The word home can mean many different things for people. Home can be a house for some or even a person for others. Through good and bad, humans seem to always hold tight to those roots and memories from places that are considered home. As one grows, it can be difficult to stay connected to those memories that built one's identity. Nevertheless, humans constantly search for those memories no matter how distant they may feel in their present life.

The Palazzi Community Center recently hosted a book reading event of Marco Colonna’s, Questo ricordo è un’isola. The reading was done by Colonna, where he talked about the complex relationship between memory, losses, changes, and the places that people call home. The American University of Florence students greeted guests at the door, leading them into the courtyard where chairs and outdoor sofas were placed under large umbrellas with string lights and heat lamps to help escape the chilled winter air and create a homey atmosphere. A prosecco bar was also available for those who wanted a refreshment during the reading. 

The book's title translates directly to "This memory is an Island." Much like the title, this book dives into the idea that memories can become distant and isolated, just like an island is, from the present but will still be a part of someone and their identity. The author takes its readers on a journey through the history and memories of Colonna's home Island, Sardinia. The Island of Sardinia is located off the west coast of Italy and is surrounded by Mediterranean waters. Colonna uses the physicalities of the island to help take the readers on this journey and describes how the landscape a person grows up in helps to shape a sense of self. He also talks about memories of his mother and the island traditions he learned while growing up there.  

"I am describing something that I know perfectly," Colonna said. "You can't just write something that you don't know." 

Colonna was born in Palermo, Sicily in 1964 and grew up on the island. He is now the founder and director of the news portal, President of the Metropolis Cultural Association, and vice president of the Pro-Restauro Guercino Association. 

After asking Colonna what the main message was that he wanted his listeners to remember, he said, "Never forget the past and your roots." 

In a world that is constantly changing and trying to keep up with trends, it is important to remember where we came from, our roots, and how that has shaped us. As a study abroad student, this reading helped me to look inward and think about how my upbringing and where I come from can help me to find an identity here in Florence. For example, finding similarities between what brings me comfort at home, like going to a cafe to do homework, has helped me to feel connected to where I come from. Even though going to a cafe to help feel at home can sound silly to some, it is important that when a person is away from home, they find things that can connect them to where they come from, even if it is thousands of miles away. 

The Palazzi Community Center hosts many events that can help those studying here feel like they are part of the community here in Florence. The next book reading will be hosted on March 4, 2025. Who knows, The Palazzi Community Center might be the next place you feel a sense of home at.