Stories of Belonging: Enzina

From Mergellina to Vancouver: Enzina’s Story

Enzina was just eleven years old when she left Mergellina, Naples. She arrived in Canada with her parents and brother, leaving behind everything she knew for a life that, at first, felt completely foreign. She’ll tell you herself—she didn’t like it in the beginning. It was too cold, the language was a struggle, and Italy felt a world away.

But as the years passed, life happened. Enzina grew up, and Canada slowly started to feel like home.

Through it all, her parents kept the spirit of Naples alive in their new house. Sundays were the most important day of the week—a time to shut out the world, get into the kitchen, and just be together. That tradition never stopped. Today, Enzina is the one keeping it alive for her own family in Vancouver.

If you know Enzina, you know she’s a woman of many talents. She’s a mother of three and a skilled hairdresser, but her kitchen is where her heart truly is. She doesn’t take shortcuts; she cooks everything from scratch, the way she was taught. When you sit at her table, you aren’t just eating a meal—you’re tasting sixty years of history and memory.

Even after six decades in Canada, her bond with Italy is still unbreakable. Whether it’s through long phone calls or trips back home, she has never let those roots wither.

She learned the most important lesson of all from her mother: food is about much more than just hunger. It’s the way we remember where we came from, and it’s the one thing that keeps a family gathered around the table, no matter how much time passes or how far they’ve traveled.

Watch Enzina story on my Instagram Bellacibo