A New Motto
The only thing constant in this world is change, and change has become the motto of the journey that our family of six has embarked on over the last two months as we endeavor to transform the dream of Molise Italian Studies into reality. Almost two years of planning and hard work, communication and research, setbacks and snafus, but where did the real change begin? That’s a hard thing to put a finger on, but for our story let’s start with us quitting our jobs, selling 90% of our belongings in Tucson (including our house!), and hauling what little remained into family members’ basements in Colorado. This was the launchpad for our four-week road trip across the United States with nothing more than Tanny (our 2007 Honda Odyssey), some backpacks stuffed to the brim, and peanut butter and jelly supplies. Not only did we uproot ourselves from everything familiar to explore the continental U.S., we then caught a trans-Atlantic flight to Italy to begin living the heart of our dream; but I’ll get to that in time.
As we have reflected, it has become increasingly apparent that the changes we have encountered and absorbed have much less to do with our physical location than with our choice of lifestyle, how we experience the world, and who we are—and who we continue to become—as people. And these tremendous changes have delivered their powerful impact through our interactions with each other, our fellow humans, and even nature. We experienced different regions and outlooks in the United States: from the Southwest to the Midwest, from the South to the Mid-Atlantic, and from cities to suburbs and farms (talk about some serious polarity). And in Italy we have experienced the busy and energetic capital of Rome, the small mountain towns of Molise, and the suburbs in between. But everywhere we have gone, it has been the people that have been the root of change. It has been our shared human experience that has molded this intricate experience into a tangible sort of magic.
Fantastic Family
Absolutely none of this would have ever been possible without the outpouring of flexibility, generosity, patience, and love from our family. As we planned our pilgrimage from Tucson to Italy, we realized that getting what little remained of our suburban life to Colorado was more of a task than we had realized. Thankfully, Meagan’s sister Jonna-Lynne (and Jonna’s bestie Sam) offered to drive Fabby (our little white Prius) to Colorado so we could caravan Tanny and the moving van. Once in Colorado, rather than having to deal with a wasteful self-storage unit, Grandma Nisee (Denise) offered a room into which we could unload our lives as we knew them. Seeing our belongings fitting snuggly into one room was terrifying and satisfying all at the same time—who would have thought that we could do with (or, for that matter, without) so little?
We had dealt with our vehicles and belongings, but what about where to live once we returned from Italy? We knew we could not afford to rent in Denver, and we definitely could not buy anything in the States, so we began entertaining ideas ranging from a small RV to a “tiny house.” But no option felt right, whether it was not eco-friendly enough, the cost was out of reach, or we just couldn’t see it working in the long run. But just as we were running out of ideas and options, Meagan’s grandparents, John and Linda (who are more like parents, as they’ve raised Meagan and Jonna since they were young), suddenly offered to remodel their basement for us. WHAT?! They do not come from money by any means, so this gesture was an overwhelming display of their selflessness and generosity. So everything was set, and we were ready to roll out (metaphorically and literally) on an adventure full of change.
Life and Laughter
Once on the road, living out of a van, hotels, Airbnb’s, and airplanes forced us to adapt to each other and develop extreme patience and empathy, even if we sometimes failed to implement them perfectly. We learned (and continue to learn) about ourselves and each other—our triggers, our comforts, and how to compromise (on anything from food to sleeping arrangements to activity choices). We had fun doing the big, expensive activities, but probably found more joy in small, unplanned moments like devouring a freshly shucked ear of uncooked sweet corn at Mark’s Melon Patch in Albany, Georgia; or like playing baseball in a field at Liberty State Park, with the sunset over Manhattan and the Hudson as our backdrop. We learned, like Jimmy Buffet, that for all of our running and all of our cunning, it is the laughter that will keep us all from going insane.
Are you looking to make your own changes? Transform yourself and your world through a unique and comprehensive service learning experience centered around intercultural citizenship education and linguistic and cultural immersion. Enroll in Adult Study Abroad or Full Semester/Summer Internship + now to join Molise Italian Studies! And continue following our family’s journey in our next post!