A big part of why I decided to move to Italy in 2022 was the fact that my son, Max, was starting university in 2022, and I didn't want to be sad in my empty nest in San Diego.
Two years later, we're both thriving in our new environments. He's attending Rollins College in Orlando, and already, I'm seeing so many positive changes as he shifts from childhood to adulthood.
Max came to visit us in Calabria for three months! It was wonderful.
Opening Up to a New Way of Life
I worried that Max wouldn't find the same charm I do in spending days in Davoli, where Fra's family lives, but I was wrong.
Max enjoyed everything we did together this summer, from picking cherries off the tree to baking bread in the wood oven to hanging out with baby chicks. He even liked joking with Fra's family, once he could speak some Italian.
And speaking of language...he's fluent in French and has polyglots for parents, so picking up Italian (and a little bit of dialect) was pretty easy for Max. It was remarkable to watch the transformation as he understood more and more each week!
A New Family Dynamic
I didn't worry about Max and Fra getting along. They're both easygoing, and Fra's comedic nature had Max smiling. Every time Max laughed at a joke, Fra felt he'd scored!
By the end of the summer, I could see that Max understood that Fra and his family were now my family. OUR family. I'm so happy he had a chance to get to know them. They're already asking when he'll be back!
Finding His Own Way
I recognize that living in Italy (or even just Italy, in general) isn't Max's dream. He hates cheese and doesn't eat pasta with sauce. He doesn't like the beach. But as a curious young man, he's finding his own path.
While he was here, he flew to France to meet a childhood friend. He said this was the first time he'd gotten to choose where he traveled, and he's right. His whole life, he's been schlepped from one state or country to another (poor guy), but never has he had the opportunity to decide for himself.
I hope he comes to love Italy, but even if he doesn't, it's enriched him beyond measure.
Max turned 20 last week, and I couldn't be prouder of the young man he's becoming.
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