Irma Schettini Caiazzo

I am a Puerto Rican and American citizen, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. During my first eight years, I lived a very interesting life with my paternal grandparents and parents in the old walled city. I was given love without limits and made to feel that I was a special child, just like I believe every person born in this world is special.

As a little girl, I had bright red "Shirley Temple" curls and green eyes, so I received a great deal of positive attention. My red hair has never turned gray, a rare trait which I inherited from my mother, but family, friends and strangers felt free to pat my curly head and compliment me. I was happy with the world. I was friendly to everyone, because they responded in kind.

When my mother returned to New York after she divorced my father, my parents decided jointly that I should remain in the loving care of my paternal grandparents. My mother rejoined her large extended family, which had emigrated to Manhattan in 1924. I continued my life as a pampered and much loved child.

Life, however, is not predictable and when tragedy struck, my mother came to get me and we sailed to New York to start a life together. I had not seen her for three years. At the time I spoke only Spanish, barely remembered my mother and had never met her family. My life changed dramatically. My maternal grandmother and my mother influenced my life choices.

Although I did not know it then, I was fortunate enough to attend Annunciation Girls School and go on to Father Young High School on the Manhattanvile College campus. I was educated by the Sacred Heart nuns, who made certain that English became my primary language, although I still speak Spanish with family and friends. The values they taught me guide me to this day.

Destiny removed me from the serenity of a love filled home to the discomfort of feeling like a stranger within my mother's family. I had no choice but to adjust to my new life. By the time I had lived though WWII and the post war era that brought the United States to the peak of world power, I was in love with two countries, two cities and two cultures.

As an adult, I managed an Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studio. I owned A Dale Dance Studio on East 53rd Street. I eventually retired as Executive Vice President of a commercial real estate company in NYC.

I was married to Robert "Bob" Caiazzo for 54 years during which he became the Manager of In-flight Services for Eastern Airlines, expanded our world from New York to Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. When our daughter, Claudia was born, we became the travelling trio of Caiazzos in cars, buses, planes and ships seeking to see the world and its people.