Hospitality

Have you ever heard of Vietri? I hadn't until I moved here but it's a company that sells really cool pottery - dishes, serving/cooking things, and other household items. Many of the girls I work with here collect it. I go, every so often, with them to various markets to look at the pottery but, until recently, had no idea what I was seeing. I finally realized that, in the U.S., it is expensive stuff! The good thing for us here in Italy, though, is that we can buy it at a fraction of the price.

For example: This platter (pictured below) was given to me as a gift for Christmas from a co-worker, except in green. She paid about $12 for it but it sells in the states for around $75! What?!? Yup, good deal.

Anyway, I went today with some girlfriends here to the home of a woman who sells this pottery. These girls are looking for specific pieces for their collections that they could not find at the markets. This woman, Maria, goes twice a week to the market in Pisa but only takes a fraction of her inventory each time. Her garage is full of it and she told my friends they were welcome any time to see what else she had.

Maria is an older woman, maybe in her late 60's, and as sweet as she could be. The trip to her house today reminded me of what I love about the Italian culture...

HOSPITALITY!

Maria met us in her driveway at about 6pm tonight and spent almost an hour in her garage with us, showing off her vast inventory. As we all decided on our purchases and began paying, she insisted that we come into her house for biscotti. Even though Maria is allergic to gluten she had made this biscotti by hand today. She said she often cooks things like cookies, pizza, pastas, sweets, etc. even though she can't eat them because, well, she has cooked them her whole life and she enjoys having them around should company arrive!

She ushered us into her house, set the biscotti before us, and poured us drinks. Though she had a bad back she insisted that we sit at her kitchen table. There were only enough chairs for us but she would not allow anyone to give up a seat for her. She pulled up a low stool and sat nearby. She talked with us the entire time we ate. She insisted, repeatedly, that we eat more cookies. If we stopped eating she would ask, "What is wrong with my cookies? Don't you like them?" We would then reassure her that they were fabulous - which was totally true - and eat another. she asked about our families, how and what we cook, and told us all about her children and grandchildren. As she talked with my friends, who she knows better, she stroked their hair or patted their shoulders or kissed their cheeks. Everything about her exuded love and friendship - even to four strange American girls who can barely understand her and are 100% different than she is. Really it was just a bunch of little things that all added up to one big, warm feeling of sweetness. Kindness.

It was refreshing tonight. Nonna Maria (as she called herself) reminded me that living here, though often different and difficult, is good. I'm thankful, so thankful, for her hospitality.