Speaking, the Italian Way!

By: Kirk G.

In Italy, communication plays a vital role in the lives of all people. Interactions between people drive the (very-much-so interpersonal) Italian society whether it be between vendors and patrons, friends, family members, or strangers. Italian communication styles, therefore, vary. Amongst friends, informal greetings (“Ciao, come va?”) often accompanied by a fist-bump, handshake, or embrace are customary. In more formal settings, slang and other forms of informal language is avoided. Family members will greet each other with a customary due baci (two kisses), first on the right cheek, then on the left.  

Body language also has significance in Italian communication. I observed that Italians tend to maintain attentive and respectful body language when conversing, no matter the situation. Eye contact is preserved and meaningful. Earbuds are not worn in situations where one may need to converse with others. Italians maintain a relaxed but proper posture when conversing, and face toward whomever they’re speaking to. Particularly during explanations and stories, I observed that Italians commonly tend to use gestures and hand communication to provide more color and emphasis to their speech.   

Vocally, Italians speak with an almost musical flow. Spoken in the region of Lazio, the Romanesco dialect is used and interchanged with standard Italian during informal conversation, though the differences between the two can sometimes be difficult to distinguish.  

In general, I observed communication in Italy as more proper than in the United States. Italians speak in a direct manner, avoiding ambiguities or “beating around the bush”.  Full attention is given to whomever is speaking, and manners are followed. Italian communication is also precise and flows well; “uhh”s and other interjections don’t clutter sentences as they commonly do in the United States.  

Gelaterias Galore!

By: Kirk G.

Before going abroad to Italy, I wrote a list of things I must do before I embark back on a plane to the United States. Topping that list… was tasting as much authentic Italian gelato as possible. Luckily, there was no shortage of gelaterias amid the bustling cities of Rome and Florence. So naturally, I had to try them.

On my first day in Florence, I observed seemingly hundreds of gelaterias each nearly within one-hundred meters of the last. Many of the flavors I recognized, such as cioccolato al latte (milk chocolate), cioccolato fondente (dark chocolate), vaniglia (vanilla), pistacchio (pistachio), fragola (strawberry), caffè (coffee), but there were also many flavors that I had never seen in the form of gelato or ice cream. As it piqued my curiosity, I ordered one of such novel flavors called “ferrero”. The ferrero flavor gets its name from the renowned Italian chocolate and hazelnut candy: Ferrero Rocher. Growing up, Ferrero Rochers were always my favorite sweet-treat, so I couldn’t resist trying ferrero gelato. Of course, as the reputation of both gelato, and Ferrero Rocher would hint at, the ferrero gelato was phenomenal. The first thing I noticed different about gelato in comparison to ice cream was the texture. Gelato is much creamier and denser than ice cream, resulting in a much richer taste with every bite. The difference in texture is also the reason why ice cream scoopers are not used to serve gelato, instead, a spade is used.  

After falling in love with ferrero gelato, I was ready to conclude my search for the best gelato flavor, but I resisted the urge and tried tiramisu flavored gelato next. Tiramisu is a layered Italian dessert cake, with mascarpone cheese and savoiardi alternating between layers, then finally topped with coffee powder. Like the ferrero flavor, the tiramisu gelato tasted incredibly faithful to the actual dessert and is a must try for anyone who loves tiramisu like I do.  

Finally, the last of the unconventional gelato flavors I tasted was what I call “the Italian take on ‘cookies n’ cream’”, more correctly known as stracciatella. Stracciatella (not the soup) is mainly vanilla gelato with chocolate chunks mixed inside. All-in-all, of every flavor gelato I tried, there was not one that I wouldn’t happily have again. Though, my top pick has to be ferrero flavored gelato. 

When in Rome!

By: Kirk G.

When in Rome… Do as the Romans do! But what do the Romans do? Tour the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Vatican City, and venture to the notorious Mount. Vesuvio all in three days? Maybe not, but we did!  On the first day in Rome, we exited the bus only a few streets away from the towering stature of the Colosseum following a scenic ride from Chianti, Tuscany. The sheer scale of the Colosseum (il Colosseo) invokes astonishment that can only be experienced by seeing it in person. The ability to casually glance over your shoulder and see the largest amphitheater in the world and perhaps Rome’s most distinctive landmark was incredibly surreal. The interior of the Colosseum only added to the feeling of “heaviness” that it emanated, both from the gravity of the events that took place there routinely, and the scale and mass of the Colosseum itself.  

The Roman Forum, however, was completely different. The Roman Forum (Foro Romano), being a mostly open space lush with greenery and marble columns, gave an atmosphere of near weightlessness. The Forum, being the location where many political speeches pivotal in Roman history were performed by influential people such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Mark Antony, felt lively despite being left abandoned after the 6th century A.D. Once the center of the Roman Republic, the Roman Forum now serves as a reminder to locals and tourists of the building blocks of one of the most formidable, and important cities in human history, Rome.   

On day two in Rome, we visited Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, is seemingly set in an entirely different century. From the incredibly well-preserved halls of the Vatican Museum, and the sanct Sistine Chapel, to the awe-inspiringly large volume of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican exudes a feeling of timelessness. Whereas the Colosseum and Roman Forum are currently undergoing restoration efforts, the white marble and tens-of-meters long paintings of Vatican City gleam as pristine as the day they were created.  

The city of Rome truly is a walk-through time. From each street, fountain, or plaza to the next, Rome tells you its story. The city is adorned with marvelous statues, architecture, views, and structures seemingly sporadically placed to surprise you, without ever breaking the continuity of the city. Visiting the city of Rome was a captivating, life-changing experience that I will cherish in my memory for a lifetime.  

Roaming Around Rome

By Samm Carbone

The city of Rome is sure to leave a lasting impression on the people who visit. Standing in Rome was like standing with one foot in two separate worlds. At times you are surrounded by modernity, with designer shops, nice hotels, and museums, but just around any corner is a glimpse of the past in the form of archeological ruins, statues, and fountains, which will leave you in awe. This is especially true of the Colosseum. One second you are passing shops and following traffic signals on the busy streets, and then out of nowhere a four-story, fragmented, concrete amphitheater left by the Roman Empire is towering over you. 

The number of ruins that are preserved in the city of Rome is fascinating. With all the human and natural activity that has taken place since the eras these artifacts were made in; they still maintain so much detail and information. The entrances to some of the ancient Roman sites are located 20-30 ft down from the current street level and have had to be excavated to reveal what we see now. The build-up of material over these ancient ruins helps to visualize the scale of how much time has passed since the Roman Empire.

Despite all the time that has passed, the influence of the Roman Empire and the systems and architecture that were created are still widely seen in today’s modern world. Stories of gladiators in the Colosseum being recreated into movies for our entertainment and columns from buildings like the Roman Pantheon recognized in US government buildings are why it is important to preserve history as much as possible. It is through these culturally historical artifacts that we are able to understand where things in our everyday lives come from, and how they have influenced and guided people for thousands of years before us.

Roman Pantheon

My Taste Bud's Best Bud

 By  Matthew Kodnia

    While I was Italy and Greece, I had some of the most amazing food I have ever experience. If you ever find yourself in either country, these are my must try dishes from Athens and Florence. Warning you might want to get dinner after this one. 

     A dish I had in Florence Italy was called a Florentine steak. I had this steak on my second day in the city. I tried this cut of steak because a friend of mine told me before my visit that I must try it, especially when you're in the city where the cut is named after. The cut of the steak is a huge 2-3lb porterhouse steak with a New York steak on one side and a filet mignon on the other. It tasted like a gigantic fresh cut of meat that was cooked over hot charcoal. The steak was served medium to rare.  The inner most section was medium while the outer areas were rare. The meat was able to come right of the bone as if it was being pulled apart like ribs. The juices were even more tasty with seasoning being washed into my mouth like a river of flavor. It was served with Chianti wine that complimented the steak and roasted potatoes that empowered the flavor of being roasted with butter. 

        

In Greece, while in Athens, I was able to enjoy an authentic gyro meat dish served at the restaurant was named Kosmikon. I chose the gyro meat dish because I've always had it at a diner in America. I swear it was not so I could brag to my sister about eating the Greek dish in Greece.  This place provided one of the best gyro dishes I have ever had. The meat consisted of a mix between lamb and chicken. The blend was masterfully crafted. It made my mouth water when I put it in the pita bread with the Gonzalez sauce. The Sauce tastes like an earthy and salty blue cheese with a sharp flavor. The experience of having authentic gyro meat was worth coming to Greece. I've had it at American places like diners, but it has never tasted this fresh. The freshness gave the meat an added taste that greatly consumed my tastebuds to the full extent.