My Dear Family:

My husband Michael and I just returned from our honeymoon in Italy.  We have numerous photos and video that we are anxious to share with you.  Also, I want to share my thoughts and emotions from this journey, as they are fresh in my mind and heart.

Michael is a Sheriff Deputy in Palm Beach County.  So it was through his International Police Association, that he contacted police colleagues in Rome and Campobasso, Italy with Pietro and Maria’s birth information.  A colleague in Campobasso located the IACURTI’s in Santa Croce di Magliano (Pietro’s birthplace).  Through emails, letters and phone calls, we arranged to spend two days visiting our family in Italy.

After spending two days in Rome, we drove to Campobasso (about 3 hours) through beautiful mountain ranges.  Our police officer friend met us at the city entrance and after eating gelato with his wife in Campobasso, they escorted us to Santa Croce --30 miles further through winding mountains and valleys.

As we drove into the city hall parking area, 60 Iacurti family members cheered our arrival.  They greeted us with open arms and open hearts.  At the city hall, a city official welcomed us to Santa Croce with a warm speech, key to the city and flowers.  A very overwhelming experience.  Our cousin, Matteo works at city hall and so he introduced each of our cousins to us.  They greeted us and introduced each of their family members.

If this wasn’t enough, we then traveled to a reception in our honor—six course meal, vino, dancing, karaoke, and aperitifs.  They toasted our arrival and marriage.  Michael and I danced to the customary first matrimonial dance as the family wrapped us in streamers and tossed almond candies at our feet. 

Although I speak no Italian, Michael speaks some Spanish and Latin, and our cousins speak no English, we communicated just fine with hand gestures, body language, key words and phrases, photos, and writing out names and numbers.  I brought the Peter Gurto family tree (thanks to Joe for making copies) and family photos (thanks to Sharen & Jim for the copies).  Our cousins enjoyed the photos and missing information from Pietro’s family that they never knew.

Knowing that we would be meeting the family, Michael and I brought gifts for everyone:

Florida tee shirts and hats, Florida Gator stuff, USA and sheriff patches, rosaries from my Dad, and rosaries that my Mom and Dad made.  Our family was overjoyed with the small trinkets from their American cousins. 

After a fun evening, the family went to Rosa’s house for home-made aperitifs.  Doesn’t that seem appropriate that the family gathered at Rosa’s house in Italy like we all would do in Ohio at Rosie’s.  Rosa and Pietro have three single daughters (age 28 to 35) who live with them.  The four ladies are seamstresses and make beautiful woman’s clothes.

The next morning seven cousins met us at our hotel and drove us to Ripabottoni (Grandma’s birthplace) which is 15 miles from Santa Croce. Grandma had four sisters.  Her sister Maria Saveria had a daughter Antonietta who owns a restaurant in Ripabottoni.  We met her and exchanged information.  While visiting her restaurant, a bride and groom walked down the street as is the tradition on their wedding day with the townspeople cheering and throwing rice and almond candy at their feet.   

Antonietta walked us down the cobblestone street to the house that Grandma was born in.  I cannot explain the emotions that I felt as I stood in the house sharing photos of my grandmother and looking at photos of her sister.  We also met a male cousin at her restaurant where we enjoyed Italian beer and shared family photos.

Driving back to Santa Croce and admiring the scenery I could not imagine how Grandma at age 17 could leave her family and beautiful country to travel to America- a totally unfamiliar place.

At Rosa’s house, she presented a feast—homemade prosciutto, pepperoni, salami, pepperconi, mushrooms and olives.  The plate was beautiful.  Next macaroni with fresh tomatoes, then salad, and breaded chicken and sausage with potatoes.  Of course plenty of homemade vino too.

Keep in mind that our cousins speak no English, so the Italian/English dictionary and Michael’s little knowledge of Spanish and Latin got us by.

The girls showed us the village of Santa Croce.  Many of the buildings were damaged by an earthquake two years ago.  The church is unsafe so they meet in the church hall.  At the cemetery we visited Rosa’s father grave Flavino (grandpa’s brother).  Flavino had epilepsy and was 44 when he died from a reaction to a medicine.  Rosa was only 3 when he died.  Grandpa’s sister Rosaria is also buried there; she was 98 when she died in 2000.+

They knew Pietro came to America but they knew nothing of his life or family, until now.

So I am happy that I was able to share our family photos and information.  Later in the evening, the family (yes all 60 or so) returned to Rosa’s house for another feast.  In the first floor of her home, she has her sewing work room, and her food area where she cans, makes wine, and dries her herbs.  Everything we ate was fresh, homemade and delicious. 

My cousin Daniela baked a wedding cake for Michael and me, and they toasted us with champagne.  The sent us off with two lovely photos of Santa Croce, and with wonderful memories.

We asked each of them to send a message/greeting to their American family, and we are anxious to share this video with you—it is very sweet.  It is all in Italian but you will understand the loving messages and feel their warmth.

It was a tearful averadarci and the most amazing two days.  It is hard to explain the emotions that I feel.  Family is family—whether in Florida, in Ohio or in Italy.  Language was no barrier; in fact it probably made it easier to express our love for each other.

 Michael said we opened a portal.  This was not only an opening of the past history of our Iacurti and DelVecchio family, but also the future.  It is important now that we have this family history that we preserve it and pass it onto our children.  I am sharing our family’s addresses and other written information with you now.  They are eager to hear from other family members in America, so please write to them.  They do not have computers, so e-mail is not possible.  I am asking Joe to add this information to our family website.  We are looking forward to visiting with you so we can share our photos, videos and more stories.

 I hope that some of you will think about going to Santa Croce and Ripabottoni in a few years together.  Michael and I would love to share this journey with you.

Love,

Michele