Finding Grandpa's Neighborhood in Curinga

Today I went to the town hall of Curinga to continue my research on my grandfather's lineage. I have now confirmed that he was born in Curinga and I have a copy of his birth certificate for mycitizenship application.

The Orlando family and I are trying to figure out the connection that exists between our two families. If it exists at all.

Eleonora and her father, Guiseppe, had done some research for me before I arrived, but they were not able to figure out how we were related. Today, I believe I might have found the connection. Granted,there are still a few other documents we would like to find to confirm my belief,but it looks as though my great grandfather, Bruno Orlando,was the brother of his great grandfather, Guiseppe. On Monday, we will continue the research and look for the marriage certificate of Guiseppe and his wife, Concetta. This document will include the name of the father of Guiseppe, which might be Santo Orlando, my great, great grandfather. This would confirm our connection.

I jumped around a lot with my research this morning and I only had 1.5 hours to do my work. I also looked at the death certificate for my great aunt, Maria Rosa Orlando. She was my grandfather's sister. She died in 1951. On her death certificate, I discovered the number of the street where she lived. It was 376 Garibaldi Street. I was thrilled with this discovery because I figured it would mean thatI had found the house of my grandfather. Maria Rosa never married, so chances are she always lived in the house of her parents.

Well, I discovered afterwards that every ten years, the numbers of the house get changed. This means that it's not so simple to find 376 Garibaldi. In fact, we went there, but we couldn't find a 376 Garibaldi. We could only find numbers close to it. 335, 337, but not the number I was hoping we would find. This was a big disappointment. Not only that, the area where we think my grandfather lived, it is completely abandoned. It looks as though no one had lived there since about the time of Maria Rosa's death in 1951.

Perhaps I had hoped to find someone living there who could tell me more. Seeing the houses abandoned as they are, it leaves me feeling sad about Maria Rosa's death. I had hoped to see life in their neighborhood, something that would tell me that there is still life in the house of my grandfather, Carmelo Orlando.

Curinga, Medicine for My Soul

Curinga at sunset, with a view of the Eolie islands and Stromboli (Volcano)

Tonight I wrote to a dear friend of mine who lives in Spain. I tried to describe this trip and what it is doing for my general wellbeing. I know that many people will ask me when I return, what did I see? Where did I go? When I tell them I went to Curinga and I spent 10 days in a town without seeing other cities or areas of Calabria, they will wonder what I could have done in the same place for 12 days.

It's very possible that I will see some other towns in the area, but frankly, I don't know if I need to see more during this trip. Vacation is about rest. It's about rejuvenation and reflection. To achieve what I am looking for, I don't need to go very far. I have found it right here in Curinga.

Curinga is medicine for my soul.

Jennifer's Arrival to Italy

I have arrived to Rome. All has gone pretty smoothly for me except for my check-in at Blu-Express. They got me good for having gone over their weight limit. The limit is 17 kilos for the checked luggage, and 5 kilos for the carry-on.

It was a joke of sorts, watching the people before me rearrange their suitcase content moving it from one bag to another. I stood in the line wondering if I would soon be the next fool opening up my suitcases for everyone to see inside. Sure enough, it happened to me too. I was told my carry-on was too heavy. So, what do you think I did? I transferred all I could to the larger suitcase only to have the man at the desk tell me, "Now your other suitcase is too heavy." First, my carry-on was too heavy, now the carry on is practically empty and the other suitcase goes over the 17 kilo limit.

So, yes, I had to pay extra. But only with Blu-Express! The sad part is, I really tried to travel lightly. At the last minute, I was taking out items from my suitcase in my house, leaving them behind for fear that this would happen. And it did. I even left behind my Italian grammar book which must weigh at least 2 pounds!

Now I am sitting here waiting for my flight, wondering what other surprises Blue-Express will have for me. I am hoping there won't be any others.

Aside from the unpleasant experience at Blue-Express, everything has gone pretty smoothly. I was pleasantly surprised by Alitalia when they told me they had a gluten-free meal option. Well, actually, they didn't tell me, I overheard the steward confirming with a passenger behind me that he was having a gluten-free dinner. This I had not expected. So, when I had a chance, I signaled the steward over to me and I asked him if a meal was being served on the plane. When I purchased my ticket online, it said, "no meal". I explained this to him in my simple Italian, and he chuckled! No, it wasn't my Italian, it was the idea that a plane full of Italians and tourists visiting Italy could actually survive an 8 hour flight without a meal.

Blue Express had one more surprise for me on my flight to Lamezia Terme. This time it was a surprise at boarding time. I got off the shuttle with all the other passengers and I made my way towards the plane. A stewardess wearing a hat and fitted suit stood at attention at the staircase. She looked like she was in the Navy. I noticed that several people were walking at a quick pace and a few men actually cut me off while going up the stairs. What is all the rush? I no sooner got on the plane and the man behind me saw me looking for my seat, JG35. He informed me, "There are no assigned seats. You can sit where you want." Ahh, I get it! That's whythat herd of horses just ran me over so they could get their favorite seat for a 50 minute flight. It's amazing how easily people can forget to be courteous when it's a first come first serve kind of situation.

How will my flight back to Rome work out? Will I pay extra?

I have already started strategizing about this one. I am using up and tossing out all toiletries before the 19th of September. It occurs to me that I may also put things in the multiple pockets I have in both my hip hop pants and my rain coat! I will be the heavy one, not my suitcase. Blue Express doesn't have a\rule about the weight of its passengers now, does it? Just you wait and see Blu Express, I will take several lbs out of the suitcase!

If any other ideas occur to you all, please do share!

The Accordion

Photo taken by iMarco89

One of my goals for my trip to Italy is to hear live Calabrian tarantella. I have watch videos countless times on YouTube, but I would love to hear and see the musicians performing in person. I wouldn’t mind dancing a tarantella myself, to tell you the truth.

I recently learned that my grandfather owned an accordion. I was touched to learn this fact as I have always tried to put together a picture of his personality. Knowing he was musically inclined explains a lot about my family. My uncle Bruno, my mother, they were both very musically inclined. It explains a lot about me too. I have always been drawn to music, musicians, and the arts. I guess you could say I am a “frustrated artist” who talents have been underused. It’s never too late to start, I suppose!

I like to imagine my grandfather playing the accordion. This image of him playing “tarantella” conjures up positive feelings. I get the sense that even though he had a very difficult life here in this country, he was a happy person.

So, that’s one of my goals for this trip to Calabria. Do you think I will be able to find live Tarantella music?

News from NARA about My Nonni

Response from the NARA office today:

"The National Archives is the repository of naturalization records for the Federal District and Circuit Courts. The indexes for the Federal Courts in the Middle District of PA were searched for the years 1901-1990. We found the naturalization record for Antoinette Piccione Orlando, naturalized in 1948. According to her papers, her husband was deceased by that time and had not been naturalized before his death."

In short, this all means that I still have the green light to go ahead with dual citizenship!

Let my work continue! And let's dance a little tarantella together in the meantime!!!!

This is Curinga, the Town of My Nonno

This is Curinga, the town where my grandfather was born. God willing, soon my feet will walk through these streets.

Making Hotel Reservations Brings More Surprises...

So, I am moving ahead now with making reservations in the towns where I will be staying while I am in Italy in October. I have selected my hotel in Rome, my hotel in Lamezia Terme, and my hotel in Curinga.

I called the Hotel Golden in Curinga just the other day to make my reservations. I successfully made myself clear in Italian, and I proceeded to ask the receptionist if he could email me a confirmation. He promptly responded and I felt assured by his confirmation.

It took me a few days to respond to his email which said:

"Spett. jennifer Rafferty le comunico che abbiamo ricevuto la sua richiesta di prenotazione per il periodo 08/10/09 al 19/10/09 per una camera singola. in attesa della sua conferma le mando cordiali saluti."

After I gave some thought to the conversation we had, I realized that I might like to specify a "room with a view". So, I sent him an email indicating that I would like a room with a window overlooking the city, if possible.

A few days later, I received another response from him:

"Spett. signora jennifer rafferty navigando in internet ho trovato una pagina web in cui cerca carmelo orlando mia madre si chiama orlando e spero che le possa essere d’aiuto domani le chiederò se ricorda qualcosa e le faro sapere al più presto."

So, in case you need a little assistance with the Italian: The man who helped me make my reservations at Hotel Golden, his mother's last name is Orlando. Yes, that's right. It seems as if the owners of the Hotel Golden in Curinga might just be distant relatives of my grandfather, Carmelo Orlando.

Is this not the most surreal thing you have ever heard? I choose one of two hotels in the city of Curinga, and that hotel happens to be owned by someone with the last name of my grandfather. Possibly my distant relatives.

This is no small coincidence.

This was supposed to happen.