Members Out In The World: Ethan Solomita
In 2021, I enjoyed the result of four years of effort and became an Italian citizen. My great grandfather was born in Italy, and Italy respects citizenship through blood. But what an exploration through my family's past to prove it! Reading old census data to try to find a household with both my grandfather's and great grandfather's names, seeing where they lived during their time, and eventually, tracking him back to his birth place in Italy and obtaining a 150-year-old birth certificate. Five birth certificates, four marriage certificates, and two death certificates later, I had my evidence. Now I also have a passport.
Out of respect for what Italy has just given me, I've been spending a lot of time learning Italian. But making it fun can help you get through the challenges. I decided to read the first three Harry Potter books in Italian, and then listen to their audiobooks. There are also a lot of fun YouTube channels dedicated to helping people learn Italian. Some day, perhaps, I will spend enough time in Italy to become fluent.
