Andrà Tutto Bene

Italy’s response to the coronavirus and their lockdown makes me proud of the Italy I’ve adopted and eager to return there. Knowing my Italian friends, I’m not surprised at how they’ve responded to the quarantine. From balcony sing-alongs, to online fund raisers, Italians are united in making their best of a bad situation. Many have hung posters, often drawn by their children, of a rainbow and the words Andrà Tutto Bene. Everything will be all right. 

At this time, when travel to Italy is not possible, and staying at home is wise, this is an opportunity for us Italophiles to “visit” Italy in other ways, to get ready for a future trip, to learn more about Italy and the Italians, and to support them from afar. #DistantiMaUniti Distant but United. 

Read a book (or several) about Italy or set in Italy.

When you do get to Italy, you’ll have a deeper understanding of Italians and a more profound sense of place that enriches your travels. Here are some of my favorites: 

La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind – Beppe Severgnini’s hilarious book explains Italian quirks.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome – Professor Mary Beard presents an encompassing and engaging history of the Roman empire. 

The Leopard – by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa is an Italian classic that explains the changes in Sicily during Italy’s struggle for unification. 

I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) – Alessandro Manzoni’s historical novel set in the 1620’s of two young lovers trying to marry despite the odds.

History of Italian People – Giuliano Procacci presents a compact yet comprehensive history of Italy from 1000 AD to the post-World War 2 days. If you’re trying to understand Italian politics, this is a good place to start.

When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City – Robert J. Hutchinson is a journalist who spent a year in Rome and humorously regales us with anecdotes of the Vatican’s inner workings. 

If They are Roses: The Italian way with Words – Linda Falcone’s entertaining book offers an ex-pat’s insight into Italian phrases and behavior. 

The Italians – Luigi Barzini used his background as a writer and politician to bring us a comprehensive “portrait of the Italian people.” Written in 1964, his words ring true today. 

The Food of Italy – Waverly Root’s fascinating culinary guidebook explores the entire country’s food customs. 

Watch Italian films and movies set in Italy.

Amazon has a variety of Italian-language movies that you can stream for free with a Prime subscription or rent for a low price. If you buy Italian DVDs online be aware that you’ll need to get a Type 2 DVD player in order to view them. An extra benefit to watching movies in Italian is you can pick up the language!

Here are some of my favorite Italian-language films with English subtitles: 

Noi e la Giulia – A comedy about a diverse group of people who open a B&B in the country, despite the mafia. 

Benvenuti al Sud – A hilarious movie about a postal worker from the north sent to work in the south of Italy. 

Perfetti Sconosciuti – A group of friends reveal their secrets when they agree to share their texts, calls, and emails on their phones at a dinner. 

Se Dio Vuole – A comedy about a son who tells his father he wants to become a priest. 

Cinema Paradiso – A beautiful classic about a famous director who returns to his Sicilian home. In a flashback, we learn how he came to love movies.

Il Postino – The son of an island fisherman becomes the postman for Pablo Neruda in exile and learns poetry to woo his crush. 

La Grande Bellezza – Won the Oscar for best foreign language film. On his 65^th birthday, the main character takes stock of his party life.  

Visit Italy’s most treasured museums virtually.

Thanks to Google’s Art and Culture initiative, you can view masterpieces up close in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery and Venice’s Doge Palace, among many others. Download the app on Android or iOS for virtual-reality tours. 

The Vatican Museums have their own 360° virtual tours, including the Sistine Chapel, on their website.

Use the hashtags #museichiusimuseiaperti and #laculturanonsiferma to discover museums that are making their collections accessible online. 

If you’d like to cook some Italian meals at home, the first cookbook I recommend is Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. She wrote her recipes with such clear instruction, it’s as if she’s over your shoulder helping you. Her ingredients are simple and can be found at your grocery store. I had no cooking background when I started, and she’s never failed me. 

Spotify has an impressive collection of Italian music if you’d like to listen while you cook. And there are a myriad of interesting podcasts in Italian that cover every subject you can think of. 

Why not study Italian while you’re self-quarantined? I started with Pimsleur and was able to get through Sicily on my own with what I’d learned. As I progressed, I took free online classes from WellesleyX online.  Now I study via Skype with a private tutor through Dante Learning. Knowing some of the language makes any trip to Italy a richer experience. 

Help the Italians and buy Italian products! If there’s any pasta left at the store, buy one made in Italy. Buy Italian wines! We’ll need a lot of both to get through this. Nutella is good comfort food, as is Italian chocolate. And chances are, they might still have it on the shelves. Parmigiano-Reggiano can be stored in the freezer and ages really well.  

Consider a donation to the Italian Red Cross, who is bringing food, medicine, and supplies to those who need it. While Italy’s health care system is the second best in the world, the scope of this crisis is unprecedented and supplies are lacking. 

Lastly, plan your next Italian vacation! Every storm runs out of rain and soon Italy will be eager to welcome you. 

Here is a link to Italy’s National Tourism site in English, with updates for travelers regarding COVID-19.