Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Nerito last day

Nerito Last Day


Up fairly early because we wanted to get going. I had a lot of people to meet. Had a little breakfast and there was Uncle Gino waiting to join us. He came over to me and handed me something. I looked at it and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the original letter my father had written. The one I had seen yesterday. He said since I made the trip and he could see how important it was for me to meet the family and see where my Dad was born he wanted me to have the letter. I gave him a huge hug. Again with the tears.


Jean and Tomaso Mazzetta
Alfredo, Albert and Gino were so proud to take me around. We first went to the Riccotti house. This is the house that my grandmother was born in (my dad’s mother). This house is still owned by Carolina Riccotti the woman I had lunch with when I first got to Rome. Along the way we were meeting many Mazzetta cousins. We also met another Tommaso Mazzetta, he is Gina’s brother. Another amazing thing that came up during the visit is a story that was told to us by a cousin, named Irena. Her grandmother and my grandmother were cousins. When my grandmother (Nonie) left to go to the boat with Dad and Ozzie she was taken in a wagon by her father in law. They were to get the boat in Naples. I also found out that the ships name was Rex. When they were loading the wagon she had to many things and one of the trunks would not fit in the wagon. She had to leave the trunk behind. One of the Aunts still has the trunk and written on the inside of the trunk is my grandmothers name, dads name and his date of birth and uncle Ozzie’s name and his date of birth. It also has the time they were born. It was all written in Noni’s hand writing. It was really amazing to see these things.

Jean and Irena with the trunk

My grandfathers birth house


My grandmothers birth house

Nerito is a beautiful place and as we walked around people kept coming out to meet us. Albert told us about how he and Ozzie and Dad would play. He said he remembered it like it was yesterday. He even got tears in his eyes. We then went to the house where my grandfather was born. Right now no one is living in the house. We kept meeting more and more people. We also went by the little store where people shop. I was having a great time.


The grocery store

To my son Nick, after all these years wondering about your blue eyes, most of the Mazzetta’s in Nerito have blue eyes.


The house where Alfredo's best friend lived and he visited as a young boy

Now it was time to go to lunch at Lucia and Mario’s. Lucia was so pleased that we came to her home. A loving feeling came over me every time I was near her. I haven’t figured out what that means yet. Mario had a great sense of humor. Their son Davide and his wife Christina would also be there. Davide was about 40 years old. He is a dental technician. He loves photography and he loves to go hiking. He and his wife speak very little English, but remember we have Maura our translator. We asked her if she was exhausted because of all the translating she had been doing. She of course said she was enjoying it and that it was great to get out in Nerito and meet all the relatives, some she has never really talked to or met. We told her now they will all know who she is and that she is Alfredo’s wife.


Jean random picture in the village

Alfred and Uncle Gino

We again sat down to an incredible dinner. Lucia had made my favorite. Gnocchi. It tasted just like my grandmothers and so did the sauce. She had made the sauce from her tomatoes in the garden. We had a lot of things that were grown in their garden. Also fresh figs off the tree.

We were all sitting around the table talking. They again were so curious about America and asked many questions. Again the big “O” question came up. Obama, what did we think of him and did we like him. Here we go again. What did they think of him? OK,

Yes, we liked him and thought he was doing a good job. They all started clapping their hands and shaking their head yes. Whew! Susie and I thought that was pretty funny.

Front: Maura,Mario,Alfredo,Lucia
Back: Maria,Alfred,Jean,Uncle Gino,Christina,Davide

Walking around the village

I gave them the gifts I had brought from home and gave everyone a picture of my family which they loved. Alfredo kept telling me to send the boys over. He would pat his heart and say he would take care of them. Everyone of course said we were welcome any time. I didn’t want the time to end and neither did they , but it was time to say good bye. This was going to be really difficult. As we said our good byes and hugged each other I really started crying. When Uncle Gino and I hugged we didn’t want to let each other go. The same with Alfred. He was the oldest one there and I think he was thinking of his friends and cousins Tommoso and Ovsaldo . Maria came out and wanted my American phone number. She said sometime when Maura and Alfredo were there they would call me. I couldn’t tell them enough times how much this trip meant to me. I told them I was leaving a piece of my heart with them and that I would be back. Uncle Gino said he would look for my fathers birth certificate.


Alfred and Jean (Maria in the background)

In the car, crying and trying to get a grip. Fulfilling my father’s dream. We have truly both enjoyed the journey back. Now I understand why he always wanted to go back. He was a proud man and never forgot where he came from. He obviously had very fond memories of Nerito. This journey will enrich my life forever and I know I will never forget it.

random picture in village


Random picture in village


Alfred, Susie and Uncle Gino


top of the church taken from Alfred and Maria's home

Maura and Alfredo were to take Susie and I to our hotel in the other Nereto that was about one and a half hours away. We reached our destination an again we had to say good bye. We promised to stay in touch and if they came to the states they were to let us know. Another tearful good bye.


My cousin Alfredo

Since I left Nerito I got an email from Alfredo. Uncle Gino found my fathers birth certificate and is sending it to me. Unbelievable!

Two days of rest at Villa Susanna on the Adriatic Sea coast and then off to Venice.

Stay tune………..

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