Five Things About Me You May Not Know

When I started this blog back in January 2011, all I really wanted was a little corner of the internet where I could share my first solo trip to Italy. I imagined my family and friends following along, seeing the country through my eyes, and feeling a bit like they were traveling with me. What I didn’t imagine—what I couldn’t have imagined—was that a year later I’d publish my first book. And I certainly never dreamed that Memoirs of a Solo Traveler – My Love Affair with Italy would receive a Bronze Award from the Florida Writers Association. If someone had told me then that thirteen years later I’d be the author of nine books, I would have laughed and shaken my head. Life has a funny way of surprising us.

 

So here are five truths about me that you may not know, and might even find surprising.

1. I Wasn’t Always a Writer.

People sometimes assume I’ve been writing my whole life, but that’s not exactly true. I spent 44 years as a critical care nurse in a career I genuinely loved. At 40, I went back to school, earned my master’s in counseling, and eventually became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida. I worked everywhere from a grief and loss center to a rape crisis center to a partial hospitalization program for older adults, and to a marriage and family counseling center. Listening to people and helping them through hard moments always felt natural to me. But even while I was doing all of that, writing was quietly threading its way through my life.

As a kid, I wrote silly limericks with my cousin, and she still has them tucked away somewhere, probably in a dusty box that hasn’t been opened in decades. In high school, I was the Headline Editor for the school paper, and I was forever writing letters to the editor about things that stirred me up. And as a young critical care nurse, I created and wrote a satirical newsletter for my ICU unit in a hospital in Tampa. So maybe the writer in me was always there… it just took a while for her to step forward.

I’ve always believed we’re capable of doing more than one thing in this life. We can have multiple careers, multiple passions, and multiple chapters that bring us joy. So like the famous lyrics in that famous song by Journey, Don’t Stop Believin’.

2. I Don’t Think of Myself as Adventurous or Courageous

People often tell me I’m brave for traveling solo, but I’ve never seen myself that way. On those old aptitude tests, I always scored in the lowest percentiles for “adventure.” And honestly? That tracks.

When I was just out of high school, I rode on the back of a friend’s motorcycle. He took a fast turn on a four‑lane expressway, and I was terrified. Not long after, he was killed on that same bike. It left a mark on me, and I’ve never been on a motorcycle since.

The closest I’ve come was last summer, riding on the back of a Vespa in Italy with my granddaughters, and even that felt like pushing my limits. So no, I don’t think of myself as particularly courageous. I’m more of a spectator‑sports kind of girl. But I do understand why people might see me differently. Sometimes the things that feel ordinary or natural to us look bold from the outside.

3. I Never Set Foot in Italy Until after I Was Almost 60

It might sound surprising, but I didn’t set foot in Italy until I was nearly 60. For years, I listened to stories about its beauty, wished I could go, and dreamed of visiting, but my fear of not knowing the language always held me back. That all changed in 2007, when my brother and sister-in-law invited me to join them on their trip. With them by my side, I finally felt confident enough to go, knowing they’d help me navigate anything I didn’t understand.

Our first stop was Sicily, and by the time I crawled into bed that night in my beautiful room in Taormina, I was already smitten. Something about Sicily wrapped around me right away. Maybe it was the friendliness of the people or the feel of the community. It felt strangely familiar, like I’d stepped into a place I’d known in another lifetime. By the end of that first day, I wasn’t just visiting Sicily… I felt like I’d come home.

Since that first trip, I’ve gone back to Italy again and again, so many times that I’ve almost lost count. I think the number is twelve now, but honestly, it’s less about keeping track and more about following that familiar pull. Italy has a way of calling you back, like a place that remembers you. Every time I leave, I already know I’ll return.

It’s another example that proves one is never too old to do something.

4. I’ve Seen 17 of Italy’s 20 Regions

I’ve been to almost every region of Italy, seventeen out of twenty. Most people know Italy is divided into twenty regions, but what they may not know is how different each one feels, almost like twenty little countries stitched together. The only places I haven’t made it to yet are Sardinia, Piemonte, and Trentino Alto Adige. They’re still on my list, patiently waiting their turn.

In the regions I have visited, I didn’t just pass through—I stayed, wandered, settled in, and let each place leave its mark on me. The one exception is Calabria, where I only drove through on my way to catch the ferry to Sicily. One day I’ll go back and give it the time it deserves.

It’s been about fifteen years since I last visited a few of these regions—Val d’Aosta, Umbria, and Friuli Venezia Giulia. I spent time in all three during my three‑month solo adventure in 2011, but life has a way of moving forward, and somehow I haven’t made it back yet. Memories from that trip are still very much alive though.

5. I’m Definitely not a Foodie, Not Even in Italy

I’ve never been one to chase new foods, and I absolutely don’t consider myself a foodie. This may sound strange for someone who’s been to Italy thirteen times, but it’s true.

That said, I’ve grown a lot since those first trips, when I was perfectly happy eating nothing but pasta pomodoro, pizza, salad, and cannoli. Over time, I’ve started trying local dishes in different regions, and to my surprise, they’re often nothing like what I expected, in the best way.

On this last trip, I even went to a Michelin-star restaurant tucked away in an obscure alley in Venice and absolutely loved it. So yes, it’s never too late to try new things, even though I’ll never be a foodie.

 

Did any of these things about me surprise you? I love feedback. so please leave a comment.

Grazie and Ciao.

If you haven’t already checked out my latest Italy travel memoir, you might enjoy Italy at Eighteen. The story is deeply personal for me, since it details the joys of spending time in Italy with my eighteen-year-old twin  granddaughters. Guaranteed to warm your heart, the true stories about our exploits in Italy highlight the closeness of family and the joys of discovery as we experienced Italy together. Honored as an Amazon #2 best-selling new release in family travel and by a 5-star review from Reader’s Favorite.

ITALY at EIGHTEEN is available now in paperback, kindle, and audiobook.

 

Click here to purchase

“A heartwarming book full of exciting adventures and creative ideas for anyone planning a trip to Italy, especially those traveling with teens. Real-life situations don’t always work out as planned and the author is quick to reveal lessons learned along the way. I found myself delighted with every turn of the page.”

~ Susan Nelson, author of The Adventures of Seabee Bill