The first true experience that sparked Vera Italia
The first true experience that sparked Vera Italia
The journey from sausage-making to creating a platform that would share and celebrate the beautiful heartfelt spirit of Italian culture. One of uncertainty, tenacity, determination and pure magic!
Hello fellow dreamers! Hope you’re keeping well and taking care. How’s that dream of yours?
My name is Chiara and it’s been my absolute pleasure sharing part of the lively and colourful path that led me to my biggest dream of realising Vera Italia. Today, I’d like to share with you some of that “pure magic” that has brought us this far.
Let me begin with a story.
A few years ago I was on a train heading back to the beautiful crystal-clear coastline of Northern Calabria where the Vera Italia experiences take place. I was chatting away with the people sitting across from me when along came a nicely groomed ragazzo with a neatly-tailored jacket who had been assigned the seat next to me. He asked me where I lived, I replied “Scalea” to which he exclaimed “I’m from San Nicola Arcella!” (the town right next door). Apart from all my beautiful relatives, who I adored spending time with, Manuel was my very first friend I had made in Italy. Every now and then we’d meet up for a nice long walk and he would show me all the incredible secret nature spots with the most spectacular views of the coastline! I’d continue to come and go but he always made an effort to keep in touch. I think that’s one of the things you appreciate most when you’re frequently coming and going. But alas, as we will soon learn, our meeting was fate!
Along came the infamous pandemic and once it had passed, I eventually found myself ready to give this dream a go! Leading-up to the quite literal “leap-of-faith”, naturally I had my doubts and reservations. One day I was speaking with our parish priest and I said, I just don’t know if this is something I’m meant to follow, if it’s God’s plan for my life or if it’s just some crazy idea of mine. He smiled and said, let me get this straight, you want to go to Italy (I was in Australia at the time), find locals and share their traditions? “Yes,” I replied. Do you want to know what he responded with? “Just try!”. And that was my first answer.
Fellow dreamer, if you’re reading this…the answer is simple! Learn from my journey and don’t complicate your dream-chasing, just try.
I had previously spoken about this idea with my Nonna’s brother, Zio Alfredo and originally he liked the idea of having visitors for his annual “Vendemmia” grape harvest and wine-making but when it came to the actual doing, he didn’t seem too convinced. So the next step was getting him onboard. I took a deep breath and I said: “God, if you want me to do this, when I call Zio Alfredo, let the answer be clear. Amen.”
The phone rings, “Pronto?”
“Ciao Zio! Do you remember how we spoke about organising people to visit and experience the Vendemmia? I was wondering…what if we do it this year?”
Zio: “Okay.”
I was speechless! So, it was clear! The dream was ready to become a reality! We started in June and I got to work straight away for the Vendemmia that would take place in September. For me it was a trial. I said, we’ll see how this goes and if there’s interest, Vera Italia will go ahead!
About a year before setting out on this mission, I had decided that it was important to also save and document my own family traditions with my grandparents so I set-up an online platform called “Assaggio” meaning taste, which shares online experiences with Nonni that teach traditions from recipes to Italian card games, offering a ‘taste’ of Italian culture. So, this first in-person experience, I decided to call “VERA Assaggio”, “vera” meaning true and “assaggio” taste. So, the “true taste” of Italian culture and a prelude to what was to come.
As I arrived back in Scalea (from Australia), I caught-up with Manuel for a coffee and he shared with me that he had decided to pursue his passion for photography and videography. My eyes lit-up! I still remember the exact moment, where we were and everything! I said, Manuel, I have this project I want to do. It’s big but if you don’t move away (the sad reality of many young people in these beautiful small towns in search of new opportunities and career prospects); I said, I want us to work together on this! By some miracle, he agreed…or maybe my enthusiasm was simply too convincing.
I spent a couple of months getting all my ducks in a row for the trial and then the moment finally arrived! Friends, I was blown away by the response. People loved the idea! On the actual day of the Vendemmia I woke-up feeling so incredibly excited! Everything had been leading-up to that day. Then it arrived! Magic!
The next steps following this incredible day were all about figuring out how to make Vera Italia happen.
It was a road of many twists and turns but for every “no, it can’t be done”, I was determined to find a yes! My first “Yes, it’s possible” was from a local accountant that specialises in businesses and so it was full steam ahead!
Friends and fellow-dreamers, I hope this message brings you a little glimmer of hope, an oomph of inspiration and the courage to take-on that little dream you’ve been carrying around in your pocket. Remember that there’s magic in picking yourself up and keeping on going.
When we meet again, I’m so excited to begin sharing with you the escapades of meeting some truly incredible people!
Stay tuned because this is just the beginning of this big dream of ours! Let’s do this!
Full article also available on the website Australian Good Food Guide:
