assignment 3

Piazza Vittorio is a very different part of town that what we are used to. We have been spending the large majority of our time in or near the Campo di' Fiori, which is full of nice shops and white people. Here, there is very little diversity and VERY few restaurants of any type other than Italian. In Piazza Vittorio, there were restaurants of all kinds! There was Indian food, Asian food, and so on. There were also all kinds of shops selling traditional goods and clothing. 

The large majority of the venders at the market were from Bangladesh, Africa, and the Middle East. Anthony and I immediately began walking around and trying to talk to people. I bought some beans and vegetables and tried talking the a few venders. My first couple tries were pretty unsuccessful. Many of the men did not speak english and if they did speak a little, did not understand what I was asking or why. 

Finally we found two men to talk to us. One was from Egypt and the other from Bangladesh. The man from Egypt was in his late 20s and the man from Bangladesh was in his early 30s. The man from Eqypt had been living in Italy for 4 years and the man from Bangladesh for 6 years. They had been working as butchers in the market for almost as long as they had been in the country. The man from Egypt told us that he came here with his family and did not like it in Italy as much as he liked living in Egypt. He said it was just different there, better. The man from Bangladesh came here on his own and hopes to make a lot of money over the next year and by this time 2012 move to America. A lot of what these men told us go along with what we have been learning in class.

The local Italian we spoke with was a 22 year old female student from the university down the street from the market. She said she lived with her parents near the piazza vittorio. Anthony and I were surprised to hear from her that she and her family were very open to immigration and really enjoy living in this particular part of town. She said that she understands why some Italians are against immigration, but her herself does not see the point of so much anger and hostility. This opinion was a first for us to hear. I have talked to other Italians near the Rome Center and the responses have been very different. Anthony and I agree that it may be a possibility that she held some of her negative thoughts back from us about immigration, but in all honesty, she seemed like she meant what she said. Another way of looking at it is that she may had not known about the current controversy surrounding immigration.

This assignment was excellent. We were put in an area of town that we had not been to before and were able to explore and push our boundaries. We talked to a lot of interesting people and got to see into the lives of others who are not 'city people' living in Rome.

Assignment 2

 There are many factors shaping Italian identity, yet, identity is socially constructed and ever-changing and therefore hard to pinpoint. People are shaped by their environment. Here in Italy, the environment is strongly influenced by the church, immigration, northern/southern ties, food, and language.

Before coming to Italy I imagined red and white table cloths on tiny tables with a pizza and a bottle of wine. I knew nothing of immigration disputes or issues between the North and South. I knew of Jersey Shore and even though it sounds crazy, I was not completely sure how true or untrue the behavior of these “Italians” was! I had seen “A Walk in the Clouds” and knew of romantic tuscany and that people who come to Italy fall in love and make wishes in fountains. And when I heard we were going to Naples, I thought 'uh oh! Thats where the Mafia lives!' American media has an affect on nearly every country in the world – applying stereotypes, misinformation, and sometimes even fear. I asked Carlo, from ArciGay, about how Italians feel about shows like 'Jersey Shore' and he said that it is very controversial in Italy and the majority here does not really understand it. 

Immigration is another very strong sociocultural force shaping identity in Rome and Italy. A major player affecting immigration reform is Sivlio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, and is extremely right wing. He refuses to reform immigration policy and as of now, the policy is extremely unjust and I a way, almost makes it ok to discriminate against immigrants/refugees/foreign-born italians/etc. The current laws and requirements of being “Italian,” I feel, are a very strong force shaping Italy identity. In their lecture, the G2 representatives discussed how hard it is to be an immigrant in Italy. Even if you have lived here since you were 3 years old, many do not see you as Italian. One on the men, from Buenos Aires, told us that to this day he still gets comments on how good his Italian is, even though he has live here his entire life.

My eyes were not truly opened to how closed off Italians are to immigration until Isabella came to talk to us about the Roma. The Roma, just like all other immigrants are seen as the “other.” The Roma are from all over Europe; some are born in Italy, some are not, but none of them are seen as real Italians. Because of this and because of their “crazy language,” they have been placed in camps far away from civilization. Will this happen to everyone else who does not speak the language or is socially different than true Italians? 

Italy has a deep, complicated history involving the North and South, ancient Rome and the church. Unlike anything I could ever truly understand (being from America, a fairly new country), Margaret Brucia taught us about the Italians' very deep roots involving Gods, war, and culture. Italians are taught about their ancestors and are expected to keep traditions and language alive. These teachings are very important, but often confuse people into thinking that anything or anyone challenging the church or old Italian traditions by bringing new traditions, religion, or language into Italy – must be stopped immediately. The Vatican is a very physical force in Italy that shapes national identity. In the year 2011 there are many outside influences affecting Italians, primarily Italian youth, that go against the church. Birth control and ArciGay are two examples of such forces. The members of ArciGay talked with us about gay rights in Italy and that there basically are not any. This was shocking. Carlo, from ArciGay, also talked to me about birth control and that some people do use it in Italy but it is very hard to get and severely frowned upon.

Tourism is another factor shaping Italian identity. I have heard from local Italians that Rome is truly Italian and that Rome is not truly Italian. One person I talked to from ArciGay said that Rome is just a tourist town that sells gelato in the winter months and true Italians do not eat gelato when it is cold. But on the other hand, someone else on the same night told me that Rome is one of the best places to find real Italian food. 

Finally, who are the “true Italians?” Well, that depends on who you are asking. According to the government, true Italians are those who are born to Italian parents are have Italian blood running through their veins. If you ask an immigrant who moved here when they were 4 years old, they will say that they are a true Italian. There is not real way to say who is a true Italian and who is not because like America, for example, Italy has become a mecca of immigration and diversity and it is only going to keep growing.

Assignment 1

My general impression of Italy thus far is based on what I have observed and learned about Italian tradition and lifestyle. Before coming to Italy, I imagined a community completely different than my own; however, what I have realized is that, generally speaking, we are all the same. The most prominent differences that have come to my attention revolve around lifestyle and diversity of the people in Rome. On the streets in Seattle you can observe people from ten or more nationalities just by walking down the ave. In Rome I have noticed that the demographic is predominantly white (even more so than in Seattle) and the immigrants can be seen doing specific jobs only, not just strolling around. Also, in regards to demographic, I have seen no same-sex couples and very few children and teenagers. Another very different part of Italian living is the way they eat. Italians eat on the go whereas Americans usually sit down for a meal, even if its a quick one. As for the long dinners, which I really enjoy, gives me a feeling of home because we usually sit at the table for a few hours talking and enjoying one another.

As far as youth in Rome, I have yet to have any direct interaction with them yet, I have made a few observations. One aspect of Italian life that is very prominent and visible is fashion. The younger people (teenagers) seem to dress more like a mash-up of skaters/hip-hop/pop trends with flashy sneakers and sometimes baggier jeans and extravagant hair styles. However, the young adults (early to mid 20s) dress more sophisticated but sexy, very GQ if you will. And the same goes for the older demographic. The men and women dress very nicely and are very well put together and are are in a way another step higher in fashion than their 20-something counterparts. I find it very interesting. It is almost like there is a ladder. This ladder shows social status, wealth, and wisdom.

In Seattle, unless you are a professional who must dress proper for work, many adults loose interest in fashion or for many other reasons do not keep up with the latest trends. Fashion in America is primarily followed by youth, 20-somethings, or the wealthy.