Submitted by Troy Flagler on the 2016 spring semester program in Tuscany, Italy…
This weekend, I traveled to Rome, Italy. Rome is quite different from all the other Italian cities and towns I’ve visited. Rome is a huge tourist hub and caters to tourists in many ways from lodging and dining to shopping and tours of the Roman attractions. The city was very crowded, and even more so due to the Roman Marathon taking place in which people from across the world meet in order to compete. What made Rome so different from the other Italian locations I’ve visited is that some of the Italian language and culture has clearly been dominated and diminished by the huge tourism business. I don’t believe I met a single person that didn’t speak some form of English. Signs and restaurant menus commonly appear in English with Italian below it. I think this is symbolic of the way in which tourism has grabbed hold of the Italian community’s eyes so strongly that their own cultural background has somewhat been lost in the process. I didn’t get that traditional “Italian vibe” from the city of Rome. However, to be honest, I did enjoy the fact that I could order a large, juicy burger with Heinz ketchup and a heaping side of French fries for dinner. I think the hardest transition for me has been the difference in cuisine. The Italian cuisine predominantly consists of carbohydrates. Although the pizza, pasta and breads are prepared very well and taste good, these foods lack critical vitamins and minerals as well as protein.
Overall, I think I have adapted to the Italian lifestyle relatively easily. At this point, there are only three weeks left to my Tuscany study abroad program. I am starting to think of returning home and preparing myself for the summer ahead of me. I fear that it may actually be more difficult to associate back into the rapid-paced American way of life when I return home to the United States. I am both excited and a bit anxious of the weeks that lie ahead of me.