My Nani

I had been on a plane before but it was always different when traveling with Nani. She’d have me dress up because flying in an airplane was a big deal and a luxury. One time her ticket was bumped to first class and she gave me her seat. I remember looking back at her, wide eyed with warm cookies and cashews as she smiled at me from coach. It was the most luxurious experience I ever had. Her husband, my Popi worked for the airlines for 50 years and one of his benefits were passes to fly standby. My Nani encouraged me to use them and not to be afraid to travel alone. She would stay on the phone with me and walk me through the steps to get checked in and to my gate. Sometimes I couldn’t get on a flight and would be stuck in the airport for hours, sometimes over night. She would always stay awake, organizing new ways to try and get me home. One time, at 16, when my friend and I couldn’t get out of LA, she told us to fly to Paris because there are always nonstop flights to Chicago from Paris. She said it would be better than sitting in the airport... at least we could watch movies and have a hot meal. That’s my Nani. When I turned 18, she helped me get into a program where I got to leave the country and go to Sicily.

After that there was no going back. I wanted more of the world so she inspired me to move to Hawaii where she used to live with 3 other girls. One girl was a nurse another a flight attendant and my Nani was a waitress. She was confident I could make a life for myself the way she did. She said all I needed was a job and bathing-suit. It was in Hawaii I learned what I was made of, I celebrated and survived, survived and celebrated every day. She taught me how to save money before I found a job with a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, tuna, mayo, black tea and sugar. How to save half my meal when eating out so I could eat the other half later for free.

We talked all the time, loosing track of time... sometimes falling asleep on the phone. More and more opportunities came my way to travel and she would say just keep going every time…

I’ve traveled so much ever since those very first adventures. I’m now almost 33 years old, living where I love with who I love and I’m happy. Sitting here with a heart full of memories and getting some of them down on paper. I think I’ll give my Nani a call… let her know she’s been on my mind.