Culture Shock

It was my understanding that a semester in England would expose me to British culture and enlighten me as to the inner workings of British society; silly, silly me. Obviously, I should have known that actually, it’s Italian culture that one travels to England to experience. And what an experience it is. I have previously extolled the virtues of having lovely friends, who happen to be mostly (but not all) Italian and are willing to let me eat their delicious food. This week, I learned that Italian friends are great, but Italian friends’ families are even better.

Last weekend, Martina’s mother, sister and aunt visited, and I was told that when Martina opened a large suitcase they had brought, instead of clothing, toiletries, and all the other things people typically pack for international trips, it was full of fresh food for her (and by extension, us). That was my first clue that food is kind of important in Italian culture, particularly in the south. On Tuesday night, they came to the dorm where Francesca and I live, carrying bags of food and cooking utensils, and spent the next two hours cooking a wonderful meal for Martina and friends, a total of nine people. That is love, and parents, I hope you’re taking notes (but you don’t actually have to cook for me. Just send peanut butter, jelly, Chicago-style pizza, and apple pie. And maybe some ice cream while you’re at it. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find here.) We ate fresh pasta (I seriously did not know such a thing existed) with mushrooms and sausages, and then cheese, which apparently is a dinner course in and of itself. Her family brought homemade mozzarella and another type of cheese, which I can neither prnounce nor remember. I previously believed the only type of mozzarella cheese was the kind that was shredded and found next to the Velveeta in the grocery store. This mozzarella might as well have been from a different planet. The texture was some sort of a cross between eggs, bread and jello, and although it goes without saying that it was very good, it was among the oddest looking foods I’d ever seen.

In addition to studying the cheese, I was also really interested to see how everyone interacted at the dinner table. (And considering most of the conversation was in Italian since not all of Martina’s family spoke English, I had plenty of time to observe.) Although her family had just arrived a few days earlier and probably hadn’t spent more than a few hours getting to know her friends, you wouldn’t know that we all weren’t one big family. As far as I could tell, there were no awkward silences, no formalities, not even the “getting-to-know-you” questions that normally characterize dinners where my family and friends meet. There was just conversation, laughter, and most surprisingly of all, even a fair amount of light teasing. The Olive Garden commercials (“When you’re here, you’re family”) suddenly make so much more sense…At the end of the meal, I took my friends aside and learned my first Italian phrase (I’m as smart as an Italian toddler, yay!). At the right moment, I attempted to say “grazie, era delizioso” (thank you, it was delicious). I have no idea if I said it right, but I’m going to assume that I didn’t offend anyone, because everyone clapped and made a fuss over me. :)

Even though the largest slice of culture I’m absorbed into here is Italian, I at least have a front row seat to British culture, from the outside looking in. Back in November, I was put on the Student Union mailing list, and I started getting outraged messages about the university cutting staff and lecturers to save money. Many students were clearly upset, and it was an issue people were talking about. I understand students do, from time to time, latch onto an issue, write editorials for the newspaper, start Facebook groups and then, after a few days or weeks, they forget about it and move onto something else. At least, that’s the American pattern; British students, apparently, have better long-term memories. Last week, (mind you, a few months after this uproar began), some students organized a protest (not the first that I’ve seen since I’ve been here) and marched from the library to a campus building, where 70 of them literally occupied the building overnight, forcing security to evacuate and seal off the building. All of this over measures that students are barely batting an eyelash to in the U.S. A few years ago, there was a similar situation at Wash. U., but since I’ve been there, I haven’t seen anything like this. I admire their dedication, and I’m surprised they have the organization and passion to pull something like this off; I’m even more shocked that the university administration allows it.

It’s hard to say how many students on campus support the activists, because they are so vocal. One of my classmates and her friends seem to think that most of the activists are overly-privileged students with too much time on their hands, and if they really wanted to improve education at Sussex, they would stop taking over classrooms and forcing lecturers to cancel class. Incidentally, that’s one of the few occasions I’ve heard anyone in either country upset about class being canceled. If you’re interested, check out an account of recent events: The Badger.

As if Sussex students didn’t have enough campaigning to do, Student Union officer elections were held last week; the level of dedication these candidates have for the process is completely befuddling to this Wash. U. student. We had particularly cold and damp weather that week, but it didn’t deter the candidates and their supporters from standing around Library Square, handing out flyers and educating anyone who made eye contact about their platform. (Yes, they had supporters and platforms. It's like they actually care about the quality of student experience or something...) It was all so serious and professional! I doubt most Wash. U. students (myself included) even bother to vote in our student union elections. That, however, was hardly an option here since on the last day of elections, students stood at the entrance to campus and asked everyone who came or went if they had voted. Talk about peer pressure…However, it remains to be seen if this student government is any more effective and involved with the student body than Wash. U.’s. Stay tuned!

I should probably get to bed now, since I leave at 7:30 tomorrow morning for a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. Keep your fingers crossed for me that the weather cooperates and that city maps of Bath are very, very clearly marked, since I’ll have a good three hours to get lost…er, independently explore the area!