Serafina Crolla

Born in San Vittore del Lazio in 1949, Serafina Crolla is a first-generation Italian Scot. Her family were shepherds from the hamlet of Fontitune in Picinisco. Her father decided to join his sister Chiarina in Edinburgh, who owned a fish and chips shop. Upon her arrival in Edinburgh, Serafina fondly recalls the kindness of locals who helped her family integrate despite knowing no English. Though born in Italy and Italian is her first language, she holds a deep affection for Scotland, its people, the accent, and the beauty of Edinburgh. Serafina also embraces her dual identity through her writing. She has recently published three books: her autobiography, The Wee Italian Girl (2018), recounts her childhood in Picinisco and her migration to Edinburgh. She also wrote Domenica: A Girl from Montecassino (2022) and Children of this Land: A Tale from Picinisco (2023), two semi-fictional novels about characters who might have lived in the Cassino area during and after the war, much like her own experience. Serafina and her husband, now retired, spend at least six months a year in Picinisco, from April to October. She particularly enjoys the summer months, a time for local celebrations like the Festa della Pastorizia in Picinisco and the Fish and Chips Festival in Villa Latina.