Abruzzo-United States round trip: Marilena and her Italian ancestors

My name is Marilena, and the story of the overseas travels that involved my Italian ancestors begins in 1913, when my great-grandparents Pippinella and Antonio left their land, their home town Silvi (in the province of Teramo, Abruzzo) together with her brother, Vincenzo, and his wife, Anna. The destination was the United States of America, the place where to seek a better life.

Two young married couples who embarked in Naples with their pockets full of dreams and very little money. Traveling along with many others like them, and after a long and not easy month-long crossing spent in third class, they finally saw from the deck of the ship the Statue of Liberty, symbol of a new life.

They lived through some years of great sacrifice and sorrow, for the loss of a son, in Jenkins, Kentucky, where they had learned, from the letters of some of their fellow villagers who had left before them, that they were looking for men to work in the coal mines. At that point, the lure of their land became unbearable and, with a nest egg set aside, my great-grandfather Antonio and his three children returned to Italy, leaving their brother and wife there.

Unfortunately, after the Second World War, our country found itself facing a bad economic crisis. At that point my grandfather Alfredo, one of Pippinella and Antonio’s sons, decided to try his luck and leave for the United States of America, for New York, together with his wife and three children (the eldest, only 11 years old, was my mother). Alfredo found work as a carpenter, his wife as a seamstress. The two were able to send their children to school in the land of great opportunities.

My grandparents returned to Italy for a short stay in 1964, on the occasion of my parents’ wedding, which was celebrated with a classic American ceremony, with many bridesmaids and… An authentic Abruzzo wedding lunch!

Back in New York, my parents opened a restaurant, where they cooked Italian specialties. Those scents and flavors attracted many Italians, who stopped to chat and talk nostalgically about their country of origin.

The return to Abruzzo and an unexpected letter

My brother and I were born in New York and since we were children we have lived between two worlds, speaking two languages, listening to stories in the many dialects of beautiful Italy.

In 1970 my parents also succumbed to the call of our land, deciding to raise their children in what they considered a safe and clean place.

After about 30 years we received an unexpected letter from one of my Italian relatives, eager to know his family tree, his homeland and our traditions, intrigued by the stories of his grandparents. Later, the other Italian ancestors also arrived, and since then we have finally become a big, very large extended and complete family, which travels from one side of the ocean to the other to hug each other and celebrate various occasions.

Four years ago a piece of my heart, my brother and his wife, moved to South Carolina. A part of the Italian ancestors belonging to my family tree live there, who lead a comfortable life and work; However, for them, any excuse is good to go home, get their fill of cuddles and eat the good things cooked by mom.

My mother’s brother and daughter currently live in New York, but family and homesickness still keep them tied to us, even though they can’t come back as often because he’s very sick.