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Gia-Gina Across the Pond

So I've decided to follow my husband to his native Italy. Follow our adventures as we eat, drink, travel, adapt to and explore this remarkable country. Part food blog, part photo blog but mostly my rants and raves. After our two years in Italy, we relocated across the Atlantic "pond" and are back in the States.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Family Ties

This week has been hot, hot, hot. I felt really terrible for my aunt (my mom’s 11th sister) and her husband (a Norwegian marine biologist) when they stopped over in Torino on their way to Normandy to attend a wedding. Both are from Norway and found the heat quite miserable. I must warn all visitors, stay away from Torino in July. The last time I saw them together was in 1980, they made a stop over on Guam on a trip to Indonesia. My aunt and uncle spent some time in Switzerland, I found out I have cousins there too; our family is spread out all over the world.

It was a short trip, only two nights and three days. Deme and I entertained them the best we could under the humid conditions. During the day I took them shopping for gifts (in two air conditioned malls), to the famous Crochetta market near my house and to the center of town for a gelato. We talked about family, about living in Europe vs. Guam and vs. the U.S. and a bit about our past.

My 11th aunt looks very much like my mother, who is number 13. They have the same nose and the same eyes, even their voice is similar. The give the same motherly advice, are both great cooks, both very economical, efficient and basically mirror images of each other. When I joked that my aunt must have been sent here by my mother to check-up on Deme and I, she got a bit offended and insisted that this was not so. Even if it was, being a Chinese daughter would have neither surprised nor bothered me. In fact I must admit I rather expected it. (My mom is not going to like me saying this.) Because Deme and I were married rather hurriedly, my aunt is the only one from my family with the exception of my sister Kentra, from Seattle to have met him. I find it perfectly natural and appropriate for my mother to be curious about him and our marriage. Also since he is 10 years older than I am, I fear they think an older man has whisked me away to this country and now has me under lock and key. This of course is not true and he is a great husband. My mom and dad will meet him soon enough as we are planning to take our first plane trip from Italy, directly to Guam sometime I the near future.

Now that I am in my 30’s everyone says I look like my mother. See for yourself.

6 Comments:

At 3:23 PM, Blogger Gia said...

I'll give you that you and I are looking more alike than ever (see the photo we took under the tree in Canada) but YOU look like MOM???

Sorry, but I got dibs on that. hehe

 
At 10:36 PM, Blogger Sara said...

I second Gia's comment.

 
At 1:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Going on just the photo and not seeing you both together in real life, I have to say that YUP, you like your mom. But is that a recent photo of her?? She looks great!!!!

 
At 1:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Look like, I meant...oops

 
At 12:15 PM, Blogger Gia-Gina said...

Everyone always told me I looked like my dad and now everyone tells me I look like my mom, I'm confused. Mom looks great, she watches he weight and excercises with her dogs. She's s bit on the tiny side tho' only 5'4", I am 5'7". I hope to look as good as she does when I am older.

 
At 12:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey everybody!
I am the Norwegian marine biologist. My wife and I had a great time in Torino, in spite of the heat.
We also have a dog, named Max. We were all over Torino in search for chicken flavoured tooth paste!
Both Gina and Demetrio are wonderful people!

Best regards from Knut

 

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