My name is Ann Marie Capista (Fischer) and I was born in a large bustling city on the Adriatic Coast of Abruzzo called Pescara. Life in Pescara revolved around it's major port that supplied fish for most of its' inhabitants and the many markets just outside the city. Like many other regions of Italy it sports it's own dialect and defies many other Italians to understand it. For instance Fagioli is pronounced Faciul. Go figure!!!

I grew up in Pescara until I was eleven and completed 5th grade there. Then together with

my parents Michele and Maria and my two sisters and one brother we left Italy like many others in search for a better life and work which was scarce due to the war that had just ended. We arrived to the very interesting if some what frightening city called Newark, NJ. Our family was not used to this kind of life and it took a bit of getting used to. We continued the Italian ways for many years after.

I was immediately enrolled in school even though I did not understand a word of English. Challenges were very hard. English and math rules were very different but I got lucky that my teacher took a liking to me and we squared away the first rule in math. The divisor is to the right in America and to the left in Italy. My answer was always zero!! Two years passed quickly and I learned the language very well and actually made the honor roll.

By the time I was thirteen I was in Junior High and even though I knew the language, nuances still evaded me. I remember having the biggest crush on my English teacher and bought a Sympathy card to send him since he was SIMPATICO to me which in Italian means very likeable. Thank God my cousin stopped me.

My father opened a Pizzeria when I was fourteen and I had to chip in helping the family since I was the oldest child. My mom thought me how to cook in the Abbruzzese way since this is all my father would eat. I made Pasta and Fagioli and Brodetto di Pesce very often. (My siblings hated this!!) LOL.

I got my first part time job at 14 with the Newark Star Ledger and went to work with them after I graduated high school. I attended part time college in the New York City majoring in Languages.

I married at 23 and had the opportunity to run our family owned business with my ex-husband which was very fulfilling and offered much gratification. I also had the privilege to learn a new way of cooking since my in-laws were from the Naples area.

I have had many challenges and experiences since I became a grandmother. But the proudest days of my life are seeing my children, their spouses, my husband and my grandchildren, who are the love of my life, grow up to be very special people that still share our heritage.

Nowdays we run a business that converts wall boxes and juke boxes with all that great "Oldies Music". You can say that I totally went to a "Blast from the Past" http://www.cdadapter.com/

I truly am a LUCKY woman!!