Assignment #1: Border across the city

When I look at the last few days here in Rome I can say that one of the more obvious borders is the one that has impacted me the most. Language defines so much of who we are. If defines the way we treat people, how polite we are or aren’t and the way other perceive us. While we all like to think that we are oblivious to the opinions of others and are immune to the impact they have on us, I think that in a new country its important to not ignore the perception that people have of you, based solely on language.

If you think about even the most minuscule impact that language has on our everyday life, I think that you would be shocked. As a waitress back home I think about the small ‘thanks you’ and ‘pleases,’ and how much I appreciate the words, and even how with those small things I imagine that the person must be a good person or better then maybe originally assumed.

As foreigners here I wish so badly that I could be kind and sound genuinely sorry when I bump someone, touch something that I shouldn’t or even make painful attempts at Italian words that I butcher so badly I think it makes them, ACTUALLY, physically sick. The way language is used in Italy is similar to the way I think Americans fight. They use each word with such a severe passion and with a defined meaning that everything else in comparison seems so lacking.

The border that language creates between me and the other Italians here breaks my heart. I have no way of communicating to most of the people here. Those who can communicate with me do so in English and not in an appreciative way. It seems to be in a merely necessary way rather then in a communicative way. They speak English to sell me something, or answer a question. Never to talk, explain or make any connection with me. But do I really blame them?

When I am home my reaction to foreigners is one that usual ends in frustration for an inability to communicate, and this is when I don’t even make the effort to try to speak to them in their native language, at least they can say they tried. What’s my excuse?

I guess overall being the outsider is different then I remembered. Being the person who isn’t in the know is something that I’m not quite use to and here I don’t have another option but to try and probably fail for a little while. I do want to learn, I want to speak to Italians in their language and make them proud of my effort or at least appreciative. I don’t want to disrespect them or appear to be ignorant to the beauty of their speech and culture. So while this may be a border for me now I hope this border changes, and I believe that it can. So for now…Ciao!