Elena Palmieri

Elena Palmieri was from Orvieto Scalo. For the 10th Anniversary, she responded with some info and pictures. She is married and has a son. She lives in France now in the Ardeche area. That is a lovely part of France! She is an Italian teacher and goes by Elena Courtial. I looked through my pictures and can't find any from the time of the camp. This one is now 10 years old. She sent it to me in 1996.

Simone De Sio

The next in the phone book is Simone De Sio. He is the next youngest, after Antonio Fidemi. He was also only 15 at the time of the camp. His birthday is in April and Antonio's is in February. Simone came from Civitavecchia, a city near Rome that has over 50 thousand inhabitants. Antoino and Simone were often together at the camp so I am surprised that they came from very different parts of Italy. Perhaps because they were both so young, they hung around together. Here are a few pictures. Anyone have any Simone stories?

Antonio Fidemi

The first Italian non-staff member that I will write about was also the youngest, Antonio Fidemi. In 1986 he was only 15. He was listed in the phone book at that time as being from Valguarnera. Googled that and found out it is a small town near Enna in Sicily. Ok, someone told me a story about this young man and one of you can confirm it. He was claimed to be...hmmm.... how can I say it?..very well endowed. Antonio. He was involved in everything. Here is a picture of him performing at the show we did for the town. Ok, I know that you have stories about him...let's hear them.

Green, white and red mini info poster --pre campo

Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them. Sorry about the coffee stain on the text side.

This is the front and back of a page we got. It is one of the many papers we received while still in the USA to prepare us for our trip. It is a general page with info about the general requirements to attend the camp. Females and males between 16 and 21. I think we had a few younger and perhaps one older than that. I hope this brings back some memories. Emjoy.

What's the name of the game?! Thumper

Ok, if I say the next few words and you don't know the answer, either 1) you drank way too much and have no brain cells left, or 2). You never went to the bar while at the camp. Actually we even played it in the camp so this should really be the anthem of the 1986 campo italia.



What's the name of the game?

Thumper

Why do you play?

To get fucked up!



Here are the rules of how to play in case you forgot.

You need: people and drinks



First everyone must think of a hand gesture. That is your "sign". Go once around the group and everyone demonstrates their sign. It can be anything you want, but it should be simple and fast to do. Then one person starts the round. Everyone drums on the table or ground with their hands throughout the whole game. The leader says "what's the name of the game?" continue drumming and yell "thumper". The leader then says, "Why do you play?" and the group yells back "To get fucked up." Once that is said, the leader makes his own gesture and then the gesture of one of the other players. The person whose sign was made must then make his own gesture and then someone elses. If you make a mistake, you have to drink and then you are the leader. Remember first make your own sign then someone elses.




I don't know who started this, Leslie (USA) was it you?You are right there in the picture, explaining it all! Gottcha! Anyway, it was a big hit at the Ponte Vecchio bar/pizzeria. We had the owners playing and I think we got a lot of free food/beverages because of this game.



Guido (Germnay) was nice enough to supply some pictures of people playing Thumper at the Ponte Vecchio bar. Great shots, Guido. Thanks. Anyone have any Thumper stories? Or Thumper pictures. post them here please!

Cin cin! Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Elena Galluzzi -- our female leader

Elena Galluzzi was living in Sienna when we met her. She was the female counterpart to Francesco Carpena. She is a veteran of Lion's club camps. She has been to camps all over the world. In fact, she met her husband, who is from the Netherlands, while at a Lion's club camp in Japan! Together they run a fantastic hotel on the banks of the Arno River in Florence. Hotel River can be viewed in English at http://www.hotelriver.co.uk/

Elena was so cheerful and fun. Here are some pictures she sent me over the years. One is from our camp she is holding Leslie (USA) along with Robert (Denmark). I hope we can see her again one day.

























Does anyone have some Elena stories to share? Please post them here.

Il Gabinetto!

One of the biggest culture shocks was the bathroom. Americans spend so much time and money on elaborate bathrooms that some of the ones in Italy were absolutely scary. The worst ones are those porcelain sewer covers in the floor. You have indentations for your feet and then a string to pull when you are done. Here is a very clean one I photographed in a bar in Rovereto and the other comes to us via Nikki. It is from La Spezia I think. These are still very common. The bathroom in La Spezia that was co-ed was quite a shocker too. Men and women in the same bathroom. I think you would be arrested for that in the USA. It is great that we were able to experience so many new things. As sheltered young people, we really expanded our outlook on life, even through something as simple as a toilet.