The Italian Driver’s License Exam – Get a Grip on Order of Precedence
The order of precedence at Italian intersections can be a bit confusing. At least that was my experience when I spent several months studying [...]
Here in Italy We Settle in for the New Face of Travel.
"Out and about" looks vastly different in the shadow of Covid-19. To me, this new face of travel was particularly evident in the experience [...]
Untangling Our Knotted Up Places
Crisis has a knack for dynamiting the status quo. And when two come along, double-barreled, with the pandemic and the massive protests and outcry [...]
Celebrating the Beauty of the Ordinary
Most of us are trained to pursue idyllic beauty. Myself included. From an early age, marketers have pummeled us with pictures and messages that [...]
Key Italian Words and Phrases for Navigating the Health Crisis
These aren't just "nice to know." No, a few Italian words and phrases are essential if you find yourself in Italy while Covid-19 still encroaches [...]
Exploring Venice Night Scenes, Introducing “Midnight Passing”
"Midnight Passing" — © Jed Smith 2020, oil on canvas Two solid months of steady work on a large [...]
Capturing Telling Moments of Italy in Crisis
Beauty, even in the shadows. I've been watching, my camera always close-by, the scenes of Italy in crisis and people living in lockdown. Like [...]
Lose Yourself in Six Favorite Italian Films
Feed Your Love of Italy! International travel has been severely cut back or sidelined. Most of us have been tethered to our homes during [...]
Italy Opens Up (Just a Tad)
And we savor small but limited freedoms. Italy opens up by allowing us now to leave our abodes for long walks, a jog, or [...]
Can You Make Peace with Yourself During Crisis?
In this crisis do you wake up stuck in your head, ruminating non-stop? It has become far too easy (myself included) with such extended [...]
Escape to Venice with Six Engrossing Books
If your traveling wings have been clipped, travel to Venice virtually. The current stay-at-home restrictions and the severe cutback on international travel are [...]
Italian Hand Gestures – Artistry in Action
When Italian speak with the hands, it’s potent emotional punctuation. And, Italian hand gestures are hard-wired into Italians’ DNA. [...]
“Normal” Goes Bye-Bye in the Wake of Covid 19
Our lives have been irrevocably altered. The Covid 19 crisis isn't just a major speed bump in our lives. No, it's more like [...]
Let’s Not Try to Rush Our Way Out of Covid 19
It's tempting. After seven weeks in coronavirus lockdown, I'm itchin' to be outside and getting on with life. Spring has arrived gloriously here in Treviso, [...]
Heading into the Next Phase of the Covid 19 Crisis.
Welcome to Act II of this pandemic. And there is no intermission. No catching one's breath. Are we even remotely past the initial shock of [...]
Suited Up for the Long Haul with Coronavirus Strategies
Yep, that's me, geared up for the weeks and months ahead. And, while protecting myself (and potentially others) is paramount, it's just one of my [...]
Scenes of Solitude Amidst Italy’s Coronavirus Crisis
Reaching for my camera and reportage... In the often overwhelming heaviness of Italy's coronavirus crisis, it has been far too easy for me to shut [...]
Vigilance is Needed More than Ever in the Coronavirus Crisis
Now is NOT the time to relax! I get it. I want to be done with the coronavirus crisis. I'm desperate for life to return [...]