The Work

Let's clear up a misconception right here, right now. Italians do not hate Americans. Italians also do not hate American students. I found that most Romans are kind-hearted, warm people who love to talk and love to help you. However, they may be a bit miffed if someone enters their country without showing any respect for their culture or displaying common courtesy.

If it weren't for these wonderful Italians, I would never have gotten any research or work done, and I would probably still be wandering around the Colosseum, looking for a WC.

On the first full day in Rome, I walked to the centro storico where the Archivio is located. The Official Archives of Rome are located in a gorgeous building, with a large courtyard and a bell tower. There, I had to fill out a form to get a card to view the archives. This may seem simple enough, but not for someone with spotty conversational Italian and little knowledge of Italian research terms. A wonderful archivist helped me fill out the form, and he also asked about my research topic. When he wasn't clear on exactly what would help me, he directed me to the lady who was in charge of gender studies at the Archivio. Despite the fact that she could speak no English, and I could barely speak Italian, she spent a good thirty minutes trying to figure out what it was that I needed.

I met with the same delightful hospitality and warmth at the Library. As an American, I am accustomed to going into a library and pulling a book off the shelf. Usually, you have to look up the book in the catalog by yourself, and then wander around looking for the exact book, and usually not finding it because someone has misplaced that same book. The National Library of Rome works in this manner: First, you must obtain a library card. If you are an international visitor, you should have your passport with you. (A mistake I made the first time I trudged across town to visit the library.) Once you obtain a library card, you must check your bags. If you need to carry notebooks or other reference materials, the library offers plastic bags. To enter the library itself, you need to swipe your library card. In order to obtain a book, you need to use one of the computers at the library, and find the listing for your book. Then, you reserve it by choosing an area in the library where you might want to pick it up. In about an hour, your book is ready to be picked up at a desk. They roll the books in from what I would imagine is a vast underground system, and your selection comes on a little trolley that looks suspiciously like a mining cart.

This entire system was explained to me with great patience by one of the librarians, to whom I am extremely grateful. In fact, there are many people like that librarian scattered across Italy, to whom I am thankful. To everyone who gave me directions when I asked, to everyone who explained what a word or a phrase meant to me, to all the extremely helpful citizens of Italy, I am truly grateful.