Antonia

The Heart of the Family

Italy

 

I'm Antonia!

My parents came to Germany as young guest workers from near Catania and stayed in the Black Forest. They built an Italian restaurant here, which they still run today. I grew up between the kitchen and the dining room. The smell of tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh bread is as much a part of my life as full tables and loud conversations. We are many, we are present, and we live what we brought with us from Italy.

Faith plays a big role in this. Church, holidays, fixed rituals. My parents always made sure I knew where we came from. Language, food, family. This wasn't explained, but lived. Several times a year, we travel back to Sicily. To relatives, to places that are familiar, even if I've never lived there.

And yet, the Black Forest is my home. I was born here, this is where my everyday life is. It's quieter, more structured, different from what I know from my family. But for me, that's exactly what belongs together. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

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The image shows the connection between Southern Italian origins and elements of the Black Forest. The hat with its characteristic pom-poms adopts the traditional form of the Black Forest costume, while the dark and warm color scheme creates a calmer, more mature interpretation. The lace and clean lines of the bodice refer to the discipline and structure derived from her religious upbringing. The tattoos act as a conscious counterpoint, representing self-determination and personal development. The details show a figure who does not abandon tradition but reinterprets it.

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