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The Discovery Compass
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Michael Kovnick
Author @TravelCDV

Michael Kovnick


Co-Founder of Culture Discovery Vacations. I am a native American from Los Angeles that has been living with one foot in Italy and the other in the US for more than 30 years. I usually write about oddities I see in Italian culture from an American perspective, and the humor I find in it. However, after decades of living in both countries, I often see the reverse as well. That is, where the Italians got it right, and we can certainy learn from them!

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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 11: “Winter is Coming”


If you are just jumping in here, please start with Part 1. It is January 1985 now, and the weather has been in the mid 70’s in L.A. Now I know many people reading this think OMG! Mid 70’s in January, but I am an L.A....

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 17, 2020
  • 16
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 10: “Paola Meets The Megalopolis”


In Part 10 of the My Life in City series, we are back in Los Angeles. But this time, it is Paola's first time in the United States, and me showing her MY world.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • June 30, 2020
  • 3
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 9: “An Italian Love Story”


If you are just jumping in here, please start with Part 1, otherwise, this will just make no sense at all! I mean, seriously… You can’t just jump into part 9 of a series, right? September 19, 1984 I’m...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 27, 2020
  • 6
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 8: “A Tale of Two Italys”


Part 8 in my story that chronicles my 37 year journey, living with one foot in the US and the other in Italy.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • October 20, 2019
  • 5
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 7: “The Roof is On Fire”


Part 7 in my story, chronicling my 37 journey of living with one foot in the United States and the other in Italy. This chapter covers a dark period in my fife, when I had just returned from my first trip to Italy in 1983.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 23, 2019
  • 4
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 6: “Amalfi, Rome & A Two Horse Town Called Soriano”


Part 6 in my story that chronicles my 36 year journey, living with one foot in the US and the other in Italy.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 19, 2019
  • 4
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 5: “If feathers are floating, It’s chicken for dinner”


So I left off on in Part 4 on my second full day in Italy. If I keep going at this rate, there will be roughly 5,000 parts to this series, so in Part 5, I will focus on some of the events of the next 8 days, then I will move on...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 1, 2019
  • 8
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 4: “Death Comes to Those That Swim After Lunch”


Part four in my series of my life in Italy, in which I discover a whole new world and culture, learning that America is not the center of the universe.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 22, 2019
  • 13
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Personal
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 3: “Scratch Your Balls 13 Times and never make eye contact with the Witch”


Part 3 of my story of an American that slowly became part of Italian culture.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • July 5, 2019
  • 16
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Destinations
Destinations

My Favorite Culture Discovery Location – Michael


So the CDV crew has all chosen to write about our personal favorite locations, and me… wow. How do I choose? It kinda depends on what I am looking for at any given moment, or which is my favorite for what reason. To start...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • June 23, 2019
  • 5
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