What Learning Italian Has Taught Me About Travel, Family, and Coming Home
Among My Favorite of All Italian Accessories: An Aperol Spritz
Last summer, I stepped into a classroom in Turin, Italy, for my first week-long Italian language course. I was excited, curious, and eager to put into practice the language skills I had been working to build for quite some time. This summer, I'll return to Italy for a two-week language program in Viareggio. In between those experiences, I've continued meeting weekly with my Italian tutor (and she’s Sicilian, to boot!), studying vocabulary, practicing conversation, and discovering that learning a language is as much about persistence as it is about grammar.
One of Turin's Beautiful Piazzas, Where History, Architecture, and Daily Life Come Together.
My relationship with Italian didn't begin in Turin, during my travels to Italy, or even with weekly tutoring sessions. It began at home.
I grew up in a Sicilian-speaking household where Italian and Sicilian dialect were woven into everyday life. While I wasn't fluent, I understood much of what was being said and was surrounded by the sounds, expressions, traditions, and values of my parents' homeland. Later, I studied Italian in college, but like many language learners, I gradually lost touch with it as life became busier and my travels took me to other corners of the world.
A little over two years ago, I decided it was time to reconnect. Although I had been using Duolingo for some time to refresh my vocabulary and rebuild my confidence, I quickly realized I wanted more than daily streaks and translation exercises. I wanted real conversations. I wanted to understand the language—and the culture—on a deeper level. Most importantly, I wanted to reconnect with a part of my heritage that had always been present, yet one that I hadn't fully embraced for many years.
That's when I began working weekly with Arianna, my Italian tutor. What started as a desire to improve my language skills soon evolved into something much more meaningful: a journey of connection, discovery, and a deeper appreciation for the culture and family history that helped shape who I am.
Fall 2026: Visiting Family in Sicily
Somewhere along the way, what began as a language project became something much more significant.
It became a journey back to my roots.
My parents immigrated to the United States from Sicily in search of opportunity and a better life. Like many children of immigrants, I spent much of my childhood wanting to fit in. While my parents spoke Italian and Sicilian, cooked traditional meals, and maintained customs from the old country, I often longed for the things my American friends had. I wanted Doritos in my lunchbox, Elio's pizza for dinner, and man, what I wouldn't have done for a can of SpaghettiOs. I craved the cultural familiarity that seemed to come so naturally to everyone around me and, at times, wished my family looked and felt a little more like everyone else's.
Looking back, I realize how common that feeling is. Children often want what helps them blend in, not what makes them stand out.
Santo Stefano di Camastra, My Family’s Home Town
As I've grown older, of course, my perspective has shifted dramatically.
Today, many of the things I once took for granted have become sources of pride and curiosity. Learning Italian has given me a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices my parents made and the culture they carried with them across an ocean. It has allowed me to better understand family stories, connect with relatives, and experience Italy in a way that feels richer and more meaningful than simply visiting as a tourist.
The Picturesque Seaside Town of Cefalù, Located Near Stefano di Camastra on Sicily's Northern Coast
The language itself has taught me countless lessons. First and foremost, it has taught me humility. There is nothing quite like trying to express a complicated thought and realizing you only know half the words you need, or confidently launching into a sentence only to discover you've accidentally used the wrong verb tense. It has also taught me patience (although if I’m being honest, patience has never been my strong suit). After two years of weekly lessons, I can assure you that language learning is less about giant breakthroughs and more about celebrating small victories along the way.
And then there are my Italy travel companions. Along this journey, I've become the unofficial translator for my husband and our friends whenever we travel in Italy. I love it, of course, and relish every opportunity to practice my Italian.
Positano and the Amalfi Coast with Our Friends Chris and Ellen
Learning Italian has also taught me that people genuinely appreciate the effort. I've discovered that even imperfect Italian opens doors, sparks conversations, and creates connections that might never have happened otherwise.
The moment I begin speaking Italian, people often smile and ask, "Ma come mai sai l'italiano?" ("How do you know Italian?"). I've even made a new friend in my Pilates class, a warm and wonderful woman from Milan who kindly (and patiently) lets me practice my Italian with her.
What begins as a simple exchange often turns into a conversation about family, travel, or life in America. In those moments, I feel welcomed, connected, and at home. They remind me that language is about so much more than grammar and vocabulary; it's about building relationships, sharing experiences, and finding common ground across cultures.
It’s Always a Good Day to Winery Hop in Tuscany. It’s Even Better When Done with Friends, Here We’re with Liz and Jamie
Learning Italian has also become intertwined with another meaningful journey: obtaining dual Italian citizenship. About a year ago, I began the lengthy process of gathering documents, tracing family records, and navigating the bureaucracy required to reclaim my family's citizenship. The process is still underway, but each step feels like another thread connecting me to a heritage that has always been part of me, whether I fully recognized it or not.
Along the way, there have been a few unexpected adventures. Most notably, during our recent move, we somehow misplaced (okay, lost is the more accurate term) our marriage license, an important document for my citizenship application. This led to manyl hours of research, countless questions, and a crash course in obtaining official records from Costa Rica, where my husband and I were married more than twenty years ago. For a few weeks, we jokingly wondered whether our marriage was actually legitimate. Thankfully, we eventually tracked down the documentation and can confirm that we are, in fact, legally married.
Wandering the Whitewashed Streets of Ostuni, One of Italy's Most Beautiful Hilltop Towns
Travel has always expanded my understanding of the world. Learning Italian has expanded my understanding of myself.
Of all the souvenirs I've collected during my travels, none have been more valuable than a deeper appreciation for where I come from. What began as a desire to learn a language has become a journey of rediscovery. A reminder that sometimes the places we're most eager to explore are the ones that have been part of us all along.
If We Ever Go Missing, You'll Probably Find Us Somewhere in Tuscany