Bridging Cultures: Antonietta’s Journey from Italy to Canada
Antonietta De Giovanni was born in Canada, but her life took a sharp turn at 10 years old. At that time, her parents moved the family back to Italy—specifically to Puglia, in the deep south. They were looking to reconnect with their roots, and this move defined the next four decades of Antonietta’s life.
Today, she describes herself as a Canadian with 40 years of experience in Italy. This isn’t a complaint; instead, it is a clinical, accurate description of a life suspended between two countries. She moved through both identities without ever fully surrendering to either.
Italy
Ultimately, Puglia shaped her. The food, the rigid family structure, and the glacial pace of life in a small southern village left a deep mark. Her mother’s kitchen functioned as the center of her world because the specific aromas and recipes became a sensory map. Consequently, she still carries those memories of Italian cooking today.
As an only child, her path was dictated by the traditional Southern Italian code of duty. For this reason, she stayed in Italy to care for her parents as they aged. She raised four children there while she quietly longed for Canada—the country of her birth. Despite this longing, her duty to her parents kept her there. She fulfilled that obligation completely before she finally considered her own return.
Back to Canada
Five and a half years ago, Antonietta finally returned to Canada and settled in Toronto. The country she had spent decades longing for was finally hers again. In practice, the homecoming required a massive recalibration since 40 years is a lifetime. Because Canada had evolved as much as she had, the country she remembered no longer existed.
Now, she carries both cultures in a unique overlap. She possesses the Italian instinct for community alongside a Canadian directness. Essentially, neither identity cancels the other out.
The Work
Currently, Antonietta works as a pension clerk in Toronto. Her office serves as a vital bridge by helping Italian pensioners navigate the bureaucratic requirements between the two nations. In this role, she ensures they receive the support they earned through years of labor overseas.
This is detailed, high-stakes work that draws directly on her own experience. Because she spent four decades navigating two conflicting systems, she understands the complexity of the paperwork. As a result, she can guide others through the labyrinth. For Italian pensioners in Canada, finding this kind of hard-won knowledge is rare; however,
For Italian pensioners in Canada, that kind of knowledge is not easy to find. Antonietta provides it.
Interview
Italian Living in Canada
Name: Antonietta De Giovanni – Occupation: Pension Clerk