This week's blog is short and sweet: a glimpse into my family history, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Italian American immigrant experience.

How I found my ancestor's old Italian passport

Several years ago I wrote about my first trip to find my family roots in the village of Gasperina (in Calabria) where my grandmother was born. She took a boat from Naples to New York in 1934 to start a new life with her family, and at the time I wrote the blog I had found a copy of the ship manifest online (check it out in the original blog).

On a recent trip home, I made a new discovery: my grandmother's original passport from that journey to America! It's still in great condition, and offers a glimpse into the past.

In 1934, Italy was still known as the Kingdom of Italy, not yet a republic, which is why you see "Regno d'Italia" instead of "Republic of Italy."

In name of the king, Vittoria Emanuele III, who ruled Italy back then.

The passport was issued to her brother, Domenico, who was 16 at the time. My grandmother was 13, and listed as the second person on the passport. They were both traveling with their father.

Such serious faces! They eventually made it to America and lived there ever since.

Forty-six years later, my grandmother made her only trip back to her homeland, this time traveling on a U.S. passport. She had become a US citizen a long time before that. She was a proud American, but she kept many of her Italian food traditions from home. These traditions were cherished within the family and continue to be celebrated today.

Conclusions

It’s incredible to think that this woman I’ve never met is one of the many reasons I feel so connected to Italy. I now live here and organize trips for people who also feel drawn to this vibrant, Mediterranean country.

The region where my ancestors came from is one I feel especially connected to.  We’re currently working on an upcoming Chef Bike Tour in Calabria. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do.