Family Ties and Old Friends



If you've ever watched the show Who Do You Think You Are? (returning to NBC on Friday, Feb 4 - yes, a shameless plug for my network), then perhaps you've been inspired to think about the history of your family. Long before the show premiered last season, I was always fascinated about knowing more about my ancestors, and when I first went to Italy in 1999, I made an unsuccessful attempt to contact my papa's family. I wrote to an address found on an old letter that my godmother had provided, but whatever the reason - too much time past, an undeliverable letter, or perhaps resentment for the brother who left the family to come to Amercia -  I never heard back. My grandfather arrived through Ellis Island with his own father and all I knew of the family left behind was a brother named Rocco who, I think had a daughter who taught English.

My mother's ancestry lies in Sicily and Lithuania and her father was a mystery to me, making quick and fleeting appearances throughout my young life. What I remember most is his great mane of hair and his German Shepard, Snoopy always at his feet at the kitchen table. To this day, I cannot recall one conversation between the two of us. Although we won't have time to visit the city where my grandpa Angelo Buccafusca's family is from, Rosemarie and I will be able to meet a dear friend of mine from high school who does live there.



One of the few pictures of me (right) with my grandpa.


It was 1981, Cinzia and I met through one of my best friends and we both held a common disdain for our English teacher. I asked her to the junior prom, but she wasn't able to go - and to this day, I'm certain it was not because of the way I looked back then. Pictures will not be posted. When Cinzia relocated back to Sicily before graduation, we kept in touch for a while but as is common, we lost contact. But this is a new day and age - where old friends are easily found through Facebook and we've since reconnected. This summer, she's going to meet both of us in Rome and spend the day with my mom and me. The capital city is a two hour Eurostar trip from Florence, and I couldn't be more excited. Although it's been over 25 years since we've seen each other, I have no doubt that the two of us will fall back into place as if no time has passed.

It would be wonderful to find some of the Tella's from Ortona - do I resemble any of them? Are we alike in ways that are obvious? Do they look like my papa? Does Rosemarie look like her father's Sicilian relatives? We probably will never know, but showing Italy to Rosemarie is a way for us both to connect with parts of our family that we remember with great memories. And with an old friend as our guide, it'll be even more special, not to mention, we won't get lost or have to rely on what passes for me speaking Italian.