Dreams come true

A STORY OF TRENTINI IN THE WORLD
FROM GAZZADINA TO BUENOS AIRES

We asked some descendants of Trentino emigrants to tell their stories in the first person, emphasising how their origin has directed and influ- enced them in life. This would not have been possible without the active and friendly cooperation of the Associazione Trentini nel Mondo, founded in 1957 with the aim of social solidarity and as a tool of aggregation and assistance for Trentino migrants and their descendants. In this issue, the character we are presenting is the Argentinian writer Maria Andreolli.

My name is Maria Andreolli, and I was born in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am 55 years old, married and mother of André, an 18-year-old teenager. I am one part of the first generation of Trentino people in Argentina so my heart belong to two nations. My father, Rinaldo, always passed on to me his love for those majestic mountains, for polenta, sauerkraut, ‘la grappa’ and wonderful songs like La Montanara or Quel Mazzolin Di Fiori.

My father arrived in Argentina in 1948, when he was only 14 years old, together with his widowed father and his two older brothers. Without knowing the language, without having finished high school and with the sadness of having left home, the family settled in the Province of Córdoba. After a few years they moved to Buenos Aires, which is why I spent most of my childhood in the city’s Trentino Circolo or Social Club. There I learnt Italian, organised events and attended many lunches. I still have some beautiful memories and some very dear friends from that place.

As a believer that dreams come true, I want to share some of my memories, starting with the most recent ones. As a child, I dreamt of getting married on an estancia (a farm), surrounded by fields, animals and trees. In 2005, I married Rubén in an estancia in San Antonio de Areco, a city considered the capital of Argentine tradition, located in the pampas a hundred kilometres north-west of Buenos Aires, and my father from Trentino had no problem dressing up as a gaucho.

From our union our son was born, an event that prompted my father to return to Argentina to cherish time with his grandchildren. He was already retired and wanted to spend more time with his family.

Following my dreams and finding in Rubén a partner in adventure, in 2012 we moved to Balneario Parque Mar Chiquita, a nature reserve in the Province of Buenos Aires. Here, surrounded by nature, I discovered my new passion: writing stories for children. Thus, 2014 saw the birth of De Duendes y Gaviotas (Gnomes and Seagulls), a book about love of family, respect for the environment which teaches that dreams always come true. Other books and anthologies followed. Today De Duendes y Gaviotas, thanks to the support of the Associazione Trentini Nel Mondo, has its digital version in Italian.

In 2015, while presenting my second book, the mayor of Mar Chiquita surprised me by appointing me as Ambassador for Tourism and Culture. I became an environmental advocate, working as a volunteer with various organisations. In April 2017, I was called to work as Director of Culture in the municipality, where I was able to create wonderful projects such as the signing of a cooperation agreement between the San Michele all’Adige Institute and the Nicanor Ezeiza Agricultural School.

In 2020, together with a few friends, we founded a company that produces educational games for children (Bosque Encantado De Duendes y Gaviotas), to raise awareness about the environment. Now, my stories are accompanied by a series of products that complement the presentations and workshops held in schools, so that more and more children are aware of the importance of caring for the planet.

My first dream, that of getting to know Trentino, came true in 1990 thanks to the ‘Cultural Stay’ organised back then by the Autonomous Province of Trento. It was a wonderful experience, of which I treasure great memories. In my memory, I can still hear the voice of Rino Zandonai, director of Trentini nel Mondo, telling us the story of Little Red Riding Hood. On that trip another dream of mine came true: visiting Trentino hand in hand with my father.

In March of that same year, my father had returned to Trento after 41 years in Argentina. He only intended to stay for one year, but his love for his homeland kept him there for sixteen years. With him I got to know Gazzadina, ‘the Capital of the World’, as he called it. We visited the family home, listening to the bells of the Madonna di Caravaggio church, the same way he listened to them as a child. I met his friends and relatives, who welcomed me like a daughter.

In 1996 in Buenos Aires I graduated as a clothing designer, working for several fashion brands, as a university lecturer and fashion editor for a magazine.

In the winter of 1997, I decided to pursue a new dream: making a trip to Trento to spend Christmas, New Year and my birthday in the snow. I tried to see if it was possible to study at a school in Milan, but it was too costly, so after celebrating my birthday with friends, I went back to Argentina.

Since life always gives us a second chance, my dream of studying in Italy came true many years later. In 2000, I participated in a competition for Mercosur (the common market of South America) designers to study in Montevideo (Uruguay). The ‘Mercosur Design Post-graduate programme’, organised by the Italian government, offered professionals in the area excellent training. I was selected and studied for a year. In June 2001, with Argentina in economic crisis, I was informed that I had won one of four scholarships for a stay in Italy. I spent fifty days studying and pursuing other, new dreams, such as attending the top fashion schools, participating in international fairs, visiting companies, experiencing the Venice Carnival, enjoying Rome, Milan, Florence and my own dear Trentino. Back in Buenos Aires, after two months I was called for an interview at the Italian Embassy. The meeting lasted half an hour and the following week, I was already working in the Cooperation Office, in a technical assistance programme for SMEs in the Province of Buenos Aires. I have spent seven years working hard and enjoying great successes.

Today, my love for my origins leads me to be involved in two projects: the first is a novel for adults inspired by my father, which I hope to finish soon. Rinaldo had an incredible life, migrating twice and experiencing his fair share of pain due to his uprooting and an abundance of courage. He was a loving father and tireless companion until his very last day, passing on his values and optimism for life. Thanks to the memories of our long conversations and my chats with my Uncle Luciano and Aunt Carla, I discovered wonderful family stories. I hope that, once published, readers will enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.

The other commitment, is the position of vice-president of the Circolo dei Trentini nel Mondo of Mar del Plata, which I took on last year when the new Board was elected, with the task of keeping Trentino culture and traditions alive.