Sicily, Persephone and Trinacria. These are just a few names bestowed on the beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was Persephone I was thinking of as I saw the island rise from the sea during my first visit in 1996 as our traghetto (ferry) crossed the strait of Messina. Sicily has been forged by the cultures of Greek, Roman, Byzan-tine, Arab, Norman, German and Spanish Bourbons which has left a diverse legacy for today’s Sicilians.

I was excited to meet my husband’s family and to explore the homeland of his ancestors. I never imagined it would become my second home and such an integral part of my life. We spent numerous summers living on the island and tried to return every few years. After our last visit in 2018 we could not wait to return. When travel restrictions began to ease, we made plans to return this past September.