Submitted by Zachary Allen on the 2018 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science and the Department of English…
The program so far has been an exciting and life changing experience. Our first day was spent in Milan, learning about the history and culture from our tour guide Roberto. We visited many of the most important cultural icons in Milan, such as Sforza Castle and the world’s most famous opera house, La Scala, and the Milan Cathedral. Our tour guide Roberto explained that many of the street vendors are African migrants because of Italy’s proximity to Africa. He described them as ‘mosquitoes’. My professor connected this to our class, describing how experiences can shape and alter language in only a few years.
My first experience of culture shock occurred the next day in Verona. I walked around the city at 9:30 in the morning, only to realize that in Italy most shops don’t open until 10:00 am and close around 6:30 pm. As a result, there are 24 hour vending machine kiosks, which serve as a replacement for American 24 hour convenience stores. A local teacher also explained to me that her local friends went to visit the first 24 hour supermarket in a neighboring city because it is such a rarity.
I was surprised to learn during our day trip to Venice that boats are used by many people just to get to and from work or school. Our tour guide also explained that the city often floods in the winter season, and Venice has walkways which people use to get around when this occurs.