This exhibit focuses on the story of my grandmother, who I call Nonna, Ida Paolucci.  It is the story of her life spent in Fossacesia, Italy and Toronto, Canada. My nonna was born in Fossacesia, a coastal town in the Chieti Province of Abruzzo, Italy. She was born in 1943 and does not remember World War II, but her experiences have been influenced by the war in years after. The youngest child in a family of five, she was never given a proper chance until she leaped at an opportunity for a new life. She came to Canada in December of 1960 at the age of 17 when my grandfather, Tony Paolucci, had sent a letter and photo of himself asking her to come to Canada so they could wed. My nonna says this was all thanks to destiny.  While I heard some of her stories growing up, I have never had the opportunity to sit with her and listen to her talk about her life until now. This project has given my nonna and I a chance to discuss her life in Italy and Canada. She grew up on a family farm with chickens, ducks, cows, even a horse. She left Fossacesia and came to Toronto, where she worked in a factory, got her drivers license, and raised two children. She discusses her childhood memories, the mentality of the older generations around her in her youth, and brings up the regret of not having a chance to get an education. 

While my project is more personal and deals with my family, I think it illustrates an intimate depiction of an older generational working woman. Listening to her recount experiences of being told she could not go to school, to not learn how to drive, to do things traditionally by her friends and family, and yet how she fought back was amazing to listen too.  She explains how one of her regrets is that she was never able to attend school to "become sombody". Things became emotional at this point in the interview. While she never recieved a formal education, she is incredibly wise and so ambitious. Much of her life, she was told my other people what she should and should not do. However, being the stubborn and ambitious woman she is, she did not listen.  My initial intention for this project was to understand my heritage more, I thought that speaking with my nonna about where our family is from would be more of a "understanding my ancestry" journey. Instead, it became something much more personal.

This exhibit recounts the story of a woman who wanted more, and leaped at opportunities that presented themselves. It is the story of a young woman leaving her family to come to a new country and marry a man she vaguely knew. A woman who worked hard to create a beautiful life for her family. A woman who did not want to be told what she should or should not do by anybody, and did not let anyone push her around. 

My nonna and I truly hope you enjoy this exhibit as it is something that has created something special for both of us.