dec. 2015/jan. 2016 monza news

7/23/2019 Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016 Monza News

1/28December 2015/January 2016

Benvenuto Internaonal Club of Monza

Monza NewsDecember 2015 -

January 2016

PEACE ON

EARTH


2/281December 2015/January 2016 Monza News

Monza News

Editor

Cheryl Stockman Chalouhi

335 681 7427

[email protected]

Advertising in Monza News

Contact the editor

Cover photo: Provided by Cheryl Stockman

Chalouhi

All other photos provided by Elda Elvedese

The Monza News is sponsored by Bolliger

International Movers

www.bolligerspa.com

The Benvenuto International

Club of Monza

c/o Sporting Club Monza

Viale Brianza 39

20900 Monza (MB)

www.benvenutomonza.com

Webmaster

Irmi Sieber

[email protected]

Members can also join the facebook group bysearching Benvenuto International Club of Monza.

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Monza News contributions are paid either at the

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MonzaDecember/January

NEWSLETTER FROM THE EDITOR...........................................2

ADVERTISEMENTS........................................................3

CHRISTMAS CAROLS.....................................................3

PRESIDENTS LETTER.................................4

ANNOUNCEMENTS ..........5

A FRIENDLY EAR ...........................................................5

COFFEE MORNING DATES ............................................5

BOARD MEETING DATES ..............................................5

SPECIAL.ACTIVITIES & UPCOMING EVENTS ................6

SPECIAL.ACTIVITIES & UPCOMING EVENTS ..........7 -8

MEMBERS ARTICLE ..............................................9 -10

ADVERTISEMENTS...............................................11 -12

OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS.............................13 -14

ADVERTISEMENT........................................................15

PREVIOUS EVENTS......................................................16

MEMBERS ARTICLE...............................................17-18

PREVIOUS EVENTS......................................................19

NEWCOMERS....... ................. ....................................20

CINEMA IN ENGLISH ..................................................20

BIRTHDAYS AND CONGRATULATIONS.......................21

GROUP ACTIVITIES................................................22

THE BOARD and CLUB RULES......................................23

MONZA NEWS ADVERTISING PRICES..........................24

EMERGENCY MEDICAL & IMPORTANT INFO..............25

BABYSITTERS..............................................................25

ADVERTISEMENTS.................................................26-27We are deeply grateful to Bolliger

International Movers for the

Quote of the month

If we have no peace, it is because we haveforgotten that we belong to each other.

Mother Teresa

Letter from

the Editor

The deadline for the FebruaryMonza

News is

January 25, 2015
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mothertere107032.html?src=t_peacehttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mothertere107032.html?src=t_peacehttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mothertere107032.html?src=t_peacehttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.htmlhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.htmlhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.htmlhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mothertere107032.html?src=t_peacehttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mothertere107032.html?src=t_peace



Joy to the world!

the Lord is come

let earth receive her King.

Let every heart

prepare Him room

and heaven and nature sing


and heaven and heaven and nature sing.

(straight on)

He rules the world with truth and grace

and makes the nations prove,

the glories of His righteousness

and wonders of His love

and wonders of His love

and wonders and wonders of his love

(straight on)

Joy to the world!

the Lord is come

let earth receive Her King.

Let every heart

prepare Him room



and heaven and heaven and nature sing.

__________________________

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

How lovely are your branches!

Your boughs are green

In summer time

And through the snows

Of winter time.

O Christmas Tree,

O Christmas Tree,

How lovely are

Your branches!

Letussing!



letter from the presidentThe ChristmasFestivitiesrepresent for all ofus an occasion of

great joy, serenity andpeace. Christmas hasthe magic to bring usback to our traditions,

memories of thebeautiful Christmasof our childhood and

youth, when everythingseemed magical and enchanting.

The Lord gives us every year the magic ofa feast full of atmosphere, where all of us

feel more available and solidaritystrengthens towards one another. A time ofserenity and a time for family and friends.It is also an opportunity for reflection about

the problems that surround us: like worldwars, hunger and thirst, poverty thatpushes people to emigrate, and socialissues such as unemployment, abusedand abandoned children, the ill, the rise inpoverty and the people in need. All thesethoughts sadden us but, at the same time,

encourage us to be better and lessselfish.

Each personal initiative is a little star butall of them form a galaxy of stars thatshines with the lights of solidarity thatmake this world a little better.

The magic of the stars will bring us anextraordinary new year: Lets have faith.

Merry Christmas and thanks to all of you.

The miracle is not that we do this work,but that we are happy to do it. - MotherTeresa

Presidents LetterLetterLetter



Announcements

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR

THE MOST UP-TO-DATE

INFORMATION:

www.benvenutomonza.com

In vision of a desire to really connect to our members,

the board has decided to publish the calendar for our

board meetings.

Anyone with an issue may take an appointment to

present her case after the meeting, which means

around 12pm.

Board Meeting Calendar

Month TIME PL CE

Feb. 4 9,30-12,30 Sporting Club

Mar. 3 9,30-12,30 Sporting Club

Apr. 7 9,30-12,30 Sporting Club

May 5 9,30-12,30 Sporting Club

June 6 9,30-12,30 Zizeths Office *

February 11th

March 10th

April 14th

May 12th

June 9th

o

f

f

e

e

M

o

r

n

i

n

g

s

f

o

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1

5

t

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2

1

6

Benvenuto International Club of Monza

Policies and Practices Manual

8.1.5 Facebook guidelines. It is to be used mainly as

an information sharing platform for feedback on club

related activities, event updates, club photo sharing,

request for information (such as therapists, products,

professional services etc...) and sending wishes to

another Benvenuto member. In line with art. 8 Policies

and Practices on Commercialism, no posting of any

kind with the intention of making profitable gain for the

individual member or on behalf of an external party is

allowed. However, posting of sales of personal effects

of members who are leaving the country will be

tolerated. No vulgar words in any language is to be

used at any time. Request to be added into the

Benvenuto page can only be accept-ed by the

Membership Director, and/or another Benvenutomember assigned by the Board.

A Friendly EarIf you need help please call us our Big Sister Alliance is here to listen andsupport you!

Janu 3482610278 or [email protected]

Kate 3488898349 or email [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]



Special Activities

Wednesday 16th of December at 2.30 pm

A discovery of hidden skilled artisansin the heart of Milano

followed by a cup of nice hot chocolate or a cup of tea

5 euroMeeting point in front of the church SANTA MARIA PRESSO

SAN SATIRO

Via Torino - near to the Metro DUOMO

LABORATORIO DI CERAMICHE

PARAVICINI

IL CAPPELLAIO LORENZO

BORGHI

DECEMBER 2015 & JANUARY 2016 ACTIVITIESContact:info : Ivana Menegardo - Develter.Mobile:338 53 54 240.

Email: [email protected]



Special Activities

Dear ladies,

Let us start the New Year with this joyful IX symphony of Beethoven where thehusbands are warmly invited to join us at the prestigious Auditorium of largo

Mahler. Some now and then it is nice to let our husbands to discover ourBenvenuto World that is why the 2 activities of January are also on Friday

evening and the theme have been chosen to tickle their curiosity.

I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year

Ivana Menegardo-Develter

[email protected]

Friday 1st of January 2016 at 4 pm

CONCERTIX SYMPHONY of BEETHOVEN

Balcony 25 (instead of 40)

Parterre 30 (instead of 50)

AUDITORIUM Largo Mahler - MilanoInfo IVANA 338 53 54 240 or [email protected]



Friday 29th of January at 7pm

HAPPY HOUR and ARGENTINIAN TANGO

1 HOUR DISCOVERY LESSON with the Maestro LUCA NAPOLI

MonzaIf your husband is too shy, let me know.

We can invite some jolly dancers

Info: Ivana 338 53 54 240 [email protected]

Special Activities

Friday 22nd of January 2016 at 7pm

Wine tasting

LE BOLLICINE STILI A CONFRONTO

Prosecco -Veneto

Letrari -Trentino

Ribolla Gialla spumante - Friuli

Ayala brutFrancia

Gimmonet Brut - Francia

Bollinger Special CuveeFrancia

6

(branch of MEREGALLI wine spirits and food MONZA)

Via Carroccio angolo via A. da Giussano Biassono

Info IVANA 338 53 54 240 or [email protected]



At our recent WRITERS GROUPsession on the 18th of Novemberthe topic chosen was EMOTIONS.It was a most stimulating meetingand we wish to share a fewconsiderations with you and perhapsinvite you to write on some emotionsyou may have experienced in future

issues of the Monza News.

About Emotions

Our modern day life is characterized by rapidity andefficiency and the tendency of aiming at practical andmaterial success,...that means in fact, more actionand less reflection, but I think, that every single one ofus is occasionally and unexpectedly overcome byemotions.

We cannot plan or determine an emotion, becauseit's the contrary of rational thinking. It may walk inquietly like an angel or burst down heavily like alightning from a blue sky.

Emotions open our souls and seem to stop time. Forseconds or minutes they dominate us, positively ornegatively, they make us happy or fearful, but wecan't just step out of them. For those inmeasurablemoments, which sometimes may seem to be eternaland other times too short, we experience somethingvery deep in ourselves, a glimpse of the unknown, butessential part of our personality.

My personal emotions normally don't come fromextraordinary happenings, but

from the less obvious, the less sensational, even verysilent things, from Nature, from Art, from the exchangewith people whose thinking and feeling startle me and

nourish my mind.Just to give a few examples of what may touch me:

The first snowdrops breaking through, the meltingsnow, a happy smile on a baby's innocent face, asetting sun painting the sky with all the colours of therainbow, the unexpected kindness of an unknownperson and so on....

People sometimes think, that emotions only belong tothe youth, but I don't agree. I still watch the beautifulsunsets of Lombardy, whenever I can, and I amdeeply moved. I listen to people, and their words andactions may astonish me and make me think:: Thereis still so much good in people and that lights up my

heart.

In our super-active time people are too absorbed intheir work and battle and struggle for ambitious aims,but without emotions we can't live. Emotions oftenare decisive for a change of mind, for a good decisionor useful action, for taking a new direction in life. No,we can't live without emotions, because withoutemotions, darkness would fill our souls and theywould eventually dry out. ..... (Ute Pastorelli)

If I go back to my strongest emotions, some memoriesconnected with a deep perception of beauty andharmony come to mind.

An episode of intense spirituality I felt while watchinga mediaeval painting of the Annunciation in S.Gimignano is marked on my soul.

I had been roaming around the main street when all ofa sudden a fresco with the image of a very delicate

Madonna impressed on a side wall of the cathedralcaught my attention while a street musician nearbywas playing a sweet melody.

I stopped to watch the painting attentively. Everythingin it spoke of purity and simplicity, of faith and hope.Everything was composed, concentration fluttered allover and the music from the flute added harmony toharmony......Concentration and harmony.

I was ravished by an extraordinary enchantment andfelt such an intense expansion of my soul that I couldnot contain the joy and I started to cry. I wascompletely 'inside my deepest self' and alien to whatwas happening around me. For a while I even thoughtI sensed eternity: it was as if time and its endlessebb and flow had vanished. Full of gratitude I watchedthe entire path of humanity, of men and womendistant in time and space yet close and friendly to meand bewildered I was captured in another dimension......(Marialuisa Banfi)

Hope is an important feeling in every human beingslife because no matter how hard youve worked in lifeor how comfortably you have spent it, every personhas to place his or her faith into something orsomeone.

Surviving is placed on HOPE. It is very easy to bepessimistic, remissive, weak because we do not liveforever and everything we do does not stay forever,so hope is food for our souls....(Susanna Corno)

I lived a very deep emotion many years ago, when Ifound myself in front of the marble statue of thePIETA in St Peters... I had hear of this work, seenmany pictures and admired the skill....but ....when Ifound myself in front of this masterpiece, I was filledwith such awe, I felt as if I were in some kind oftrance, enthralled ... I fell to my knees, I may evenhave cried... I knelt before the artist, before the manthat had surpassed all possible expectations and hadcreated such outstanding beauty. I felt one with theartist, one with the world, one with beauty, ...I was nota mother yet and too young to understand fully thescene before me, but I marvelled at the miracle Ibeheld..... Mortal hands had transformed cold marbleinto moving live, warm human figures . (AnnaMurabito Bodini)

This was a very special emotion, but our days arefilled with wonderful emotions, emotions we often donot take much notice of because we are so rushed,so over

-stimulated, or perhaps absent when doing

things. Nowadays we tend to react or register onlyemotion charged events or actions. Emotions are avital part of our humanity, they contribute in making usfeel alive, of making us live life instead of justwatching it fleet by.....but like all special things, weneed to be aware of special feelings. We need tomake space for them in our lives and invite them in.

During the Christmas season, we have a specialopportunity offered to us. As we prepare our homesand adorn them with special decorations, we can clearaway from our hearts all negative emotions andfeelings of resentment and make room for positive,enriching emotions that give us memorable momentsto cherish. (Anna Murabito Bodini)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR BENVENUTOFRIENDS...

Members Article



Members Article

CONTINUED from November MONZA NEWS.....

Discovering the Story of The Nun of Monza

By Lisa Harding

Eventually, the first two murders caught up with Osio when Count Fuentes, the Spanish governor of Milan, puthim in prison in Pavia. Although Osio later escaped, justice also caught up with Sister Virginia when Cardinal

Federico Borromeo ordered that she be taken away by at night by force and moved under heavy escort toMilan. Twelve days later, her ecclesiastical trial began on November 27, 1607 with a series of interrogations inthe parlatory of the Convent of Santa Margherita of Monza.

Knowing they were in trouble, Sisters Benedetta and Ottavia decided to run away from the convent withOsio. While they were on the run together, Osio tried to drown Sister Ottavia in the Lambro near the Chiesa diSanta Maria delle Grazie and threw Sister Benedetta in a well--the same well into which he had previouslythrown the severed head of lay sister Caterina. Ottavia and Benedetta managed to survive these attempts ontheir lives and so were able to give detailed testimonies during the trial of all the sordid events.

After all the other witnesses had been thoroughly interviewed (and many were tortured to ensure the accuracyof their testimonies!), Cardinal Borromeo finally ordered the interrogation of 32 year old Sister Virginia on

December 22, 1607.

She admitted to t

he affair but blamed her behavior on the Devil and magic spells. Sister Virginia revealed that she had eveneaten Osio's excrement in order to free herself from the bounds of these spells and witchcraft. Ten monthslater, the ecclesiastical court pronounced sentence onSister Virginia Maria de Leyva: "perpetual imprisonment"into a small cell in the Convent of Santa Valeria in Milanwhere she would have no access to light or human contactof any kind. Because Santa Valeria was not actually aconvent but a shelter for reformed prostitutes, this was anadditional degradation to someone of her noblestatus. The other guilty nuns were also ordered to bewalled up into individual cells in the Santa Margherita

convent in Monza.

As for Osio, he was convicted in absentia by the Spanishcivil authorities in February 1608 and was sentenced asfollows: "And the said Gian Paolo Osio, resident of theTown of Monza, shall be put to the gallows and to theconfiscation of all of his possessions." There are varyingaccounts of Osio's death but he was eventually killed while hiding out in the Veneto region.

After nearly 14 years, Cardinal Borromeo ordered the release of 46 year old Sister Virginia from her prison cellon September 25, 1622. Her subsequent behavior so convinced Borromeo of her piety and completereformation that he even commissioned Sister Virginia to write letters to other wayward nuns, cautioning them

against sinful behaviors.

She died at the age of 75 on January 17, 1650, still a resident of the Shelter of SantaValeria. Ripamonti gives a sad description of Sister Virginia after seeing her in these later years at SantaValeria: "A bent old woman, tall of stature, dried and fleshless, but venerable in her aspect. It would be hard toimagine, seeing her now, that she had once been so beautiful and shameless."

If you are interested in this story, I highly recommend you attend one of the annual theatrical recreations ofthese events which is sponsored by the Comune of Monza and other civic organizations. On October 10, myhusband and I participated in one of these tours called "Sui Passi Della Monaca Di Monza" which originatedfrom the Civic Museum in the center. From there, our guide took us to the Piazza Duomo and then to theChurch of San Maurizio and Santa Margherita. Once inside the church, we were treated to a theatrical re-enactment of Lady Marianna being brought to the convent by her father. The next stop of the tour was thecourtyard of the St. Peter Martyr Church where we witnessed a soliloquy by an actress portraying SisterOttavia. The final stop was back at the courtyard of the Casa degli Umiliati (the Civic Museum) where there

was a dramatic re-enactment of Sister Virginia's trial.

This story of lust, murder, conspiracy and ultimately redemption shows that even today a 16th century storycaptures our imagination and proves again that truth is stranger than fiction!



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Previous EventsPrevious Events

Three Italians, an Indian, a Turk, a Korean, aHungarian and an American walk into arestaurant . . . . No this isn't the beginning of ajoke but an actual description of our very funlunch on Wednesday, November 18 at LaPentola Vegana, a vegan restaurant opened

five years ago onVia Lecco inMonza. A "vegan"menu is not onlyvegetarian but alsoexcludes all animalproducts, includingdairy and eggs. Asa die-hardcarnivore, I was alittle skeptical ofbeing able to enjoya vegan meal but Ihave to say I wascompletely wonover by all thedelicious choices

we had. I was also happy to learn that therestaurant, whose menu changes daily andbuys only biological vegetables, offers food fortake away. We enlisted the owner of therestaurant, an affable Irish man, to take ourphoto for the Monza News. While trying to get

us all to smilefor the camera,he remarked, "Iwould ask youto say 'cheese'but as we are aveganrestaurant, it isnot allowed inhere." This iswhy we are alllaughing sohard in thephoto!

-By LisaHarding

BELLISSIMA EXHIBITION

On November 26th we visited Bellissima. Setup in the Royal Apartments on the second floor of

the Villa Reale, Bellisssima is an exhibition of themost importantmasterpieces of Italianhigh fashion from the post-war years, namely from1945, up to 1968.

We could live the charm ofday and evening dressesmade by famous stylists:Balestra, Biki, Biagiotti,Capucci, Fendi, Gattinoni,sorelle Fontana, Valentino,

to name just a few.

The exhibition includes anexceptional choice ofaccessories by Gucci,Ferragamo, Roberta diCamerino , and also shoes, hats and Bulgarijewellery.

The core space of Bellissima is the galleryconnecting all the rooms and hosting an uniqueselection of samples testifying the importance ofItalian textile industry of those years .

In a room dedicated to the cinema a video showsclips of famous movies directed by Antonioni,Rossellini and Fellini who, in the so calledHollywood on the Tiber (i.e.Cinecitt, in Rome),harmonized with the evolution of fashion.

Italian people of my age have seen most of thosemovies and, in my opinion, that magic period oftime cant be repeated any more, as well as themagic of old fashion which exceeds nowadays

creations by means oftaste and materials.

The tour ends at theBevedere, where,supervised by theTriennale of Arts, areshown Italian designobjects created in thesame years as thedisplayed dresses.

My beloved typewriter,

Olivetti Lettera 22 wasalso there, as well as thered Olivetti typewriterValelentine I dreamt a lotof, the Brion Vega radio

and TV, together with many objects of everydaylife preceding the digital revolution: a memory ofhow we were and a meditation on what we havebecome.

Thank you Ivana for organizing this beautiful visit.Thank you also Laura, our competent Englishspeaking guide. The exhibition will be open until

January 10th. Its really Bellissima and worth avisit.

-By Elda Elvedese



Seventh of ten

By Rachael Martin

I have to admit that I amslightly fascinated by thefact that Pauline

OConnor has had andbrought up five children miles

away from her hometown. She tells me that people

have often commented and her response is hermothers: Pauline is the seventh of ten. Everythinghas its context.

And today I want to ask her about motherhood, and

more specifically motherhood in a foreign country,

because I firmly believe it is different. When my children

were younger people used to say to me as I sometimes

complained my way through various things (usually lack

of pavements and the difficulty of steering a double

buggy) yes, but it would be the same if you were here.

No, it wouldnt. I mean, obviously I havent tried the

alternative. What would have happened if Id remained

in that small town in the North of England? Id have

probably complained about the same things. And Id

have been probably been just as bored by mothers

conversations you know, nappies, weaning, various

details of childcare, and other mildly interesting topics. I

would certainly have been as equally vocal about

education. That much goes without saying.

Of course nowadays setting up a family miles away

from home is no longer really so remarkable. We live

alongside people from all different countries and some

of us live in more international environments than

others. I only have to think of the context in which I

grew up in comparison with that in which my children

are growing up. I had a glamorous aunt with her

European clothes and foreign husbands but that was

about as far as it went. My boys are used to hearing

different languages and know that mummys off to

Benvenuto with her friends from all over the world.

They count up the languages they can speak and the

languages theyd like to speak. Of course its notsomething you always bring up in conversation, as you

dont want it to seem like youre showing off. Theres

actually nothing to brag about. Its all just part of their

reality.

I ask Pauline what it was like bringing up children as a

foreign mother thirty years ago. Of course we all have

our own experiences and can fill in the details

accordingly. We all share our own experiences. But

what was it like in the mid 1980s? Actually it was very

similar to how it is now, with similar issues and similardifficulties. Although one thing that was certainly

different is that on maternity wards it wasnt yet the

norm for mothers to be allowed to keep their babies in

the same room as them after they were born. Pauline

was horrified during her hospital stay with her first son.

So when her second child was born, early but healthy

in 1987 she signed herself and her new-born daughter

out of the hospital fourteen hours later, just in time to

spend a truly magical New Years Eve at home, with

champagne and milk at midnight.

Pauline feels that she was very lucky because her

siblings and wider family had already travelled and lived

in various places around the world. They were already

bringing very stimulating experiences to the family and

were also a very effective sounding board. She used to

write and receive lots of letters, and whenever she or

any of her siblings phoned home her parents would fill

them all in with what was going on with the others.

Whilst pregnant with her first child, she attended pre-

natal courses, yoga and attended talks with the

midwife. It was very good, she tells me, as we couldall talk to each other and share experiences. She is

still in touch with quite a few people from her first

course, and has a very good French friend who was

from Strasbourg. We had good friends from the

Strasbourg area, she tells me, and so there was a

connection. We were also both foreign mothers. When

Pauline went back for her check-up after Lorenzo was

born, she was talking in English to Lorenzo when the

pediatrician asked her What language does your

husband speak? Italian, and sometimes English, she

replied. Oh the baby will be very confused, the

paediatrician told her. Of course this didnt make any

difference whatsoever. She continued to speak to her

child in English. It reminds me of how about five years

ago I once heard of a family being told exactly the

same thing by a nursery school teacher.

Fortunately, because my parents were so accepting of

different cultures and different languages, Pauline tells

me, its filtered through the generations. She believes

this is because her parents met during the war and had

learnt to be tolerant. They had this quality of being able

to embrace different cultures and different religions.

Pauline believes that you learn how to become more

responsible and more enterprising at an earlier age

when you move abroad. Nevertheless, in spite of the

distance her parents had a wonderful relationship with

their grandchildren and were always very supportive.

As for bringing up children within two cultures, Pauline

believes this has many positive elements. She has

happy memories of learning nursery rhymes and fairy

stories in Italian with her children. She believes having

two cultures makes them more accepting of other

cultures and encourages them to travel. It makes them

more confident when theyre dealing with people from

Our Members Article



different backgrounds. They tend to be more inquisitive.

Speaking a different language makes you think about

things differently and brings out different aspects of your

character. And they have more than Duracell batteries!

They seem to have a double dose of energy. Its as if

when the Italian batteries run out, then the English

batteries kick in. Thats another great advantage of

learning two languages. I find it very charming whenthere is a cross-cover between languages as theyre

learning. Were now having a Swedish entry to the

family, a future Swedish daughter-in-law. My fellow

mother-in-law is learning Italian, and Im going to start

learning Swedish. Her fifth child, Angelica, is currently

in Berlin doing her fourth year of liceo linguistico. She

has also met a lot of people over the years, whether

through schools or extra-curricular activites and has

been fortunate in being able to create meaningful

friendships. Not only does she have one daughter in

Germany, her son is now based in Zurich and travels allover the world. Such words resonate throughout the

lives of Benvenuto members. You often hear that

somebodys daughter is working in X and somebodys

son has travelled to Y. Bring them up within two

cultures, bring them up in an international environment

and you offer them the world. Pauline tells me how her

own father turned ninety several years ago. One of his

thirty-two grandchildren (Paulines niece) gave him a

map of the world and some glass-headed pins, the

OConnor tracking device as she said. I think of my ownson with his world map on his bedroom wall and his

different coloured post-its of where hes been (limited as

yet) and where he wants to go (everywhere). Yes, hell

be off one day although just now hes still young and I

can very much wait for that.

Pauline tells me how she once got a plane from

Newcastle to Brussels with four young children under

the age of seven. The air hostess asked her if she was

mad. It reminds me of comments friends in my village

sometimes make. What, youre going away on yourown with them? Oh, Id never do that. Pauline used to

go camping with hers. Her children would bring back

friends from all nationalities. Mum, whats he/she

saying? her children would ask about the particular

friend in question, and Pauline would be there trying to

translate. Again, its all to do with context.

I ask Pauline what advice she would give to young

mothers today. Well, I didnt join Benvenuto until I was

pregnant with my fourth child, she tells me. Id already

met Giovanni Casati at nursery school and already metLaura Ricagno through church and then school when

our children were very small. Laura helped me navigate

the labyrinth of elementary schools. I met Monica

Combi in the play park across from my flat. I also met

lots of other people who came and went over the years.

I had and have both Italian and foreign friends. We used

to meet up in our own homes on a rota-basis, providing

toys, juice, tea, coffee, cakes, comforting arms and

YES! intelligent conversation. It was a really soothing

way to defuse trivial situations that might otherwise

have spiraled out of control. And obviously having somany children, I met more people and had the fortune

to come across like-minded people along the way.

When Lorenzo was small, we used to meet in our

homes, all by word of mouth. I would certainly say if

anyone is expecting a child to go to a prenatal group

and go to mothers and toddlers and also to the local

libraries and community centres (circoscrizioni). Of

course its a lot easier now because you can find

support groups just by looking on the net. Once kids are

at hursery and subsequently at school, test the water

and ask the teachers if you can help with anythinghandicrafts, singing, drama end-of-term/year activities,

English conversation, even being a class rep. It all helps

your child/children, the class, the school in general.

Never lose your enthusiasm, always open your arms

and welcome other cultures and other beliefs. This is

what I took away with me after wed had coffee today. I

imagine her children growing up amongst this, going off

to live their own lives and just as her own parents

legacy lives on in Pauline, so hers will live on through

her children. We all watch our children sleeping and

wonder what world they will inherit. Whichever way you

look at it, it always comes back to the same point. Its

the children that matter, as we all know and see. Its

about education at 360 degrees. We live in this society

of mass emotion and over-sharing, interweaved with

images of dead children, suffering and violence, and

wars we who do not know war find hard to comprehend.

Of course words come easy, as they say. All you need

is a Facebook or twitter account and there you go, write

and like what you want and maybe even soothe yourconscience. Yet I dont write any of this lightly. I write as

I switch on the news and something else has happened

or something else is happening. It weighs heavy. It

weighs of a world that bleeds and weeps and grieves,

and yet our children remind us there will be a future. We

mothers have so much more influence than we maybe

realise at times. Imagine how powerful that could really

be.



Previous EventsPrevious Events



Monday, 14 DecemberTHE INTERNTeodolindaSapphire Room

15:00

18:00

21:00

Monday, 18 JanuaryMR HOLMESTeodolindaSapphire Room

15:00

18:0021:00

MONZAMONZAMONZATeodolinda SpazioCinema

Via Cortelonga, 4 Monza

PRICES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

First two shows 4.00

Evening shows 6.50

Subscription Free and

5 movie 16.50

Monday, 25 JanuarySPECTRE (007)TeodolindaSapphire Room

15:00

18:00

21:00

Susan Smith (UK)

New Members

Andrea Huntzicker

Chalouhi (US)

Xavier Yselle

(Kuwait)

Our November New embers

Monday, 11 JanuaryBLACK MASSTeodolinda

Sapphire Room

15:00

18:00

21:00



Congratulations to Daniela di Gioia

on the birth of Francesco Donato.Born on the 10 th of November 2015

at 00.30. Weighing 3270 grams and

50 cm in length.

DATE NAME

Dec 2 Helma REINA

Dec 6 Anett ROISZ

Dec 8 Raffaella Corti -Ruffinoni

Dec 8 Tatiana REZENDE

Dec 11 Inge ARMBRECHT

Dec 12 Anna ANSELMI

Dec 19 Edda BORNER

Dec 20 Renate BARZAGHI-

Dec 21 Dida LEONE-DESANCTIS

Manuela DEL VECCHIO

Dec 24 Paulette CHALOUHI

Dec 26 Marisa Cerizzi

DATE NAME

Jan 1 Elisabetta FOLCO

Joyce RAMEY

Jan 2 Jelena Lazio-Relian

Jan 4 Licia BOSETTI

Jan 11 Patricia BERTUCCI

Jan 14 Jeannie CHISMAN

NewArivals



G

ROUP CTIVITIES

Activity Contacts Tel & email Meets Venue Cost

BOOK CLUB

ONE

Barbara de

Savorgnani

039 200 6664

333 4931 018

[email protected]

3rd Thursday every

month,

10:00 to 12:00

Cindy Brizzis homeAnnual book

cost 15

BOOK CLUBTWO

Anne Stubley

039 671 [email protected]

Usually 1st Tuesday

every month, 10:00 to

12:00

Anne Stubleys home

Annual bookcost 20

READING

GROUPAnne Stubley

039 671 359

[email protected]

Once a month

14:00 to 16:00

Members home or at a

barfree

WRITING

GROUPAnna Bodini

Anna: 039 608 2896

[email protected]

1st and 3rd

Wednesday 14:30 -

16:30

Usually at the Sporng

ClubFree

PARENTS &

TODDLERSRachel Hawes [email protected]

Every Tuesday

From 16:30

Bad weather: Crivi Bar,

Vedano al Lambro. Sunny

days: SantAndrea Park

Free

LADIES

NIGHT OUTGayna Clark [email protected] Once a month Dierent restaurants

MONZA

WALKERSCindy Brizzi

039 321 284

[email protected]

Every Monday,

9:15Bar Cavriga, Monza Park No charge

FRENCHSPEAKING

GROUP

Ivana Menegar-

do-Develter

039 647 962

Ivanamenegardo @yahoo.fr

La renconte avec lesfrancophones est

mensuelle.

n/a n/a

ENGLISH

SPEAKING

GROUP

Giovanna

Casa

Laura Panzeri

039 [email protected]

039 [email protected]

Thur of Coee

morning iaer

meeng, and Thur 2

weeks later at 14:30

Sporng Club please

contact Giovanna CasaFree

MONDAY

ENGLISH

MOVIE

Anne Stubley039 671 359

[email protected]

Every Monday

aernoonn/a n/a

GERMAN

SPEAKING

GROUP

Ute Pastorelli

Wiechern

Ursula

Accordino

Ute: 039 367 397

[email protected]

Ursula: 039 920 5461

[email protected]

Every 1st and 3rd

Thursday

15:00 to 17:00

Sporng Club Lounge Free

LANGUAGE

EXCHANGE

Marisa

Cerizzi039 249 6967

Every Wednesday,

10:00 to 12:00Sporng Club Free

NEIGHBOR-

HOOD

NETWORK

Vimercate

Anna Bodini

[email protected]

om

Anna: 039 608 2896

First Thursday of themonth -please

contact before

La Camilla, Vimercate Free



Zizeth Maroun

320 31 43 665

[email protected]

Susan Edick-Gianferrara

392 16 05 714

[email protected]

LuisaForlini

039327431

[email protected]

Cheryl Stockman Chalouhi

335 68 17 [email protected]

Irmgard Sieber

348 144 2033

[email protected]

Hana Da Ros

335 214 076Membership @benvenutomonza.com Ivana Menegardo-Develter

338 53 54 240

Specialactiites @benvenutomonza.com

BOARDbenvenuto monza

M

E

M

E

R

S

Audrey Garny

320 304 6660

[email protected]

Charity Co Chair: Marina Lambrechts

Honorary Members: Marina Lambrechts

Maria Teresa Gambaro

333 958 6011

[email protected]

Special Activities

Public Relations

The Benvenuto International Club of Monza wel-comes English-speaking women from all over the world andfosters internaonal fellowship through its various acvies.A monthly Coee Morning is the Clubs principal social funcon.The Club is non-prot, non-denominaonal and a-polical.

English shall be the ocial language of the Club. All work per-formed by the Board and its commiees is done on a voluntarybasis.

Membership:The membership year runs from September through June ofthe following year. The Membership Fee for current members isdue and payable no later than the October Coee Morning ofeach year. A full years Membership Fee is payable by newmembers unl February at which me new members pay one-half of the Membership Fee. For any quesons about member-ship contact the Membership Director.

Name Badges:Name badges are supplied to each member to be worn at each

Coee Morning. If Members forget their name badge they willbe required to pay a ne.

Guests:Members are welcome to bring a guest to one Coee Morningto introduce potenal members to the Club. The same guest isonly allowed to aend two Coee Mornings and the Christmasmeeng per year. The Guest Fee is 4. All guests will be given anametag to wear during the meeng.

Commercial Sales, Logo, Directory, Members Ser-vices:No commercial sales are permied at Club funcons and nei-ther the Benvenuto Club logo nor the membership directoryis to be used for any commercial purposes. For a contribuon,members providing goods and services are invited to postadversements in the Monza News.

Babysitting during coffee mornings:Children are not allowed in the big hall in the Sporng Clubwhere the monthly meengs are held. This is due to the Insur-

ance and the requirements of the Sporng club itself.Babysing is oered during coee mornings, please contactMaria Teresa Gambaro ([email protected])to book Baby Sing.

CLUBRULES

Vice President

Secretary

Editor

Membership

Treasurer

Newcomers

President
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]



*Many thanks to Marilena Nigretti, a Benvenuto Member and local pharmacist, who provided much of the information

presented here. Marilena has a Pharmacy (Farmacia Trevisan) in Usmate-Velate and she speaks fluent English.

IMPORTANT INFO

PAGE PORTION

Contribution

MEMBERS

PERSONAL

Contribution

Contribution

NON MEMBERS and

MEMBERS BUSINESS

Contribution

in Color

1/4 15,00 20,00 25,00

1/2 30,00 40,00 50,00

FULL PAGE 45,00 60,00 100,00

Contributio

n

2015-2016

MonzaNews

Emergency Services

Free Call Numbers (Numero Verdi)These national emergency numbers can be reached

from pay telephones, without the use of a phone card

or money.

2 4 - h o u r P h a r m a c i e s

(Chemists) in Lombardy

Pronto Farmacia

Numero VerdeTel: 800 801 185

The Pronto Farmaciahelpline helps people to locate

an open pharmacy in Lombardy. It also assists those

in need of urgent prescriptions and general infor-

mation. The service is available 24 hours a day.

Every pharmacy is obliged to display a list of pharma-

cies open at night outside their door. The pharmacies

open at night must keep their sign illuminated and the

bell visible.

For further information:

http://milan.angloinfo.com/information/31/

em_no.asp

http://www.aslmonzabrianza.it/

Emergency Dentist in Monza

Open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 to midnight.

Sundays and holidays from 14:00 to 19:00.

Location: Via Pellettier, 4 -Monza. Ample parking available

Tel. 039 388792 -039 384952 Email: [email protected]



From Name Language Telephone Transport

Carate Brianza Camilla Riva IT,EN 036 299 3953 or 338 459 8262 Own

Cosea Riva

IT, GER, EN

362 993 953 or 335 620 2887

Own

Albiate Erica Callisaya Vela IT, EN, ES 320 481 3559 Own

Lissone Sujanika Elvigalage Dona IT, EN, ES 338 4735 895 Own

Macherio Sara Valtorta IT 338 247 5082 Own

Monza Giorgee Savy IT, FR, EN 039 380 816 Own

Daphne D'Amato IT, EN, Dutch 346 628 1605 Own

Mileth Hernandez IT, ES 327 291 5270 Own

Stefania Candurra IT 347 645 0884 -

Wendy Hodgson IT, EN 3407969829 Own

Giulia Milan IT, EN, FR 3392071971 -

Claudia Ghilardi IT, EN 3803458183 -

Francesca Barzaghi IT, GER, EN 333 678 1489

Vedano al Lambro Josy Arcaya IT, ES, EN 329 073 3910 -

Sylvia Malna IT, FR 348 244 2570 Own

Genevieve Sumiller EN 3884426131 -

Elizabeth Sabado IT, EN 3450121809 Own

Maria Castro IT, EN

3896488867 Own

Arianna D'Onofrio IT, EN,Greek 0392496666, or 3468336219 No

Disclamer: This list of babysiers have been produced for informaon purposes only and the club takes no responsibility for the qualicaons of

these babysiers. However, all these names have been provided by members who have used their services.

B

ABYSITTERS

In Case of a night-time health prob-lem that is not serious enough forthe Hospital Emergency room ser-vice, but needs to be attended toquickly, call: Emergency PublicHealth Services

Medical Emergency National Call Number: 840 500 092

Recommendation*:

Listen to the recording (in Italian) and wait for an operator onthe line.

If you dont speak Italian, ask for someone who speaks Eng-lish.

Provide all of your personal information: name, address, tele-phone number and the description of your illness. Ask if thereis a doctor who speaks English or your language.

They will have a doctor call you back in the next hour (usuallyfaster). The doctor will tell you, if they need to make a housevisit or if you should to go to the nearest GUARDIA MEDICA.They will give you the address of the closest one to your loca-

tion.Visits usually free of charge. House visits may be different.

This service usually works very well for a quick diagnosis orto resolve a problem, and to obtain a prescription to go to thepharmacy.

Witty Words

By Barbara Carey

1} All the villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer, all the people gathered but only oneboy came with an umbrella.That's FAITH

2} When you throw a baby in the air, it laughs because itknows you will catch it.

That's TRUST

3} Every night we go to bed without an assurance of beingalive the next morning but still we set the alarm to wakeup.That's HOPE

4} We plan big things for tomorrowin spite of zeroknowledge of the future.That's CONFIDENCE

5} We see the world suffering but still we get marriedand have children.

That's LOVE

6} On an old man's shirt was written: 'I am not 89 yearsold....I am sweet 16 with 73 years experience'That's ATTITUDE

Live your life like the six stories!


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dec. 2015/jan. 2016 monza news

Documents