Arrivederci, ancora

We say goodbye again (arrivederci, ancora) to Genoa, and once again by hosting a party at one of our favorite pizzerias. The gathering is a microcosm of so many facets of our experience, both on this brief return visit and from our year spent living here.

There's the difficulty of organizing the event (or just about anything in Italy!), yet the genuine delight in being together - including the unrestrained kissing and hugging typical to Italian greetings! There's the crowded and chaotic nature of an industrial Italian city, punctuated by moments of incredible charm or breathtaking beauty. And there's often the underlying frustration of trying to connect deeply across the divide of language and culture, but also the abundant friendliness of everyone - not to mention the universal bond shared around fabulous food!

We are sad to be leaving, but happy to have reaffirmed our great affection for Genoa and for Italy, and for the lifelong friendships our family has been lucky enough to form in our time here.