About
I’m originally from the Midwest, born in WI which I left for college & a career. In the late 90’s, I also left the hectic, yet dull life of a corporate lawyer in New York. Seeking an Under the Tuscan Sun-style dolce vita, I convinced a friend from college take a pan-EU trek looking for such an adventure, and new lives.We began our adventure in Sweden, and worked our way South, stopping definitively in Bella Italia. To say that we were ill-prepared for the organized chaos that is Italy is a vast understatement. But, luckily we spoke no Italian, and thus we were spared a full understanding of Italy for several years. In fact, even after living here for almost 8 years, I am beginning to doubt that full comprehension is attainable, or even desirable.
In the beginning, in order to keep pane on the table, my friend and I had the time of our lives teaching English to young, mostly male investment bankers & lawyers in Milano who were desperate to learn “bizzy-ness een-glish,” and as much American pop-culture slang as possible. Essentially, this is how I learned the foundations of bizzy-ness Italian. (Then, my napoletano husband to be, and his mother would later teach me the nuances of the language, and I can now curse as well as any of the scugnizzi sulla strada, or street punks from the Spanish Quarter — though, it is slightly less menacing coming from a blonde female in a skirt.)
Following a short spell in Milan (brrrrrrh), I moved to the heart of the beast; that is Naples, where I stumbled upon a prestigious Italian law firm (Carnelutti Napoli) that could not survive another moment without a British qualified lawyer, but figured an American would do in a pinch. And thus, I reverted to the world’s second oldest profession.
My task was to help Italian companies expand overseas, and to manage litigation on their behalf in North America and W. Europe (and basically everywhere else that Italian was not spoken). I worked with the Italian law firm for four years, and there was never a hectic, nor a dull moment. Someday, I will write a book about it if you all promise to buy the book for $24.95 in hard cover from Barnes & Noble. I already have the firm’s permission, provided I do not change anyone’s names, and can get George Clooney to play the founding partner in any film version of the book. Ciao Avvocati!
In 2005, I left Naples for a new job in Rome in the public sector, and a new home across the street from the Colosseum. We stayed there til 2007 when we discovered the calm, greenery of Orvieto (in the Region of Umbria). In Orvieto, I have rediscovered the friendly neighborly relationships that I never realized I had missed, having left the Midwest so long ago. I guess, Plus ca change, plus que ca reste la meme.
I hope you enjoy American Girl!
