Ciao and benvenuti! This is a friendly, aural ‘postcard’ of Italian culture and life: Cartolina. Italian expatriates like to hear about their country of origin and the connections that can be made with the country they now live in. Also, many New Zealanders have a long distance love affair with Italy but know little about it, so this show brings Italy to all New Zealanders. Local and national events dictate the flavour of the programmes. You can hear about Italian holidays, food, experiences, and music of all kinds in an accessible way. Guests have included ambassadors, farmers, cooks, scientists, children, businesspeople, and artists – so many of them, since the beginning in February 1999! For the producer (who divides her time between teaching Italian and being marketing manager of the family business) each guest brings a new story, and a different view of life. Even after so many years, each interview teaches something new and often invaluable. It was an unforgettably emotional moment, interviewing the Italian scientists in winter-over at the Concordia base, on the remote plateau in Antarctica. They were as isolated as one can be on Earth, but still we were talking, and our conversation was available to all listeners on radio and via internet world-wide. There have been many technology changes at Plains FM: embracing them, and learning how to edit and put a programme together was a fantastic challenge, for which the staff at the radio station have helped a lot. But in the end, it’s the stories that make a programme, and the people who generously accept to disclose and share their experiences. Sometimes a producer wonders if there’s anyone listening out there, if such a trove of words and music is good enough to be listened to. Hopefully, more people will join the ranks of those who tune in at Cartolina. So, find a comfortable spot with a glass of wine and a poster of the Tuscan countryside in front of you, relax and listen in..... Buon ascolto! Wilma Laryn Cartolina is produced under the patronage of the Christchurch Dante society. On its website: www.dantechch.nz you can find more information on the Radio Programme. On the FB page of Dante Christchurch you can find which programme is going to be aired each week: https://www.facebook.com/groups/238384660164/?fref=nf. Cartolina is sponsored by Mitchelli’s Café , Emilio’s Cheese and Festa in Tavola and supported by Cracroft Chase Vineyard www.cracroftchase.co.nz . See and hear about the history of Cracroft Chase here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR7i2wA8vg8.