By David Parish
Esperienza is Pennabilli and Pennabilli is Esperienza. At least that’s how I see it. The comfort, simplicity and beauty of the town and its people inform all that Esperienza does. It’s as if Anna and the rest of the Esperienza team ask themselves with each program and with every detail hidden within that program, whether in Italy or America … “how would our friends in Pennabilli feel about this? Would they be proud of how we are representing Italy? Representing them?” It’s a brilliant guide post. And lucky me, I’ve studied with Esperienza twice in Pennabilli, have inhaled its charm and I suffer gladly from the way a bit of that town lingers within me long after completing the drive to Bologna or Milan for the journey back home. I admit that Pennabilli owns the part of my psyche that controls the answer to the question … “if I could be anywhere in the world right now?”
And although Pennabilli is at the heart of Esperienza, there is so so much more. Bus rides to surrounding towns and restaurants and tiny opera halls and vineyards, museums, farms, hikes, artisans, shops, mayors, poets, musicians and the innumerable friends of Esperienza, who materialize at nearly every stop along the way, adding to each day’s joy and energy. And of course Tonino. Everywhere, Tonino. We ride the bus while singing “Azzuro” or reading or dozing, and arrive for a wonderfully personal tour of a vineyard or castle or museum, followed by an absolute feast by any standard, though simply a nice snack as far as the locals are concerned. The people, food and wine of Esperienza always catch you by surprise. You think you know what’s coming, but no. There’s always something about what happens outside of class that stops you for a heartbeat as you think to yourself … “so this is what they mean by immersion.”
The truth within of this all is that you don’t just “attend” Esperienza. You’re not merely signing up for a class … whether it’s language, cooking or other. What you’re actually doing is embracing the lifestyle that is shaped by all of the wonders of Italian culture, and launching into a bit of a love affair with it all. Or deepening one that already exists. That’s what Esperienza does so well and is why the fans of Esperienza return time and again.
I can’t wait to return to Pennabilli. I dream of it.
If you do go, be sure to give Anna one more glass of wine so she begins reciting poetry …