American Values vs. Italian Values

Over the past several months, I have grown and my personal values have been strengthened. I left my home of eighteen years, completed my first year of college, and spent the summer working at a camp I had never even seen, and each of these steps prompted changes in me. These experiences provided the foundation I needed to be prepared for this time away from all that is familiar to me. I thought about my values well before my arrival in Italy, but now that I am here I feel as if the time I have spent thinking about them has helped me adjust to this new place. Through the readings in Maximizing Study Abroad, I have not only been led to think about equality, time, change, and informality as cultural values, but also how they are viewed differently in the United States and Italy.
The book states that according to American values we are all equal under law. While I believe that this is true I do not feel as though people live this way. Even while I am at Meredith I haven’t always felt equal to my classmates. A friend nicely summed up Americas new obsession with money and social class one day at a presentation on equality when she said “people aren’t judged on being black, white, or brown anymore because it is now about green.” When she said this she was referring to money while trying to make a point that people are being judged on their level in society today, more so than the color of their skin. I feel we have begun to overcome racism with the first African American president, but now people look at the “green” people have to place them in society. I have also seen this while in Italy starting with a friend telling me about the “farmers” here. These are referred to as the people of the lower class that attempt to act as if they have more money and more importance in society. They are in truth of the lower class because they are making less money and have less important jobs. When it comes to equality I become ignorant because I personally think it is not where it should be, and that is at a less judgmental place than it sits right now.
The gift of time is extremely precious to me since I feel that in each moment of the day I should have a reason to be doing what I am doing. I think that the American way has forced us to value time as something precious, but in a way that hasn’t allowed us the calm “go with the flow” view that Italians seem to have. I admire the fact that most Italians take time to eat a three course lunch every day and take time for a nap. Meanwhile, people from the U.S. may or may not even make time to eat lunch and only wish they could go home for a nap. It is the way that Americans perceive time that is so different from Italians – we can’t waste a minute of the time we are given, and if we don’t take time to do something, then we are wasting time. The American perspective of time connects directly to our value of activity. I agree that Americans feel that instead of simply talking about doing something, they should really do it. This gives us the satisfaction that we are purposeful and focused on a goal. While I see Italians to be just as driven as we are, some may see their lack of activity results in simply not having a goal or idea. In reality, they are more relaxed about the things that need doing and the time needed to complete them.
While the book says that Americans can start over and move on to something else with ease, I disagree on a personal level. I recognize that many Americans are moving to new homes and getting new jobs daily, but when we are asked or forced to completely change our lifestyle we are not always pleasant about it. Changing the natural routine I put myself into throws me off completely and then I have to adjust to this new way of doing things, which then leads to frustration. I think that Italians are so into “going with the flow” that when something has to change they simply accept it while we Americans begin to stomp and shout about it.
As for the section on informality, I couldn’t disagree more. The text says that Americans give off a welcoming “come as you are tone.” While the U.S. is a very diverse nation, it isn’t always an accepting one. If I were to walk through customs behind a man with a turban on his head he would most likely get held up, while I would ease my blonde haired self past. I want to agree that we make everyone entering America feel welcome, but I believe we can’t say we are doing such either. In Italy I have been stared at, which I feel is because I am a blonde haired young woman who looks like an alien to Italians. They may see me and become curious with bitterness about why I am in their town. Americans do the same, and as some point I think everyone I know, including myself, is guilty of giving someone that same curious look.
While I don’t agree with all American values on a personal level, I do feel that many of them hold truth. Also, I want to disagree with some American values, such as time. I can’t do this though, because I have always taken time as a precious gift and I know I don’t give myself enough of a break. I believe that in my time abroad I should watch the way Italians view and value individuality, time, change, and informality so that I can continue to learn and grow in the things I value.