Defining Alan's Italy

As I have told people over the course of the past year, the name Alan's Italy was chosen purposely because the various projects that developed from the TV show are a personal statement of my view of Italy. Through my experiences over the past twenty years of travel I have come to define a journey that is an outgrowth of my personality, with all its flaws. All of my abilities and deficiencies have clearly emerged in this endeavor, just as they have in my professional life. Indeed as a mathematics educator I had to reach goals that were sometimes hindered by aspects of my various jobs that were beyond my capability. Even becoming a high school supervisor would not have been possible had I been forced the pass the New York City Mathematics Chairman Exam that existed prior to the mid 70's. I was never a math scholar, as many of my fellow chairmen were, and only because the nature of the requirement had been modified was I able to compete, and indeed to succeed.

When I began the television program and the other projects such as my lectures, blogs, and books, I knew there would be things that would cloud my quest for "perfection." I cannot speak fluent Italian, for example, which honestly only hurts me in two ways. First, and foremost, it may have prevented me from becoming closer with some of the native Italians who are a part of my life, like Luca's partner, Mary, Mary's daughter Maria Cristina, Luca's daughter Greta, and many members of Lidia's family. I have tried at least three times to learn the language, and given up in the middle after having made significant progress each time. It is partly that reason that prevents me from trying again. Second, people are always asking me if I speak fluent Italian, and that is more of an embarrassment than anything else. The fact is that during my seventeen years of Italian travel when I held down full or part-time jobs, I just didn't have the time. Now that I am retired, I am heavily into TV production, writing, and lecturing. I get by, but there is always the cloud that follows me around like that cloud of dust that goes wherever that character goes in the comic strip, Peanuts. I was at a party recently where two friends of mine were really getting to me over this issue. I hope my irritation did not come through too much, but I fear that someday it will.

There are other "deficiencies" like my inability to perform the perfect show. As I watch them afterward, there are always faux pas along the way, some of which I correct on a subsequent show, and some I don't bother with. I really try to be better, and I study my performances constantly focussing on ways to improve. There IS a marked difference as time has gone on. Also, my knowledge of Italian culture, history, and art are lacking primarily due to my lack of ANY formal education. Everything is self taught. Yes I have audited courses at Bard College, but without the pressure of tests and papers, I only have only superficially enhanced my overall knowledge. Another thing is that I have never spent more than 2 1/2 weeks at a time in Italy. Many people with whom I come into contact have spent much more time there, and are always shocked that I haven't. They are also shocked that I don't ever want to live there. In fact so many things "shock" people that after a while I just don't even want to talk about the Italian passion thing at parties. At first I did, and when people brought up the show or books, it pleased me. Now it has become an irritant, and I dread having to yet again make excuses. ENOUGH !!!!

I am who I am. I know what I know. Everything I am and know is Alan's Italy, not Bob's Italy, or Sidney's Italy, or simply Italy. Leave me alone already ! You get what is there, no matter how tainted it might be. I never claimed to be an expert, and in fact made that clear on my first show, and many subsequent ones trying vainly to express the fact that I am presenting Italy as I see it, feel it, and experience it, and now that I have yet again expressed this fact in this blog, I feel much better.

So with all of these deficiencies I have somehow managed to get to Italy twenty times, make friends with several natives, three of whom are very dear to me, experience some amazing things, visited extraordinary places and gotten quite a bit out of that experience, and produced a cable TV show, written two books, numerous blogs, lectured before as many as thirty-five people, planned several dozen trips for people, taught in two continuing education programs, developed and maintained a website (www.alansitaly.com) and finally, and most importantly have had a wonderful time, and even, dare I say it, made somewhat of an impact on the Italian Fascination, Italian Mystique (what is it
called ? Sigh, yet another deficiency of mine, the inability to define the pervading amazement with Italy).

Nonetheless, I cherish my blogs one of which you are now reading, as well as my "mysterious" readers who refuse to reveal themselves to me, ever. I see that perhaps 80 to 100 people have come to this site on a weekly basis, growing by the weeks, and I like that and hope I have entertained and interested you. A little encouragement would be helpful, but it is not necessary. I have no trouble sustaining this narrative of my experiences with Alan's Italy, so thank you once again, and I do hope you understand me a little better now.