Week 40 finds Italy a little melancholy as people emerge from a hard winter

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Ellie - Milan, Italy



 Hello again from Italy! Are you in a mid-winter slump? Or, rather, a pandemic burnout? 



 Here in North Lombardy, we have gone through it all. 



 The punishing lockdown; the exhilaration of Christmas free-for-all; the suffering of the consequences in terms of increase in COVID cases. 



 And now, as we were banished in a red zone post-Christmas, it turns out our regional government submitted the wrong set of data to the national COVID crisis team.  



 So we were assigned to a full lockdown without a good reason. Needless to say, everyone is angry at the mistake and nobody is admitting to it.





 However, we are so tired of the seesaw in daily life while there is no real demand for political accountability. 



 Even though the changes mean significant economic damage, people feel disconnected and dispirited. 



 Certain industries feel politically abandoned, like museums and cultural heritage sites, and I am afraid a lot of goodwill and grit is getting lost in the process.





As a sign either of lingering hope or a sense of abandonment, the main church of our town has decided to leave its Christmas decor for longer, perhaps to prolong the uplifting spirit.



 At home, everyday life has given place to reassuring routines.



And comfort food. If you were visiting today I would have treated you to a bowl of chestnuts in milk.







 And then, I would have taken you to play in the community center yard.



It has been all but abandoned. Nobody plays there currently.










 But it would be unfair to finish on such a sad note. 



 I am hoping that by next week I will finalize a significant idea for a collaboration that I would like to share with you. 



 So things are not all bleak. In fact, work makes me more hopeful, even when it is hard. 



 The feeling that I am doing something, even for an improbable proposition, is a catalyst for more hope. I'll keep you posted!

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