Fa' l'italiano! (Be Italian!)

By: Ivanka Di Felice

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Bestselling Author – Embrace the Italian vibe! Watch 'You Want to Fa' l'italiano' and feel the magic of Italy in every beat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpNv1PHlQxI&ab_channel=DavidandIvankaDiFelice

On arriving in Italy, we made the same mistake other foreigners make: we compared how things were done in Canada with how things were done here. Although we admired the inimitable beauty of Italy, its infamous bureaucracy and other inconveniences annoyed us. The list of culture shocks was long. And, naturally, the way we did things back home was superior.

I am not quite sure when it happened, but perhaps it was around the same time that a pausa was no longer heavenly but rather a natural part of the day. Or perhaps when grabbing a takeout sandwich for Sunday lunch became unthinkable, or when it seemed unlawful not to eat gelato at least three times a week in the summer—and not count calories! Or when mishaps simply became surprises. It was then, with delight, that I realized we were slowly becoming Italian: accepting the good with the bad; rejoicing in simple pleasures like seasonal food; spending as much time with friends and family as possible, always with room for an extra plate or two at the table; and promoting Italy with such passion, you’d think our ancestors themselves had built it (well, David’s did).

So as I became more Italian, I now write through new eyes—ironically, older ones that don’t see as well, yet somehow see even better than before. The trials here still exist, though there are far fewer of them—or maybe I just don’t focus on them anymore. Regardless . . . we are almost there, almost Italian, but not quite. Though my gnocchi are up there with my mother-in-law’s (but don’t tell her), we must confess to indulging in an occasional cappuccino after 11:00 a.m. Yet we now feel a small twinge of guilt when doing so. As the Italians say, “Piano, piano” (“Slowly, slowly”).

So, Americano, if you want to Fa' l'italiano (Be Italian), then read along. This is a collection of beloved stories about what it means to be truly Italian, along with new experiences. Life is not always as expected, but that is what sometimes makes it richer and more wonderful.

This book can be read as a stand-alone or feel free to tag along for more laugh out loud adventures in Italy by reading the complete Simply Italian! Series: A Slice of Italy, A Slice of Tuscany, Tuscan Dreams, Paying It Forward, Fa' l'italiano! (Be Italian!) and the prequel, My Zany Life.