A Day in the Life

This is the story of a day in the life of Mike in Rome. Feel free to go on iTunes and turn on "A Day in the Life" while reading this to enjoy it even more. You might need to loop it a few times.

So yesterday, Tuesday, I had a bunch of blog-worthy experiences. I was too busy yesterday to blog about them though, yes, watching The Godfather trumped blogging, I'm sorry. So Tuesday, as you all might know by now, is my intense school day. Class starts for me at 9am and I don't get home until around 7pm. So for my Bodies and Burials class we met at Le Terme di Diocletian (The Baths of Diolcetian) to check out some ancient remains dug up there from Etruscan and Latin tribes pre-Roman times. Of course it was a 45 minutes bus ride there across Rome in the height of the morning rush. I strolled out onto the busy street around 8am after I grabbed the 1 euro cornetto + cafe (pastry and espresso) deal at the bar next door, what a great wake me up.

So on the bus ride there, I experienced the first of my three cultural experiences. A woman got on a few stops after me. I watched her through the cover of my sunglasses survey everyone in the bus, then zone in on me, smile and walk over. She approaches me and in English with a heavy Italian accent starts asking me for money for her bus fare. This comes just a few days after I had been reading in my Connecting Across Cultures textbook about the many American stereotypes including generosity, wealth and naive trust (not exactly new information to me). I did not have any change for her, the ATM's only dispenses 50 euro bills and I wasn't about to lend that. The best part came afterward. She didn't even so much as try asking another person on that bus for money, not a single one, because she knew no one would. There had to have been at least 20 some others on it. She simply rode it for free and got off about 5 stops later. It left me wondering a bunch of things: how did she know to speak English to me from the get-go, is it that obvious that I'm American? Let me set the scene for you. I was wearing my new slim jeans, button down shirt, leather jacket with black scarf, is that really so obvious? I was kind of offended that she also assumed I knew no Italian and didn't even bother using it. Also, how come she came to me first but didn't bother pestering any one else? Are Americans known to be that niave and free-spending/lending? Okay...maybe.. Point is, that experience was just a microcosm of everything I've been trying to not be stereotyped as since I got here and basically put me to shame and made me feel like all the effort I'm using to blend in is in vain. Oh well, I know I'm trying my hardest. Does that really count for anything in reality?

Second unique experience. After the class was over, which was very fascinating and I learned a ton of cool stuff about that area, I went out to McDonalds at Piazza Repubblica with a couple guys I met in class; that's the first time I've had McDonalds since high school by the way, I forgot how much I used to love those chicken nuggets. Anyways, after taking the bus from there back to AUR (the bus route took us by the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus etc, no big deal) I'm getting off topic. I then went for a walk to find a computer store near campus because my McAfee subscription ran out. Okay so a man approached me asking for information on which bus would take him to Viale Trastevere. He asked in Italian and I responded to him in good Italian telling them that I wasn't sure which bus to take because I'm new to the city but I think that he should take the bus that's pulling up now. The look that took over his face told me that he didn't understand much of what I said and I feared that I had struck out for the second time today and spoken Italian so poorly that he didn't understand a word I said. Don't give up hope on me just yet. He responds in broken English! (whattt!) and says "I sorry, but I not know Italian good, do you by chance speak English?" So naturally we started talking in English and I explained to him what bus I think he should take during which he compliments me saying that MY English is very good for an Italian boy. #ProudestMomentOfMyLife. I never told him I was American..#oops. By the way, I didn't mention this but he was from Libya and just got to Italy. Regardless, I convinced him that I was Italian, more victory for me. I know, I know, what does a man from Libya who doesn't speak much Italian or English know about determining which nationality I am? I. Don't. Care. Best feeling I've gotten since being here.

It didn't last long. After my unsuccessful and equally frustrating walk around the area being led in circles looking for a computer store, I gave up and walked back to the tram to catch it back to school area. Yeah, wow I rode a lot of public transportation, have to make that 30 euro monthly pass pay for itself. So I'm on the tram, and a little boy comes up to me alone begging for change, he didn't have any adult with him. I felt really bad for him. He didn't really say anything, he just came up and held his cupped hands up to me and gave me a sad face, he looked about 8. I wish I had had change to give him, but my meal at McDonalds inconveniently ended up even so I still only had big bills with me. I said, "I'm sorry, no change."; in English.. Bad move Mike. His next words, accompanied by a huge smile were, "Ahhh sei americano? Per favore, per favore" To which he raised his hands even higher and closer to my pockets. In retrospect I should have spoken Italian to him (duh) and maybe he wouldn't have noticed but once he learned I was American, apparently some expectations were set. Again, I felt stereotyped for being American (not in a good way) and it just reminded me of how I failed again at assimilating into their culture. He also spent more time making me feel guilty than he did with anyone else on the tram. Even old grandmothers shrugged him off and his (non)reaction was even more surprising. Did I have a sign on me that said "easy money"? Surely a young college student couldn't have been expected to give more money than the adults on the tram? Nope and Nope.

I know it's only been a little less than a month, but it's kind of a bummer. Long and lonely tram ride back to school. My night class was really fun though for what it's worth. It's not as easy as I thought it would be adjusting to Italian life. I really want to be able to walk around and stop having people come up to me speaking English because they are Italian and assume I'm an ignorant American who doesn't know anything in Italian besides grazie. It would also be nice to just have people stop coming up to me speaking English because they can tell automatically that I'm American. Nothing against America, I love you, but if I'm going to be living here for a third of a year I want to be as Italian as I can. I have the rest of my life to be American in America.

On a brighter note, I learned the word for stamps so I was able to buy stamps so I can start sending out postcards, keep an eye on your mailbox or send me your address if I don't yet have it. Furthermore, I found sour cream and onion Pringles at the store today and am currently snacking on them. What a great pick me up. I'd like to take this moment to let my roommate Juan know unless he gives me an offer I can't refuse, there's not a chance he will ever get so much as a chip.

Tuscany day trip on Saturday to go wine tasting and learn how to make pasta by hand. Should be fun, going to a villa out in the countryside. Let's hope I don't get lost again tomorrow night going to the Extreme Language Project at the pub.