Women's Fiction Festival, Matera, Italy

Been facing my insecurities and moving ahead at a turtle's pace, this month, taking one step at a time.  I attended the Women's Fiction Writing Festival in Matera, Italy.  The workshop, held in Matera, gave me a chance to practice what I preach. Driving down challenged me because it gave me insight on the refugee situation in Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Scared? Of course, I was. Any time you move beyond what you know into the unknown, you will be emotionally challenged. Fear arises and you yearn for what is behind you, but once you start out conquering those fears by moving forward, the fear dispels.

I met many people and now  have the opportunity to build a network with outstanding writers  on one of the Social Media Network platforms.

 

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Very much impressed with the panel speakers and their professionalism, I enjoyed listening to their lectures and participated in workshop discussions with people who were from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zeland, South Africa, and Italy. The translators were magnificent and were  able to switch from English to Italian or from Italian to English within a heartbeat, and I had the opportunity to practice my Italian.

However, for me the biggest highlight was Matera and its inhabitants. The  Italian people in Southern Italy captured my heart.  As I departed Matera on Monday morning, I was singing, I left my heart in Matera, instead of San Francisco.  

Shalom,

Pat Garcia