Ciccio across Us

When a Southern Italian comes in Us for his first time, he used to wait for seeing skylines, big lights, suits. But if this guy is so lucky to arrive in West Virginia, then he will see much more: heaven on earth. Italy is full of wonderful and peaceful places: lakes, forests, mountains, hills, rivers..a mix of culture and good food that can make happy even a typical sad person. Especially the South of Italy has this features, the lower the average income, the higher the happiness? Maybe it's true.
This guy travels around West Virginia, living his small American dream. The smiling city of Fairmont is a magic land. He doesn't need "big apple", it is sufficient a country road, as John Legend used to sing. When Ciccio (the guy) travels across West Virginia, he likes to talk with people from the place. Asking about history of the land, history of their own family. Generally he is looking for immigrants stories. And when he finds Italians which emigrated during the 20th century, when these people cry talking about Italy, Ciccio tries some emotions that it's difficult to explain. He is in Us for studying, a choice, not a necessity. On the contrary, those people were forced to leave their own country because of poverty and the two world wars. Most of them left Italy during the childhood and they never came back.
The travel in West Virginia became a "travel treasure" during a dinner for Valentine's day. The dinner was organized by the Italian Community of Morgan Town. Ciccio was living a difficult period with his girlfriend, far away in Italy. Then he asked, during the dinner, a collaboration of the people that were having dinner with him and the other students. A video, in which all the people would scream "Alessia Ti Amo". People were crying when Ciccio made the request at the microphone, the show-man of the night started to sing "That's Amore" and everyone in room commenced to dance, dreaming to be twenties again. Ciccio was looking to every face, looking at himself forty years later.."Where am I gonna be? In Italy or in Us? With Alessia or maybe alone?". Questions with no answers, of course. But it didn't matter. He was having time of his life, right there.
No one can be forever young but it's sure that if you are a traveler, tou'll have less regrets during the old age. And for Ciccio that trip in West Virginia represents a treasure of his life, a precious memory during the long travel called "vita".