Americans and other foreigners go to Italy to dream. They look at Michelangelo’s David or the Sistine Chapel and they get inspired. They lounge on the beach in Ischia and linger over espresso amid the rainbow of flowers, and they think about all of the things they could do with their lives.

As a writer, I can attest that some of my greatest ideas come to me in Ischia. I don’t usually have the motivation to do anything with them until I am back at home feeling nostalgic for what I have lost. But once I do put pen to paper, those ideas usually serve me very well. I’m not alone. Numerous artists have come to Ischia seeking a muse. There was playwright Henrik Ibsen, musician William Walton (whose gardens are now open to the public in Ischia), and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.  

I sit on the porch outside of Antonio’s house, which is on Ischia’s main drag, and I observe the tourists, who are mostly German. The air is different here – and it gives them a chance to breathe and think. Many of them are seniors, and Ischia gives them a renewed sense of purpose that you can see in their every step.

The irony is that most of the native Ischitani don’t get to dream big at all. And many of the young people here don’t get to have purpose. In Italy, you have to decide at 14 or 15 what you plan to do with your life because you have to pick a specialized high school – classical or science, accounting, hotels and tourism, etc. On an island, your options are even more limited. If your parents don’t want you to go to Napoli or Procida for school (both of which require a significant commute that involves boats and cars), then you’re out of luck.

Most of the natives choose to stay on Ischia. That means they go to one of the high schools that are available on the island. Then, if they are motivated, they head to university in Napoli. In the end, most of them have “careers” in tourism. I put careers in quotes because it’s not like the United States, where you can climb the corporate ladder. You pretty much have one role for your entire career – secretary, doorman, waiter and waitress, accountant for one of the hotels, etc.

Chats I have had with relatives and friends about the future makes me feel lucky. One cousin wanted to be an artist but is studying business and accounting now. Another friend wanted to be an IT manager and is also going to school for accounting – and he’s struggling with the material. I want to know what 15- or 16-year-old kid already knows what work he or she would like to be doing as an adult? There are 40-somethings in the U.S. who still haven’t decided.

As a result of their limitations, many of the islanders lack ambition and are apathetic to their studies. If you don’t care for what you’re learning or don’t have a passion for your work, you will never put your all into your career. You will never find your way. You might make some money, but you’ll never feel satisfied and that will prevent you from reaching your true earning potential.

Still, many Ischitani accept their lot and don’t think beyond Ischia. Their families are here and that’s all that matters. In a way, I can understand. There’s comfort in staying close to home and often those from Ischia – even if they visit Napoli and do some traveling abroad – don’t always fully understand what they could have if they got off the island for just a little while. If they do realize the possibilities, they might not have the courage to take the leap and go somewhere else.

In Ischia, they can be great big fish in a tiny pond. Anywhere else, they will likely be nobodies in a sea of somebodies – or at least that is what they fear. If only they read Dr. Seuss. Oh, the places they could go by drawing on the inspiration that is Ischia’s greatest gift!

Besides, they’ll never be far from Ischia in their hearts. Ischia is a beautiful home to which you can always return.