Blog 3

Narrate what you learned from the interviews at Piazza Vittorio. Describe the people you talked to. Who are they, where did you meet them, why did you choose them. What about the process. Did you hear more than you thought you would? Write all the stories you heard and also consider: how did it feel to ask Italians about immigration? How do you think they felt being asked question by an American student (think about points of reference)?

                The Esquilino Market is a scene of colorful vegetable and fruit stands, lively seafood posts where you can find almost any type of sea specimen, exotic spices and meat shops. Many of the people working the booths were either owners or part-owners of their businesses. Prior to conducting our interviews, my partner and I were not too sure what to expect. We discovered that it was very easy to obtain interviews! All that was needed was to look really interested in the merchandise and the merchants took care of the rest. Our first interviewee was the brother of the owner of a seafood post, whom we respectfully nicknamed “the fish guy.” He approached us first by inquiring about our place of origin and was more than willing to share his story. He has been in Rome for 5 years. Prior to living in Rome he traveled to many places including Singapore, Berlin, South Korea, Vietnam, and France. His reasons for traveling were many, one of which was to fuel his curiosity. The ‘fish guy’ was very approachable and humorous. He commented that almost every merchant in the market would have a Bangladesh background, like himself. The seafood industry seems to be thriving in Rome, perhaps on the account that it is fulfilling the needs of some Italian immigrants, who unlike Italians live off of seafood. His story was of success.

                Our next interviewee, lured me to his meat shop with a lollipop. So much for not taking candy from a stranger! An Egyptian who has been residing in Rome for 30 years, Salah returns to Egypt twice a year. An indicator that he is economically and socially stable. Like the ’fish guy’, Salah makes note of the great business in Rome. Both men were more than willing to share their experiences. But, alas, I was waiting to hear from a particular ethnic group, Latinos. My opportunity came a few days later, when accompanied by a few friends we visited St. Paul’s church. Every Sunday a community of South American foreigners congregate to share a meal, practice folklore dances and to offer support to one another. I had the chance to converse with Mercedes, an Ecuadorian woman who fled her mother country in 1990. Unlike many immigrants, Mercedes confesses that she is a lucky woman. A month after her arrival in Italy she was able to apply and receive her permesso de soujorno. A process which usually takes months. She is also fortunate enough to live  and care for a woman with Parkinson’s disease who doesn’t charge her rent. Mercedes commented that the average South American immigrant lives in a one bedroom apartment with nine other people. Her personal story is one marked many sacrifices.  Forced to leave her 2 yr-old daughter who is now 18 years old in Ecuador, Mercedes manages to organize the Latino community in St. Paul’s church on top of balancing 3 part time jobs. In the 15 year period that she has been in  Italy, she has only seen her daughter four times. I asked her if she wanted her daughter to join her in Italy and she replied “no, she is better off staying in Ecuador. It is difficult enough for a single female immigrant to live on her own.” Mercedes plans to return to Ecuador after saving an efficient amount of money.

 I felt at ease conversing with her, she was honest and very humble. I asked her if she felt refugee and immigrants were treated differently or the same. She replied that Italian refugees are in a tough situation. They are treated differently based on their status as refugees, which prohibits them from working and ultimately taking root in Italy. She also shared that many teenage refugees are homeless and are left with no option but to sleep under bridges. Until her departure to Ecuador, Mercedes is ‘going to live one day at a time’.

I was under the impression that no one would want to open to an American college student. The information that I was able to gather from the interviews surprises me. People are willing to share their stories if approached correctly. A smile and a few nods can go a long ways. 

 We had a delicious South American dish and an unforgettable conversation with Mercedes at St. Paul's.

Blog 2

Write about what you think makes Roman and Italian identity. What are the myths around this identity? What are the social, cultural, and physical forces that shape this identity? Who belongs and who doesn't belong and why?

In my opinion, image, status, and tradition are the core components of Roman and Italian identity. The global media portrays Italy as a country of romance where a nice handsome “Paolo” awaits. It is the land of pasta, pizza, and inhabitants who incorporate the exaggeration of hand gestures to their conversations. What many people fail to do, is question the sole image of Italy. That is, can they imagine ‘Paolo’ as being Senegalese or Peruvian? Diversity exists everywhere. Italy is one of the few European countries who has yet to recognize the presence of ethnic minorities, whom they insist are immigrants and not citizens. The term ‘immigrant’ in Italy reflects the national systemization of who can and cannot be Italian. Any individual who fails to look and act ‘Italian’ will be subject to challenges in obtaining recognition and representation (Chaloff, pg. 3).

I make many inferences to the Italian image, which is in short, having light skin (possessing certain physical features), wearing business attire (symbol of status), and being fluent in Italian (emblem of familial history in Italy). The limitation and exclusivity of citizenship is a clear indicator of the systemization of who can be “Italian.” Jus sanguinis does not make a person born in Italy a citizen. Only offspring of Italian parents are automatically granted citizenship. If born from parents who are not Italian, you must wait until 18 years of age to apply. Even then, you must demonstrate evidence of employment and of being  able to “contribute” to the country. There are little to no statistics about which applicants are deemed worthy of receiving  the permesso di soggiorno.  The ambiguity that exists on the political level is a reflection of the society’s elite in their attempt of maintaining a certain image of Italy.

Status is a privilege accessible to the elite. It is not necessarily defined by education, but rather by familial and social networking.  It is defined by color of skin and culture. Anyone that doesn’t fully conform to the “Italian” image will be discriminated against at one point. Testimony from a member of the G2 (Second Generation )organization  who faced ‘discrimination’ even after conforming to the physical image of an ideal Italian, that is, he spoke fluent Italian and possessed Aryan features was discriminated for having a Yugoslavian last name. He has been ‘highly encouraged’ to explain his history and background upon submitting applications for employment, health and social services,  or even when making reservations to restaurants.  An Italian just can’t have a Yugoslavian last name (Guest Speaker, 22/01/2010).  Ms. Denny Mendez, ex Miss Italy, was questioned about her legal status, because she did not represent the typical ‘Italian woman’. Ms.  Mendez has Dominican Republic background. The issue was soon dismissed on the basis that the only requirement for a woman to be Miss Italy was to possess an Italian passport. Clearly, status embeds the internal and external aspects of an individual.

Tradition in Italy is composed of religion and having pride in its history, and how could it not? There are over 6,000 churches across Rome. Proof of the dominance of the Catholic Church in the nation (and in politics). The capital of Italy, in short, depicts the emergence of an evolved culture created from the remains of one of the greatest civilizations in the world, Ancient Rome. A walk around the city will depict a mixture of preserved ancient ruins and newly constructed buildings.  I like to use this image of Rome as a representation of the current identity problem in the country. It is faced by the influx of immigrants (new buildings) and the ‘Italians’ (ancient ruins). 

Assignment 1

What are your general impressions of youth in Rome and Italy? How do these compare to your impressions of youth in the US and in Seattle?

Rome is infamous for its history and traditional outlook of life which is inevitably influenced by Catholicism. The role of the Catholic Church should not be underestimated.  As Carlo, one of the guest speakers from the ArciGay organization, commented “There are three powers in Italy. Two of which are the Mafia, and the Church. My general impression of youth in Rome is a synthesis of personal observations and information that I acquired from articles, as well as testimonies from Italians. In my opinion, the youth is ultimately set up to lose in the power struggle. Like elsewhere in the world, the experienced, influential and elderly reign over matters that concern all. The youth is another minority that must strive for recognition. In the United States, university campuses are the life of social activism. Higher-learning institutions aid hundreds of registered students organizations, each serving a different purpose, by providing resources essential for them to obtain success. These “American” scenarios are non-existent in Rome. How do the youth, then, organize? What of those that have no reason to protest? My impressions of youth in Rome vary slightly from that of the US and of Seattle. In all of these locations, the youth struggle with the transition to adulthood. The obtainment of employment is competitive, especially during the current economic crisis. Their voice in politics is limited and final decisions are ultimately out of their hands. Although my impressions may come off as pessimistic, I still have hopes for a brighter future. J