♥ Their Story is My Story…

Originally published in October of 2015, in “Challenged to a ‘Dual’… Dual Citizenship That Is!”, I shared my story about pursuing dual citizenship and my eventual “success”!

The “Challenge”…

In the post from several years ago, I wrote about what it is like to be Italian-American who grew up in the U.S. and how my relationship to my Italian roots evolved. Well, it became very personal for me and happened to coincide with my own digging to apply for dual citizenship since I did qualify through my paternal grandfather.

My digging and research has been another piece in my story which, as I also shared before, I never thought about much growing up or, to be honest, for most of my adult life…

When I did find myself wanting to know more, I realized how little I knew and how very little it was discussed in my family, i.e., almost never.  Since my parents were gone, I started with (thanks to my aunt) a few black and white photos, copies of certificates and a few names and dates.

I had my list of what I needed from the website of the local Italian Consulate (Los Angeles). I became so frustrated with online “ancestry” sites (waste of time!), I almost gave up…until I hit pay dirt at the local genealogical society! A wonderful volunteer, whose hobby is genealogy, was invaluable in helping me with the where and how of finding and getting the records and documentation I needed.

I got organized and determined to set this project in motion and follow through regardless of what the outcome would be. In other words, I was all in!

♦ The Journey (and by the way, WHY??)

“Like branches on a tree we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other.”
—Anonymous

People asked me why I wanted dual citizenship? Did I want to live in Italy? Was I looking for distant relatives? Or, I just got an incredulous “Why?” My answer to all of that was because I could and, besides, why not? And, as it all turns out, since I had never really known my grandparents, the journey became a very sentimental one.

Among the millions of immigrants who came to America from Italy at the end of the 20th century, my grandparents were among them. My paternal grandparents came through Ellis Island from Sicily and settled in the Bronx. I‘m not sure exactly how or when but my maternal grandparents immigrated from Tuscany and settled in Northern California around the same time. (Footnote: In a later post you will see that I did find this information!)

My paternal grandfather, Carmelo Di Maio, whom I never met, was the key to my citizenship. As a matter of fact, he died before I was even born and I knew very little about him.

From the record of the ship’s manifest I learned that he left his family and home and had sailed from Naples to New York in 1900 when he was only 23 years old with $20 in his pocket. Then in the 1924 census; now living in the Bronx, he was married with a family, among them my father who was only 5 years old at the time. There is an address and records showing that older brothers and sisters were already working to help out.  It made everything so “real”–I was deeply moved.

From this point and after much research, getting the right department, downloading of applications and forms, requesting certified copies of certificates (including birth certificates from Sicily!), learning what an apostille was, and months of waiting, gathering, follow up, getting required translations, and checking and double checking to be sure I had everything and that it was in the proper format…I did get all of the documentation I needed.

I was told “good luck” dealing with the Italian bureaucracy but had more frustration dealing with New York. In the meantime, I had requested my appointment with the local Italian Consulate (it can take 6 or more months to get an appointment). Every time I was able to check something off my list, I was beyond thrilled.

It took me about 9 months to gather all of the documents. Then, at last, in a short uneventful few minutes you hand over everything, all of the original documents (yes, I made copies) to the clerk and you are told you will be notified via email when everything has been processed.

And then you wait…and you wait… Oh, you can try to call and get an update. I did manage to get through a few times but was  politely told to wait my turn. Ahhh…

♦ The Waiting is Over!

And then, “the” email…the email I had been waiting for for over a year…  The email dated September 8th, 2015, to be exact, notifying me that my Italian citizenship had been registered in the Comune of Castelvetrano, Sicily, Italy…where my grandfather was born:

“We are pleased to confirm that this Consular Office has forwarded your documents to the Comune of  Castelvetrano (TP)  for registration and your name was also entered in the database of Italians residing abroad (A.I.R.E.).

This completes the process that grants you Italian citizenship ‘jure sanguinis’ and you can now file an application for the issuance of the Italian passport.”

I read that email over and over…carefully to be sure I really understood. OMG! I still find it hard to find the words to describe the rush of emotion I felt… Relief, gratitude, excitement, tears…

I carefully followed the instructions and made my appointment to go to the Italian Consulate to file my application and have my Italian passport issued.

My appointment is (was!) on November 3rd. I can hardly wait…

♦ Now What?

“We all grow up with the weight of history on us.  Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies.”
~Shirley Abbott

Reflecting back on the journey so far, there’s so much I learned along the way. I learned the names of the villages that my maternal grandparents came from in Tuscany. I learned the names of great grandparents. I knew that I resemble my Mother and Father but how did I resemble my grandparents, great grandparents?  Who do I most resemble? What features do I share with them? The color of my hair or the sound of my voice? My mannerisms? My laugh? And how did they meet? What were they like? And although I may never have answers, I embrace it all.

They are all gone but somehow it brings things full circle and reconnects us. I am absolutely certain that I must and will visit the villages where all of my grandparents were born in Sicily and Tuscany. From the granddaughter they barely or never knew, I hope in my own way to thank and pay homage to them as well as to the parents I love and miss so dearly… and to that undeniable strand of  DNA that connects us.

Somehow I feel that nothing and everything has changed. I have no idea what this will mean or where it will lead. I only know that I’m just so damn glad I did it and whatever does come next is more than I could’ve imagined…and I will look forward to sharing  it with you!

In case you missed…

♦ Roots Redux – Part 1: “On Being Italian! Or Growing Up Italian!”

♦ Roots Redux – Part 2: Digging Deep in the Heart of the Family Tree

Coming SOON!  Roots Redux – Part 4: Remembering My 2016 Italian Journey – Where It All Began

Note: Since announcing my successful quest for Italian citizenship, I’ve received many inquiries as to the “how to” and “where do I start?”.  My answer is the same to everyone: Your first step is to consult your local/regional Italian Consulate. (Mine was Los Angeles.)

Then you must find their guidelines for citizenship; first to see if you are eligible (having Italian ancestors is not enough to qualify). If you do then you must carefully read and follow the outlined application process.

Then it’s all about being organized, patient and persistent… and as they say in Italy, “in bocca al lupo!”