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Saluti!

Sono Carlo.  Io sono americano con antenati siciliani. I miei nonni nati in Sicilia.

I am trying to learn the Italian language and would love to have someone to practice what I have learned.  I have mostly been learning with Duolingo.com off and on for about a year and half.  Sometimes with great progress and sometimes not so much.

I originally joined Life In Italy way back in 2008 seeking information about Italian dual citizenship, but then other aspects of my life took precedence.  I am now back and inspired after a trip to Sicily last May and an upcoming trip to Sicily this May (next week in fact).

I did eventually receive my Italian dual citizenship.  It was a long process taking from 2008 until 2014.  This was because my father had used three completely different names during his lifetime.  I had to go to court on three separate occasions to correct facts on my grandfather's death certificate, my parents' marriage certificate, and my birth certificate in order to make the Italian Consulate in Chicago happy and recognize me as a citizen.

I am very happy to have been stubborn and persevered through the citizenship process.  I am proud to be able to legally call myself an Italian - but of course who am I kidding - I need to at least master the Italian language and maybe Sicilian before I can really claim to be Italian.

I used FaceBook and the Italian records site http://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it the last several years to find and confirm relationships with relatives in the area of Sicily where my grandparents were born.  It was very fun and exciting.

I went to Sicily in May with my wife and children to meet my relatives for the first time.  My father's first cousin Vito - who still lives in the village of my grandparents - invited me to a Sunday lunch.  He surprised me by hosting the lunch at the only restaurant in the village and over 80 guests came to meet me!  They were all in some way or another related to me!  It was incredible and a deeply emotional experience.  I am headed back next week (May 2016) to stay for two weeks and learn more about my Sicilian family.

-Carlo

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Ciao Carlo, Benvenuto
Cosi' sei stato in Italia nel 2015 a Maggio e ritorni tra poco ( maggio 2016 ) ?  
Sai in Sicilia 50 anni fa non li capiva nessuno, era una lingua differente ma adesso parlo spesso con siciliani e grazie alla televisione, cinema, radio tutta la generazione con meno di 60 anni parla Italiano.  
Be' divertiti in Sicilia  - Paolo

OFFLINE

Ciao Paolo
Si. Io arrivo sul 16 de maggio.
il mio nonno parla solo la lingua siciliana. Lui non parla la lingua italiana e non la lingua Inglese.
Lui non letta l'italiana e non letta l'Inglese
La lingua siciliana ha molte parole che sono dalla Greco e Arabo.  Io trovo lo difficile.
-Carlo

OFFLINE

Hi Ciao.    I am new to this thread.  My husband's family "Rossi" including his Grandfather Pasquale and Grandmother Lena were from Torgiano along with of course other family members.  We are looking into buying a place there to stay in during the years.  Might even move full time when the right time comes!  So....I'm looking to find out who to contact for real estate, what you know about the towns and if it in your opinion is a great place to be.    Of course, this will all depend on the price of the real estate market there.  We saw a special on Guardia Sanframondi about the reasonable prices of homes there. A great idea by the mayor to bring $ into the community to help refurbish the failing architect and monuments.  Does anyone know if something like that would be happening in Torgiano?  Looking forward to sharing information.

OFFLINE

Ciao Carlo!

Non preoccuparti, il siciliano è praticamente incomprensibile per chiunque fuori dalla Sicilia!!

Che emozione dev'essere stata l'accoglienza ricevuta la prima volta in Sicilia! Com'è andata questa seconda volta (Maggio 2016) ?