L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 8 PAULA REYNOLDS A dmit it. Y ou've entertained the notion of tos s ing aside that burden- s ome daily grind, grabbing a few precious belong- ings, and buying a one-way tick- et for la bella vita in Italia. Who wouldn't long for a life filled with free-flowing fabulous wine, food so good it certainly justifies that 3 rd helping, and warm after- noons spent lazily dreaming of the next torta di nonna whilst napping under an olive tree as "O Sole Mio" plays in the back- ground? At least that's the romanti- cized notion of expat life in Italy if we believe everything we see on the big screen or read in the latest novel. After all, it worked out quite nicely for F rances Maye's screenplay heroine. But reality, in general, is never as kind as the blissful fairy tale ver- sions we're willingly fed, and when it comes down to it, transi- tion to life in another country, even beloved Italy, is wrought with challenges. Jennifer Criswell, author of the critically acclaimed self-dis- closure memoir At Least You're in Tuscany: A Somewhat Disas- trous Quest for the Sweet Life (Gemelli Press, 2014), did more than just dream of ancient emer- ald vineyards and seas of blaz- ingly red poppies while chowing down on Olive Garden leftovers in suburbia —- she made life in Tuscany her life. From the earliest notions of uprooting herself to actually nailing shut the shipping crates was a 10 year journey for Jen- nifer. Trading in a legal career for days of writing under the shade of fragrant wisteria, end- less supplies of gelato, and 24/7 viewing of gorgeous Italian men seemed like the epiphany she was seeking. Jennifer's first year as an expat, accompanied only by her aged dog Cinder, is laid out humorously and honestly in the book with no attempt to sugar- coat the journey. Wrought with more ups and downs than a Tus- can hill town, we get to follow along as each month brings unexpected challenges, mishaps, and defeat; but at least she's in Tuscany! And there she stayed. The reality of living in Italy – through Jennifer's eyes I caught up with Jennifer on a serene Cortona twilight over aperitivo. I had to laugh a bit at the irony of having this conver- sation in the very town made popular by, ahem, that other book! Her warm personality filled the small space. Animated, expressive, and able to laugh easily at herself, she shared some of her experiences thus far as a seasoned - and successful, finally - expat. You've been here how long now? What are your thoughts this far into it? April marked my 9 th year! Of course, it's different than I imagined... harder than I expect- ed. I miss my friends and family, but I'm happy with how it's played out. I don't think there's one thing about the experience I would change – it's my individ- ual journey and has made me who I am today. I learn some- thing every step of the way! It's harder for expats to be gainfully employed in Italy. Have you fou n d th at to b e true? Oh yes. As the book lays out, I found a few ways to bring in some meager wages early on, but since then I've enjoyed working as a wine guide and conducting tastings for Poliziano Vineyards just outside of Montepulciano, and I've also completed my som- melier course and examinations. Soon, I'll be taking a new posi- tion as marketing and sales man- ager at another wine producer here, Leura. Teaching English is always a good sideline, so I con- tinue to do that on a part-time basis, as well. My passion, of course, is writing and I continue to actively purs ue that. M y sequel to At Least You're in Tus- cany, titled Well Seasoned in Tuscany, is nearing completion, so I'm thrilled about that. Anoth- er very exciting event has recent- ly come together, as well – a screenplay for my first book! Can you give us a peek into the sequel? Just a teaser! The first book was a fleshing out of the diary I kept the first year here, the s tories and experiences . I knew I wanted to write a sequel, and basically what I've done is condensed three years into one; more of the everyday life after that first-year roller coaster ride. I've also incorporated my other passion – cooking – into the book and have included recipes I've gathered along the way. How would you describe the overall reception to Americans wanting to live in Italy? Generally good. I've never felt dis criminated agains t, although it can be a bit of a love/hate relationship at times. There are some differences in various regions , I think, but overall I believe Americans are accepted if they choose to live here. I have dual citizenship so that helps, as well. I'm sure it's eas ier to be accepted w hen there's a direct heritage to Italy. Tell me a little more about your Italian heritage. Both of my great-grandfathers were from Italy, so of course I felt the urge to visit for that rea- son, as well as the obvious rea- sons. I made my first trip over in 2001 – I needed a break badly and decided to travel alone, to re-center myself. The attraction was instant, I felt so at home. I w as already ques tioning my career in law – I mean, making people cry on a regular basis was getting old! It was hard, though, because of the effort I'd put into getting to that point in life, as well as fearing that I'd look like a failure. But things really crystalized for me on that trip; I knew I had to lay down the law, so to speak, and follow my childhood dream to write, to tell stories. So really, my Italian heritage has played a big part in bringing me to this place in life. So overall, it's been worth it? Absolutely. It's certainly not been the big screen version of my daydreams. But I knew I was meant to be here, to make a life here. When that purpose is there, the means of making it happen are just part of the journey, no matter how challenging they might be. Oh, believe me, I ques- tioned my sanity at times, but when I look back, I'm so happy I stuck it out, that I persevered. Dream It, do it: author Jennifer Cr iswell makes Tuscany her own LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Jennifer Criswell left a career as a lawyer to start it afresh in Tuscany

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