L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano A uthor, artist, art historian, Ital- i a n l a n g u a g e blogger, travel guide, publish- er, language coach – self- professed Italophile Melissa Muldoon wears many cap- pelli Italiani in ottima forma (Italian hats in fine form). She's accomplished more in the past 15 years than many do in a lifetime. What lies at the heart of this passion, what impetus drives this Studentessa Matta (crazy student) in all she does? Simply put: her love for Italy and all that comes with it. There is no Italian DNA to blame in Melissa's case, but more so a series of serendip- itous events that guided her to where her heart seemed to already know a love affair awaited. These realizations began when Melissa went abroad as an art major to s t u d y f o r a s e m e s t e r i n F l o r e n c e . I m m e r s e d i n Italian culture, the enchant- ment of all that Italy held lay b e f o r e h e r . T h e s e e d w a s planted, lying dormant in wait of its season to bloom. And bloom it did. M e l i s s a , y o u f i r s t experienced Italy as a young woman studying art in Florence. Did this open the door to your passion for Italy? In essence, yes. I had gone abroad to study art…Italy was the place. It was a great experience, living with an Italian family, experiencing it like a local. It stayed with me – the sights, sounds, the p e o p l e . M a y b e I s a w i t through rose-colored glass- es, but I also saw the reali- ties. Once home, I regretted not learning the language well; I wanted to correct that and connect with Italy again. L i f e b r o u g h t f a m i l y a n d w o r k o b l i g a t i o n s ; i t w a s impossible to return despite f e e l i n g t h e c a l l i n g , b u t I could travel to Italy through the language. You now speak excel- lent Italian. What's the k e y t o l e a r n i n g t h i s beautiful language? A new language always f e e l s " f o r e i g n . " A s y o u a c q u i r e p r o f i c i e n c y , i t becomes second nature – it becomes your friend. The formula for me is to immerse myself in the Italian lan- guage—even if it is just a lit- tle bit—every single day. You c a n c r e a t e a n i m m e r s i o n program at home through blogs, music, radio, reading, tweeting, writing, and study- ing vocabulary – and realize one can learn at any age! For me, language learning is like f i g u r i n g o u t a c r o s s w o r d puzzle. I put in a lot of time and effort, but I was fasci- nated by figuring it out. On a s c a l e o f 1 t o 1 0 i n f o c u s , t h o u g h , I ' m a 5 0 ! A s I became proficient in the lan- guage, I discovered more a b o u t t h e n u a n c e s o f t h e Italian culture. I was raised in the Midwest, so Italy, with all its idiosyncrasies, lifestyle differences, and traditions fascinated me, and the lan- guage gave me the tools to l e a r n a b o u t t h e s e t h i n g s d i r e c t l y f r o m I t a l i a n s i n Italian! The language also o p e n e d t h e d o o r t o n e w friendships. Now the people connections I make when I travel to Italy are my inspi- ration to continue improving my language skills. F o u r b o o k s , y o u r I t a l i a n l a n g u a g e b l o g Studentessa Matta, pod- casts, a YouTube chan- nel, a publishing compa- n y , s m a l l g r o u p l a n - g u a g e s t u d y t r i p s i n Italy…so many success- ful endeavors! How have y o u a c c o m p l i s h e d s o much? It all begins with one day at a time. But the launch was my blog, which I started on a whim…and after a big glass o f w i n e ! A n I t a l i a n f o o d blogger I followed posed a question: "What makes you crazy about Italy?" I decided to write back. The author replied, telling me I was an inspiration to her, she want- ed to get serious again about t h e l a n g u a g e . I w r o t e m y f i r s t b l o g t h a t n i g h t . I t seemed like a good idea, a way to practice my Italian a n d m a y b e r e a c h o u t t o inspire other Italophiles. Consistency is important, being able to visualize what you want to accomplish. I heard Sophia Loren speak once…and I met her! Her quote -- "I believe in dreams, dreams come true" -- is true. When I started these ven- tures, I envisioned, saw it, took daily steps. I initially started the blog to improve myself. It led to connections here and in Italy -- Italian language schools wanted to collaborate. I never turned away an opportunity. Being open to possibility instead of shutting down; instead of saying I can't do this – try! E n t h u s i a s m f o r b e i n g i n Italy was incremental to all of this. When did you feel the call to write, to tell the stories of some of Italy's m o s t a m a z i n g w o m e n artists? I'd written a lot of nonfic- tion about Italy on my blog. I w a s a l s o i n f l u e n c e d b y authors such as Dianne Hale and Frances Mayes, and I've illustrated covers for books o n I t a l y . T h e s e a u t h o r s inspired me and made me believe I could write a novel, too! The challenge for me was figuring out how to turn the nonfiction articles I post- ed on my blog into a story, a n o v e l . M y f i r s t b o o k , D r e a m i n g S o p h i a , became my way to impart t h e m a n y d i v e r s e t o p i c s regarding Italy that I love, art, culture, history, a way to tell my own story, as well as tell the stories of strong, pas- sionate female Italian artists from the past...and take the reader to my Italy. I use a lot o f I t a l i a n p h r a s e s i n m y books; I want to inspire oth- ers to learn the language! My recently released novel, The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola, follows these themes, telling the story of t h e m o s t f a m o u s w o m a n you've never heard of. Do elements of your- self appear in the pro- tagonists in your novels? Of course! I've often won- dered about this fascination I have with Italy and jokingly quipped somewhere along the way a Tuscan ghost had inhabited me. It's an amus- ing, fanciful thought, but still, I wanted to make sense of this connection I feel, this p r e s e n c e . A l l m y b o o k s explore this attachment I have for Italy and the past, but most notably my novel Eternally Artemisia. The i d e a t h a t o u r l i v e s a r e touched by those who have gone before us, influencing and inspiring us—I experi- e n c e t h i s s e n s a t i o n t h e strongest whenever I return to Italy and use my books as a means of understanding and exploring it more fully. This love affair with I t a l y … h o w w o u l d y o u explain to someone who might not "get it"? I become a different per- son when I am living in Italy. I'm relaxed, calmer, ready to let what happens happen instead of trying to control everything. It's a different reality living there every day, of course; I want to live there in longer stretches to join in the patterns of each day. The language, the art, so many t h i n g s … t h i s c o c k t a i l … inspires me and makes me a better person. What's next? I'm going to focus on my blog, writing, making art… splitting time between these worlds. I want more time in Italy, including my Small Group Italian Language programs. I have two set for later this year. I so want to help my Italian friends get back on their feet, to pro- mote Italy in my small way. Italy has so much to offer! " Y o u c a n ' t g i v e u p t h a t s p a r k t h a t f u e l s y o u r d r e a m s . " ~ Melissa Muldoon Connect with Melissa on a l l h e r S o c i a l M e d i a P l a t f o r m s o n L i n k t r e e : https://linktr.ee/MelissaMul doon Discover Melissa's books on Amazon: https://www. a m a z o n . c o m / M e l i s s a - Muldoon/ e/B01LYC7163 PAULA REYNOLDS LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Melissa Muldoon with Sophia Loren in Las Vegas. Photo courtsy of Melissa Muldoon Melissa Muldoon: The "Studentessa Matta" and her passion to bring Italy to all

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