CIAO!
Maybe we should have begun with something more formal like “salve” rather than “ciao” since this is the first time you’re reading, but oh well!
It might make sense to start with what this space is NOT …
- A TRAVEL BLOG – There are already thousands of those and they are much more informed than I am. Will we touch on things related to travel? Sure, but that’s not the focus.
- A FOOD BLOG – There may be even more Italian food blogs than travel blogs, so we’ll leave that to the experts for now except when there’s something really interesting to share.
- A BLOG ABOUT THE ITALIAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE – This is not a place where we’ll be sharing photos of what your Nanna’s kitchen table looks like on Sunday or the crazy things Uncle Pauly says. Those are fun, but that’s not what this is.
- AN ITALIAN LANGUAGE BLOG – This blog will be in English. We’ll sprinkle in some Italian phrases and encourage people in their journey to learn Italian, but it’s primarily for an english speaking audience.
So then what is this? It’s an attempt by someone that loves Italy and Italian culture to fill in the gaps about what Italy is like today. As a result of the century long process of assimilation that involved discouraging Italian immigrants from passing on or even speaking their native language, there is a lot that Americans (even those of Italian descent) don’t know about Italy and Italian culture today. It may come as a surprise that opera (while still important) hasn’t been the most popular music in Italy for decades. You might find it interesting that there are directors and writers that are leading a renaissance on the Italian film and TV industry. Italy is a living, breathing, evolving country, and a goal of this blog is to re-introduce you to this complex and beautiful country.
Before the internet, it would have been very difficult to watch Calcio, catch up with popular music, or keep up with the ever-changing governmental situation in Italy. Fortunately, there are more resources than ever to sink your teeth into what it means to be Italian today. This site will keep you aprised of the latest trends in music, sports, film, and the news, and let you know how you can access those worlds.
At the end of the day, my reasons for starting ItalianCultureOggi.com (oggi means today, btw), are both altruistic and selfish. On the one hand, I want to share the contemporary culture of this amazing place where my ancestors lived for centuries. On the other, the more people that are interested in Italian culture, the more I’ll get to consume.
BUON DIVERTIMENTO!