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It’s a funny thing, that greener grass on the other side… When I met Marco at a language exchange Meetup event in Florence, I was so intrigued by his immense passion for the colonial Northeastern US that I asked to interview him. In our initial conversations that would later blossom into a friendship, I discovered that Marco feels about the US the same way I feel about Italy. I wanted to understand and explore this paradox that we could be so equally in love with each other’s

One of my favorite favorite favorite  things to do is meet Italian people. I am always amazed by their genuine warmth and passion for helping me learn about their culture. Often times I end up learning about a quirky tradition I didn’t know about or a hidden village I’d never heard of. Sometimes I end up at their dinner table, pouring through old family albums after a meal. But every single time, no matter what, I walk away with a new friend. And just as mi casa es tu casa

In Italy, every holiday comes with a hundred variations of ways to celebrate, traditional foods to eat, and stories of how it all came about. Easter is no different, and in the southern region of Apulia, la scarcella is not to be forgotten! La scarcella is a simple cookie or cake formed into various shapes like an easter basket, bird, or bunny. The twist? They put a boiled egg on the cookie itself. Yeah, I know, hard to picture… Luckily, one of our Pugliese friends took som

I still remember the first thing I ordered in complete Italian ( cioccolata calda , anyone?). The feeling of those beautiful sounds rolling off my tongue, and further, being comprehended by the Italian barista, was addictive. Before departing for my study abroad program in 2011, I studied Italian on my own between my classes because I knew I wanted to be able to communicate with the locals. I was surprised by how far my lessons took me and how much deeper my experience was be

As much as I’d love to keep this on the DL, the artists represented in this artsy, handmade shop in Puglia are too fabulous to keep hidden away. When I stumbled upon this cute shop in Puglia, Italy, it felt like finding a hidden treasure trove all for myself. For a second there, I couldn’t decide whether to share it with the world or keep it my own little secret! In honor of International Women’s Day though, I’ve decided to let the spotlight shine on the talented women that m

by Paola Bassanese, Guest Writer Do you dream in Italian? If you do, you have made it! If you are not quite there yet, here are a few pointers to help you think like a local. I moved from Italy to England more than 20 years ago, and it took me about a year to think like an English person (and start dreaming in English!). I believe that my biggest breakthrough was when I started learning English colloquialisms: all of a sudden, I became “one of us” instead of “one of them”. I

I’m sure you know that as a traditionally Catholic nation, Italy follows the tradition of Lent, or in Italian, Quaresima . BUT did you know that Mexico isn’t the only country with piñatas? Italy has them, too! And did you know that Italians cut old ladies in half in a tradition that started dying out about 15 years ago? What on earth do all these things have to do with each other? This is going to take some explaining, but just stick with me here- I promise it will be well wo