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This is the perfect comment after a day so blessed by God. Who else could have given us perfect weather, abundant attendance, a home filled with loving family, the best italian food this side of Sicily, beautiful pictures of Ustica, and such special guests from Ustica, New Orleans and all points around Southern California !!
Each of the 65-70 people in attendance are to be thanked for coming and bringing their love of family, but of special recognition are: Pietro and Pina Bertucci for coming from Ustica and giving us the pleasure of their company and information, Maria Compagno coming with them from New Orleans to add her perfect Tirramisu and southern hospitality, Chris Caravella and wife Pam also from New Orleans coming to meet everyone and the new “kids on the block”, the Marchese family of 24, related from the Ustica Manfres, Randos and Bertuccis. Then there is my one daughter Valerie, for her excellent and faithful supervision and work in the cucina the entire day, cousin Linda for procuring the projector for Pietro’s pictures off of his laptop computer, and the many new and old Usticesi who brought extra food and drink !!
The new Marchese’s on the Ustica Family Tree ranged from ages 3 yrs. old to Mario Marchese, age 85.
Marlene Marchese Robershaw and husband Ron Robershaw, Hosts of the Southern California Usticesi Reunion, Feb. 12, 2010
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Dalla California Laura Marchese Stephenson
What a wonderful time my sisters and I had at the reunion, hosted by our gracious cousin, Marlene Robershaw and her husband, Ron. Meeting Pietro and Pina Bertucci was such an honor. The weather was perfect, the food superb, and the new friendships so warm and genuine. Pietro brought with him lovely greetings from Ustica and pictures of his beautiful homeland. My daughters and I will surely be going to the island of Ustica one day. Grazie, Marlene, Ron, Pietro & Pina.
Caio, Laura
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Da Cosenza Salvio Foglia
Living memories, old and new, to meet the memory of places and people, imagine the scents and hear them inside …
In the old island flavors and fragrances of the youngest overseas Ustica, a border and redemption, pride of looking under two flags: the tricolor of the origins and “Stars and Stripes, emblem of a future now increasingly, road of no return.
Two nations are meeting to revive a single country; poignant thoughts echo through the happy clink of glasses and the excited chatter of an enthusiasm that is emotion … What’s in those voices? What they say about those eyes busy to look for others eyes? Why are you smiling at the thought of the sea that imprisons the Black Pearl?
Do not confuse wander through timeless landscapes, roads minute and small houses of a village that was and is your?
The wind bends brittle stems, shake the water, thickens the sea: the same restlessness stirs your mind, feel your traps and pulls you a promise: “Soon I will find you!”
Salvio
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Vivere ricordi, antichi e nuovi, incontrare memoria di luoghi e persone, immaginare profumi e sentirli dentro…
Nei sapori della vecchia isola e nelle fragranze della più “giovane” Ustica d’oltreoceano, terra di frontiera e di riscatto, l’orgoglio di rivedersi sotto due bandiere: il tricolore delle origini e “Stars and Stripes”, emblema di un futuro ormai sempre più presente, strada senza ritorno.
Due nazioni si incontrano per far rivivere un unico paese; pensieri struggenti echeggiano tra il felice tintinnare di bicchieri e il vociare concitato di un entusiasmo che è anche commozione…
Cosa c’è in quelle voci? Cosa dicono quegli occhi indaffarati a cercare altri occhi? Perchè sorridi al pensiero del mare che imprigiona quella perla nera?
Non ti confonde passeggiare tra panorami senza tempo, le strade minute e le piccole case di un borgo che era ed è tuo?
Il vento piega fragili steli, agita le acque, ingrossa il mare: lo stesso turbine agita la tua mente, imprigiona il tuo sentire e ti strappa una promessa: “Presto verrò a trovarti!”
Salvio
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Da Orange County California Tom Robershaw
The reunion this weekend in San Diego, California was very special. The warm hearts of the Usticese people were reflected in all of the day’s activities. Pietro and Pina Bertucci traveled all the way to California from Ustica. Other guests, such as Maria Compagno and Chris Caravella, traveled across several states to attend. The mayor and the Centro Studi Ustica sent their kind greetings. Last but not least, the food and new friends made it a day to remember.
I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Ustica and meet distant cousins. More importantly, I appreciated all of the effort that went into organizing the reunion. Thank you to everyone who helped make the reunion possible.
Tom
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Da Orange County Roderick Verbeck (Prima)
Very good photos! We had a wonderful time. Thank you for inviting us to the Ustica celebration.
Best Regards Always,
Roderick Verbeck – Margaret Prima
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Dalla California Michelle e Agostino Caserta
Marlene, we like to thank you, your husband Ron, your daughters, son Toni so eager to learn anything about Ustica, and the rest of your good looking Marchese Family for the beautiful party. My wife Michelle has special words for your twins grandchildren : ” They are beautiful golden Angels with blue eyes “.
Michelle, Agostino
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Dalla California, per il Western Usticesi Fred Lauricella
Che belle parole del Dott. Messina e Vito Ailara. Grazie per i vostri pensieri gentili. Ustica è sempre nei nostri cuori.
Fred Lauricella
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Per la traduzione basta cliccare l’appropriata bandiera che si trova in alto a destra …
Caro Pietro,
seguo sempre con piacere il tuo tour americano e mi compiaccio della grande partecipazione degli oriundi usticesi. Ho riconosciuto nelle foto “bicchierina” che ti prego di salutare caramente da parte mia: è una donna simpatica e brillante con la quale ho condiviso chiacchierate e passeggiate nella nostra isoletta.
Fammi sapere se qualcuno di loro ha conosciuto mia madre Geny e se conserva qualche ricordo…
Io ti mando il logo del complesso di Matteo (come vedi è il pesciolino “bavosa” di Ustica!) e ti invio il sito presso cui, se desideri, puoi ascoltare in anteprima i loro brani (tutti composti da loro, musica e parole (in inglese…puoi farle ascoltare anche agli amici americani!))…sempre che ti piaccia il genere indie-rock!
A voi tutti un caro e affettuoso abbraccio Patrizia
La felicità ti rende gentile.
Le prove ti rendono forte.
I dolori ti rendono umano.
I fallimenti ti rendono umile.
Ma solo la tua volontà ti fa andare avanti.
Tu sei speciale!
Oggi è il giorno degli “amici on line”
Invia questo messaggio a tutti i tuoi amici on line, e a me se ne faccio parte.
per Te
Sarà divertente vedere quanti ne riceverai e vedere i mazzi di fiori (mimose comprese) aumentare,
Ricorda: ogni volta che lo riceverai ci sarà un fiore in più.
Mandalo a tutti i tuoi amici e non dire che sei troppo occupato per farlo:
non conosci la frase “fermarsi per respirare il profumo dei fiori”?
(inviato da Patrizia Polizzi)
Ad Enzo Forestieri i Migliori
Auguri di Buon Compleanno
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Oggi si festeggia S. Valentino.
Per tutti gli innamorati una serena
e felice ricorrenza…
Ustica’s Mayor and Centro Studi greeting Messages.
What made United States of America Great ? Probably being able to hold together people from different countries and different languages of origin. What’s the secret? Have made it possible to each of them to maintain their cultural identity and have requested in exchange the use of one language.
Even our brothers usticesi of California, from San Diego and San Jose, many of whom have never walked on the lava rock of our island, are Americans who maintain theirs, in this case our own, identity that is not only geographical but also linguistic, historical, cultural: the joy of being usticese We deliberately used the word joy, and not the easiest like “pride Usticese ” perhaps because we know in our hearts, like Shakespeare, that only the poor show pride and at the same time because we believe that the pain is brief while the joy is eternal.
The usticesi in California show that this is true: the United States allow the respect of their identity, the native usticesi retain their own identity, which is a source of joy for them ..eternal. How eternal it is and will be the love that binds us to those residing in Ustica, retains its identity and maintains a high honor.
To you our embrace and our thanks.
Aldo Messina
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My Dearest Friends
How beautiful it is knowing how many are meeting today to remember their common Usticese origin. For me it’s always touching to note how great is your relationship with this island of ours.
And it is even more so now that you have gathered at the home of Marlene, whom I know to be very attached to Ustica. And today you have with you Peter and Pina Bertucci who will convey to you our feelings of friendship while they tell you of Ustica. So the distances that separate us physically no longer exist, at least for today.
We want to thank Fred for his hard work as he carries out his duties while acting for the “Centro Studi West.” In a few years he has been able to bring together many Usticese living in California and in neighboring states. Suffice it to say that this year there are two meetings of the great family of Ustica. It is truly wonderful!
I also want to thank Chris Caravella for his work in Louisiana and the South and Maria Compagno, always cheerful and festive, who with her enthusiasm never misses a chance to be with you and talk about her childhood in Ustica.
I am sure you will spend a beautiful day exchanging information about your families and about our island, and that you will feel close to our fathers, as well as those of us who continue to live in Ustica, a small and beautiful island where lie our common roots.
I beg you all to feel my presence, and together with our President Franco Foresta Martin and all the friends of the Centro Studi Ustica, I embrace you all, one by one, with brotherly affection, and I hope, God willing, to meet you once again in Ustica or in the States.
With an embrace,
Vito Ailara
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