Independence Day - Buon Giorno, Italia!

It’s the 4th of July today - Independence Day for Americans.

And I almost missed out on remembering the beginning of what was to be a significant era in my life.

“What!?”, you say, “What does that mean!?”

I’ll explain.

On this date, 30 years ago, I boarded a plane to Paris, little knowing I would not be returning to the U.S. of A. until 2 years had passed.

I’d never been to Europe before and while living in NYC, I’d met an Italian fellow who spent 6 months of each year in the city and the other half at home - ‘home’ being Rome.

Shortly before he returned home one Summer, he suggested I come and visit him. Seeing how I’d never been, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity.

However, there were no fares that I could afford - except for a charter that flew out of Kennedy to Paris. This flight, along with the train fare to Rome, was less than the cost of a single ticket directly to Rome, believe it or not.

So, I took it.

I should ‘do details’ but I’m not going to.

Let’s just say that the flight was great, the arrival in Paris was mind-boggling, and my general sense of insecurity, particularly at not being able to communicate, was in overdrive.

I felt sick.

But somehow, I managed to get myself to the proper train station, found my train, and, along with a gang of other tourists, travelled and chatted the night through (pretty much) until Termini Station was reached.

Well, I’d lived in NYC for years but this place was another matter altogether.

It was loud, crowded, jammed with people really, and swelteringly hot - it was July, after all.

And I loved it.

So much so, that I pretty much decided on the spot that I was going to do my best to find a way to stay - and I did.

As luck would have it, I met this Irish woman who was teaching English at a language school on Via Nazionale. It happened that she was getting ready to spend a year in Spain teaching and the school would be needing a replacement teacher - lucky for me.

She was instrumental and effective in talking to the right people because when I went for an interview, they regarded me warmly and I got the job.

For the next 2 years I taught English as a 2nd language and had the most extraordinary time of my life.

I learned so much during that period and I think of it now with great fondness, for its repercussions echo still through my life.

It was an education.

It was a holiday.

It was my true Independence Day and will always remain so.