Preceding the Dalai Lama at Santa Clara (Feb. 18, 2014)

Mamma mia, quite daunting when a UCB friend, David, answered his own question to me this morning: “Annie, guess who is lecturing next at Santa Clara?”
“The Dalai Lama.” On February 24th, he’ll lead a dialogue entitled
“Business, Ethics and Compassion” and arrival two hours prior to go through security is necessary. No security passage needed for my SCU talk, sponsored by the Alumni House – “Memoirs of Rural Life” – on February 18th.

In fact, before the talk, guests enjoyed California wines and snacks served by welcoming students – who’d also made the guests broccoli bruschetta from the university’s organic garden (and thanks, Arturo – from Umbria! – for pitching in). A perfect link to this Power-pointed talk about our life on the land in Umbria in the late 1970’s, a talk dedicated to our rural neighbors who taught us not only about working the land but about life.

Warmest thanks to Barbara, Director, International Programs,Alumni Relations, SCU for inviting me to be the first guest speaker in a lecture program celebrating fifty years at SCU of study abroad. I’m so very grateful for old friends who came to my talk – and for the enthusiasm of so many new connections. I hope you will each come soon to Umbria to meet our rural friends. And mille grazie, Peppe and Mandina, Chiarina and Marino, Peppa, Gentile and Peppe, and Aldo, the shepherd for enriching our lives in Umbria.

A few comments:

“Many thanks for your wonderful talk and slide show last night. Your experiences and life are simply awe-inspiring. You have a quality of appreciating the very best of people and place. Your determination, energy and communication skills to create a life of “riches,” as you quoted the phrase, and to build enthusiastic appreciation for another culture in others are gifts.” Valerie

“How glad I am to have attended this lecture! What passion you have for Italy…and most of all, for the Italian people. This talk opened my eyes and heart to an aspect of Italy I had not previously known.” r

“I learned so much about your rich life experiences in Italy. Seeing Peppa and Peppe and all brought back so many fine times we shared with you (hopefully, there will be many more!) …your talk was scintillating…Brava! Such a perfect evening of stories and history!” Karen

“Your talk at SCU on Tuesday was a real delight. You made me want to go back to Italy right away! Seeing real people instead of monuments (and monuments are fine, sometimes!) was what I want to see when I travel.” Jeanne

“Thank you so much for sharing your life in Umbria last night at your talk and presentation at Santa Clara. We have been reading the Italian Notebook for several years now. So when my cousin Kathy asked if we would like to hear you speak, we were delighted to be able to come.” Louise Montalbano

“You inspired us to learn more about the rural life in Umbria!” Kathy and Sharon

“…your lecture were simply none other than fabulous last night. I can’t tell you how much I loved seeing photos of you and Pino from the 70’s. …… You are really an accomplished speaker. I also VERY much appreciated your candor about how things were and are. You don’t gloss over the hard times and the realities of how life is and was. Americans have a tendency to see only, by choice, the ‘romantic’ Italy, but what a price everyone has paid (and continues to pay) to make that ‘romance’ happen, at least for visitors. I was so happy to see your room utterly filled to the brim.” Karen K

“A GREAT turn out for you last night and everyone here in the office was so pleased… May the rest of your time here in the US be as successful as last night. “ Barbara C

“So good to hear about your life’s journeys and thank you so much for sharing…makes me want to continue exploring.” Bianca

“Thank you for this fantastic lecture!” Francesca

“Thank you for bringing Umbria to us. Your lecture was very interesting and informative” Louise

What treasured memories of our rural life in Umbria…