#you know the famously progressive greek school hosted by the greek orthodox christian church. in suburban nj. that one.

[omelettedufrottage]

sweating literal bullets as i try to wring every last drop of what greek i remember to write to someone who isn’t my grandma

[samaracomm300-blog]

Samara Alhani

Host Country Report

COMM 300

4/23/2017

Italy

           What would be the most important information an international sojourner must know before traveling to the beautiful country of Italy? Lets first start by getting to know the country from a geographical perspective. The first thing you must know about Italy is its proximity from the United States. Depending on where you are located and depending on what part of Italy you are traveling to your flight time will vary. East coast travelers will have the pleasure of knowing a direct flight is 8 hours, however a one-stop flight could cost you 12 hours. The average flight time for West coast travelers is 21 hours since there are no direct flights.

Italy is located in the Southwestern region of Europe and borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Across the Adriatic Sea is Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Greece.  France and Spain are two countries that share similar lifestyles, religious values and cultural heritages to Italy. Up until 2004, all three countries were predominantly Roman Catholic. Due to their close proximity, France, Italy, and Spain have all experienced many of the same historical events and all share the same relaxed view of time and punctuality.

The capital of Italy, Rome, is one of the oldest cities in the world and features some of the most famous attractions in all of Europe such as the Vatican Sistine Chapel. Visitors from all over the globe travel to Rome to visit The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and St. Peter’s Basilica. A few important and monumental cities to include throughout your Italian journey include Milan, Florence, Naples and Venice. Milan is known as the fashion capital of the world and the Italian center of finance, industry and commerce. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is also at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Tuscany is known as the cradle of the Renaissance and boasts famous art from Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and Botticelli.

As you plunge deeper into your traveling, Italy intensifies with Naples. Naples is known as Italy in the extreme; it is best known for the birthplace of pizza and Sophia Loren but is also known for it’s “family” of organized crime. Naples is also endowed with a wonderful heritage of monuments and artistic collections. Venice is famously known as the Italian city built on water. Venice is filled with busy canals, palaces built on water, ancient trades and water taxis. As you can see, Italy has plenty to offer and contains countless cities filled with beauty, architecture, food, wine, and shopping.

When traveling abroad not only is it necessary to know what cities you plan on visiting, you also need to know the country’s history. Here is a brief summary of the top ten most important historical dates of Italy. In 753 B.C, Rome was founded, which marked the beginning of the Roman Kingdom. In 509 B.C, after the monarchy was overthrown, Rome became a republic that was ruled by a famous dictator names Julius Caesar. During 1200-1600 A.D, Rome, Florence and Venice all prospered during the Renaissance, which was a time that renewed Italy’s culture and development. In 1861, Italy was unified as a nation by King Victor Emmanuel II. Shortly after, in 1915, Italy entered World War I as an Ally. Throughout 1940-1943, Italy sided with Germany and entered World War II. In 1946, the Italian people voted to end the monarchy and made their country a democratic republic. Catholicism was no longer Italy’s formal state religion in 1984. In 2007, the country’s economy endured a triple-dip recession and has since then seen long-term damage.

The country’s main language is Italian with English, French, Spanish, German, and Basque making remaining the five alternative languages spoken. Italy also has traces of Arabic, Croatian, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Greek, Chinese, Portuguese, Catalan and Hungarian. In 1948, Italy established a constitutional charter, which defines the political and civil liberties of citizens and the principles of government. The president of Italy is the head of the state and is elected every seven years by a college consisting both chambers of parliament and three representatives from each region, very similar to that of the United States.

Religion is also a largely seen and felt entity throughout Italy. Italy has always been a Christian country, with 88% of the population identifying to the Roman Catholic Church. Other religious groups in Italy include over 1 million Muslims, 700,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians, 555,000 Evangelical Protestants, 235,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses, and 45,000 Jews.  Religion has played a vital role in Italian history. Christianity has permeated every facet of Italian life. The Vatican is the home of the government of the Roman Catholic Church and of the Pope, who is the spiritual leader of the world’s Roman Catholics. Historically, by virtue of tradition, Italy has seen the Church of Rome as a constant in government and organization of public life. However, in 1984, a concordat signed ended the church’s position as the state religion, abolished compulsory religious teaching in public school and reduced financial contributions.

The class structure in Italy is very similar to that of the United States. Italy consists of high-class entrepreneurs, politicians’ etc. (10%) white collar middle class citizens (17%), urban petite bourgeoisie (14%), rural petite bourgeoisie (10%), urban working class (37%) and rural working class (9%). Traditionally, women were raised to maintain their household and family, however, currently gender roles between men and women have equaled out and adapted to the times. Both women and men can find quality education and job opportunities alike. The gender roles in Italy are very similar to the United States in which more traditional families can stick with a more traditional role for men and women whereas a more progressive family can adopt progressive concepts relating to gender roles.

           There are two main national television organizations in Italy; the state owned RAI channel and Mediaset, which is a commercial network. The third largest player is the Italian branch of Discovery Communications.  Italy contains a variety of newspapers as well including Corrieire della Sear, La Stampa, La Gazzatta dello Spot, Il Messaggero, Il Mattino, and Leggo. It is also important to note that the Cinema of Italy comprises of films made within Italy or by Italian directors since the development of fil in the early 1900’s. Filmmakers and performers have at times experiences both domestic and international success. The most notable and successful actress, Sophia Loren, was the first actress to win an Academy Award for a performance in a foreign language and the second Italian winner after Anna Magnani.

Food throughout Italian culture is known to be a shared experience with family and friends. It’s national dish Ragu alla Bolognese consists of fettucine or tagliatelle, minced beef, unsmoked pancetta, and different vegetables. Food has one of the strongest relationships with Italy and the Italian people. From pasta, pizza, wine, cheese to rich desserts like tiramisu, panettone, cannoli and panna cotta, Italian cuisine consist of simple and very small ingredients.

People in Italy greet eachother by hugging or kissing the cheek. Oftentimes, a handshake will not suffice. Greeting strangers with a simple smile could turn into an hour long conversation where you are invited to dinner and to meet with family and friends. It is an extremely friendly nation, with exceptions in certain regions. A lot of information was covered during this short essay, but like any international traveler, try and do some personal research and homework to get a general feel of what you can expect. Try to take each experience with a grain of salt and really allow yourself to become immersed within Italian culture. It will be one of the most unforgettable travel experiences you will have the privilege of having. And if you end up arriving back to the States a few pounds heavier, don’t worry. You are among many who have often traveled back and noticed the weight gain, it is completely normal and should be expected. You will have plenty of time to work it off.