Lucano

 Lucano was given to us as a gift soon after we moved into our house. He was with us for ten years before passing away unexpectedly one year ago today. We still remember his affection and great personality everyday. 😻

We miss you Lucano. 😢

Traveling Barber

 

I previously wrote about my experience with Italian barbers soon after we moved to Italy. I still enjoy the experience here of getting a haircut and a shave but the pandemic had created issues with access and it has been a few years since I have been able to get a shave.

I did however recently find something unique - a barber who makes house calls. Giuseppe is from the nearby town of Laurenzana and comes to Trivigno about every six weeks to give haircuts to the men at the local casa di riposo. While here he also does haircuts for several others and I am on his list.

I sit on our terrace and in less than 20 minutes I get a decent cut - all for 5 euro! I give him a tip and he is on his way until his next visit to town. Price, quality and convenience!

Summer in a Small Italian Town

 

Summer in a small hill town in Basilicata is a mixed blessing for us. In August many Italians return to their ancestral towns all across Italy to reconnect with friends and family for several weeks. They come from the big cities and other parts of Europe to enjoy the “tranquility” of these smaller towns.

Italians started traveling this past weekend, which was one of the busiest traffic weekends of the summer. Summer vacation in Italy is not a privilege but a right for many.

It is a plus that there will be a series of events planned by the Pro Loco and the church around Ferragosto and our town’s festival for Sant’Antonio di Padova the first weekend in September. (His feast day is in June but he is celebrated at this time in honor of the summer harvest). We will see people that we may only see once or twice a year and the town will certainly take-on a new life for several weeks.

The problem for us is that for most of the year our town has about 600 residents but this summer influx adds almost 200 more people to our town for most of August - people who clog the already limited parking and our few shops. Some act like it is their right to supersede the everyday life of the year-round residents. This is especially troublesome for someone with mobility issues, like myself.

Here’s looking forward to September and a return to some normalcy!

COVID Recovery

 

We flew back to Ohio to visit our families and friends for three week in June and had no issues. Unfortunately, when we flew back home all of the anti-Covid precautions for traveling had been dropped and we had two flights and three airports full of people unmasked. We are fully vaccinated and wear masks whenever we are in public settings.

About a week after returning to Trivigno we both became sick with strong flu-like symptoms and tested positive for Covid. Based on our lack of exposure to unmasked groups in Italy we are certain we contracted this during our travels from the US to Italy. 

In Italy we are required to remain in quarantine until testing negative. We are fortunate to have friends and neighbors who brought us medicines, groceries and some meals during our confinement.

After 10 days we tested finally tested negative but still feel weak and lethargic. Our experience was certainly not mild symptoms but also not as bad as others have had. We will continue to be cautious and follow procedures to avoid another infection as new variants develop and spread around the world.

Buon Natale 2021

 

Embrace Life

It was one year ago that I was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS).

Based on the symptoms and what I now know I have had this condition for several years, but did not know what it was. I am grateful to friends who helped us down the path to reach this diagnosis. Knowing what is the cause of my problems and the limitations it will create has helped us to adjust to this new stage of life and approach it accordingly.

We are fortunate to have a friend who is a surgeon that gave us direction as to what tests and exams I needed to be able to find a diagnosis. He also helped me connect with the neurology department at Gemeli Hospital in Rome, where I was diagnosed.

Another friend who works as a tech doing neurology tests at San Rafael Hospital in Milan arranged for tests and consultations at her department.

I have since been going to Neuromed, which closer than Rome, as there is no viable specialized neurological MS center in our immediate area. I am very happy with my neurologist there and their facilities.

There is currently no cure for PPMS, and as in the name, the expectation is that it will get worse. There are two options for this condition that are helping and hopefully will be able to stop or slow the progression. First, my physical therapist has been a big help with improving my balance and ability to be mobile. Second, I recently started the only drug therapy for PPMS which is designed to stop the progression.

I feel fortunate to be in Italy where some of the leading MS research is being performed. I have affordable access to specialized health facilities all across the country and the processes is much less burdensome than what I see people in the US have to deal with.

The Italian MS Society (AISM) is very active and the volunteers at the chapter in Potenza have been very helpful and a big support with recommendations and finding answers to questions we have had.

Learning that I have this condition is not the end but does mean we will have to make adjustments. I do not plan to sit back and watch the world go by, but to embrace life and cherish doing the things we enjoy while that is still an option.

I trust that God has a plan and I will embrace the life I have now with Valerie's help.

4th of July in Italy

 With our recent trip back to the US to visit our families we brought back only a few items to Italy. Two of them we used to commemorate the 4th of July holiday - obviously something not celebrated in Italy.

Stadium mustard that we fondly recall from sporting events in Cleveland and a glass from the brewery that my nephew works for (the beer is my own homebrew).

Going 'Yellow'

 

This was the first week since last year when the pandemic situation allowed us to leave our region for non-emergency reasons. Basilicata was declared "giallo" and we could go to other regions without a self-authorization.

We took advantage of the freedom and drove down from the mountains to Vietri Sul Mare near the Amalfi Coast to visit one of our favorite restaurants, Sesta Stazione. They have tables in a small piazza and serve only local products and fresh seafood - always a great meal. Then we went down along the beaches and put our toes in the water.

This was the first time in 6 months we had left our region and eaten outdoors at a restaurant. Fortunately on a weekday there were few people out on a warm and sunny day. Good food, walk in the sand and gelato!

Covid Vaccine in Basilicata

 

The vaccine program here in Italy has had fits and starts but fortunately is starting to move forward.  We are reliant upon the joint EU procurement for the vaccines and there were some early stumbles with AstraZenica. More Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines are arriving and the expectation is that by the end of the summer we should reach close to 70% vaccinated. Speriamo bene!

Vaccinating medical staff and police forces was a first priority and is mostly complete. Teachers were next and have been finalized. I have seen notice of as much as 90% compliance with these groups.

Next were those who are over 80 years old and in retirement centers as they have been hardest hit by this pandemic and incurred the largest percentage of deaths. In Basilicata they are reporting up to 80% of this group is vaccinated and are taking the vaccines to small towns and individual homes – there have been several stories of 100+ year olds being vaccinated.

Those considered to have severe health conditions have been able to be vaccinated. The most recent group to have access to the vaccines are those with health conditions that increase their possible reaction to the Covid virus – called the fragile. Due to a medical condition, I have I qualify for the vaccine under this group and have had my Pfizer vaccine. My wife qualifies has my cohabitant and has had the Moderna vaccine.

In April they activated an online reservation process linked to our national health system enrollment. The vaccines have been given to the over-80 groups in the individual towns but we had to go to the Qatar tents located at the main hospital in Potenza. These tents were donated a year ago by Qatar Kingdom and are the location for some virus testing and vaccinations.

Once we are both fully vaccinated we will feel more secure as Italy plans to open-up again this summer. We will continue to follow prudent protocols to avoid the Covid virus but this is a step to give us some peace of mind during this ongoing pandemic.

Happy Easter

 

One Year Later...

 One year ago, we started a nationwide lockdown here in Italy. That first week of March brought a lot of apprehension of the unknown and we still have a lot of apprehension around the world as to the future course of this pandemic.

There have been ups and downs as we have gone from complete lockdowns to free movement across Europe with limited restrictions. The term “lockdown” has a slightly different meaning here than what we see and hear from the US – in the strictest sense we could not leave out house except to obtain groceries within 1 kilometer. Factories, schools, offices and non-essential medical services were halted. No restaurants or bars were open, no take-out. All sports activities were halted and if you left your town you had to produce an authorization form and identification if stopped by the authorities.

On this one-year anniversary Italy and Europe is experiencing a new surge of cases and variants. Basilicata has been a zona rossa for a week and additional regions will do the same next week. The restrictions are not as severe as last year but still just basic services are open.

There have been many Italian words we have become all too familiar with since this pandemia started. Congiunti – the person you live with, this became important for couples that lived together but were not married. Focolaio – an outbreak, used frequently when a school or town has a spike in new cases. Guariti – those recovered from the virus, Casi positivi – new cases, tamponi – testing swabs, Terapia intensiva and the most unfortunate -  Deceduti – the deceased.

"Andra tutto bene" (everything will be alright) was the mantra when the pandemic started but faded once people realized this was not going away quickly. Hopefully the authorities will not make the same missteps as last summer and we can have a better end to 2021.

 

 

This is such a great expression that is used in Italy - "Boh". The simple translation is "I don't know", but it can mean so much more such as "I don't understand it myself" or "how would I know?".

Being the only americani in our town we frequently are asked about events in the US. Many Americans may not be aware that what happens in the US, the good and the bad, frequently makes headline news here and elsewhere in the world.

When there is a mass shooting at a business or school people ask us how is this possible? When the death count from the COVID pandemic started to skyrocket in the US along with pictures of people acting like nothing had changed we were asked if Americans don't care about the lives of others? When the news showed police being accused of killing citizens in their custody we were asked how can that be permitted? With the delay in the presidential election winner being announced we were asked about the variances in state voting laws? 

This week has brought another round of inquiries - how can the American president encourage violent public disorder?

I can't explain this in English let alone in Italian - BOH!?

 We are still here!

It has been awhile since I have posted anything on this blog, but despite the ongoing worldwide pandemic we are still living full-time in Basilicata, Italy.

It has been just over 10 years that we purchased our house in Trivigno, were featured on House Hunters International and launched our genealogy business - My Bella Basilicata. We have been busy with daily life - working, interacting and being a part of our local community. We continue to explore not only Basilicata but all of southern Italy.

Many friends and family had to cancel visits here this year but we look forward to things improving in 2021 when we can again share the wonders of living here with others.

Ciao,

Bryan

Utility

I was needing to tighten the fasteners on a piece of furniture on our terrace this morning and used this tool that I had brought with us from the US when we first moved here in 2006. I know Craftsman isn't what it used to be, but this tool has been a great all-purpose utility item and has been very durable.

I can use it whether I am changing a door lock or assembling an IKEA item. The selection of bits are durable and the ratchet feature is an arm saver. The variety of tools available here in Italy has improved over the years but I have not seen this type of this quality.

Rinnovo Patente

I obtained my Italian drivers license in June 2013 and since I was already over the 50 year age mark it was only valid for 5 years. I have recently completed the renewal process and here in Basilicata it isn't complicated, just requires a bit of running around (and various fees).

First you need to have your assigned doctor complete a form that you are fit to drive - 20 €.

Obtain properly sized photos - 5 €.

Pay three different taxes and fees at the post office - 43.20 €.

Finally go to the ASL office in Potenza and have your vision checked and the request completed.

Once I did the last step, my new license arrived in the mail three days later: pay the special delivery - 6 €.

The ufficio motorizzazione civile that I dealt with to get my original patente was not involved in the renewal process.

I'm good for another 5 years!

Siberian blast

Most people have a vision of southern Italy as sunny and warm all year. Though we may be less than 100 miles from the three coasts we are in the mountains at 2500 ft. This means it can be cold in the winter, but snow is infrequent. This January has been different so far. A blast of cold and snow has moved across the Adriatic Sea and settled over Italy, what the Italian news agency ANSA is calling the worst in 20 years. They are dubbing it the "Epiphany Blizzard".

To live the dream...

Periodically I will receive an email form someone about our experience of moving to Italy - people who share the same desire to take the plunge. Since we have returned to the United States, I want to reflect on some of our experiences in moving to Italy, speaking as an American couple who are not wealthy nor retired…covering both the good and the bad.

Our experience, and anyone else’s experience, should not be viewed as the exact steps someone wanting to make this move will need to follow. We quickly learned that everyone will encounter different bureaucracy at different consulates here in America and also at different provinces in Italy.

Our journey started after visiting Italy the first time, as a desire to move that just never seemed to lessen and we spent a minimum of two years trying to figure out ways we could get jobs or Valerie could obtain citizenship through her heritage...all of these were dead-ends. We were fortunate to sell our house at the peak of the market in New Mexico and used a portion of that equity to go to Italy.

When we finally made the commitment to move to Italy our plan was to come for one year and see if it was all that we had hoped; it was and much more. One year quickly became two years which we were able to extend to three years in Italy. It was not always easy and there were times of frustration with the bureaucracy, language and figuring out how things work. Then there were many wonderful experiences, interesting people and unique opportunities with life in Italy. Life in Italy is good, but living there can be difficult.

The first step to move to Italy was obtaining our visa from the consulate in America. A visa only gets you into the country; you then start the process for the permesso di sioggiorno (PdiS) which is renewed every two years. If you have family ties then citizenship may be a route to look into, though a lengthy path. With the electiva residenza that we have we are not allowed to take a job in Italy, which means I can't go work in a store or factory. We had to show that we could support ourselves with investments and cash in the bank. The consulates would never say how much cash you had to have but our funds were enough to be well beyond "just making it".

Despite all of the planning and calculating we did, our actual costs have been higher than our worst case scenario. We do not live extravagantly yet we also try to enjoy what Italy has to offer…why else move here?! Then there are the exchange rates...none of the economic pundits in 2005 could foresee what happened to the dollar in 2008.

You can work autonomously in Italy but that requires a different PdiS and the specific type varies depending on what kind of work you are going to do. There are also only a limited number of these available each year on a province by province basis. From what others have told us, these can be difficult to obtain.

Remember…there is never a guarantee that you will be granted a visa or a PdiS.

The work we have set up is based in the United States with addresses, accounts and taxes in America. Any business with direct Italian business connection will require a commercialista, an Italian accountant. The tax laws here are so complicated that even the simplest and smallest businesses require professional assistance. We have found that some things we think would be great business ideas did not developed as we had hoped. Also, doing business in Italy is very different than North America...the gears of Italy work based on who you know, who they know and who they will introduce you to. Being the best or having the best idea does not always insure success.

It can be daunting to plan and make this type of move but for those who really want it, they will make it happen. I would recommend that if someone is looking to move and start a business then to plan on having funds for at least 2 years to support yourself once you actually have your business operational. Most people seem to experience at least 2 years before their business really begins to develop. Starting ahead on the business you choose before your move would be a good step; get a good business plan, check your financial situation and when you are ready get to know your local consulate and inquire as to what specifically they will require.

One of the frustrating things for us when we were planning our move was figuring out what to budget. Living in Italy can be less expensive for some items (food and eating out) but more expensive for others (gas, utilities). If you would spend $2000 a month for a lifestyle in the US I would suggest you can figure the same amount in Italy…but in Euros. If you plan to travel a lot, it can be expensive to always “be on vacation”. You will also encounter start-up costs such as a vehicle, furnishings, etc.

Then there is the language. Being conversant in Italian can help to open many opportunities for you both personally and professionally. A strong base in Italian before your arrival would be recommended as well as enrolling for several weeks of intensive classes upon your move to Italy. Trying to start a new life, and a business or work, can easily interfere with attempting concentrated study on your own.

To learn more about the process of our move to, and life in Italy, I have made extensive posts listed under "the process" tab at 2italy.blogspot.com – feel free to browse.

Febbraio

I don’t like February.

Yesterday, the first day of the month was dreary and wet, today is the same and the short range forecast doesn’t look much better. There are areas up and down the peninsula that are dealing with flooding from this weather. I have no fond memories of this month.

January is the optimistic start of the new year while February is only the month before the promise of better weather that March brings.  Fortunately this is the shortest month of the year and we will soon be looking back on winter and looking forward to spring.

La Birra

The first tasting

Our neighbors and friends regularly bring us things from the bounty of their gardens or their grape harvest. If you read the guides about Basilicata they claim the Lucanian are a poor people but the people of Trivigno are generous with what they have and always wanting to share.

We had been trying to think what can we do to repay this generosity? We don’t have a “campagna” where we can grow fruits and vegetables to share with others. We don’t have the equipment to produce vino, even if we bought grapes as some people do. We do however have an abundance of cantine - cool dark places that are perfect for keeping things at a constant temperature.

The "kit", fermentation stage

We were in a shop in Ascoli Piceno where we saw a beer making kit with just about everything needed to make some homebrew. I figured my ancestry is about 75% German so shouldn’t beer making just come naturally to me?! The shop even offered a video on the process. We bought the kit and some other starter supplies and headed on our way.

Preparing the malt

In October, Oktoberfest seemed like the opportune time, I started to collect empty bottles from one of the local bars and began the homebrew process. The malt and hops come in a syrup form that you add sugar to and stored in our cantina to start the fermentation. I would check daily to make sure nothing looked amiss.

Bottling day

One bottle at a time

After 2 weeks the beer is drained into another container and some more sugar added for carbonation and then bottled. This whole process requires a lot of cleaning and keeping things sterile – everything I’ve read said otherwise your results will be “skunk beer”.

Another 4 weeks in the bottles and my first try was ready for a tasting. We were pleased with the results. This pilsner had a crisp clean taste and an alcohol content just under 5%. I have taken some bottles to friends’ houses for pizza and to a birthday party and everyone has commented positively on the results. Word is getting around town about my beer and several have inquired when they can sample some of my dwindling supply

Our friend Tonino sampling the Pilsner

My second try is a European lager, which is a little stronger than the pilsner but better for fermentation in the cooler winter temperatures. Just a matter of days to sample the results.

San Nicola - Feast Day

San Nicola with his attributes

Today is the traditional feast day for San Nicola, who is considered the model for the modern Santa Claus. As the holiday shopping season ramps up San Nicola can be a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.

Basilica di San Nicola di Bari