Words by Pat Eggleton - Pictures by Pasquale Sorrentino
In a new series which will feature some of the best blogs about Italy, Pat interviewed Scintilla, who writes the Positano blog Bell’Avventura.
Scintilla, I know you’re from Melbourne and that you have connections in Luxembourg but what brought you to Italy and why Positano?
My Calabrian parents sent me to Italy at eighteen to meet my father’s family. I became enamoured with the place and determined to return. After graduating I strengthened my links with Italy by working at an Italian agency which assisted Migrants. There I met people from Positano who invited me there should I ever make the trip back to Italy. Eventually I did and met my husband there!
You say you live as a local in Positano. Did it take you long to get used to it?
The question is, am I used to it yet? The first thing I do when I after home there after any length of time is go outside on the terrace to breathe in the sea and the citrus trees. It never ceased to amaze me. Just like a tourist!
Then I go inside our very old house and start letting expletives fly when I have to find the right adapters for different electrical sockets, make sure I’ve turned something off before turning the switch on for another and having to bring fresh matches with me every time because the damp in the house ruins them.
I no longer feel the effect of the many steep stairs on my legs. After 24 years, I must have built up the right muscles.
Oh, I know what you mean about the electricity! Some readers may not know that in Italy most households are limited to 3 kw of electricity so you can’t, for instance, have your oven and your washing machine on at the same time. Did you know Italian before you moved to Italy?
My grandmother in Australia only spoke Calabrian dialect so I was used to hearing it spoken more or less. After my first trip to Italy, I realized that although I understood Italians, I couldn’t string more than a few words together. On my return to Melbourne I changed universities so that I could study Italian for a year. I loved it. Of course, at work I needed to speak it every day. My Calabrian background means understanding the Napolitano dialect was a breeze. I think that I’ve been accepted more in the town because of this.
What do you love most about Italy and about Positano?
The Italian people are so full of life! They are very approachable, warm and friendly and quite likely to strike up a conversation with you at the drop of a hat.
In Positano, I love that the village has adopted public living rooms in the International Bar or in summer on the beach where locals like to gather. I often go for a coffee to see who’s there.
But most of all I love the mornings in Positano. I wake up and am so full of anticipation. The sea is splendid as those first rays of sunlight come over the mountain and illuminate parts of the surrounding lemon gardens. The pergola throws long shadows across the terrace where we have all our meals in summer. Positano is a town which wakes up slowly in the mornings and I feel privileged to be a witness to the quiet and beauty.
You’re a gardener, aren’t you? Are the plants you can grow in Positano very different from those you could grow in Australia?
Strangely enough they are very similar, apart from the rarer Australian species. The Mediterranean climate is very similar to Melbourne’s mild climate, although Positano has a wetter winter. The light in Italy however, makes the colours of the bougainvilleas look so much brighter. I often come back from Australia with suitcases full of plants for Positano. We are also lucky that the hot summers in Italy mature fruit better so that the figs are sweeter and each year we have bananas in the garden!
How exotic! You take wonderful photos for your blog. Did you have any professional training in photography?
No, I’m just an amateur photographer. I look for opportunities to photograph when the light is at its best. I like to take photos of details and from different viewpoints to make them more interesting. Naturally the Amalfi Coast gives us endless material. It’s no coincidence that the town is full of easels and painters. The light and nature of the town is really exceptional.
When did you start blogging and why? Can you tell us about some of your prestigious blogging awards?
I started blogging in 2008 just after my mother passed away from breast cancer.
I suppose that it was therapeutic in a way for me, but rather than just singing the praises of the Amalfi coast, I wanted to bring people’s attention to the problems the town faces in everyday living. Many travel blogs expound the beauty of monuments, coastlines and towns without delving into the real life problems the locals have in maintaining tourist areas. It is all very well to say come and visit our town without considering the seasonal effects that a tenfold population can have on the system when it’s not updated. I’m speaking of the transport system, sewerage and the state of the seas in particular. My blog may not have any particular effect on the town but it may raise awareness in general.
Among various awards bestowed on me by fellow bloggers, I won an Award in the Blogging from the Boot Contest for Paparazzi photos from Italy for a post I wrote on The Path of The Gods.
What has blogging given you?
I have contacts with lovely people from all around the world that have stopped by to leave comments. Many are expats or aspiring expats, or simply travel vicariously through my blog. I’d love to be able to turn this hobby into something more lucrative and maybe write articles professionally.
How often do you update your blog?
I try to write at least two to three posts a months. Sometimes more but it really depends on what season it is. I could go on forever about the beauty and what to visit on the coastline but it would turn the blog into a guidebook which is not what it’s all about. I long to share stunning moments with my readers but they will always be very particular and personal.
Can you tell us something about your family? Do they love Italy too?
My children were all born in Luxembourg but they consider themselves Italians. They went to the Italian section in the European School and have been brought up with my Calabrian-Australian background as references and my husband’s Neapolitan traditions too. Throw in the Australian values in me and you have my kids.
They love going to Positano. They lead a wonderful life there in summer with their friends, beaches and boats in azure waters. But they chose not to go to Italy for their further studies and prefer the UK University system.
Have your tastes in music, food, literature or the cinema changed since you came to Italy?
No I was always interested in Italian music, films etc. I prefer to see a film in its original language though. I’ve learnt to love Neapolitan folk music. In Italy, I miss having a good range of English books to read, so I buy up a lot at second hand book fairs to bring there.
All your blog articles are interesting but can you recommend some especially for Italy Magazine readers?
The Path of the Gods was a popular one as was Spring time in Positano. But maybe Positano’s best kept secret is what they are looking for!
Are you planning to stay in Italy?
As long as life lets me!
What advice would you give someone planning to move to Italy?
Roses have their thorns. A holiday in Italy is very different to real life there. Daily living in Italy can be a culture shock especially when coming from the US and being used to having all life’s little conveniences. You will be leaving many comforts behind but if you love Italians, you’ll love Italy!
I couldn’t agree more.
Happy blogging, Scintilla, and thank you for talking to Italy Magazine.
