Back home in Sydney: an interview with Italia Bova and things to come.

I’ve been back home in Australia now for six months and today, in between university, volunteering in Central America, bumming around (enjoying the meaning of holidays) and enduring the woes of the removal of my wisdom teeth, I am finally back on track with the documentary! Today I interviewed Italia Bova, a woman featured in Sempre Con Te, in her family home on the Northern Beaches. Before leaving for Italy I also interviewed Maria Nero and Maria Mastorianni also in the book. Italia and I spoke about her experiences of life in Italy before her migration, the migration journey itself and then life in the new land Australia. With her daughter Teresa she flipped through old family photo albums with me, took me to her back vegetable patch complete with a fruitful fig tree and bustling with a chicken cage. I was shown the olive tree in the front garden (which Italia planted in replace of the eucalyptus tree that was there prior – talk about symbolism) and was then treated to café, torta, biscotti and nougat!

 During the interview Italia also discussed the period of separation from her husband-to-be, Santo, and how she feels things between men and women have greatly changed since the 1950s, touching on whether my generation could really endure the separation (of love) and isolation (as a migrant) she went through. But then again, in the end it really does come down to time and space, so specifically I am looking at young Australians and the angsty issue of long-distance love, versus the young Italian women of the book who sustained their love for years without a flutter of doubt in their minds.

The next chapter of my documentary brings the focus from my journey of self-discovery through southern Italy to my questions about relationships in Sydney. In the weeks to come I will be interviewing a bunch of couples and individuals who have something to share on the issue of contemporary love and long-distance sustenance. Feel free to shoot me an email if you’re interested in getting involved or just have some ideas/opinions to share!

I look forward to writing here more often and, as always, hearing your thoughts.

Danielle.