Paese Mio

Sicilia

My country.

The word paese in Italian means country. But it also means town. And to be explicitly clear, it means a small town. This fact will tell you a lot about Italy, and about the Italians.

You see, Italy was not Italy until 1870. Before that, it was a series of kingdoms, duchies, and city-states that had developed independently, and even battled each other, for centuries. The languages were different. The food, dress, culture, lifestyle, basically every factor of life varied from place to place. These are the loyalties that formed through the years. These are the unique traditions that have been passed down. And many of these regional distinctions still remain.

I grew up in the United States, in Northeast Ohio, a place that is so full of Italian-Americans you didn’t necessarily realize you were an ethnic group. I always thought it was more strange to meet people who weren’t Italian. Even so, it was always noted to me that in fact, we were “Sicilian,” a distinction that has become very clear to me now that I’ve settled in the la patria, the homeland.

When I first arrived in Roma, almost eight years ago, I felt I was home. I am not sure if that is because Roma is Roma, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Roma is glamorous, ancient, full of ghosts and that essential air of la dolce vita. I was enthralled. And I never wanted to leave. But eventually, I went in search of something more.

I ventured to the South, to Napoli. Again, I thought I had found my place. Living, as they say, “under the shadow of Vesuvio.” The memento mori of it all taught me a great deal of living to the fullest. But ultimately, it was not meant to be.

Finally, I arrived in Sicily. And yes, it was here, where I found the soil of my roots to have been planted. The terra of this island is like a magnetic force that pulls me in - body and mind. Yes, I am Sicilian. Exploring this island, with her hills and her coasts which are both dramatic, the pace of life mimics my heartbeat. I live in Palermo, Sicily. It is at once my country and my town. It is a city that feels boundless and is yet contained both by the hills and by the sea. The sky weighs heavy and you can feel heaven closing in above you. And yet, there is also a depth, of which I have a great desire to explore. Here is where I have placed my heart.

Paese mio, in cui è mio cuor’.

love,

greer