I felt proud when I organised my arrival to Tramonti with 3 changes. Little did I know it was the beggining of my adventure with the village life on the South of Italy.
I did not know many things before. Either I forgot or just did not experience. It never happened to me before that everybody I meet on the street says “Ciao!” to me, even if I don’t even know their name, neither they know mine. That doing shopping here is allowed between 8am and 1pm or 5pm and 8pm. That my main form of transport are my legs. That sometimes I can go to the garden and take vegetables and fruits from there instead of buying them wrapped in plastic in the shop. I forgot how it feels to be cut out of the big city life.
Because it’s not like you would go out to the bar or club during the weekend. It’s not like there is cinema, concert hall, events. In my case social and cultural life was based on going to the party on Sunday at 12 am and coming back at 6pm. But I wouldn’t change a thing about my life in Tramonti. I got this amazing opportunity to meet Isidoro and Raffaele, who provide entertainment for the whole Tramonti and further! Apart from this I was more than lucky to have my greatest flatmates in Casa Lauro who were always with me when there was fun. And course I couldn’t forget about ACARBIO people who made me feel so welcomed. I got to know local culture and tradition from the closest point of view. I think I could say I took part in this culture for a while. I was playing music with people here, I was dancing traditional local dances. I was just soaking how it is to be form Tramonti and I loved it.
There is this one special memory that made me realize how much I’m in love with my village. Once I took part in a grape harvest for wine making. I was coming back from the field with Isidoro and Lupetto (his beloved dog) in this small kind of truck. We were going through Tramonti, saying „Ciao!” all the time because everybody recognizes Isidoro. He was singing some Napolitan songs, we were laughing, Lupetto was trying to find his place with me in the truck. We were passing every other curve, one of many, reaching other villages that belong to Tramonti. I looked out the window and I captured this amazing picture with my memory. The sea, far away down there, between the mountains, and the sunset being there as well, right in the valley. Fresh wind on my face, coming from the open window, Isidoro singing, me trying to catch up with him, laughing all the time. Simple as that but I don’t remember when was the last time I felt so good. I must say I was also satisfied that the harvest is over for today, haha. But I really mean being happy in that particular moment. Just being grateful that I have this opportunity to experience this.
Little did I know how many amazing experiences and people were waiting for me in Tramonti.
Author: Natalia Radiowska
