By Ashley Lee Mott
For
my first assignment as an intern, I was asked to take
pictures around Florence of places and things which caught my interest
and would appeal to people looking to travel here. My initial thought
was to find the first restaurant my friend Bianca and I went to upon
arriving in the city.
For us, Trattoria al Trebbio defined Italian cuisine.
From its picturesque entraceway covered with brightly colored flowers
to its warm, cozy interior of wooden tables and checker-board tablecloths
with dimly lit candles; it was the quintessential Italian restaurant.
I
arrived outside the restaurant in the midafternoon when
I would be sure not to disturb anyone by taking annoying tourist photos.
As I stepped inside I was surprised to find an empty room with no one
in sight. In the distance I could hear singing that
seemed to be getting louder.
Within a few short moments I was surrounded with a giant crowd of
people who were apparently having a private party in
another room of the restaurant.
With my limited Italian vocabulary and embarassing accent, I reluctantly
asked if they would mind if I took a few pictures. Upon opening my
mouth they immediately knew I was American and excitedly invited
me to join their party. Before I had a chance to respond,
I was being led downstairs to a private room with the largest table
I have ever seen. As I sat down to figure out what was going on, I
was generously offered an Italian pastry (that looked far too good
to pass up) along with endless champagne and wine. Together we ate,
drank, and managed to have a basic Italian/English conversation. Although
extremely out of place, I felt completly at home.
Being so far from my family in North Carolina I often feel very homesick.
However, as I sat at the table, I was overwhelemed with a feeling
of happiness. In a matter of minutes I felt as if I had become
part of their family. I will be forever thankful for their kindess
and generosity. Without hesitation, they opened their arms and hearts
and left me with a memory I will never forget.
