Futball (NOT SOCCER!)

Italian culture is fantastic. First of all, as it turns out, Italians are really into their cities. I mean, they live by them. They don't call themselves Italian. They are from Florence, or Siena, or Tuscany, or Rome, or Naples, or Venice, and each one of these places hates every other one except for when the other city beats a city they hate more. Fiorentina (the futball team of Florence) is incredible passionate and hates all other teams around. The agreed upon most hated team in Italy is Florence, because they are so stuck up. The number two team is Venice. Watching the game was truly expressive of what it means to be Italian. The players would sulk for minutes if they missed an open shot. I mean,  the whole stadium and game would stop to watch this one guy sulk. And then one of his team mates would have to help him back up and encourage him, and then the game would go on like it never happened. It almost looks like i'm watching a corny soccer movie, where everything is over dramatized. On T.V., a couple of nights ago, Florentina played a German team, and it was like watching robots play against professional actors. The Germans won (because of a horribly miss called score that should of been off sides, the head ref was even temporarily suspended because of it) and i couldn't help but watch the Italians afterwards. It was more entertaining to watch the Italians loose than the Germans win. In football back home, the losers just put their head down and walk of the field. But the Italians were crying, and hugging each other, and kicking everything in site. It even looked like one of them was going to charge the Germans. The Germans on the other hand looked like our loosing teams back home, heads down and walked up the field. Dakota has a Juventus jacket (a futball team somewhere near by, that is probably the best team in italy right now) and at dinner one night the waiter pulled him aside and half threatned to kill him and half tried to save his life by saying "you cant wear that jacket around here, if i dont kill you someone else will. It would be like wearing a red socks jacket in New York..." (this was priceless, and i think Dakota actually enjoyed it). I mean, the rivalry here is so strong, that the Florentines actually root for other national teams when they play Italy. Because most of italy's national team is Juventus players. The romans, when they came to play here, were allready in the stadium when we showed up. They were literally walled off in their own section of the bleachers with purposefully left empty bleachers on both sides. When they scored on us (those sons of bitches) the romans through red and gold flares out of their section into near by ones. I flare literally hit the guy next to me. Now of course, every italian in the arena wanted to charge the section, for about 5 min, then they acted like it had never happened. I think they just want to get outraged. I took a picture of a "gold man" when he was first putting the stuff onto his face, and he started yelling at me. I trully dont undertand why, i guess he didnt feel he was ready for pictures yet. It would be like taking pictures of an actor when he was first getting dressed...one thing is for sure though, everything here is entertaining, or it is once you get off the main streets. All of the shops on the main tourists streets are very "american" in that they want you to come in, buy something, and get out. But the shops every where else are just the opposite. For example, i was waiting in line for my panino yesterday when the lady at the register started to help this other guy put his sandwiches into a plastic bag. It was a nice gesture, im sure he could of maniged on his own, but she was going to help him. In the mean time, the line in the place was out of the door. Everything is about the idea of something, its about making the best damn paninis in the world, or the nicest leather jackets, the money is just an after thought. My first thought was, "wow this is way better than back home, where its "in-and-out" as fast as possible" but once i thought about it i realized that in some ways its as if they are more interested in the popularity than the money. Back home people want money first, fame second. Here, people just want fame, because they know if they get it they will get the money with it. But i like it more, there is a courtisy that exists, not soo much towards me because i dont speak italian and just look akward no matter where i go, but it definitely can be seen towards others. Even my friends Andrea and Jennifer, who speak and look very spanish/mexican get treated alot differently (i think better) because they always ask if the italian speakes espanol before they ask if he speaks english (hanging out with them is a kick too, i dont understand just about everything that is going on around me in italian during the day, and then i go to their house and i dont understand just about everything that is going on around me in spanish, but im getting used to it. I just sit their and wait for them to come back to english, they almost always do). There is a political movement starting in the north that wants italy to start moving back towards states and away from a unified country. Its an intersting idea, which is really picking up speed, but essentially it is actually BACKWARDS progress in relation to most of the world. Maybe its a better movement, but its an odd one. Everyone is talking about and wanting globalization. Easier trade, easier communication, better jobs, but italy wants to move back to being independed sub states. Why? I think a big part of it is the pride Italians have in their own culture, which varies greatly every mile almost. I mean, before Italy unified as a country, the dilects from region to region were so unique that Florentines could not communicate with Venetians. Thats an incredible concept, isnt it? It would be like San franciscans not being able to communicate with people from Organ (oraganians??). But with that dialect people feel united, or maybe unique. And its more than just the language thts different. Each city has its famous invention. Its food that its famous for. And you cant find it any where else in Italy. Thats just wrong in their mind, and it would be acknowleding that its good if you started making it. So the menus even are completely different from town to town. There are really no big chains either. I mean, literally, the only big chain in florence is McDonalds. There are three, all in the most touristy/ghetto areas. AIFS said that if they ever hear about us eating at McDonalds why we are here, they will personally make us pay. And to remember that they know where we live. Thank God, becuase i feel the same way. I have not looked inside one yet, and i hope it will never accure to me to go inside to eat something. I understand that wanting something from home, but there are other places to go.

we will see if i can live without it....the only thing i really miss is chips and salsa...funny huh?