In my Summer Language Abroad program, I have had the opportunity to meet three to four times a week in a class with the other Notre Dame SLA Siena recipients and a teacher in the Dante Alighieri School of Siena. This teacher, Luca Bonomi, as the president of the school, has had decades of experience working in the school and interacting with Notre Dame, and more broadly, Americans. He even has visited the U.S. and Notre Dame specifically several times. While teaching us about the Sienese culture, Luca often has made comparisons with the culture he has observed in the United States. For instance, there was one day in class where he was talking about the practice of the Catholic faith. He made a stark contrast between that in Italy and that in the United States. This was something Professor Alessia Blad had previously noted in a culture class I took with her in the university, but it was interesting to see his perspective as well. In essence, what he perceived is that the Catholic faith in Italy is something that lingers out of tradition and the Church’s great influence in governmental decisions, rather than out of religious fervor. In contrast, he tells us, the Catholic faith in the United States is much more practiced with intentionality and passion. He mentioned some experiences in the states of Tennessee and Indiana, in which he went to a Catholic Church to find that, to his surprise, the pews were filled. Something that took me aback was that he said in the Duomo of Siena, the breathtaking and marvelous cathedral of the city, a Sunday mass is often met with a relatively empty nave. Because this was an insight Professor Blad had shared before, none of this was a complete surprise, but I still found it very interesting to hear his perceptions. Frankly, it strikes me as a shame because Italy has a wealth of churches with very awe-inspiring architecture. To see that they may go somewhat unappreciated besides the paying tourist (and perhaps not even then either) is a bit disappointing. But these are important considerations to keep in mind nonetheless!
A change of environment and a change of perspective comes in my daily runs to Il Bocconcino, the paninoteca right on the edge of Piazza del Campo. The piazza is a central hub of activity, so going there for lunch everyday always brings a new wave of joy and energy. I walk in with a friend or two, often Gabe, to see what panino I will choose today. The shop owners always greet us with a smile as I canvas the slew of options available. These panini have been the best I have had daily access to, because they are made with a wonderful bread, and a variety of cold cuts, cheeses, and salsa as you may see fit from the twenty-plus options that lie on the menu. The difference can really be seen from the fact that these panini are made freshly upon your order. Then the owners graciously give us discounts as students of the DA School. Aside from the fact that this is one of the great joys of each school day, I enjoyed hearing the shop owners’ response when Gabe and I told them we were from the United States. “Ah! Amiamo l’America!” And then they shared with us all of the places in the U.S. which they have visited. While this brief interaction was not particularly one in which I gained their insights of a specific aspect of American culture, it was heartwarming to see their joy upon hearing we came from the States.
It has also been enlightening to learn more about the passage of laws regarding women’s rights, etcetera when regarding the U.S. and Italy. Given some recent developments in the U.S., class discussion was recently redirected for a bit towards when major transformations in rights have occurred between the two countries. Even as we perceive our own granting of rights to different groups to be overdue in many moments, I learned that Italy has often been several decades behind in carrying out the same decisions. Making these comparisons has been important for me to develop a more well-rounded of how the world views different issues and takes action towards them.
A recurring theme of my classes has been the portrayal of Italy in American film. To hear the perspective of Bianca, my instructor, has been interesting. Native to Agrigento (Sicilia), she has grown up in Sicily and then about ten years ago, around eighteen years old, moved to Siena to study and then begin work after graduation. She has not yet traveled to America but has several times shared her comedic take on the American portrayal of Italians in film. We spoke continuously of the many gestures at the disposal of any conversation between Italians, and how they are often applied erroneously or in an exaggerated manner in American film. Furthermore, she has shared with us the romanticization of the Italian Mafia, such as of Cosa Nostra, in American film. We have spoken of several series and films that do this, and in fact some Italian series err towards romanticization as well. She has warned against this and has spoken of this in greater detail. This has been refreshing to hear, especially given her upbringing in Sicily.
Bianca, as well one of my classmates Lisa – recently immigrated from the U.S. – have shared some interesting insights into a few shortcomings of the Italian government structure. For instance, throughout Lisa’s search of Italian citizenship, she has often suffered from an overly-prolonged process and from several seemingly unnecessary setbacks. Even certain steps of her acquisition of a driver’s license, identification card, and what is called the “codice fiscale” are a bit overcomplicated. While in the U.S. there is often a level of complexity in the approvals and actions necessary to accomplish something related to the federal or state level, it seems even a bit more exaggerated in Italy. This has opened my eyes to the fact that many countries have some degree of bureaucracy that can be both beneficial and a hindrance.
All in all, my conversations with members of the community and the Dante Alighieri School of Siena have enriched my perspectives of Italy, even more so Siena, and of the United States in relation to each other, something that cannot always be taught through textbooks.
