By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

One great joy of holiday outings is seeing former students visiting during the holidays.

One 2004 Pelham High School graduate, Shannon Carter Basini, travels further than most for her visit. She and her husband, Tommaso Basini, live near Rome, Italy. The Basinis were visiting Shannon’s mom, Robin Wilkinson, who works for the city of Pelham.

As a PHS student, Shannon Carter was known for her amazing artistry. She published in the PHS literary magazine and went on to study art at Jacksonville State University, where she met the man who would change her life.

“Tommaso and I met at JSU. He was in the International House program,” said Basini. “Today, I’m a tour guide in the Vatican Museums, and I give private tours at all the city’s major landmarks.” Fortunately, Basini has also found a way to continue her own artistry.

“I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art/Painting so I also paint custom portraits which I sell online,” said Basini.

Basini’s husband work involves translating scripts for TV and movies from English to Italian. His extended family lives nearby.

“My family is very close and the hardest thing I’ve ever done was moving away from them. I also had to learn a new language and a city that’s very different from where I grew up. My husband and his family have been extremely supportive. Having a support system is so important for anyone who moves abroad,” said Basini.

Basini and her mom use Facebook to message and share photos to avoid the expense of international calling and texting.

“My mom and I have a Skype video chat every weekend, and my family always calls me on Skype from family gatherings if I can’t make it home for the holidays,” said Basini. “I also made some amazing friends at PHS. We still get together every year and tell stories about our PHS days.”

Enjoy Basini’s online art store at Pineandpoppyart.etsy.com. Basini may also be reached at shannon.basini@yahoo.com.

Knowing that PHS alumni are internationally successful adds another layer of joy to the holiday.