do so, then so be it.

My path still lays before me, it’s just slightly altered and a bit longer than I expected, but my destination remains the same and my determination will see that I get there.

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.” – Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Festa della Madonna delle Grazie

On the 4th Sunday of September, the people of Carpanzano celebrate and honour the town’s patron saint, Madonna delle Grazie.  A mass is held in the Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie followed by a beautiful procession through the town.  This special day is also celebrated by the Carpanzanesi in Toronto.  Those who immigrated from Carpanzano have brought the tradition here and with it ask that the Madonna delle Grazie bless and protect the Carpanzanesi, regardless of where they are in the world.

I have seen images of the procession through Carpanzano and it is such a beautiful tradition.  I hope that at some point, very soon, I can be in Italy to participate in this very special day for the people of Carpanzano.

Today, I say a special prayer to the Madonna delle Grazie, may she continue to watch over and protect the people of Carpanzano, per sempre.

Inno alla Vergine Della Grazie di Carpanzano

Divina Madre Santa
un inno a Te risuona;
noi ci rivolgiamo supplici;
la Fede Tu ci dona.

Ritornello:
O Vergine delle Grazie
L’immacolata mano
sempre su noi distendasi,
proteggi Carpanzano!

Del mar propizia Stella
lassu’ dal Cielo splendi;
nei desolati Spiriti
La Speme riaccendi.

Il Tuo poter sovrano
di quante grazie abbonda;
del Tuo celeste Amore
la vita nostra inonda.

Fonte di bei pensieri,
nel tuo divin sorriso,
nostro sospiro ardente,
vediamo il Paradiso.

In questo triste esilio
noi siamo tuoi devoti
dal trono tuo di gloria
accogli i nostri voti.

Sotto il pietoso manto
ci accoglierai, Maria,
ricordati di noi
sempre clemente e pia.

p. Erminio da Milano

Driving the narrow streets of Italy

Old Italian towns are famous for their narrow streets and steep hills.  Many of these towns, built centuries ago, were never constructed with the intent to accommodate the vehicles that would eventually become our major form of transportation.  Carpanzano is one of these very old towns, with streets so narrow you can outstretch your arms and almost touch the buildings on each side of the road.

It becomes almost like a game, as I walk along the streets of Carpanzano and in the distance I can hear a car coming towards me.  I quickly look around for a doorway or side street I can duck into so that the car may pass.  There isn’t enough room for the both of us.  There are times when two cars come face to face; one driving up the steep narrow street towards the Piazza, while the other driving down the same steep narrow street is on his way out of town.  There is an unwritten rule; the driver who can move out of the way with the most ease will move to allow the other to pass.

And, I can’t help but giggle, when my cousin in his bigger-than-average for Italy car, has to fold in the side mirrors, in order to squeeze through certain parts of the town.  In these moments, you become very aware of the strange juxtaposition of this very old town and the modern day technologies that never quite fit into it, and yet somehow, the townspeople find a way to make it work.

So, how exactly does one navigate through streets like this…

Narrow street in Carpanzano (CS)

or this…

Narrow street in Carpanzano (CS)

Well, I was killing some time (procrastinating) on Youtube and found this great video.  It was shot in Altomonte, a small town north of the City of Cosenza, similar to many of the small towns you will find in Calabria.  This is a perfect example of what it’s like to drive through the narrow streets of these ancient towns.  They were lucky, they didn’t seem to find themselves in the path of an oncoming car.

So tell me, would you attempt to navigate the narrow streets of small towns/villages in Italy?

Castello Normanno-Svevo di Cosenza

High atop Pancrazio Hill overlooking Cosenza sits the ruins of a castle originally built sometime in the 10th century by the Saracens.  The castle has undergone many transformations and served many different purposes over the centuries.

One of the most noticeable transformations took place in 1239, when Emperor Frederick II of Swabia added two octagonal towers to the castle, of which the south-east tower still stands.   The castle is believed to have been home to the Emperor’s son, Henry VII, whose remain are believed to be held in an ancient Sarcophagus in Il Duomo di Cosenza.

The castle became home to many others over the years, including Louis III of Anjou, between 1427 and 1434.  It was during this period that the castle grew and an upper floor was added, as well as a chapel.  The next series of changes took place during the 16^th century.  While in possession of the Aragonese, the castle was used as an armoury, and later a prison.  Unfortunately, after repeated earthquakes in the region, the upper floor collapsed, the structure damaged, and the castle became virtually unusable.

It wasn’t until almost a century later, in 1750, when the Archbishop Capece Galeota purchased the castle and converted it into a summer seminary.  This resulted in many revisions including the addition of a portico, new entrance, a cloister in the courtyard, as well as the rebuilding of the upper floor.

During the 1800s, the castle took on a defensive role again, which brought upon even more changes to the castle including part of the structure being converted into a prison.  Unfortunately, the region was plagued by more earthquakes causing considerable damage over time to the point where the castle was deemed unfit for use.

Today, the remnants of the castle are still very much present.  In fact, the entrance to the castle being used is that of the 18^th century.  The interior of the castle may be bare now, but with the help of various restorations projects over the years, you can safely walk through the castle and be completely enamored by this centuries old building which has served so many uses throughout the course of history.  And, as you walk through the courtyard, you are presented with a breath-taking view of Cosenza.

If you are visiting the city of Cosenza, you definitely don’t want to miss the Castello Normanno-Svevo di Cosenza and its spectacular view over Cosenza.

Admission is free, so there are no excuses!

Directions:  Take Corso Bernardino Telesio to Il Duomo.  When you pass Il Duomo, you will see signs directing you up the hill to the Castello.

Check out this virtual tour of the Castello-Normanno-Svevo di Cosenza

Italian SMS

Just when you think you are finally getting a grip on the Italian language you come face to face with Italian SMS.

SMS (short message service) is basically a service that allows you to send short text messages between cell phones and it has become increasing popular with Italians, especially among the younger generations.

Photo Credit:  Kaeru

While I was in Italy, I noticed that cell phones had become quite popular since my last trip, but it seemed cell phones were more commonly used to send text messages (SMS) then to make calls.  As a result, a whole new abbreviated Italian language was created.  This didn’t really have an impact on me at the time, since I wasn’t using my cell phone in Italy.  However, since my return I’ve noticed that the concept of SMS has gone beyond the cell phone.  As many of my Italian friends started joining Facebook, I began to see the use of SMS more and more: comments on photos, status updates, wall posts, etc.

If you are just starting to learn the Italian language, the abbreviations may be tough to figure out.  I found that I was able to make sense of most of these strange letter/number/symbol groupings, but the point of SMS was definitely lost on me, since it took me longer to translate the sentence in its SMS form then it took to translate the same sentence in its full form.

However, since many of my friends use SMS, I decided it was time for a crash course.  In order to do that, I had to go straight to the source and figure out what all this SMS business was about.  I went to my Italian friends to gather a list of the more commonly used SMS abbreviations of the Italian language.

It was like cracking a code, or being initiated into a secret society.  And, because I’m so generous, I thought I would pass some of this new found knowledge on to you.

Here are just a few…

6 – sei
anke – anche
c6? – ci sei?
cm – come
cmq – comunque
dv 6? – dove sei?
ftt – fatto
nn – non
qlcs – qualcosa
qnd – quando
smpr – sempre
tt – tutto
xke – perche
xo – pero

I know there are so many more different SMS words that can be added to this list.  Feel free to add any you have seen on numerous occasions.

Piazza XV Marzo ~ Cosenza, Calabria

So, you are visiting the beautiful city of Cosenza and you’ve already taken a stroll down the Corso Telesio and visited the Duomo.

Where should you go next?

Well, why not head on over to the Piazza XV Marzo and get a further glimpse into the rich history and culture found in the old city of Cosenza.  The Piazza XV Marzo is an elegant square found in the centro storico (old city) of Cosenza and is home to many historical buildings and monuments.

Piazza XV Marzo ~Teatro Rendano, Statue of Bernandino Telesio, Accademia Cosentina

One of these historical buildings is the Accademia Cosentina (Cosentian Academy), one of the first academies to be founded in Europe in 1511, which also houses the Biblioteca Civica (Civic Library) and Museo Civico (Civic Museum).

In the center of the Piazza stands a statue of Italian Philosopher and Natural Scientist, Bernardino Telesio.

Teatro Rendano ~ Photo Credit:  scribaccione

You will also find the Teatro Rendano, which was built in 1887, and made to resemble the world renowned theatre in Milano, La Scala.

La Scala, Milano ~ Photo Credit:  simOOn

The Teatro Rendano suffered considerable damage during World War II and was eventually rebuilt in 1960.  The theatre is dedicated to Alfonso Rendano, Italian pianist and composer, famous for inventing the “third pedal” on the piano.  Alfonso Rendano, was born in Cosenza in 1853 and was admitted into the Naples Conservatory when he was only 10 years old.  He spent much of his life performing, teaching, and composing in Napoli and then in Rome.  He also composed the opera “Consuelo” which was staged in both Turin and Germany.  He died in Rome in 1931.

After you have finished exploring the Piazza XV Marzo, you can take a walk through the public gardens of Villa Vecchia.  The entrance is located south of the Piazza. The Villa Vecchia is a beautiful place, full of shady areas to sit, fountains, statues, and even a gazebo.  What a perfect way to finish off a day of sightseeing.

Check out this 360 virtual look at the Piazza XV Marzo

Agosto 2009 ~ Carpanzano, Cosenza, Calabria

It is so hard to believe that a year has passed.  Last year, around this time, I was getting my bags packed and ready for my month long trip to Calabria.  It feels like it was just yesterday that I was walking through the streets of Carpanzano.  You can probably imagine how difficult it is to know that I won’t be in Carpanzano this August.  I had hoped so very much that I would be back that way by now, but alas, it isn’t time for that yet.  As my friends and family in Italy slowly start to head south to Carpanzano for August I am left sitting here with only my memories.  I know there will be many more summers in Carpanzano to look forward to, but it’s hard when you just miss it so much.

Carpanzano ~ Ferragosto 2008

I received the itinerary in my email of festivities planned for August in my beloved home away from home.  It was nice to see that some of the festivities are similar to last summer.

Here is a rundown of a few things happening in Carpanzano this month:

Martedì 11 Agosto
Festa del quartiere Mezzanile

Mercoledì 12 Agosto
Notte bianca con rappresentazione teatrale ( si riproporrà la commedia in tre atti “L’oru luccica, ‘a furberia no”), piano bar, giochi popolari, ecc.

Giovedì  13 Agosto
Presentazione del libro di poesie di Fulvia Fabiano

Venerdì  14 Agosto
Festa organizzata dal Comitato per la porchetta

Sabato 15 Agosto
Super tombolata di Ferragosto .

Domenica 16 Agosto
Festa del quartiere Case Popolari

Lunedì 17 Agosto
Gara del dolce.

Martedì 18 Agosto
Caccia al tesoro per le vie del paese.

Mercoledì 19 Agosto
Pasta e fagioli con melonata, organizzata dal Comitato per la porchetta.

Domenica 30 Agosto
Festa del quartiere Sottani

Buone Ferie a tutti!!

Remember Me?

I have to apologize.  I have been a very bad blogger lately.  Why is it the moment you commit to something things start to get busy?  I promise I will try to do better from here on out.

So, why the disappearing act?  Well, I enrolled in a TEFL teacher training course.  It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I returned from Italy last summer.  I started the classes on July 11th and have since completed the course….sort of.  After I completed the teacher training course, I decided to register for a couple specializations that will go towards my certificate and also add to my teacher training hours.  Once I have finished the specializations, I will be able to take my certificate across the pond and apply for English teaching jobs and finally make my dream of moving to Italy a reality.

Things are definitely moving.  The goals I set for myself a year ago are slowly coming to fruition and I’m excited for what lies ahead.  Originally, I had hoped that I would already be in Italy by now, but I am learning patience and how important patience is to this whole process.  I want to do this right.  The details are still up in the air at the moment, but I know that everything will work out.  How do I know?  When you want something, with all your heart and soul, there is no reason it won’t work out.  Besides, I am blessed to have some amazing people on my side, who want what’s best for me and will do what they can, from wherever they are, to help me along the way.

Well, now that we are all up-to-date with the goings on, it’s time to get back to blogging.  I hope to fit more writing into my schedule, because I’ve missed it so much and I’ve missed all of you too!!

Thanks for your patience!