In 1980, when Giorgia was 20 years old, she flew to Rome en route to Perugia, Italy—a university town of Etruscan origin, surrounded by massive medieval-Renaissance walls, and located in the heart of Italy—with the intention of studying Italian language and culture at the university for foreign students there. The beginner in Italian was captivated by a country where history, art, culture, and cuisine blend together, giving rise to Stendhal syndrome (a psychosomatic disorder caused by exposure to a great abundance of artistic wealth). She always dreamed of returning to that same town, to that same university, to complete her certification in Italian Language and Culture… Thirty years later, she earned her diploma in Italian Language and Culture from the University for Foreigners of Perugia, Italy.
“At that time, I was finishing my studies at the university, and it would be my first trip to Europe—specifically to Italy—thanks to the help of Professor Giorgio Ferrari, who was then the director of the Casa de Italia in Guadalajara (a cultural center for the promotion and dissemination of the Italian language and culture), where I volunteered in my free time. He was the one who secured a scholarship for me at the prestigious Italian university for international students in Perugia. Thanks also to my family, who—despite their fears and limited financial resources—made that trip possible. It seemed like a crazy adventure, since, at that time, travel to Europe wasn’t very accessible or safe; they gave me their blessing, and I set off.”
Perugia has one of the most beautiful historic centers in Italy. It’s a gathering place for locals, tourists, and international students, who enrich the local culture with their artistic and culinary contributions. “Yes, it really was love at first sight—it captivated me… I always wanted to come back.”
It took 30 years before I was able to return. I moved into an apartment in the heart of the historic center of this beautiful city of Perugia, which became my home base in Italy. During the summers and well into the fall of each year from 2015 to 2018, I re-enrolled in the Italian Language and Culture courses offered by the University for Foreigners of Perugia, earning my certificate in Italian Language and Culture in 2018. This certification would not have been possible without my husband’s unconditional support in pursuing and achieving my wildest dreams. I’ve managed to pass on to my family the fascination I feel for Italy—especially to my husband, who often accompanies me in search of that dream, adventure, or fortified borgo (small village) with narrow alleyways, where a medieval-Renaissance church dominates a historic center brimming with life and cultural activities, and where we can write a new and exciting chapter in our lives… but in Italian.
Giorgia