May 18, 2000

Dear Ternani #1

Dear Ternani,
Hi! My name is John Fitzpatrick. live in the US but you may have seen me walking the streets of Terni this winter. I was the tall guy with the long red hair and several cameras around his neck who could not pronounce "quotidiano" properly.

Last year I read about Terni in a New York Times article and it sounded like an interesting place to visit and photograph. I had already visited Italy several times but always the typical tourist places like Venice, Florence, Siena and Assisi.Terni was a destination that offered me the opportunity to observe the way Italians (at least some of them) live when they are not sailing gondolas or carving Davids.
So, one aftertnoon last June I got off the train at Terni station and began my exploration of your city. Over the course of two extended visits, I have spent five of the last twelve months among you, getting to know you, photographing you, experiencing "la vita quotidiana" (it is easier to write than to pronounce!) of Terni.

The creators of TerniWeb recently invited me to contribute a regular column where I share my impressions of your city. I eagerly accepted and the column begins next week.
In the meantime, I have some recollecting to do.

Allora...alla prossima!