Impressions of Citizens in Venice, Italy
September 16, 2014
Over the past three weeks that have lived in the Venice, I have been keen to pay attention to daily life and cultural habits here in Italy, and this has helped me understand what it means to be an Italian citizen. This first journal is a reflection of my thoughts on what it means to be a citizen in Italian culture. Though I enjoy writing, the fist page of a journal is always the most difficult to write. I still find myself somewhat lost in a blur when I come to put pen to paper for this journal; lost in the phrases of “ciao” and “ci vediamo domani” and “come stai?” circling about me as I walk through the streets in Venice. So I think I find it fitting to start with my own background regarding citizenship before I delve into my observations and beliefs thus far on Italian citizenship.
I am an American citizen, like many students studying here at Casa Artom, but culturally I have had an advantage when it comes to understanding European cultures because my mom is French. I was raised bilingually with my mom’s French ideals and values. This, combined with the fact that I have lived in both California and South Carolina, has created a sort of instability in me in terms of where I fit in within the world. I grew up idealizing France and my family there, and waiting for the day I could move to Europe because I found it so superior to the U.S. And it wasn’t until recently that I’ve realized the opportunities that have come to me because I do live in the U.S., and why that is something I can only be grateful of. In short, however, I do not feel completely American, not completely French, I am not a Southern girl, and I don’t live in California anymore. So who am I? Where does my patriotism lie? Is it okay if I get more excited about Bastille Day than the 4th of July, even though when I go to France people still pick up on my American accent? What this blur of backgrounds has created for me, as I see it, is an opportunity. Though I don’t have a stable sense of who I am in the world, though culturally I am mixed, I was blessed with the opportunity of being open to discovering other cultures at an early age, and that has always stuck with me. When I was in high school, and I was thinking about what college I wanted to go to, what I wanted to pursue in my life, I remember coming to one conclusion, which I had written down in the journal that day: “I want to learn the world. I want to know the geography of it and understand its cultures, and know its regions and cities. To really understand it, and then do what I can, to help it, to change it in the small way that an individual can.” This idea has stuck with me for some time now and I feel very strongly that studying abroad is an opportunity to continue my quest to learn the world. That is why, here in Venice, I am here to really immerse myself in the Italian culture, and to adopt it the best I can. I want to do what I can to be a part of Italy, to be a citizen here.
While I have been here, I have noticed some daily habits about the Italians. They enjoy their coffee, in the morning, usually with a newspaper or at the bar chatting with their neighbors. At Bar di Gino, which I have come to frequent often because their cappuccino foam is something that has descended from the gods, the woman who works there usually recognizes me and smiles while asking Gino to get a “cappuccino per la signorina.” I watch as friends and neighbors pop by to say hello, and an old man takes what I would assume to be his usual table, as he seems very partial to his chair, and reads the newspaper with a coffee. When one gets coffee in Venice it is easy to see that there is a sense of community. Italians like their coffee, and they also like their food. Fast food is practically non-existent and sitting down to enjoy your meal is a must. Not to mention, grabbing an alcoholic drink at about noon seems to be completely normal here! In comparison to the States, it seems as if the people in Italy who work mundane or average daily jobs, which, like most places is a lot of people, seem to enjoy it. They do whatever they do, maybe a business that was inherited through the family, with passion and hard work. They serve their community and they seem happy to do it. Thus this is what I perceive to be a good citizen, someone serving their community, happily working for their living and taking the time to get to know their neighbors. Then, when they are done with work for the day they enjoy life. They grab a spritz with their friends and the eat good food and it seems that they really live in the moment, which is something beautiful to be said about life no matter what you do for a living. I feel like in the States, in general, there is this constant and never-ending focus on the future. Everything is goal oriented. Granted these ideals do vary across different social classes, but I feel like in general it is widely accepted that in the U.S. one must focus on achieving some sort of “American dream.” Every time I go home for a break everyone in my neighborhood asks me: “What are you majoring in?” and “What do you want to do with that?” (For the record, the answer for me for both of these is - I don’t know.) But I think the reality is most people don’t know. Most adults don’t know. Even, maybe, the ones asking me so fervently what I want to do with my life, they don’t know. I think Italians seem to understand that they don’t know, and thus they are able to enjoy the moment, they are able to enjoy that cappuccino in the morning. I feel like in general I have seen people in Italy take the time to appreciate many things in life and take time to really be where they are.
For me, I think what it means to be a citizen in Venice is to recognize the importance of my actions here, to make sure they reflect the best for everyone in the city, and so I’m hoping that by observing others I will be able to learn and pick up habits that benefit the society. My grandfather, Grandpa Ed, once told me that you should never visit a place just to see it, that it was important to become a part of it and to leave a piece of yourself there. Thus, as I observe these Italian citizens, I hope Venice and Italy can become a part of me and who I am, and that I can leave a part of myself here too. I’m not sure what that would mean yet, what it is going to mean for me to give back to Italy, but I hope it is something that I am able to accomplish.
Reflections on Citizenship in Tuscany
October 22, 2014
Throughout the past weekend I have had the opportunity to travel throughout Tuscany. Experiencing the culture in Tuscany, the food, its people, its land, has all given me insight into the wonderful lifestyle in the Tuscan region. I traveled to Siena, Montichiello, Pienza, Montalcino, and San Giminiamo, all of which gave me a taste of life in Tuscany. If anything, it has sparked a desire in me to see more of Tuscany’s countryside. Being in Tuscany not only taught me about what it means to live there, but it also taught me something about myself through my experiences there.
I gained a lot from this trip emotionally, intellectually, and individually. Though it may be hard to explain, I think going to Tuscany made me realize how passionate I could feel about a place, and how I need to follow my passions in life in order to make the most of my experiences. When we were in Siena, going to the University of Siena was particularly moving to me. Its atmosphere immediately captivated me, and an intense desire to continue my academic career there was instilled in me. Being in Italy in general has taught me a lot about what it means to study abroad. I have learned how much more there is to the Italian culture than I ever realized. What I really want now is to spend even more time here. I am not satisfied with just knowing the surface of Italy. I do not just want to see it’s monuments, it’s art, it’s history, and it’s museums. These are important, yes, but want I really want is to belong to Italy. I want to live among Italian students and become fluent in the language. I want to see Italy the way Italians do. I want to truly know Italy. And when I was in Siena it was like a spark went off inside me. I knew I could belong there, and I knew when I was there that I was catering to a certain authenticity to myself. I believe I am being my true self when I am traveling, experiencing other cultures, and really trying to understand a new group of people. This is what truly inspires me. So the University of Siena interests me because it could be the chance to know more about Italy and Tuscany.
Another aspect of Tuscany I loved was its citizens. I met a couple of people there that exemplified great citizens. One man I encountered worked in a linen store that I walked into in Montichiello. He immediately began a conversation with me in Italian about my studies in Tuscany for the weekend. He was cheerful and happy to get to know someone new. Furthermore, his shop was an authentic representation of one of Tuscany’s specialties. He was eager to show his linens to new people and to share the town of Montichiello. As I wandered up through the tiny alleys in the town, observing the charming stone buildings overflowing with back gardens and flowering balconies, I came across an elderly woman sweeping her front step. She noticed me walking by with some other students and suggested we climb up the road a little further for a beautiful view. I struck up a conversation with her to ask her about the grapes growing in her front yard, and she let us try some. To see someone who took care of the space they lived in and was eager to show the beauty of Tuscany with others was enchanting. And that’s one of the things that is so special about Tuscany. It seems that there is a direct relationship between the land and it’s people. The people take good care of the land and they work on it with care and passion, cultivating olives, grapes, and other crops to create their wonderful Tuscan food. They work hard and they reap their benefits in wine and olive oil, cheese and honey and bruschetta…the list goes on. Baskets of fresh apples and mushrooms on every doorstep, chefs slaving over handmade pastas, specialty stores carrying just pecorino cheeses, Tuscany is simmering with a passion for authentic and homemade food that they have worked hard to create. Maybe that’s why Tuscany’s landscape is so beautiful. The people are good to their land and the land is good to its people.
I think being Tuscany was valuable to me because it taught me what a happy and hardworking community looked like. People are generous, friendly, and willing to help others. They take good care of their land and their products. I noticed a lack of chains in Tuscany because it seemed everyone really appreciated the things made by hand and are gentler to the earth. The people of Tuscany really seem to appreciate their land. One man I saw walking along the wall of the city at sunset certainly did. The man was quite elderly and said he had come there everyday of his entire life to watch the sunset. And that is something I hope I have one day. Whether I ever study at University of Siena or not, I hope I wake up every morning happy to work for my community and passionate about the culture around me.