Ostigliano, Italy

My parents grew up in Ostigliano, Italy, which is three hours away from Rome, Italy. They were next door neighbors in a small town with about 500 people. My father's family moved to the States when he was eleven. He came back to Italy to go to medical school. That is when he married my mom and they moved back to the States. He went to residency school in New Jersey. My mother went to college in Italy to receive her bachelors in English Education. My mom had to leave her whole family and start a new life in the United States. My dad started working in New Jersey and eventually became hired in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. He opened up his own pediatric practice. My parents had three girls.

Ever since I was born, I remember going to Italy to visit my mom and dad's family. I have been traveling to Europe for so many years. I started traveling at three years old. It is amazing of how many times I have traveled outside of the United States. Right when I arrived in Italy when I was younger, I was amazed by the beauty and different culture that the people offered. Italy has so much to offer to people. It has great food including pasta, fish, bread, mozzarella, and pizza. The Italian shops are amazing, the weather is mostly sunny during the summer, and the beaches are crystal blue. The water is about 70 degrees or higher that enables everyone to enjoy the water without hesitation. It is very different from the beaches in the United States because people can stand in the water without being blown away from a wave.

Me and my family go to Italy every summer to visit my mom's mom, my mother's relatives, and my father's relatives. Because I have been going for every summer since I was little, I feel that I have become more Italian, and I have learned so much from the people's culture and language. My mom's mom does not speak English so I was forced when I was younger to learn Italian. I am not fluent in Italian, but I understand everything. There are many adventures to undertake in a European vacation. My favorite places that I have been in Italy are Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfitana coast, and the islands of Capri and Ischia. These are islands that a family can travel by boat to reach. Families can enjoy many activities with one another including snorkeling, jet skiing, shopping, and touring. The shops in Italy are very expensive, but I highly recommend visiting tourist shops for souvenirs. Every summer that I went to Italy I bought a souvenir to remember the place that I visited. It is also beneficial to bargain shop in order to receive a lesser price.

I feel that Italy is a place that everyone should visit before they die because it is such a beautiful place for everyone to see. Italy is very expensive, and I highly recommend every family to save up to experience an amazing vacation. It is a place that everyone is so friendly with one another, and no one has to know Italian to communicate because most of the Italians in Italy know English.