Amore for Perugia - by Jerold Smith

Ten months ago I had the opportunity to apply for one of three Italian language scholarships offered by the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association (SPSCA) to study the Italian language in Perugia, Italy.

Early this year I was delighted to learn I had been selected for one of the month-long scholarships for 2013. When the potential of returning to Umbria and attending the University for foreigners became a reality I knew exactly what time I wanted to go. During the month of June I could attend classes, then starting June 30^th the celebration would begin for the 20^th anniversary of SPSCA and our sister city relationship. A full schedule of events was planned from June 30-July 6, including meetings with the mayor of Perugia, tours of the region, audiences with Umbrian artists and artisans, visits to museums, lunches and dinners at restaurants and private homes, and so much more.

And if that was not enough, July 3 was the kick-off for Umbria Jazz, a music festival lasting 10 days, filled with stages and

Street performers at Umbria Jazz

venues all over town in many different piazzas, restaurants and bars all hours of the day and night. Thousands of music lovers gather and celebrate the love of music. There street performers and artists, booths for food, beer and wine, and a plethora of things to do. This was indeed the best of both worlds!

With travel plans in force, communication with the university in place, and my compadre Ian promising to be my guide, mentor, and interpreter, we arrived in Perugia June 3. Having dealt with the complexities of universita` registration, testing, and bureaucracy, Ian repeatedly warned me to “Stai Calmo” (remain calm) during this process (described on this site from 2012).

Even with his expertise, experiences from last year, and his Italian language skills, I was ready for vino before we completed the first day. I must say that while I adore Italy, they do make have a more complicated system for taking care of business! But in the end, with Ian’s assistance and helpful university staff, I was became registered and enjoyed a month of language studies.

]After many years of being around Italians and listening to this wonderful language, I began studying Italian in Seattle in

Elisabetta Valentini

2012 from Elisabetta Valentini at Percorso Italiano. It was a small and very intimate class. Elisabetta, ironically the Perugia president of SPSCA whose husband was working in the Seattle area for the past three years, was an exceptional instructor. And, as a native Perugian, she provided an enlightened perspective about this beautiful and engaging Umbrian city.

From the intimate class at Percorso Italiano, I was thrust into a class of 23 students ranging in age from late teens to 69 (there were three of us oldies at 64, 67, and 69). While I have taken continuing education courses and attended dozens of business seminars over my adult life, it had been more than 48 years since I was on a university campus enrolled in an actual class with generally college-age students. It actually was inspiring, and I truly enjoyed the interaction with the younger (and older) students from the U.S., Albania, Russia, Korea, China, Japan, Dominican Republic, Germany, Syria, and elsewhere. The early twenties Korean was named Giovanni – go figure!

I made a dear friend at school, Bettina Magi, an Italian-American from Brooklyn, New York. Her personal journey has helped me see Italy in a whole new way. An accomplished painter and retired high school art teacher, Bettina, Ian, and I have enjoyed one another immensely, as we explored this city and beyond, and engaged with the hospitable Perugian and Umbrian people. It is exciting to see Italy through someone else’s eyes as we watch her connect to her past (her father was born near Perugia) and her future as an Italian-American.

Attending class five days a week was challenging, especially since I was also doing publishing work remotely, meeting many of Ian’s friends and associates in Perugia and surrounding areas, attempting to assist Ian with his three photo shows he is presenting in Perugia and Corciano, and soaking in the ambiance of this charming city.

We’ve been very busy with meetings, lunches, and dinners. Ian knows a great many people in the area, many of them influential in the Umbrian and Italian art community. We have lunched with Daniella Borghessi whom we met in Seattle last year and spent time with at SPSCA events. She handles the sister city relationships for the Commune di Perugia (city of Perugia), is a delightful person who coordinated most of the activities for the 20^th anniversary celebration, and is assisting Ian with one of his photo shows. One of the true pleasures of this trip has been to assist her in any way I could.  

Views of Umbrian countryside

So, while school, business activities, and socialization have been crazy, what I perhaps have enjoyed the most is my amore for Perugia. This is a beautiful city built on STEEP hills (from our apartment in centro the 1.5 block grade to the central piazza has to be 10-12 percent; I should lose about 50 pounds!).  Etruscan and Roman walls dating back 2,500 years or more surround the telescoping hills that eventually encompass the central (in centro) section of this historical city founded in the 5^th century BC. Streets and walkways are generally comprised of uneven ancient stones that add to the beauty and semblance of centuries past and also make ones shoes quite dirty.

Absolutely breath taking views abound from points surrounding the central part of the city where we live. They include astounding hillsides with olive groves, vineyards, bright green trees, villas, castles, monasteries, small villages, and mountains of sizeable stature off in the distance. Even some Italian friends not from this area who visited one weekend were amazed at the magnificent views of these rolling plains as we toured the city and enjoyed the vistas from the top of the city.

Messina Family

And, of course, the food, pastries, and gelato are of great importance to me. We have consumed exceptional cappuccini and sfogliatelle napoletane at one of Ian’s favorite pasticceria, enjoyed true Italian pizza (so simple, so thin, and so good!) at his favorite pizzeria several times, and gratified ourselves with pasta dishes that embroil the taste buds. Several of those delectable meals have been at Antica Trattoria Delle Volte in centro owned by the Messina family who are dear friends of Ian. They have been very gracious and provided us with laughter, sustenance, and vino – plus some POTENT grappa!

The Messinas invited us to a family dinner at their home near Perugia on July 1 and it will remain one of my most memorable events ever in this country. Even with my language difficulty (only one family member speaks English), we all enjoyed birra and vino, laughed, cajoled, and consumed a meal that was beyond proper description. Suffice to say that is was sumptuous and plentiful – and I was one happy camper at the end of an evening that lasted well beyond midnight.

Moretti Family and me

Even though our favorite food is ice cream, true Italian gelato is difficult to acquire in the states with rare exception. Thus far, we have enjoyed a plethora of flavors on our late evening strolls, though gelato is good any time of the day!! Almost every local and visitor has their favorite gelateria and I certainly found mine, Cioccolato Augusta Perusia, a classy little shop off the beaten track between my school and apartment that also sells exquisite chocolates, chocolate liquors, and chocolate sauces. My favorite flavor is their Chocco Cherry that simply melts on your tongue. There are other delectable flavors, but this one defines gelato at its best!

Like most of Umbria, Perugia combines ancient charm and culture with some modern influences that allow one to soak in history, be fascinated by its architecture, and enjoy some modern conveniences. But my amore with this region truly encompasses the people and families we have experienced day after day. The Messinas, the Morettis, and Vastas, and so many others that have made me feel welcome and special.

  

Vasta Family

And at this writing, we still have even more people to meet, plus some additional time with Ian’s dear friends Roberto and Matteo who make me laugh and feel so comfortable. Each new person I meet extends my appreciation for the Italian people.  So, simply said, I have Amore for Perugia – we seem to love one other!