“Are you nervous?” Lisa’s mom asked they boarded the plane.
“No, not at all, I love flying.” At that moment it might have been a tiny stretch but Lisa was determined to convince herself it wasn’t.
“I’m so excited; I can’t wait for Franco’s wedding.”
“I know me too.”
“Attention ladies and gentlemen welcome aboard flight 876 from New York Kennedy Airport to Rome, Italy.”
“Ashley, we’re getting ready to take off, are you ready?”
“Um, yeah…sure.”
“Your face looks a little a little pale.”
“Just be quiet! I just need to breathe.”
“Okay, just think only eight hours now!”
“We’re about to land, Lisa.”
“Ok,” she wipes some sleep from her eyes and turns to face her mother,” I finally fell asleep, that felt so nice”
“Wait…never mind my neck feels so cramped”
“Well sleeping the prostitution you were sleeping in wasn’t conducive to sleeping”
The family deplanes, goes through customs, and walks out into the Italian sun. Familiar faces assemble in from of them.
“Benedetto, ciao!” Lisa’s grandfather said.
“Sono così felice di vederlo. così uscito che siete qui con l'intera famiglia.”
“What‘d he say?” Lisa whispers to her dad.
“He basically said he’s excited to see us.”
(Indistinct Italian chatter)
“Lisa, hurry up I need to get ready too,” Ashley, her sister, pleaded.
“One second, seriously Ashley!”
“Oh my god, it’s not like anyone we can speak with who is our age is going to be there”
Lisa smiled, “Sure but it’s not like I can’t look nice”
“Andiamo, mis bellas” Lisa’s Dad called.
(Let’s go my beautiful girls)
“Aspete! Wait!”
Clamoring down the stairs, Ashley and Lisa were filled with excitement.
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“Dad says Franco is going to sing to her”
“Sing? Franco? No way!”
“Yup, apparently he is.”
“Lisa, look at the house!”
Lisa gazed out the window at Annarita (Franco’s fiancé’s house). “I told you they’d have to have a balcony for this whole thing to work Ash”
“It’s like this Ashley, every house in Italy has to have a killer balcony a la Romeo and Juliet for nights like tonight.”
“Lisa, ciao.” Pamela, her cousin approached.
“I am how you say, shy more tonight?”
“Why?”
“I no want people to see my hair,” she pointed to her head encased in curlers.
“Whatever, you are fine plus we are here for Franco, right”
“Si si va benne”
“Oh sole mio,” Franco began to sang. (Writer’s note: It might have been something else but I don’t remember so we’ll just go with a traditional Italian song)
“Wow, Ashley look he’s climbing up the ladder”
The crowd that had gathered stood transfixed at the sight.
“This is really cool”
“Girls, come here,” Lisa’s mom called “Look at the window, Annarita is coming out”
“This is such a cool tradition, before you get married having your future husband come and sing to you,” she said.
“Yeah, sometimes I wish we carried on more of our traditions at home” Lisa said.
With the crowing of the next door rooster who seemed to have the worst internal alarm, Lisa awoke to a bevy of activity at the house.
“Girls, girls wake up we need to get ready”
“No…..I was up too late last night,” Lisa replied and rolled back over.
“Now!”
“Okay okay!”
Lisa took a shower, did her hair, and put on her best outfit, Franco was getting married today!
“Ashley, get Danny and meet me downstairs”
“Okay.”
…
“Lisa, Pamela, Ashley pose for a picture,” Lisa’s cousin from the states Danny commanded.
“Hurry the procession is just about to start!”
“Ciao ciao”
The family filed into the church for the ceremony.
The ceremony was entirely in Italian and too fast for Lisa to understand but the familiarity of the actions was clicking with Lisa.
“Okay girls, follow them into the town square and then we will get ready to go to the reception”
As they piled into the car, Shaggy’s “Angel” filled their ears
“Short you’re my angel you’re my darling…”
“Are you serious?” Lisa rolled her eyes and looked at her sister.
“We will never escape this stupid song” Ashley agreed.
“I cannot wait to see what will happen.”
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Week Two
03/08
Lisa D’Agostino. You couldn’t get more Italian that D’Agostino. She loved visiting Italy, seeing her family, interacting with her cousins and the culture. The town that her dad grew up in, Valleluce, held amazing memories for her. Almost every time she visited something big was going on. Every time that her family went they went during the summer time and as her birthday fell on August 1st, they almost always celebrated it while they were there. The summer she turned 14 she also got to experience her cousin’s wedding. Franco Cece was to marry Annarita and this is the story.
03/09
We watch Lisa, an eager thirteen year old step out of the plane and into the crowded air terminal. All these words flying at her. She doesn’t understand a word, all this Italian, why couldn’t she just flip a switch and understand it, she mused. Her uncle, cousin, and grandfather wait patiently while her family goes through customs. Finally, they emerge and a joyous family reunion occurs. As they don’t often get to see each other each moment together is supremely treasured and you can tell by the looks on everyone’s faces. Franco, who is getting married drives to Valleluce.
03/10
As the ride progressed the rumbling in the car is attributed not to the car itself but the family’s stomachs. An Autogrill, the Italian equivalent of a American rest stop but with MUCH better food, is spied in the distance. As they grab their fresh pastas and sandwiches they convene around a table for news about the upcoming wedding. Lisa’s father translates for his family as he is the only one fluent in Italian. He explains to them that they will be taking part of a very cool ceremony as part of Franco’s wedding. They will learn as they go.
03/11
The first Friday of Lisa’s trip, the whole family meets up at Lisa’s aunt’s house. Together they travel by car to the town that Franco’s future wife lives. They wind all around the mountain, following sharp curves and inclines. Eventually they arrive at a house much like the one they left. Except this house is already surrounded by throngs of people. Lisa exits the car and takes a look at her cousin Pamela who has ran to hide behind a car. She has curlers in her hair and is embarrassed but she must be there because Franco is her brother.
03/12
Her cousin Franco gets out a ladder climbs up with a rose in his hand, and the sounds of an accordion playing fill the air. With the first notes he begins to serenade his future bride. After his song, she’s arrives at the ledge of the balcony (every good Italian house must have a killer balcony a la Romeo and Juliet) and he presents her with a rose. She then allows him to come in and they kiss. After a few moments together then reemerge and join the party that has commenced. Lisa begins to think that this is new.
03/13
Saturday morning dawns, and with the roosters and the church bells Lisa and her family wake up and start getting ready for a very long day. The family all gathers at her aunt’s house and proceeded, uphill, to the church in the middle of the town. People were lined up watching this. It was astounding! When they arrived they made their way into the tiny church. So many people were there that they spilled out into the streets, typically the church did not have this many people in it at once Lisa’s dad told her. She gazed around astounded at…
03/14
After the wedding everyone emptied into the town square for celebration and then loaded up into cars and made a procession to the first reception. Horns’ honking everyone was just happy to be there. The first reception had so many courses Lisa stopped counting. Five different meats, pastas, salads, it was a pure smorgasbord. The music blared cheesy 80s tune and the Macarena. Lisa rolled her eyes at the last one. As the first reception drew to a close the party got into their cars and started back toward Valleluce. “Lisa,” Pamela said, “it is not over yet, just wait.”
Lisa D’Agostino. You couldn’t get more Italian that D’Agostino. She loved visiting Italy, seeing her family, interacting with her cousins and the culture. The town that her dad grew up in, Valleluce, held amazing memories for her. Almost every time she visited something big was going on. Every time that her family went they went during the summer time and as her birthday fell on August 1st, they almost always celebrated it while they were there. The summer she turned 14 she also got to experience her cousin’s wedding. Franco Cece was to marry Annarita and this is the story.
03/09
We watch Lisa, an eager thirteen year old step out of the plane and into the crowded air terminal. All these words flying at her. She doesn’t understand a word, all this Italian, why couldn’t she just flip a switch and understand it, she mused. Her uncle, cousin, and grandfather wait patiently while her family goes through customs. Finally, they emerge and a joyous family reunion occurs. As they don’t often get to see each other each moment together is supremely treasured and you can tell by the looks on everyone’s faces. Franco, who is getting married drives to Valleluce.
03/10
As the ride progressed the rumbling in the car is attributed not to the car itself but the family’s stomachs. An Autogrill, the Italian equivalent of a American rest stop but with MUCH better food, is spied in the distance. As they grab their fresh pastas and sandwiches they convene around a table for news about the upcoming wedding. Lisa’s father translates for his family as he is the only one fluent in Italian. He explains to them that they will be taking part of a very cool ceremony as part of Franco’s wedding. They will learn as they go.
03/11
The first Friday of Lisa’s trip, the whole family meets up at Lisa’s aunt’s house. Together they travel by car to the town that Franco’s future wife lives. They wind all around the mountain, following sharp curves and inclines. Eventually they arrive at a house much like the one they left. Except this house is already surrounded by throngs of people. Lisa exits the car and takes a look at her cousin Pamela who has ran to hide behind a car. She has curlers in her hair and is embarrassed but she must be there because Franco is her brother.
03/12
Her cousin Franco gets out a ladder climbs up with a rose in his hand, and the sounds of an accordion playing fill the air. With the first notes he begins to serenade his future bride. After his song, she’s arrives at the ledge of the balcony (every good Italian house must have a killer balcony a la Romeo and Juliet) and he presents her with a rose. She then allows him to come in and they kiss. After a few moments together then reemerge and join the party that has commenced. Lisa begins to think that this is new.
03/13
Saturday morning dawns, and with the roosters and the church bells Lisa and her family wake up and start getting ready for a very long day. The family all gathers at her aunt’s house and proceeded, uphill, to the church in the middle of the town. People were lined up watching this. It was astounding! When they arrived they made their way into the tiny church. So many people were there that they spilled out into the streets, typically the church did not have this many people in it at once Lisa’s dad told her. She gazed around astounded at…
03/14
After the wedding everyone emptied into the town square for celebration and then loaded up into cars and made a procession to the first reception. Horns’ honking everyone was just happy to be there. The first reception had so many courses Lisa stopped counting. Five different meats, pastas, salads, it was a pure smorgasbord. The music blared cheesy 80s tune and the Macarena. Lisa rolled her eyes at the last one. As the first reception drew to a close the party got into their cars and started back toward Valleluce. “Lisa,” Pamela said, “it is not over yet, just wait.”
Sunday, March 8, 2009
First March batch - Wedding in Italy
Few people get to experience their culture and heritage in a way that I get to. My father was born and raised in a town in southern Italy, named Valleluce. It’s about an hour and a half south of Rome. I love that town. For many, seeing their family involves car trips and perhaps a plane ride within the continental US. For me, it involves cars and planes across the Atlantic, a train or car ride an hour and half past that. Getting to experience the things I do there, I feel so unbelievably privileged. This memory centers on that.
It all really begins on my trip to Italy the summer between 8th and 9th grade. I stepped onto that plane a 13 year old and would leave a much different 14 year old. We went to Italy for different reasons but this time we would get to celebrate my cousin Franco’s wedding. I was excited. I love weddings. I think I was ready to experience something I was accustomed to already but I would soon learn that was not the case. When we arrived we had a few days before the celebrations but I was not ready for them.
My dad explained to us, things in Italy especially such traditions as family, were a bit different that in America. I assumed a little. But what happened the first night of celebration completed changed that. In Italy, at least still in the smaller towns, they have a tradition on the night before the wedding that blows our idea of a rehearsal out of the water. On the eve of the wedding, the family of the groom travels to the brides house (in this case just up the mountain) and when they arrive the groom takes to serenading his future wife.
My cousin Franco got out a ladder, climbed up with a rose in his hand, and I forget whether he was playing or someone else was but there was definitely an accordion playing. He began to serenade Annarita. After his song, she arrived at the ledge of the balcony (every good Italian house must have a killer balcony a la Romeo and Juliet) and he presented her with a rose. She then allows him to come in and they kiss. After a few moments together then reemerge and join the party that has commenced. Wow, I thought quite the start.
My cousin Pamela laughed at me because she could tell I was feeling out of my element. The night progressed and we ate and drank and I was astounded. Eventually my father gathered us and we went back to our grandparent’s house, we had a lot of stuff to get ready for. I fell asleep that night wondering what else was to come. I was awoken early the next morning getting told I had to get ready quickly for we had to go to my aunts. Why I asked, well traditionally in Italy the family of the groom walks through...
the town together to the church. I was unbelievably honored that I was getting to be a part of this. However, wishing I had chosen better shoes. We all gathered at my aunt’s house and proceeded, uphill, to the church in the middle of the town. People were lined up watching this. I was astounded. When we arrived we made our way into the tiny church. So many people were there that they spilled out into the streets, typically the church did not have this many people in it at once my dad told me. There was no procession there.
They only had witnesses. After the wedding we proceeded back out into the square for celebration and then got in our cars and made a procession to the first reception. Horns honking everyone was happy to be there. The first reception had so many courses I stopped counting. Five different meats, pastas, salads, I was quite gluttonous. And my father leaned over to tell me this was just the first reception! As this reception winded to a close we headed back to Valleluce where another party had been set up at my aunts. Fresh pizza, dancing, this is the life.
It all really begins on my trip to Italy the summer between 8th and 9th grade. I stepped onto that plane a 13 year old and would leave a much different 14 year old. We went to Italy for different reasons but this time we would get to celebrate my cousin Franco’s wedding. I was excited. I love weddings. I think I was ready to experience something I was accustomed to already but I would soon learn that was not the case. When we arrived we had a few days before the celebrations but I was not ready for them.
My dad explained to us, things in Italy especially such traditions as family, were a bit different that in America. I assumed a little. But what happened the first night of celebration completed changed that. In Italy, at least still in the smaller towns, they have a tradition on the night before the wedding that blows our idea of a rehearsal out of the water. On the eve of the wedding, the family of the groom travels to the brides house (in this case just up the mountain) and when they arrive the groom takes to serenading his future wife.
My cousin Franco got out a ladder, climbed up with a rose in his hand, and I forget whether he was playing or someone else was but there was definitely an accordion playing. He began to serenade Annarita. After his song, she arrived at the ledge of the balcony (every good Italian house must have a killer balcony a la Romeo and Juliet) and he presented her with a rose. She then allows him to come in and they kiss. After a few moments together then reemerge and join the party that has commenced. Wow, I thought quite the start.
My cousin Pamela laughed at me because she could tell I was feeling out of my element. The night progressed and we ate and drank and I was astounded. Eventually my father gathered us and we went back to our grandparent’s house, we had a lot of stuff to get ready for. I fell asleep that night wondering what else was to come. I was awoken early the next morning getting told I had to get ready quickly for we had to go to my aunts. Why I asked, well traditionally in Italy the family of the groom walks through...
the town together to the church. I was unbelievably honored that I was getting to be a part of this. However, wishing I had chosen better shoes. We all gathered at my aunt’s house and proceeded, uphill, to the church in the middle of the town. People were lined up watching this. I was astounded. When we arrived we made our way into the tiny church. So many people were there that they spilled out into the streets, typically the church did not have this many people in it at once my dad told me. There was no procession there.
They only had witnesses. After the wedding we proceeded back out into the square for celebration and then got in our cars and made a procession to the first reception. Horns honking everyone was happy to be there. The first reception had so many courses I stopped counting. Five different meats, pastas, salads, I was quite gluttonous. And my father leaned over to tell me this was just the first reception! As this reception winded to a close we headed back to Valleluce where another party had been set up at my aunts. Fresh pizza, dancing, this is the life.
Monday, March 2, 2009
is it
I don’t know why I fool myself. I think that I can have it all. I think that there isn’t consequences. I live in the moment and don’t think about repercussions. I think sometimes that perhaps a world with me isn’t any better then it would be without me. I find myself questioning a lot of actions of late. Did I seriously say what I said? Did I do what I did? Do I not have any remorse? I can’t say that I always do. What a horrible person I am. So with this, I have to let you go.
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