Personal Reflections Between Northern and Southern Italy: A Journey Back

What are the life experiences between north and south?

There is a famous Italian film called “Welcome to the South” in which the main character says:south of Italy he cries twice ,the first time when he arrives and the second time when he leaves. It’s the true and I’ve personally experienced this because I have lived for many years in the North of Italy. I live here in Rome, but I was born in Florence,a little town in Toscana, because my father used to work in the North and when my parents married they relocated there. Because all our relatives lived in Rome when the school ended in June ,my mother, my brother and I spent our summer holidays here in Toscana with our grandparents, uncles and cousins. At the beginning I wasn’t happy about this situation because I preferred spending time with my friends rather than with people that I used to see only once a year. But from year to year I started to get on well with them, so I didn’t mind staying a lot of weeks. So if before I cried when I arrived, when we had to go back home, I poured rivers of tears.

Return to the roots

Now when I talk to people and tell them that I have lived in the North, their first question is: There is a conviction in Italy that the North is better than the South for jobs ,the quality of life, the healthcare and that everything works better. It’s true but over all I like the South more than the North. For a twist of fate last month I returned to my hometown for a surgery. I was very excited to return to the place where I spent my childhood. I had the chance to meet my old friends that I haven’t seen for many years, even if in all these years we kept in touch through Facebook. Thank you Mark Zuckerbeg. Maybe in the future I’ll follow my parents’ steps and go back to my hometown for work or for love.