Inheriting Italy
It’s in the blood…
Growing up a fair-skinned redhead, my dad always reminded me that I still have olive oil in my veins. And while he affectionately called me “testarossa”, my mother would derogatorily insist my teenage fits of anger were the influence of my “guinea blood”. Summers spent in Italy as a kid brought me an appreciation for la dolce vita that never really faded no matter how “cool” I became. And if you asked me what one person I would want to meet, dead or alive, it would be my grandfather, Salvatore, who posthumously inspired my passion for photography. And when my son was born in 2012, I made sure he bore an Italian middle name (Luce), as well as carried on my last name - Broccoli.
In 2020, after the premature death of my aunt (the glue of the Broccoli family), I resolved to turn 30 in the old country. Then…COVID.
Lockdowns, quarantines, empty streets, stock market crashes, homemade masks, gloves for the grocery store, homeschooling, but the worst of all - Americans were not allowed to enter Italy. I would not be turning 30 in Italy. I turned 30 in my apartment in Coral Gables to no fanfare (although spending that milestone of a day with my boy was precious). So, really no Italy? How long will this last? An onslaught of googling ensued.
Eventually I came across the Italian Consulate of Miami’s page that described a path to dual citizenship and thus, an Italian passport. Here’s the gist:
Italy recognizes Italian citizenship Jure Sanguinis, or by right of blood. This meant that because my father is an Italian citizen and never renounced his Italian citizenship, I had the right to citizenship. It required that I collect some documents, provide them to the consulate (conveniently located in Coral Gables), and viola! Oh, you thought it was that easy? In my literal dreams. The Italian consulates across the United States are so backlogged with requests for dual citizenship that the waitlist exceeds five years! In fact, there has been a surge in dual citizenship requests of 400% from 2019 to 2020.
But there’s a shortcut - go apply in Italy. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.
This is my story of inheriting Italy, my birthright. Thank you for tagging along with me. I am excited to share the journey with you as it unfolds.