At Home : Letters from Italy at the time of Coronavirus. Story Six : the Veneto.

Today’s reports are from Venice and Verona, both the Veneto, a region which is not the epicenter of Italy’s coronavirus epidemic but in terms of total diagnosed cases is the second after Lombardia.

Veneto is a region I adore and where for many years I thought I would live. It is home to my single favorite restaurant in Italy.

In Venice, our adored guide Antonella baked this afternoon to cheer herself up. Later in the day she wrote me the following : “Each day I read the Corriere della Sera and Repubblica newspapers and am now starting a new French book about Venice. 

Shopping takes me half an hour. That is all we are allowed, enough to pick up milk, bread and newspapers. Gymnastics at home follow. Video-calls with my children next and then a frivolous hour on Facebook. I always make something succulent for lunch, since restaurants are now a faraway mirage. Today I made a pound cake. Now however I am preparing myself a Spritz, and preparing to turn on the evening news, the only news of the day that I watch, this to avoid anxiety. I might this evening find something light on the television that I like. 

I have come to terms with the fact that this new way of living will continue for a long time to come.”

Verona is one of Italy’s richest cities from the artistic and cultural point of view. Monuments date from the Roman, medieval, and Renaissance periods, though the overall artistic sense of the historic center is medieval. Sheets of locally mined coral pink marble cover facades, surface squares, make up the smiling lions that front a church – and pave the streets.

It is also one of Italy’s most prosperous regional capitals. Like the rest of Veneto, Verona is today silent, and the laughter and good cheer that are its normal characteristics are replaced by the occasional purposeful footstep of a citizen on a small neighborhood errand.

Many of our clients know Katia, who is effusive, engaging and adores Verona. She wrote to me today : “The situation still seems unreal. Being unable to wander into a church, step foot into a museum, visit any of our numerous monuments… this is still quite unbelievable to me.

When the virus was first identified it was underestimated by most people in Verona. But I felt apprehensive so stayed home, and believe me, it was surreal to see how others took the whole situation so lightly, wandering around in groups, socializing so freely. Then the restrictions began, and slowly people began to understand the need to stay at home.

Up to recently Verona was fairy land, with limited infections, but now the numbers are exploding, in my opinion as a result of the reluctance of my fellow citizens to follow early restrictions.

It has been encouraging to watch the whole country coming together. There have been cohesive messages to “stay home” from well known figures in social media, from actors, singers and role models for young people, and these have worked.

Every day, on Facebook or television, I wait for the bulletin from Luca Zaia <president of the Veneto> for regional daily updates on the number of new diagnosed cases, the number of new hospitalizations including the number in emergency care, the number of deaths and the number of patients who are fully recovered. And learn about new donations from Veneto entrepreneurs who are making gifts to our hospitals and emergency services .. that really raises my morale. I have a lot of trust in this region and in the government in general, and this helps me to get through this rough period.

Nearly everyone in Veneto is at home, with the small exception of those working in emergency or essential services.

At the beginning of the crisis I was very worried. After the usual seasonal winter pause, the school groups start up and my work season is off. But of course the government outlawed all school trips. Then came the first cancellations from individual clients, first from the US, and then from the UK. I began to feel sick. Then I heard about a decree that would provide economic support to out-of-work freelancers like me, who have no unemployment benefits. I said to myself : a solution will be found.

At that point I began to accept my circumstances and consider what was important. Health, my loved ones, personal well-being. My husband and I became more relaxed.

We are living well, resting, pampering our three cats, enjoying our hobbies.

I am taking online courses at European universities and reading books that I bought but never opened because I did not have the time. Many of these are on Verona. I’m working diligently to prepare new itineraries for when I am free again. I know that I will see my beautiful Verona then with different eyes, and take such delight in something as simple as going out onto the street/

This has become a time to stop, to reflect, to get back on track while reconsidering so many things. It seems absurd, a cliche’, but I realize that I was really out of touch with the meaning of life.

In Venice the waters in the canals are clear…

and the dolphins are back in the bay of Trieste … would you believe it? On my balcony the flowers are blooming wildly, and seeing these bright colors, well, I stop and say … how wonderful nature is !

I speak to my parents and my brother every day, on video call. Of course I am fully aware that the only way to protect them is not to see them physically.

It is difficult not to work. But you have to accept this situation, this is how it is, and you can’t do anything about it.

In the kitchen I’m really indulging myself, reinventing dishes, making bread. Women are hugely resourceful, and rarely inactive !

There is the negative of course too, the worst being the deaths, and the so-many coffins in Bergamo and Brescia, like arrows through your heart. This region has had plenty of victims of its own. Still, I am hopeful that a vaccine is on its way. Our regional health services are good, and seem to be holding up so far.

On WhatsApp I see images from worldwide of Italian flags that are flying in support of Italy. This gives me courage. It was difficult initially when other countries viewed us as a pariah, calling us the incubator of the coronavirus. But of course everyone now is in our side and is learning from us how to deal with this epidemic. 

Italy has given the world so much. I like to think that when this is all finished, the world will come back to Italy with a new appreciation for us, and of course for our history and our art.

In our building, we are six families, all fairly young, 35 – 55, and no one is fragile or has special needs, but we are nevertheless all there for one another. The city has organized home deliveries for those who cannot leave their homes. 

What do I miss most ? Not being able to embrace my parents and my nephew. And not being able to wander in the city that I love. I’m hopeful that I can do both soon.