I stood at the top of the “Wedding Cake,” one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever stepped foot on and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. Both were majestic and awe-inspring. However, they were beautiful for very different reasons; the building because it was a depiction of the artistic talent, capablities, and power of man and the sunset (on the contrary) because of it's complete separation from man. Unlike man who harbors biases and prejudice, the sun has no such thoughts. It rises and sets the same everywhere --in Seattle, Rome, and in every country in between.
I wasn't the only one admiring this beautiful, impartial sun. There were a few scattered tourists and some Italians standing alongside me. I wondered what was going through their minds --whether either of them worried about the fickleness of man and the unfairness of life (too often caused by the unfairness of man). I knew this would be the time for me to find out. I decided then and there that I would ask somebody on that building how they felt about the immigration problems in the south. Sunsets have a tendency to be inspirational!
However, the move from planning to step out of your comfort zone to actually doing it is tends to be filled with unforeseen obstacles and doubts. Even standing close enough to people to hear what language they were speaking was nerve-wracking. My goal was to find someone who spoke a little French, English, or maybe even Italian. Fortunately, I can understand Italian pretty well when spoken slowly –but unfortunately, I still can’t really speak it myself. Luckily, I found a French-speaking couple and slowly moved toward them nonchalantly. I moseyed around next to them for a while… And by the time I got my nerve up to actually talk to them, they moved on.
This was discouraging. It also had the opposite effect of making me determined to approach someone else quickly. Now I was definitely ready to ask my question. I walked up next to another couple and tried to figure out what language they were speaking. It wasn’t one I recognized. However, as I started to walk away, I heard the woman speak to the man in perfect English and listened to him reply in broken English. This time, I decided to take the plunge without wasting any more time. I walked right up to them, told them I was a student from America studying immigration and I was curious if they were aware of the immigration problems happening in the south of Italy. There was the slightest pause before they answered but I swear I could feel my heart beating through my chest in that split second. My entire body was hyper aware and I was praying that they understood me and were willing to answer.
They had and they were. In fact, both had answers on the subject and spewed out information pretty quickly! The woman seemed happy to have someone to discuss her opinions with and was very heated on the subject. The man seemed more unsure. The woman was from England and did most of the talking. The man generally agreed with her –although he seemed less passionate on the topic. I never found out where he was from but the language they were speaking to each other seemed Slavic.
Here is a general summary of what they told me:
Illegal iImmigration is a huge problem. It is not only a problem in the south of Italy, but rather all over Europe. And it is ridiculous. These people are migrating mainly from North Africa and Eastern Europe (the Balkans) and are becoming more than just a nuisance. Instead of fixing problems in their own country and raising the standard of living there, they are coming to our countries to lower our standard of living. Of course this is going to lead to social unrest! And these riots are only the start of it. Eventually, all of Europe is going to become fed up. There should be stricter immigration laws and enforcement of those laws to prevent these sorts of problems.
When asked about the humanitarian aspect of it, she simply repeated that she thinks they should go back to their own countries and fix things up there instead.
The man, on the other hand, was calmer and more reserved. I got the impression that he was more sympathetic to the immigrants. I also think he may be an immigrant himself (though one that found much success wherever he emigrated to). I wish I could have talked to him more but he seemed embarassed to contradict the woman, and she was content to direct most of the conversation. Regardless, it was a fascinating experience.
Not only was it the whole experience an adrenaline rush, but it was also a very interesting conversation. I didn’t realize how passionate people were about this topic. They seemed much more informed than American citizens are about such things (even things happening in their own country). And I was surprised how willing they were to talk to me. It was a very fulfilling experience. It started out with my heart beating fast and my mind yelling at me to turn back and ended with success and relief. They talked to me! They were nice, friendly, and seemed to genuinely care that I understood what they had to say.
Experience #2 (not chronological)
On our walk to the Jewish Ghetto last week, we passed a huge demonstration on the street. Julie went to ask what was going on, but the man she asked spoke only Italian and French. I speak French. Well, by that I mean I've taken over four years of French in school so theoretically, I speak French. I mumbled out loud that I could talk to him but I didn't think anyone had heard me and wasn't all that excited about making it known. But someone did hear me. Derek pushed me forward and urged me to go help. I was to be a translator. I told the man I spoke French and he said he was willing to speak with me. Julie had me ask him what was going on, why the police was there, who was involved, and whether this had anything to do with the riots in the South.
His very rushed (and sometimes difficult to understand) responses were that this was a big demonstration by Romans, other Italians, and complete immigrants alike. They had been kicked out of their homes and fired from their jobs. They had nowhere else to go. He said there just wasn't any place for them. Furthermore, he said the police was there in case the group became violent, mirroring the riots of the south. He believes something needs to change to give these people a chance....to give them a better life....to at least give them the opportunity to make a better life for themselves. He also gave us a flyer that had further explanations.
FYI: words like "riot" are extremely difficult to translate into a language you have only learned in school and never truly practiced. However, I was extremely proud of my ability to communicate! Although I did not know how to say all the things Julie told me to say directly in French, I was able to explain what I meant and make him understand my questions relatively efficiently. It was one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me. I've always wondered if I actually know enough French to communicate with somebody and this was a perfect test of my speaking ability. The situation was high-stress, loud, crowded, and I felt pressured to succeed. It was exhilarating. Even now, I still feel accomplished and more determind than ever to learn Italian.
My opinions:
I've been back to the place where the demonstration was being held multiple times. I hoped to see the French-speaking man again but I did not find him. However, everyone else was still there. It appears to be like he said it is --they have nowhere else to go. I never feel quite settled walking there. I don't know what to think. I don't feel that I know enough about immigration laws in Italy and the rest of Europe to have a valid opinion about them. I also don't know what popular opinion really is and whether that can even be changed by the laws. I feel helpless when I walk by there and see them. As I'm writing, I feel helpless. I believe the only way to get rid of this feeling is to become more informed, read the newspapers, and talk to people with different opinions. At the end of the day, that's all any of us can do.
Ciao for now
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