words from Sicily

Sicilian saying: persistence

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Detti Siciliane, Italia, Life in Sicily, Sicilian diary, Sicilian language, Sicilian Sayings, Sicily, words about Sicily, words from Sicily

  Sicilian’s are seriously resilient people in a place of great historical poverty and complex modern problems of high unemployment and a neglected economy Sicilian’s seem to withstand an awful lot. So it is only natural to see this kind of saying dedicated to the art of persistence in Sicilian dialect. Once again a typical…

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Sicilian saying: arrogance

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Detti Siciliane, Italia, Life in Sicily, Sicilian diary, Sicilian language, Sicilian Sayings, Sicily, words about Sicily, words from Sicily

  I love the image of an artichoke in this Sicilian saying, the idea that an artichoke is a proud or arrogant image is astounding. So yes, obviously Sicilian’s must find the artichoke a little bit aristocratic, perhaps it’s thorny thistle nature makes it difficult to understand, it definatly isn’t to everyones taste. Sicilian wild…

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Creativity and mental health

Categories About me, Article, Essay, Italia, Italy, Italy in the time of Covid, Life in Sicily, Sicilian diary, Sicily, words from Sicily, Writing1 Comment on Creativity and mental health

The last two years have been tough on everyone. Our lives were disrupted, and we were forced to scale down our lives. Many people lost friends and family. Others are still suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. I don't want to harp on the negativity, but I, too, have been struggling. I have had problems…

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Saint Leo is back

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Authentic Sicily, Culture Shock, Essay, Expat experiences, Feste e Sagre, Impressions and reflections about Sicily, Italy, Italy in the time of Covid, Life in Sicily, Living in Italy, Living in Sicily, Opinion piece, Sicilia, Sicilian diary, Sicily, Travel writing, words about Sicily, words from Sicily

May is usually the month when the inhabitants of Sinagra have their annual appointment with their Saintly patron of St Leo. It has been two years since the festivities have been allowed to occur, thanks to Corona, so this year's 8th of May celebrations were filled with emotions for the Sinagrese. I can honestly say…

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The story is always in the details

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, About me, Italy, Life in Sicily, Only in Sicily, Opinion piece, Reflection piece, Sicilia, Sicilian Art, Sicilian experiences, Sicily, Tastes of Sicily, The truth about Sicily, Travel, Travel Italy, Travel Memoir, Travel Sicily, Travel writing, words about Sicily, words from Sicily

I use my camera like I'd use a notebook. I record little details and notes, things I've noticed or want to remember for later. I photograph small things that catch my eye, a particular design or pattern which seems unusual. It could be a texture that catches my eye or how the sunlight hits a…

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First and lasting impressions of Palermo: Sicilian conquerors

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, About me, Creative writing, Essay, Impressions and reflections about Sicily, Italia, Italy, Living in Italy, Living in Sicily, Opinion piece, Reflection piece, Sicilia, Sicily, words from Sicily, Writing

I pass by other places that I've vaguely heard of and seem familiar with yet are merely names like Tusa, Acquadolce and Finale. Then there is Cefalù, the famous beachside resort town from ancient Greek times. From the train, there are endless beachside villas, fishing boats and ruins left behind by long-departed Greek and Roman…

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First and lasting impressions of Palermo: Midnight in Sicily

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, About me, Creative writing, Essay, Impressions and reflections about Sicily, Italia, Italy, Living in Italy, Living in Sicily, Opinion piece, Reflection piece, Sicilia, Sicily, words from Sicily, Writing

There is a book by Australian writer Peter Robb which has contributed to my ongoing fascination with Palermo. After reading Midnight in Sicily, I imagined wandering through Palermo's streets, exploring Norman palaces, experiencing the exotic food markets and discovering little hidden restaurants which cooked an endless array of seafood. Apart from being one of my…

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A lifetime of Sundays

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Authentic Sicily, Disappearing Sicily, Italia, Italian Diaspora, Italo Australian, Life in Sicily, Living in Sicily, Of Sicilian Descent, Reflection piece, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel Memoir, words about Sicily, words from Sicily

  My Sicilian grandparents have passed away, and their absence from my life has left me with a great sense of emptiness. Their stories and their Sicily is a comfort to me as my family’s connection to the island is vital and goes back many generations.  I married a Sicilian, a distant cousin in a…

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