Assignment #7

Consider the questions with which we started the course:

•                What defines youth culture in Rome. How is youth culture reflected in the larger Italian identity and how are identities shifting (individual, nation, state, EU)

•                Where are the covert and overt borders in Rome? (Physical, psychological, cultural, and national borders)

•                How is "insider" or "outsider" status determined?

•                Borders are at the same time becoming more rigid and also more fluid. What are the dynamics behind this and how is this fluidity and ambiguity expressed.

Italian identity is indescribable. To the outside world, Italians are Caucasian, dark haired, people with fast cars, and the most delicious food and wine you could ever taste.  To the Italian, Italians are brought up with respect, respect for elders, for history, for intelligence, they are prideful of their country and many feel as if Italy is only for the “pure Italians”.  To the immigrants residing in Italy, Italians portray exactly what they want, they own homes, have jobs, food on the table for their children, they want what they have, yet the possibility of attaining these things is minuscule. “When one walks through Italian streets there is a feeling of being a minority, of insecurity. There is a delicate, difficult, and at times hostile relationship with one’s surroundings. Here, (in New York City) at least in appearance, I have not had this feeling. I immediately felt equal.” – Amara Lakhous’s observation on the differences between walking the streets of Italy and the streets of New York City in his interview with i-Italy. 

The issue of “borders” is seen in many countries today.  It is exemplified in the United States by the border patrol concerning Mexican immigrants, it can be seen between North and South Korea, and it can most certainly be seen in the country of Italy with identity borders.  Some of the largest and most concrete borders that affect identity and the people in Italy are the government, language, and education.

There are endless “borders” for people in this country; the government is one of them.  In the eyes of many Italians and the Italian government, an Italian citizen is someone who has Italian- born parents, who looks Italian, who shares the same backgrounds as most Italians do, and who speaks Italian. Unfortunately these stereotypical ideas of “an Italian” do not correlate with many Italian citizens.  For example, the speakers from the G2 Organization, one had been born in Italy and had lived in Italy his entire life.  However, from the time he was born until the age of 18 he was literally “invincible ” considering his citizenship and as soon as he became 18 he was considered an immigrant, as if he had just sailed to this country yesterday.  Fortunately he was able to obtain his citizenship, but many people with similar circumstances do not have such luck.  

Language is another one of these unpropitious borders keeping non-citizen and immigrants alike from becoming citizens and creating a life in Italy that some have been forced to do.  Amara Lakhous explains beautifully how powerful language is, “To quote an expression: tell me how you speak and I will tell you who you are. The ability to communicate offers status. It is not a tool in the same way eyeglasses are; it is a way of seeing”.  Like many of the people who reside in Italy today who have memories and their own cultures in their homeland, a language barrier restricts many.  Throughout the program we have met refugees and immigrants throughout guest speakers lectures and service learning opportunities.  At the refugee center we were teaching a group of the refugees English, a man was asked what he wanted to learn. He said, “I want to learn English, it’s the gateway language to a future”.  Unfortunately the possibilities for refugees to learn English, let alone Italian are not great.  And yet those opportunities are in now way growing for adult immigrants and children alike, in the article Children Crossing Borders the author mentioned, “ approximately 25% of children in a typical municipal preschool are likely to come from im/migrant families that speak a language other than Italian at home”.  The article continued to say how frustrated many teachers are with this issue considering the demanding difficulty that is bestowed on them when taking children with “incapabilities” such as a language barrier. At the moment, “the primary challenge presented by these incoming students is language-related: Italian as a second language was never part of teaching or training, nor were there any IL2 textbooks or guidebooks” (Current Research Into Education and Schooling in Italy).  So while these children work harder to learn a language they have no background in, they fall behind, and eventually get placed in lower and lower level classes until they forced to accept their first “barrier” on a list of many.

There are not only towering barriers for immigrant children and children of refugees in Italy, but there is a constant struggle with youth and education in general.  In the words of our guest speaker Shara Wasserman, “ Italy is Europe’s oldest country” and not in the terms of the country, but the people.  In Italy the age range considering “youth” is 15- 34, and 1 in every 5 people are over 65.  While the population of youth is dwindling, nothing is being done to reverse this.  Although there are opportunities for youth and students to go to college, the drop out rate is 55%. Youth is not respected in Italy and in the eyes of the older population they are seen as immature.  Many young people eventually leave Italy for new and more prosperous opportunities.   As Shara Wasserman mentioned in class, more high school graduates acquire jobs than college graduates do.  Consequently, there are endless opportunities to go to college for Italian citizens, however the real question is will they find job afterwards?   

Although these barriers are apparent in Italian society, very little is being done to approve these conditions.  The government has only become more disciplined with immigrants and refugees.  From our service learning experience we had the chance to meet a man at the refugee center.  He mentioned “it is impossible to do anything in Italy without the language”.   Unfortunately there are little opportunities to become better educated in the Italian language for refugees and immigrants other than learning from conversing on the streets.  So while the immigrant community struggles, like they do in most countries, so does Italy’s youth.  From this experience with the Italian culture, as an American, Italy is a beautiful country, the culture is intricate, and it’s ambiguity confuses me.  I have had good and bad experiences here, and would say it’s an experience not to miss, however just like many things; there is always a message behind what the eyes are capable of seeing.  For example, the graffiti we see on the walls of streets, to some it could be vandalism however it could be a message through street art: debates against Berlusconi, art relating different cultures through images, or even powerful messages inspiring the youth.  

Assignment #6

 Review the Rione assignment guidelines.  Interview a few residents in your Rione. You must interview at least one resident of the rione and one visitor to the rione (you may interview more than two).  Through both your lens and your interviewees’ lens, write about what you have learned so far about your Rione; write your initial observations. You may use the Rione guidelines to help you structure this writing assignment. More detailed guidelines on interview questions will be discussed in class. 

For now things to consider:
-For this assignment, you need only focus on one street, or even one street corner, of your Rione.
-As you get to know your neighborhood and its community, utilize and weave in your insights gained from the program thus far. See your Rione as a text and, like a text, engage it, and insert yourself into the pages of the neighborhood. Think about what you don't understand as you go out and observe, engage, and interact with your Rione. Be humble and let the place and people, sounds and rhythms of the area, tell you its story. Listen, look, and be open to discovery, and to the unpredictable and predictable reactions that the neighborhood evokes. 

The rione of Sant’Eustachio is a very small neighborhood nestled between two beautiful famous landmarks the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.  The neighborhood was named after the Saint St. Eustachius.  The crest of Sant’ Eustachio is the saint between the horns of a deer.  The story behind the crest is the soldier, Placidus from the 2^nd century, was hunting and saw a deer.  However, when he went to kill the deer a cross appeared between his horns.  After seeing this he decided to convert to Christianity and his family soon followed. Placidus then changed his name to Eustachius.  “But following his conversion they were persecuted, imprisoned and in the end they faced martyrdom.  In older versions of this coat of arms, a cross appears between the animal's horns, in place of the saint”.  

       When Brittany and I walked to Sant’Eustachio we were excited to go to the whats said to be the best coffee place in Rome.   Sant’ Eustachio Il Café was packed of locals, tourists, businessmen, and youth.  All mixed into one small café to get “the best coffee”.  We can now say that we’ve had the best and strongest coffee in Rome.   After our cappuccinos we walked across the street to the church.  As we walked in the organ was being played and the church had only a few people in it. But it was a beautiful church and wonderfully serene. 

Brittany and I started with asking a children’s clothing clerk if she lived in Sant’Eustachio, with a confused look she said no.  We asked her how she felt about the neighborhood and if she liked it.  She commented that it was a nice neighborhood but she couldn’t really say anything else about it.  She said it was just “okay”.  We then went to ask the man working at the magazine stand down the street.  After asking him if he spoke any English, he smirked and said he spoke a little. We asked him if he lived in the area and he said yes and he thought that the neighborhood had nothing that great to offer except a way to see the magnificent Pantheon.  He said that’s the only thing great about the area.  After this we decided to go into cute clothing store and asked a young woman what she felt about the neighborhood.  She replied, “its an okay neighborhood, there is nothing special about the area, except that its cute”.  For our visitors we stopped and talked to a couple on the street near the café.  After we explained our assignment to the couple and said we were American students from the University of Washington, the couple mentioned they were from England, and they were on their way to the Pantheon.  We asked them about the neighborhood, and they had no idea what area they were in and did not know any of its history. 

As a result of this activity and hearing what the local people have to say, I have learned that the Rione of Sant’Eustachio really doesn’t have all that much to offer.  However, the neighborhood is cute, has a beautiful quant church, and if you want a cappuccino from the best café in Rome, Sant’Eustachio is the place you need to stroll through.  

Reflection and response to Multicultural Literature in Contemporary Literature

I felt as if the author dived into the introduction a little too quickly, I had no idea where she was coming from at first and did not know the people she was talking about.  At the very beginning of the introduction the authors wrote the quote, "Every day we have to leave the homeland of our certainties".  In a way this a smart way to look at life and studying abroad.  I have found that once you step out of your door into the world, in this case Rome, you must go outside your boundaries in order to experience everything to the fullest. To see Rome as it wants you to see her.  In the book a Clash of Civilization Over and Elevator in Piazza Navona, Amara Lakhous says that he wishes to see Rome completely, he doesn't like the hustle and bustle of traffic, he steers away from busses and taxis.  He wishes to explore all of the corners of Rome, to drink from all of its fountains, and get to know the city.  I loved this idea of getting to know Rome and truly wish to explore the city this way.

I enjoyed the chapter on "Salvation", even though it was depressing to read. I found the chapter interesting in that the reader could almost imagine for example an immigrant or even an Italian muslim that attends the mosque in Rome, this is how they could interpret their everyday life. Their trials and tribulations.  It is difficult for cultures to mesh when they are so far apart in beliefs, however in many ways, religion and culture can intertwine and become an enriched culture by giving into accepting those that are different from you. I enjoyed this chapter very much, it leaves you wanting to read more.

Assignment #5

"The most loathsome nest of human caterpillars I was ever forced to stay in--a hell with all the devils imbecile in it." 
-John Ruskin

"...it reveals itself only to the simpatici." -Peter Gunn

"Like the twin masks of tragedy and comedy, Naples constantly shifts between splendour and misery, beauty and squalor" (2) In the Shadow of Vesuvi

What about fear? What is it that you feared about your visit to Naples and entering into the unknown. Has the fear melted away now that you've seen so many aspects of the city, now that you have met the people of Naples? 

Every single person on the earth fears something. That fear can be many different things.  Fear can keep someone safe by being aware but it can also consume his or her everyday life. One could use the word fear to describe what feeds the city of Naples. There is the known fear of being mugged, the fear of suffering from poverty, and the lingering danger of an active volcano, Mt. Vesuvius. Travelling to Naples was one of the most impacting and possibly restricting experiences I have had. “In Italy, the discourse on drugs and prostitution… seen as Southern Italian problems,” begin with the gateway city of the south, Naples.   Unfortunately the South has many negative stereotypes that hinder any positive opinions Northern Italians may have of the South. 

The following quote describes accurately the picture that my peers and I saw when entering the city of Naples; “The Neapolitans endure a type of depressing poverty quite different from that in Calabria.  You notice as you arrive at the railway station: the outstretched hands of the beggars in the former capital of the southern kingdom” (Naples Reading).  Prior to Naples, I read the required articles that described the city realistically.  However by only reading the prompt, one could imagine how Naples might be from the quote, “Like the twin masks of tragedy and comedy, Naples constantly shifts between splendor and misery, beauty and squalor” (The Shadow of Vesuvius).  From Alex’s descriptions in lecture, I thought we would be picking trash from our shoes and pants as we were forced to wade through the trash infested streets of Naples.  However, from Alex’s class and many of the readings, I was left with the idea that Naples was not as bad as they say it is. 

The day spent with Alex, our Neapolitan tour guide, was filled with historical and modern art, discouraged feelings leaving the Roma camp, delirious dancing on subways, and ended with the most breath-taking view of the city as the sun set on Naples.  I felt as if were able to see the city as it wanted us to, or how Alex wanted us to. 

In one of the readings of Naples, the author states, “Naples is an enigma”.  In more ways than one, Naples is still a mystery to me.  Although Alex was able to show us the things to be proud of if you are a Neapolitan, I am still left with some lingering fears of Naples and the Southern area of Italy.  From our time with Alex, I learned many things about the people of Naples, they do not stop thieves from pick-pocketing tourists, they love pizza, their weddings are the biggest and the best, and they believe in savoring life.   After learning all of this, we went to Capri and Pompeii, which were beautiful and fascinating places to see that only reassured our positive impressions of the South.  Once we were back in Naples, we rushed to the hostel in order to reach the train on time. However in our haste we forgot that “a Naples pavement proves that Italians can ride a bucking bronco and stay in the saddle” (Naples reading). Unfortunately, this is something we were not prepared for and the result was one of us going home empty handed. 

            For me, Naples will always be a mystery.  The city is full of professionals, like Alex, the architect, the baker of best pizza in Naples, or the man on the motorcycle that stole Jenny’s bag.  The city can never be black or white, because although one can see the beauty behind its historical and modern artwork and its impressive active volcano, “a stroll (through Naples) is a mental rodeo that requires bold professionals.”