Passion is energy...
~Oprah Winfrey
If you know me even just a little, or if you have read anything I’ve written here or in Live in Italy Magazine or other outlets, you know I love Italy. You probably also know that I love sharing this country with others. Little did I know in 2014 that a simple question, Who wants to go with me, would turn into a job that I intend to do until I can no longer do it. (Sorry, dear.)
The Background
In 2014, I spent time in Italy learning the language. I started with two weeks of school to get a handle on the grammar and then spent another month just trying to talk to people. I wrote about my adventures and posted photos, and readers were always commenting, “Take me with you!” or “I want to go!” Oh Facebook, I jokingly asked, “Okay, who wants to go?” and about 25 people said they did. By the end of 2015, I had accompanied three groups (15 people). I won’t bore you with numbers, but the group that just left was #28, and I have three more groups set for fall visits.
It’s Not Vacation for Me
“I wish I had your job,” a lady said to me when we were talking earlier this year.
“Really,” I replied. “Why?”
“I would love to be on vacation all the time.” I knew she was going to say that, and I let it sit for a few seconds. I know that she is not alone in thinking I’m constantly on vacation.
“You know,” I started, “it’s not a vacation for me. I’m working all the time. When a vendor cancels, the train is delayed or canceled, when it snows or rains, or when someone has to go to ER, someone has to fix things. And, the hotel rooms and tickets don’t just fall out of the sky.”
The truth is, I put in a lot of time before the trips start. I am not like Tauck or Perillo or Rick Steves; I offer bespoke tours for small groups. I arrange accommodations, transportation, experiences, meals, and more to fit the group. If someone wants to go somewhere I’ve not been, I have to put in a lot research beforehand, and that sometimes involves going somewhere I haven’t been before. And, you’ve read enough here to know that I have had a number of fun experiences with cancellations and such.
And, let’s be honest. I’m away from my family for weeks or months at a time; I sleep in strange beds; I eat restaurant food 95 percent of the time. I am NOT complaining, but, at times, I do want my own bed.
Yet, I love it
I love sharing this country and letting my guests experience a different pace of life. No one has to do anything he/she doesn’t want to do, but I do ask them to take time to enjoy the morning caffe or afternoon aperitivi (or both). Those are times when we just sit, talk, and observe the world around us. I don’t know anyone who would tell you they don’t like those times.
My biggest joy, however, is introducing guests to the land of their ancestors. Some have come over just to see Italy in general, but I’ve taken a few to see where their grandparents were born. Last year, for example, I took my long-time friend Nancy to visit the towns where her grandfather and grandmother were born. Later, I took another friend to visit her ancestral villages.
I know how they feel when they see these places they’ve only heard about. I get goosebumps when we find their names in the comune‘s books. I understand their wanting to walk around and touch and see everything. I feel all of it because I went through that 15 years ago on my first visit to Pettorano and still experience it when I go back. While I can’t explain it, I understand the pull these places have on their hearts.
So…
To put this in basic terms, I am passionate about what I am doing. I grieve in a way that I discovered all of this so late in my life, but I will continue because it gives me joy.
And that, my friends, is what life is about.
coldpastaandredwine.com 