Assignment 7

Since the beginning of the quarter my idea of who/what is Italian has drastically changed. The idea of what is considered Italian is a socially constructed concept developed by individuals living in Italian society. This concept is fluid and constantly changing. It is affected by many things including immigration, education, language, and the church.

Italy is a very hard country to prosper within if you are an immigrant. Italians are very concerned with preserving the 'true Italy' – working with Italians, speaking only Italian, marrying only Italians, living in Italian neighborhoods, attending Italian, Roman Catholic Churches and so on. I have discussed the concept of Italian identity with several of our guest speakers and local Italians as well. When I ask about what/who society considers Italian, the answer is usually the same: a person is Italian if at least one of their parents is Italian – it does not matter where the person is born. Italy is a popular destination for refugees and immigrants because its relatively lax borders and many end up staying in Italy to make a better life for themselves and their families. They come here, have children, learn the language, adopt the culture and assimilate; yet, they, or their children, will most likely never gain citizenship, land a well-paying job (usually reserved for Italians), or be seen as Italian. This is the never ending, vicious cycle of immigration in Italy.

The Roma, for instance, have been in Italy for over 500 years but are not seen as Italian. Over the last decade, however, immigrants have come together and formed organizations who work to combat these issues. G2 is an example of one of these organizations. G2 is made up of immigrants – some were born in Italy, some came as children. The two men who came to talk with us, Ezequial and Alpha shared their struggles with us and explained how difficult it is to gain citizenship in Italy.

Ezequial was born in Argentina and came to Italy when he was three years old. He is fair skinned so many people say “Wow, you were born in Argentina? You speak Italian so well!” His response is always the same, “Well, I am Italian. I've been speaking Italian my entire life.” In the beginning of the quarter we conducted interviews with Italians regarding their opinion on immigrants and immigration. A common response when asked about immigrants was that they were a burden because they don't speak Italian. This is apparently one of the biggest issues with Italians accepting immigrants.

Alpha, also from G2, told a similar story but instead of his birth place, he is often judged by his skin color. His parents are from Senegal but he was born here in Italy. When asked where he is from, he says “Italy,” of course, the person commonly responds with “no, I mean where are you from??” This is painful for individuals like Alpha and Ezequial because they have lived in Italy their entire lives – there is no other country where they call home. Italy is where they most identify with, it is who they are, it is the language that they speak, is it a place that they love; yet, this place does not love them back.

Education and the concept of youth is another social construct affecting Italian identity. The education system here in Italy is very different than any I have learned about before. The method of teaching, the lack of technology, and especially the separation of Italian children and immigrant children into different classrooms as sometimes even different schools. The school we went to visit near Piazza Vittorio, for example, is attended primarily by immigrant children. Iqubal Masih, on the other hand, is a mix of immigrants and Italian children – which is how it should be, according to Italian law. In the discussion we had with Anna from Caritas, she explained to us that in Italy, classrooms are not allowed to have more than 30% immigrant students. Having studied the Civil Rights movement, this is scary to me – except here it isn't separate but equal, it is just separate. Immigrants and Italians are rarely, if ever, seen as equal in society. Keeping native Italian students and immigrant students separate in schools maintains the concept that immigrants are different and should be treated differently. This something, I feel, influences Italian identity.

This separation in schools maintains the system of social stratification in Italy for many reasons; specifically because of the language barrier. When children come to Italy with their parents at a young age and begin school there are very few resources to help them learn the language. They instantly fall behind the Italian students; therefore, reinforcing the stereotype that immigrants are less intelligent than Italian students. Some schools have Italian second language programs but because of budget cuts, many of these programs have been taken away. According to Anna, “children who come to Italy in their teens fall so far behind because they do not speak the language that they sometimes cannot recover because there are no Italian second language programs found in high schools.”

The church is also an influential factor of Italian identity. “All Italians are Roman Catholic. Period.” this is the mentality of many Italians according to Roberto from ArciGay, “There are just some things that all Italians do: the church, the language, the food, the family, the culture. You do not know these things unless you are raised with them. It is not the same if you adopt them later in life – “True Italians have lives this way their entire lives, it's in their blood.” I understand where Roberto is coming from but there are many immigrants who come to Italy who were raised Catholic, willing to adopt Italian culture and assimilate. Italians are a tough crowd!

Italian identity is changing and progressing, just slower than other countries. To me, it is impossible to answer the question “who/what is Italian,” just as it is impossible to answer the questions”what/who is youth.” The answer will always depend on who you are asking. In my opinion, one way to look at this is to see it as two Italys – traditional and modern. Traditional has to do with the food, the ruins, church and antiquity. Modern Italy has to do with food, language, youth making a comeback and becoming progressive, fertility, church, immigration, education and the many different colors of Italy. This is what Italy has become, without these influences, Italy and Italian identity would not be as it is today. And today, I like Italy!

 

Readings

“Return”

The narrators critical moment is when she physically crosses the boarder into Cambodia. “On foot, we crossed the boarder and I mentally went and kissed the little sign in Cambodian Khmer Land. My eyes filled with tears, I took a fistful of Earth and I out it in my pocket, my earth (29).” By physically crossing this boarder she crossed an emotional threshold as well. She is finally in a place that she has come to recognize as her home and physically becoming part of it has created her critical incident.

“Give Me Back My Coat”

The narrator of this short story I obsessed with suicide. He considers all the different possible ways he could die, and yet manages to talk himself out of each one. He finds a reason or detain within each method that deters him and forces him to find another possible method. Finally, he creates the perfect scenario. However, it is foiled by “you.” When his perfect idea is foiled, it torments him internally: “I was even more distressed that before. I struggled to open the door to the house and then double-bolted it. I felt like the loneliest person in the world, swollen everywhere, without a coat, or anything of value. I couldn't kill myself in that state. It would have been wrong. You have to take stock of reality (43).” Since his plan could not be carried out he is left, trapped in his mind, to think of the chaos “you” created.

“Light Beer and Peanuts”

Color is very important to the narrator. It is something she struggles with in Italy and India. It seems as though she in unable to fit in anywhere and resorts to the use of products to camouflage her appearance. Her mother buys her “anti-wrinkle cream for her face, and firming cream for her body, a jar of cellulite cream and conditioner, a horse-hair glove for bathing, eye cream, dental whitening powder, and some other potions that would be lined up under the bathroom mirror or piled up on the pink vanity in the pink bathroom...(52).” After she buys into this 'look' she realized that her being natural may be the best option even though she concludes with “You can't say being natural is always the best look (53).”

“The B-Line”

he narrator begins discussing all of the words that have died inside of her. Her own thoughts are trapped by the words of the metro, symbolizing how her culture and background is trapped by the new society that she has entered. She never seems to have a critical point or incident but one can see her internal turmoil at its peak when she says “The words inside assail me like flashes, sudden musical chords or like something that snaps (54).” even though it is seen how deep her internal struggle is, she remains wordless, trapped still by the society that is not hers.

“The Beggar”

I found the interesting theme of word-loss as connected with the authors story “The B-Line” to be particularly interesting. His fascination with all words and rejection of some indicate that the words for the beggar have more weight and volume than the paper they are written on. This is most clearly defined with the word absence: “The poet fit ABSENCE into his box – and what a strange thing! It took up more space than UNCONSTITUTIONALLY (63).” His box is saturated with words but he has to sleep in order to use them. This reflects his relationship to society and that he is disconnected and cannot fully participate because a barrier has been created between him and society.

Art Project

  This painting portrays emotion. Each word is something I have felt since being here in Italy. This experience has taught me so much about myself, others, and life in general. In the beginning of the quarter we were 15 separate objects moving in different directions, trying to piece together a common picture. That picture has now been painted.

  The rainbow symbolizes happiness – my happiness for being here in Italy and for making friends that I know I will have forever. The different colors of the rainbow represent the different cultures, religion, personalities and backgrounds of the group, flowing together in beautiful harmony.

  Under the rainbow there are the Hawaiian islands, on the right there is the word 'Kwajalein' and on the left 'Seattle.' I wrote these words because I am torn with where I identify with the most. I was raised for 10 years, until I was 18, on the beautiful island of Kwajalein, yet, I will most likely never move back to the Marshall Islands. I most recently moved to the states from Hawaii and all of my family lives in Maui. However, my home for right now, and where I am happy, where I have friends, where I have a job, is in Seattle.

Assignment 6 (Rione: Monti)

Today Souvonnah, Gina and I went to check out out riones. Mine and Souvonnahs rione is Monti. Monti is pretty close to the Colosseum so we were familiar with the area and knew where we were going, which was nice. After visiting Gina's rione in Testaccio, and doing a little shopping, we caught the bus to Monti. However, we accidentally got on the wrong bus so it ended up taking us quite a while to get to Monti, which was ok with me because I took advantage of the long bus ride and had a great nap! When we got off the bus by the Colosseum it was getting a little dark so we decided to walk for a while and see if we happened to come upon any inviting local bars where we could grab a drink and talk with Italians and/or tourists.

It didn't take long to find an inviting place: The Colosseo Wine Bar. The bar was pretty empty, seeing as it was early evening and Italians tend to eat late, but it looked warm and welcoming so we went in. We could see from the outside that a young woman was working here and I was particularly interested in hearing a young Italians perspective of life in Monti. Up to this point, the majority of people I had interviewed in Italy were older so I thought this was a great opportunity to speak with someone who was around the same age as me. She greeted us with great friendliness and helped us choose a bottle of red wine. She asked us where we were from and we began talking about living and studying in Rome. She spoke English well and this opened up a chance for us to begin our interview. She said she had been living in Monti with her parents for a long time and had been working at the wine bar for 6 years. She went on to tell us about how Monti is a hip part of town with good clubs, restaurants, and lots to do.

After we each had a glass of wine, hunger set in. To our dismay, the woman told is they they did not serve food until 7 but she could serve us some chips – we eagerly accepted. She brought corn nuts and potato chips that really hit the spot!

While we were munching away, two gentlemen came in and sat down at a table near us. They had thick English accents and we figured they were tourists. They looked friendly, so we began talking with them. The men said that they had just arrived in Rome and were here to visit with some old friends. The men asked us where we liked to go out, where we didn't like to go out, and how to get to Trastevere. They were in luck, seeing as I live in Trastevere and know how to get there on the bus. We gave them great directions and it felt good to be helping people, just as we needed to be helped when we first got to Rome. They said they had arrived at the wine bar after leaving termini and not knowing which bus to take, then they saw the Colosseum and decided to get off and walk around. They did not know anything about Monti except that they liked everything about it so far!

Our experience today in Monti, I feel, was relatively atypical. I feel this way because for one, it is rare to find someone who is young and works and lives in the same rione, and second because not all tourists get a chance to have an engaging conversation a local Italian. This experience left me with a few questions that I wish I would have asked at the wine bar – what is the demographic of Monti residents? How old is the average resident? Is it very expensive to live in Monti – so close to the Colosseum? Because Monti is relatively touristy, do the Italian residents living here feel as “Italian” as Italians living farther away from the tourism? Do residents of Monti mind the tourists more or less than Italians living outside of Rome? Are they just used to it? Why do they live in Monti? Do the majority of residents in this area rent or own their homes?

Today was a blast, we had an excellent time hanging out together and are very happy with our assigned rione!

Reflection 1

 The introduction of the book “Multicultural Literature in Contemporary Italy” offers some very intriguing points of view regarding immigration. The author discussed the idea of learning a new language every day and that people are in constant migration – a migration that is specific to none, but one we all share. In order to understand the struggles of people in which one shares a world, literature must be written to tell the story. In Italy, specific literature written by migrants is a crucial aspect of understanding of Italian contemporary literature. Hearing the voices of immigrants tell their stories through literature is vital in changing stereotypes and social constructs held by many Italians.

“Salvation” begins with a lot of anxiety, then calmness, then back to anxiety. This guy just cannot seem to catch a break. First he is making a call and nearly wetting his pants then arriving home and feeling as though he would suffocate at any second if the window were not opened immediately to let in fresh air. I am amused by his feelings towards cell phones. I understand where he is coming from when he says the world has become a 'total cell-land.' People have become so dependent on their cell phones that if they were all taken away people would not know what to do with themselves! He talks about going into the police station to renew his paperwork and receiving unwarranted disrespect from the officers there every single time, 'like he had just arrived.' Things like this are something people like you and I will never experience and cannot fully understand because of the privilege we have as Americans. Every day I realize more and more how hard life really is for many immigrants all over the world.

Assignment 5

 When I arrived in Rome I was terrified. I was terrified before I even got on the plane! However, my fears began to subside as my taxi passed the Colosseum and I made my way to Compo de Fiori. I knew very little about Italy before I left the states – which I feel was a main factor in why I experienced so much fear in coming here. I knew the food would be excellent, I knew to say ciao and I hoped the people were friendly.  

Honestly, when I was in the taxi coming from the airport I was no impressed with what I saw. However, after learning about Italy I realize that I felt this way because of the socially constructed ideals of what Italy is supposed to be like. The media shows Italy as a flawless land with rolling hills covered with vineyards, beautiful plantation homes and gorgeous little farms. In fact, that is Tuscany, not Rome. I was not prepared to see factories and industry; yet, after living here I find what I see on the outskirts of Rome to be beautiful. This image that I had when I arrived in Rome is a stereotype developed by Hollywood that I have been fed through movies and television my entire life. This stereotype, unlike many others, is not offensive or painful, but proves to show that stereotypes are taught to you in ways you don't even notice. 

 

When I arrived in the Compo I was taken aback by the view of the dome from the forth floor window outside the Rome Center office. I thought, “wow. I am really in Italy!” The next day class started, I made friends and we began taking random excursions around the city each day after class. The first thing that truly stopped me in my tracks was Palazzo Venezia. To me, this is the Gates of Rome. This gigantic, breathtaking, white building is my point of reference and (other than narrow cobblestone streets with cars trying to squeeze down them) one of the first things I see in my mind when I think of Rome. 
 

The Napoli skyline was different than that of Rome. When we arrived on the train one of the first things I noticed were the high rises in the city. In Rome the skyline is riddles with the tops of churches and tan-colored marble. In Napoli, it all just seemed a bit “darker.” There was great beauty in Napoli, just a different type of beauty than what is seen in Rome.

Before I left the states, people would ask me about my program – where we were going to travel, what we would study and so on. Every time I told someone I was going to Napoli their reaction was the same: 'oh no! Don't go there! People are rude and mean and you'll definitely get robbed.' When I asked Italians about Napoli I received the same reaction. 

 

In class Alex told us about the trash problem, which made me think it was going to be extremely gross. In fact, I did not think the trash was that bad. I am sure we didn't see the worst of it but away from the amount of trash near the Roma camp, in the streets it was not nearly as horrendous as I had imagined. However, in class Alex told us about why the trash problem is so bad. He said that “the problem was so severe because they have nowhere to take all of it.” If I did not know this was the cause of the problem, I may have gone to Napoli and thought “ugh, southern Italians are so dirty, they must enjoy living in garbage.” This is how stereotypes get started. This experience has reinforced to me the importance of learning about a person or a place before meeting them or traveling there so that any stereotypes that can be made or that have been established do not continue to grow. Ignorance leads to the spread and development of stereotypes.

One of the first things I noticed about Napoli was the difference in people. Living in Rome, I feel, is not quite 'real life.' Many of the people we see in the Compo and around the city's center do not live in this part of town and are most likely here shopping or working during the day. In Naples, things were very different, especially in the part of town where Alex took us. You could tell that people were living their daily lives and not just dressed up to go on a fancy shopping trip. The way people dressed and acted, to me, seemed more realistic in a way. I really enjoyed this. I thought Napoli was extremely beautiful, especially on the water.

Our tour guide, Alex, was from Napoli and very proud of his heritage. He had not been in Napoli all his life but identified with the city and its culture more than anywhere he had lived before. He was proud of where he lived and shared an attitude similar to that of Gianmarco – both individuals are able to look past the stereotypes, know good parts of town from bad, and enjoy Napoli for its culture and beauty. 

 

Every city comes with its stereotypes, Napoli just seems to have some that instill strong fear into tourists. In my opinion, Napoli is just as dangerous as Rome, New York, Seattle, or any large city. Yet, since Americans are often targets for robbery, many of the negative stereotypes about the city are reinforced by what happens to them or their friends while visiting Southern Italy. 

 

One of the first articles we read this quarter was about the North and South divide in Italy. I began asking Italians who I met at bars and restaurants about these stereotypes of the South and everything they said went right along with the article. They would say that Southern Italians are dirty, rude, speak a weird dialect, they steal, and are just unacceptable people. I am not sure how such stereotypes originated. Possibly from industrial growth and strong influence of Milan and other large cities in the North. 

 

This experience has taught me to keep a very open mind about traveling to new places and meeting the local people who live there. There are stereotypes about nearly every place in the world but the important thing is to become knowledgeable about what is fact and what is false about a place before going so you do not hurt yourself or anyone else. It is very important to have such knowledge in order to not carry on the spread of negative stereotypes. I wish I could explain why certain stereotypes exist but I cannot. The stereotypes of Napoli and Neapolitans I believe are from very long ago when the North and South divide began. Long before any of us were even born. Now all we can do is work towards spreading truth about the region.

I am thankful that I was not affected by everything I head about Napoli before traveling there. Despite any bad that happened in Napoli, my time there was very good and I truly enjoyed being there. I feel very lucky that I got the opportunity to travel to Southern Italy.

assignment 3

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

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

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.

Assignment 4

Learning about the system of education in Italy has been extremely informative and surprising. Some aspects of the structure here in Italy are conducive to the future of young Italians while others are not. The most predominant factors influencing the position of doorways for people living in Italy in regards to education are immigrant/refugee/citizenship status, age, income and cultural expectations.

For immigrants, there are some doors open in Italy that are not open in America, particularly in regards to education. In Italy, students pay tuition based on their income. Immigrants with low income, pay little money. This money is still hard to come by even though it is not very much.

In America, access to and availability of government aid and scholarships is definitely a door we have wide open that is closed in Italy. Stephanie explained to me that scholarships are available but are not easy to get. In America, if one wants to go to college and has the determination to find funding for their education, it is out there for them and they will succeed. In Italy, as an immigrant for example, if college is their dream, it will be a tough road ahead because if money. As I previously stated, tuition is based on ones income – the income that must pay for rent and food as well as education. This is why many have to work while attending college and therefore take many years to graduate. This is also why many do not finish college – working is more important for survival and in order to build a family.

In Italy, a door that is open in regards to the workforce is the option given to high school students to being vocational school before they are done with high school. This also happens in some American schools but is uncommon. In Italy, students finish high school with skills allowing them to immediately join the workforce. This is a very good method for people who do not plan to pursue college. In America, this option is not always available. As a result, youth who do not plan to attend college still must go to a tech school or vocational program AFTER high school graduation, therefore, setting them back two years or so when they cold have been working already. Another point, vocational school in Italy is paid for by the government, as it would be in high schools in America (public schools).

In Italy, certain doors for immigrants are definitely closed. When young immigrant children move to Italy there are very few options for them to learn Italian. They are throw into class with everyone else (native Italians).Anna, from Caritas discussed the fact that ESL classes are only offered in elementary school, if at all, and in high school not at all. Because of this there are very few resources for immigrants coming to Italy as high school students.

In Italy, until 1994, children were not required to attend school. Still this law in not completely enforced. Brenda and some of the others who work at Iqbal Masih say that there are several children who do not attend school for weeks, even months at a time. Some children only come two days a week because of transportation or other reasons. Most of these students are Roma. This is not uncommon to hear because of where many Roma people live and because of their lifestyle. In America, the laws are very different. It is the law that all children are required to attend school. If children are not in school they are deemed truant and the family is investigated.

One thing I find very interesting is that in the Piscane School Chinese classes are taught. In Italy in 1998 a law passed making all languages respected in public schools. These classes, I believe, do not teach language language, but heritage and culture. It is very important for immigrants to build their knowledge of Italy and Italian and life in a new country, but also very important to maintain knowledge of their roots.