Archive for the ‘uniquely italian’ Category
love thursday: heartin’ politics
It’s almost time! Italian elections will be held Sunday and Monday.
Other than having two days instead of one to vote, another big difference in elections here (from those in the US) is that the parties running on the local level adopt their own names, logos, and slogans.
What does that mean? Well, for example, the party that I’ll be voting for on Sunday is aligned with the larger Partito Democratico on the national level but it has its own symbol, completely different from that of the PD.
What does this have to do with Love Thursday?
Well for the past few weeks, everywhere I turn in the village I see:
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
The Legend of Fata Morgana
You’re relaxing in the Strait of Messina between Calabria and Sicily, enjoying the perfectly still water and air.
All is right with the world, you think, as you sip the local red.
You gaze into the glistening water and suddenly you feel like you’re closer to the island of Sicily than you thought you were. Indeed, it looks like you could reach out and touch it!
Is this what a sun stroke feels like?
Have you enjoyed a bit too much vino?
The history of southern Italy goes back as far as civilization itself, and so do many of her superstitions (malocchio anyone?) and myths–including the famous legend of the Fata Morgana, the Fairy Morgan, half-sister of King Arthur.
The story goes that as Roger de Hauteville sat on the coast of our bella Calabria dreaming of a Norman conquering of Sicily, he caught a whiff of orange blossoms and heard celebratory music coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
A hermit (clearly breaking Hermit Code) informed Roger that the melodies arose from Sicily, where Saracens were dancing and partying as Christians suffered in slavery.
Roger wanted to go over immediately, but he didn’t have ships to cross the Strait (and dang it, there was no ferry at the time). So he sat some more on the beach, as many of us do, wondering what to do next.
Improvvisamente a fairy with a magical coach and seven white horses appeared before him and offered to transport him to the island.
Roger refused her help, which angered the Fairy Morgan. In retaliation, she threw three stones into the sea making Sicily appear achingly within the reach of Roger.
He stood his ground, though, and proclaimed that he didn’t need the help of some fairy to conquer Sicily–all he needed was the help of Jesus Christ!
The fairy and her illusions disappeared, and later on, Roger did get to Sicily with his own ships and conquered the island in the name of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, he is now known as Roger I of Sicily.
It is said that the image seen by Roger still appears off the coast of Reggio Calabria often on mornings following cold nights when there is calm, still air and water. The shore of Sicily appears reflected in and above the sea, with buildings lengthened and deformed, depicting a colorful, moving, magical city of Messina.
This meteorological (and some say mythical) mirage is knows as the Fata Morgana, and she patiently awaits your arrival. You have to buy the wine though.
How to Vote as an Italian Living Abroad
There has been a *huge* increase in requests for recognition of Italian citizenship over the past several years–my and my father’s requests included.
Along with “creating” many more Italian citizens in the world, this also means that many (non- or little-speaking Italian) people are becoming eligible to vote in Italian elections for the first times in their lives.
And believe me, the process is *very* different than in the United States.
As I think there may be quite a few people out there confused by the instructions, I’m going to break it down here, in English, and urge you–if you are an Italian citizen, PLEASE exercise your right to VOTE in this election.
AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE NOT FOR BERLUSCONI!
Every Italian citizen residing abroad should be registered with the local consulate in the A.I.R.E. (Anagrafe Italiani Residenti Estero). If you are, you should have already received a packet from your consulate including:
- Your electoral certificate (with your name on giving you the right to vote);
- Two (2) different colored ballots (pink for the Camera dei Deputati and blue for the Senato); if you are under the age of 25, you will receive only a ballot for the Camera;
- Two (2) envelopes (one small, blank, and white and the other larger and self-addressed and stamped to your consulate);
- The list of candidates for your area; and
- An information sheet.
1. First of all, grab and use a blue or black pen.
2. Now, an aside to explain a little of what’s going on with the ballots: below the main candidates, all of the people on their “lists” are from the “estero” or outside Italy; those elected will represent your interests as an Italian citizen residing abroad.
Depending on where you live, you will be able to vote for differing numbers of deputati and senatori–don’t worry, the number of blank lines will tell you how many you are allowed to write in.
If you are in North or Central America like my dad, for example, you can vote for 2 deputati and 1 senatore.
So . . .
3. To vote, you place an X over the logo of the party of your choice.
My advice is this one:
Vote for Veltroni! Woohoo!
4. Now you can write in your choices for senatori and deputati as described above being extremely careful to copy the names exactly as printed on the list. And don’t write anything else!
[If you would like my suggestions on senatori and deputati please contact me privately; find information on the candidates (in Italian) here.]
5. Fold and put your two ballots in the small blank white envelope and seal it.
6. Put that envelope inside the bigger envelope addressed to the consulate.
7. Tear off the bottom part of your electoral certificate at the perforation, put that in the big envelope with the ballots, and seal it.
8. Mail it off–it must be received by your consulate by April 10–and wait for election results.
Optional: buy some prosecco if you’re feeling particularly confident in your party.
This page has a fabulous graphic of this whole process. If you have any questions, please leave a comment or contact me.
And, in case I haven’t been clear . . .
*Special thanks to the website of Gino Bucchino, candidate for Camera dei Deputati for Central and North America with Partito Democratico‘s (and my) main man, Walter Veltroni; and I’m not just saying this because Bucchino was born in Calabria, I swear.
love thursday: all hail the prince(s)
This year’s Easter Sunday celebrations brought a special visitor to my village:
Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont and Venice
This is the prince* at his wedding to French actress Clotilde Courau in 2003.
But no, I don’t have a photo of the prince’s visit to my village.
How’s that possible?
Well my very own Principe P and I were busy enjoying a gorgeous, lazy Sunday morning capping off a gorgeous, lazy weekend starting from Friday afternoon when these photos were taken:
Fairy tales can be fun, but the real thing is fabulous.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
*Italy was ruled by the royal family, the House of Savoy, until the monarchy was voted out in a controversial election in 1946. In the Constitution of the new “republicca” all of the Savoia family’s male descendants were exiled from the country.
This provision was removed in 2002 when Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, the last claimant to the House of Savoy, renounced all claims to the throne.
Just a year later, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, son of Vittorio Emanuele, married his bride in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs.
Six years later he came to my village. And I missed it.
Love Thursday: Love Notes on a Cactus
Last year at this time, some of you were disturbed when I posted Scribblings on a Seawall–love notes written in Catanzaro Lido. Yes, graffiti has a tendency to annoy me too.
Well hang on to your virtual hats.
Here’s another creative expression of love, on a cactus in the ruins of Tindari:
This cactus was *huge* and absolutely covered in love notes.
Disturbing, sure, (the poor cactus!) but it certainly made me think of my P waiting (impatiently) for me at home while my travel buddy and I vagabonded about . . . reminding me once again that love is all around.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
