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When it comes to positive experiences for the Italian American, it's difficult to imagine anything more beneficial than a total immersion in the culture left behind nearly a century ago. An outstanding example of this is a story that began two years ago in the state of New Jersey. Driven by a passionate desire to live in the land which spawned his Sicilian heritage, an energetic college graduate quickly learned that working as an English teacher would be the most practical means for achieving his end. Journeying thousands of miles away to live in a small town situated high up in the mountains of central Sicily was only the beginning of a six month adventure which would transform the life of Vincent Traina forever. It's just too bad there isn't enough space to write about everything. Therefore, only the most precious memories will be shared.

Not a soul knew of his existence before arriving in Pietraperzia two days after Christmas of 2004. Ten days later, on the feast of La Befana, some locals invited their foreign guest on a day trip to visit the ancient Greek cities of Agrigento and Selinunte. An avid student of ancient history, the idealistic traveler was enthralled to visit what was known twenty-five hundred years ago as "Magna Graecia," or "Greater Greece." To stand in front of the ruins of the herculean temples was truly a phenomenal experience. Mr. Traina gazed up at the columns and bowed graciously before the engineering feats of antiquity. As the three continued through southwestern Sicily, they stopped briefly at a roadside to get a closer look at the Mediterranean Sea. The encounter with the sounds and smells of a famous sea, which witnessed the birth and growth of the Western World, was nothing short of inspirational. Two months later Vincent returned to Agrigento, writing his full name in the sand and watching as it symbolically began to wash away and make its trip across the Mediterranean.

On the third lonely Saturday night, Vincent was startled by his earsplitting doorbell. He picked up the phone and curiously inquired, "Who is it?" in Italian. A voice answered, "Hi, it's Paolo, Salvatore's brothercome down." One of his kind-hearted students, Salvatore Di Marca, had earlier talked to his older brother about the fact that his English teacher didn't know anyone in town. As soon as Vincent and Paolo met, a momentous bond was forged. Quite rapidly, they became best friends and went out every weekend to the bars and clubs. Paolo showed him around town,

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