One year ago today I woke up for the first time in my apartment in Florence. When I walked out of the door, through my neighborhood and reached the Arno River, I was amazed that I was here; some days, I still feel that way. To mark this anniversary, I decided to complete early morning "grocery shopping" in a few of my favorite spots, instead of going to the nearby supermarket.
My first stop was two blocks away at the fruit and vegetable vendor who sets up his food everyday at the side of the ancient door of San Frediano. I bought peaches, apples, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, one red and one yellow pepper. The vendor gave me a stem of grapes, saying "Buon Appetito". And, before I paid, he asked if I needed basil or parsley. The herbs are always gratis. On my return, I stopped for fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, a multi-grain roll and schiacciata (similar to foccacia). I limit my consumption of prosciutto, but today is a special occasion!
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| Fruit, wine, bread, pizza |
After putting away the perishables, I walked to Carduccio to get a cappuccino. I sat and read a few articles about the wildfires in California. Then, to Enoteca Millesimi for a bottle of wine to share with friends. I included a few minutes of quiet in the church at Piazza Santo Spirito. My final stop was at S.forno Panificio to see the specials of the day. I selected a slice of fig cake and small piece of pizza, even though I had already purchased food for lunch. The pace of daily life can be very enjoyable!
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| Cappella Frescobaldi, inside the church at Santo Spirito |
How am I feeling about this year abroad? This question has a complicated answer. The start of the year held great promise, and many of my plans were realized. I traveled in Italy, joined organizations, made new friends. I shopped locally and visited every museum. My kids came to visit for the holidays and we were all in Barcelona together to bring in the new year. By mid- January, I felt homesick, and made a plan to return to the US to visit friends and family. I was excited! Friends were coming to visit in the spring. All was well! Then, we received news of my mother's illness and the start of the pandemic. Needless to say, everything changed.
I left Italy on Friday, 13 March and returned on Friday, 29 May. My time back home was not what I hoped. Kindness from friends helped me to deal with my mother's illness. She did not live long after my arrival; though through a grand grace, I was with her when she died. I stayed on in Florida for several weeks, then booked flights to visit my children. Eventually, I returned to Florence. My neighbors and apartment owners helped to ease my quarantine, and after two weeks, I set out to re-explore the city and reconnect with a few people. On the one hand, much was the same, and on the other hand life felt very different. What are my goals now? Since then, my days have been up and down. I took a few trips which I enjoyed. Travel with my neighbors is always wonderful. In between, days can be lonely. Visitors from the United States are still not allowed in Italy. When will this improve... chissa'... who knows? My appointment for "permission to stay" was changed four times and is now on 17 September. A residence card will allow me to stay in Florence for another year. This second year in Italy, unlike the first year, is filled with questions and no answers.
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| Laundry Day |
