I might be going out on a limb here and risk spiraling towards an all time low confessing my love for this Italian soap opera called "Un Posto al Sole" or "A Place in the Sun".
Un Posto al Sole: Italian soap opera filmed in Naples
It all started when my mother in law visited us for Christmas 2010 and I was still getting the hang of speaking Italian smoothly. Mamma-in-law is easy going, relaxed and not the bossy type of Southern Italian mom-in-law I have heard horror stories about. Rumor has it that many southern Italian mom-in-laws are uber-meticulous about how their sons should be treated, openly critique their daughter-in-laws cooking, cleaning and housekeeping skills and nothing is ever done right in their eyes with the idea that the girl is lucky to have their baby boy. It kind of reminds me of some southern mamas in South Carolina that I encountered during college, they could kill you with their sweet yet candid critiques. Here I escaped that type of marital condemnation, Mamma-mia-in law has none of those snarky overbearing characteristics and whatever I like is fine and great for her, BUT come 8:40 PM the rules change. The TV must absolutely be turned to channel Rai 3 to see the episode of Un Posto al Sole and there must be silence to see what happens next. At first I watched it with her to keep her company then she left to go back home after her visit. I had a list of intriguing words that I translated that characters used during the show that I learned the meaning of, "Cheating, pregnancy, abuse, who's the daddy, coma, anxiety and more" in Italian. There is even a stereotypical overbearing southern mom-in-law who stuffs her son with unhealthy food making him obease, chases away his girlfriends and is constantly hovering around to over protect her adult son to the point of giving him dreams involving her cooking food.
They also show a well rounded view of family problems, teenage dating, and economic struggles that many Italian families are facing now with the increasing tax laws and new social reforms. This drama was honestly a good part of giving me a rounded knowledge of common Italian phrases. My husband has watched it with a good nature and patience using the excuse that it shows some great shots of Napoli, or Naples and he is right, it does! When we went to Naples I entered the city singing the theme song of Un Posto al Sole, you can see the lyrics below on my pics. I felt so giddy to see all the places where my favorite characters walk, fight and break up. I felt that my series of pictures did Naples, a place in the sun, justice.
Un nuovo giorno è qui
Anche per noi
Un mondo più vero
Si sveglierà
o sarò qui con te
E tu saprai
Che il nostro domani sarà come vuoi
Se questa vita siamo noi
Lasciare cose che non vuoi e così è
Così poco il tempo per amare
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