It took me three days to fall in love with the small island of La Maddalena, nestled between Sardinia and Corsica. Of course, falling in love with the turquoise blue water and rocky beaches is not hard to do. And once I got past the homesickness, my eyes opened to all the beauty that La Maddalena had to offer me.
My journey to La Maddalena started when my husband, an active duty member of the United States Navy, received orders to the small, American naval base in La Maddalena. Preparing for our adventure in Italy, I spent hours researching the island. However, any picture of La Maddalena on the Internet pales in comparison to its actual beauty. I could never fully describe the color of the water lapping on La Maddalena’s sandy beaches, the purple flowers that dot its coast, or the enchanting stone homes that seem to be built on the side of its mountains. My adjectives would never do La Maddalena justice. But, even more beautiful than the landscape, are the people. Living in La Maddalena for a year not only gave me a wonderful experience that I treasure and remember so fondly, it also extended my family.
For one year, my husband and I rented a house. Not only did that house provide us with shelter during the windy, rainy winter, and cool tile floors on our feet during the hot months of summer, it also provided us with my wonderful landlord and his family. Without even a bit of hesitation, my landlord and his family adopted us. When my husband would be deployed, I spent my evenings eating with my Italian family. I watched Italian television with them after dinner. I became a part of their family. My landlord’s wife doesn’t speak any English. However, friendship can transcend language barriers. And love is powerful, in any culture. Being so far from my own family, they brought me great comfort on a daily basis. Without my Italian family, my time in La Maddalena would have lacked much of its magic.
My days in La Maddalena read like a beach-themed novel. I walked down to the fresh market every morning, my brown shoulders basking in the sunshine. The breeze would already be warm. I would breath in the salt air and close my eyes, trying to find a way to bottle the moment in my memories forever. I would buy juicy, plump, tomatoes every day. To this day, La Maddalena had the best tomatoes I have ever tasted. After the market, I would buy fresh, crusty bread for lunch and pecorino cheese to finish off my morning shopping. My walk home, was always just as peaceful as my walk into the tiny downtown. My afternoons were spent at the nearby beach. The beaches in La Maddalena were nothing like the beaches I grew up with in New Jersey or Virginia. Instead of large, sprawling beaches, peppered with umbrellas and lifeguard stands, the beaches in La Maddalena are often times narrow and beach chairs are a luxury. Most people merely spread out a towel and swim at their own risk. My favorite time of year in La Maddalena was the month of May. The afternoons were always warm, the water cool, and the tourists were yet to arrive on holiday. It was a wonderful time to enjoy the beach with my neighbors. And I did this. Every day.
The day that I left La Maddalena to move back to America is a day that I will always remember. Saying goodbye to my Italian family on the ferry pier was tearful and sad. I promised them I would return. My landlord’s wife kissed both my tear-stained cheeks and told me I was like her daughter. It was ironic that I had to leave La Maddalena alone, because while I lived there I was always surrounded by so much love and friendship.
Last year, my mother and I traveled back to La Maddalena. As I leaned against the railing of the ferry, the beautiful island I had dreamed about since leaving neared closer to me. I felt my heart skip a beat. It was just as I had remembered it. We stayed for a week with my Italian family. We ate, drank wine, swam in the emerald green Tyrrhenian Sea, laughed and when it was time to say goodbye, this time we knew it wouldn’t be for long. We are family. And despite the distance, no distance is too great for love to span.
