A few years ago, I watched the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun.” I had read the book by Frances Mayes years before but missed the movie when it came out. For those of you who have not heard about it, it’s the story of an American woman who ends up in Italy and buys a rundown house in the Tuscan countryside. She writes about her adventures as she renovates the property, meets the locals, deciphers the cultural differences and tries new foods. The movie, of course, brings it up a notch with romance and happy endings. My gut reaction after watching this film was to buy myself a ticket to Florence, Italy, leave my life, here in Goshen, Indiana, behind me and discover my own place in the Tuscan sun (though I would definitely take my husband along: his skill with wood and stone and all around handyman along with his artistic eye would take us a long way!). I dreamed about it for a little while at least... I suppose finances and visas and all other types of red tape would soon bring me back to reality.
A week later, I was hard at work in my backyard. Shovel in hand, I was digging up dirt to lay a patio beside our newly finished woodfired oven. Sweat dripped from my brow leaving spots on my T-shirt. With the summer’s dryness, our backyard soil had turned to stone. After two hours of backbreaking work, Jim took his turn. We stopped for lunch then continued our slow progress. We were hardly half done and already muscle aches groaned and blisters bloomed, the stones still sitting in stacks waiting to be laid. As I paused to catch my breath and gulp down an ice cold glass of water under the Goshen sun, all of sudden, it came to me.
We have a house that we bought. We are working hard at renovating it, with all the surprises and twists and turns that brings. In the process, we have learned things about ourselves, about our community, about our culture, about relationships. We’ve interacted with local businesses, each with their own quirks. We’ve made countless trips for an extra piece of wood and another bag of cement. We’ve dealt with red tape, delays and crazy weather. And yet we continue to dream. What makes it all worthwhile is both the process and its fruits. Just this week, we savoured a whole meal made in the woodfired oven with food entirely from our local farmers and just tonight, we sat out on the deck, above the finished patio, surprised with how far we’ve come. I didn’t need to move to Italy to have these experiences. This is my story under the Goshen sun!
Sometimes the grass does seem greener on the other side. But what I’ve learned over the past few years continues to feed me. I can have the culture I want wherever I live by choosing to create it again. Sometimes, it’s deciding to look at life through different lenses. Other times, it’s about the small things that can change my perspective. Mostly, it’s finding a way to live creatively wherever I am.
When I’m in France or Spain, I go to the local market. When I’m here, I go to the farmer’s market. When I’m there, I take a coffee break after lunch, sometimes outside. When I’m here, I do the same. I’ve worked hard at living what I call “the Valencia life”, intentionally slowing down and not taking on additional stress and busyness. Also, even though I’ve never made a lot of money, I’ve prioritized experiences over financial stability. That means having only one car, no cable TV, a smaller home and not falling to the material social pressures around me. This has allowed us to travel back to the continent of my origin and live there for several weeks each year, not as tourists but as locals. We bring back with us our experiences there, along with an intent to live more conscientiously here.
When we were younger, many of our friends left this town for greener pastures. We sometimes dreamed about moving across the pond as well. Due to life circumstances, we didn’t. Instead we dreamed of what we could do to bring some of my European culture here. We stayed in Goshen and tried to create the life we wanted. In the intervening years, our town changed for the better and many friends have or are returning to live here. Though Goshen might not have all the quirks of a European town, I’ve found enough to keep me grounded. And, if I need the real stuff, I’m only one airplane ticket away. In the meantime, I’ll live out my dream right here under the Goshen sun.
And here’s a recipe for a Spanish Gin and Tonic that you should drink after work, with friends and a side of Spanish almonds. You don’t need to go to Spain to enjoy it!
Spanish Gin and Tonic (for 1 drink)
2 oz. Gin (I use Tanqueray)
5 oz. Fever Tree tonic water
A slice of lime and Cara Cara orange
2 lightly crushed juniper berries
Sprig of rosemary
Ice
Fill a large red wine glass with ice. Add juniper berries. Pour in the gin then gently pour in the tonic water. Add citrus slices. Stir gently. Slap the rosemary between your hands to release the flavor and add the sprig to the glass.
I'm so glad you're living your dream under the Goshen sun and that you did not move across the pond! Through Rachel's bread and your cheese shop, you have brought a taste of Europe to Goshen and have shared with us cuisines and your cultural experiences. Thank you!