I Simpsons

Italy is not a large country, at least not by American standards. We have states larger than that boot, yet their culture is just as (if not more so) vibrant and brilliant as ours. I've already discussed food and the social inclinations of Italians, but there's nothing quite like the media obsessions of another country. There are some things that are completely different from what Americans like and then there are twists on our classics, like watching the Simpsons in Italian, or walking into an Italian cigar shop with Lady Gaga playing through the speakers.

When I was in Italy, I watched a bit of television. I expected for there to be American TV shows, since the entire world seems to at least partially approve of our television programs. What was surprising were the choices the Italians chose to copy. First, the Italians seem to have no pretensions about educational television for children. Mostly I watched cartoons, since they require the least amount of Italian, but almost all of them were purely for entertainment. You can forget about Sesame Street or Arthur, the dubbed shows were Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory. When it came to adult shows, the only American ones I could find were episodes that were years old; series that didn't even run anymore.

There were also odd quirks to the changes. For instance, the Pokemon theme song changed, but it was still in English. In the Simpsons, Moe's Tavern was changed to Boe's. The commercials are also different. In Italy, the commercials are fewer and farther in between, or so it seems, and they are a lot more vibrant. There always seems to be singing and dancing, whether it be for Parma ham, cereal or a home loan.

For one of my favorite commercials, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4bbZiUV4mI

As for the music in Italy, I was a bit disappointed. Everywhere I went I seemed to hear only Lady Gaga. When I took the time to peruse in one of the bookstores in Rome, the top ten CDs were all American bands or artists. Where did all the accordions go? That's certainly one misconception about Italy that should be cleared up. It's hard to find any traditional Italian music, at least in a live venue. This isn't to say that Italy has bad music, there are many great jazz shows around Rome and other local Italian bands, but it's to say that the stereotype of the Italian serenade is ill-founded.

A final note about Italian culture. They like to take it slow. Locals stroll and amble, with no particular place to go but the local bar to partake of coffee and pastries. The shops and restaurants open late and close in the afternoon for a break. The meals are long and multi-coursed. All of these things can be wonderful, but they can also be extraordinarily annoying. I found it quite charming while I was there, but sometimes, it's nice to have a 24-hour Kroger right around the corner for some midnight munchies.

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.