What can the U.S take from Italy for Health Promotion?

I think that the United States could learn a lot from Italy in terms of health promotion. First off, and possibly most importantly is the diet. Italians eat much better than Americans overall. Much of the Italian food here is fresh food, which is the opposite of the American food we eat daily. Almost all of it is processed foods, whereas Italians make their food every day. It is all much more fresh. When you get a pizza in America it is really greasy. However, even the smallest roadside stand here has pizza that has no trace of grease. Even the popular Italian dessert, Gelato (a favorite of mine) is much healthier when compared to its United States counterpart, ice cream. Overall, their diet is simply healthier.
Another thing that the U.S can take from Italy is the lifestyle. Italians walk everywhere. If they are not walking they are bicycling. That is why in the two months I have been here I have not seen one overweight Italian person. They are all healthy people. If I had spent two months in America I would have seen hundreds of overweight people, but here in Italy I did not see one. They seem to learn this lifestyle very early on. The parks you see everyday are always packed full of kids playing, couples walking, and people walking dogs. Parks in the United States are seldom packed.
While there are many things that the United States can learn from Italy, there are also many things that Italy can learn from us. For one thing, many more Italian people smoke than American people do. I often make the joke that I have second hand smoked far more than my fair share in my two short months here in Italy. Everyone smokes everywhere. At Termini, in the cafés, airports, outside of the basilicas, anywhere any time they will smoke if they can. This is obviously a very unhealthy activity that they do much more than Americans. Also, the sanitation in hospitals is lower (at least based off of our experience at the hospital at San Giovanni). Nurses were touching babies without gloves on. This would not have happened in the United States under any circumstances.
Overall, I think we can learn a lot from the Italian people in terms of health promotion. If we could learn to maintain a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle America would be in a much better place in terms of our health. McDonalds can be found every couple of miles in America. However here in Italy I have only seen three, and the food at these fast food is much more (take a guess) fresh. The diet and lifestyle of them is simply ahead of that of the Americans.

Final GL Blog

Here in the city of Rome we have all learned many things that have helped us to be global citizens. Simply being in Rome gives us a look at the lifestyle of Italians compared to that of people living in the United States. In chapter 2 of Gaudium et Spes it says, "Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters. In fact, the more deeply we come to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue with them." (Gaudium et Spes, Chapter 2). This quote really applies to coming to understand people who live differently than us, or people who have different  values than us. While we have lived here in Rome among the Italian people for two months, I think we came to understand them much better and have come to learn the way they live.
One thing I was very worried about before the trip was the transportation. I had never been on a plane, train, or subway before this trip so I did not know what to expect. However, after just a couple of days I felt like a master of the transportation here. I knew who the pickpockets were, I knew how to find my way on my own in the metro, and I knew the train schedule. I think we also came to understand the lifestyle of Italians. When compared to Americans, the lifestyle here is much more active. Italians walk everywhere, and something Professor pointed out on the second day we were here was that if you look at all of the children you will notice that none of them are overweight. The entire time I was here I noticed that I had not seen one Italian who was overweight. The opposite is true for America. Almost all of the kids are overweight, and only a few would be healthy.
We also took an Italian class here to learn how to get by when in certain social situations like when we are buying something. It gave us a look at how Italians communicate. However, even when you think you have a pretty good grasp on the language, Italians will notice immediately when you are from another country and will start talking in your language if they know it (which they usually do). We also got a great look at how the Italians view Catholicism with our experiences at the many masses we went to and the many churches we saw on a daily basis. After seeing the papal mass I think we all understood a little more how the Italian people are dedicated to the faith. In the book The Italians, Barzini even states that the Italians have always been committed to the church. This is what got them through the toughest times in their history. He states, "Spain exploited the spiritual hegemony of the Church to keep the people docile. All the time, like all good allies, they struggled for supremacy. The Church won in the end, it always does." (Barzini, pg. 303).
Finally, we all had the opportunity to live with an Italian family for entire week. This really gave all of us an even closer look at how Italians actually live their lives outside of work. We had meals prepared for us, and good living conditions provided for us. This really opened our eyes to the lifestyle of the Italian people. What they do in their free time, how often the work, how they cook, when they eat, and their habits were all on display in the short amount of time we had with them, and it was a great experience altogether. In the book The Smiles of Rome, Fellini states, "Rome does not need to make culture. It is culture. Prehistoric, classical, Etruscan, Renaissance, Baroque, modern. Every corner of the city is a chapter in an imaginary universal history of culture." (Fellini, pg. 302).

Can We Cure Disease Through Prayer?

Prayer is a very mysterious thing. Many people around the world participate in this (normally) daily activity. They send their prayers to God in hopes that they answered and things will turn out for the better in their times of need. To many, prayer is confusing. Why do people spend time in their day to pray to something that (according to some) may or may not exist. Often times prayer is used by family and friends in hopes to cure a loved one from an illness. When (or if) that person gets cured, some people will say that their prayers were answered. If the person is not cured people may say that God decided their time had come and there is nothing they can do.
In my own experience, when people tell me that they are praying for me I get empowered or encouraged to work harder. It makes me happy to think that people truly do care about my well-being. I think the same holds true for many other people as well. People like being cared for. Like it was brought up in our last class: God will put us into difficult circumstances, and sometimes you need the help of others to get through these circumstances. I think that this help is prayer. Some things can be too difficult to get through on your own and if you pray for help, I think in some way help will arrive. Or if you have contracted some kind of disease or illness, the power of prayer from our loved ones will help us to get through our tough times.
In our experiences here in Rome we have been to many churches and have seen many people at each one praying inside (despite the seemingly best efforts from the countless tourists). A prime example, while not a church, is the Holy Steps located outside of San Giovanni in Laterano. These steps are supposedly the same steps that Jesus walked multiple times before his crucification. They were imported form Jerusalem, and ever since countless people go up the steps on their knees praying to Jesus. Another good example was the church we visited in Nettuno, Italy. The church was Santa Maria Goretti. Maria was a young girl who had a very noticeable faith in God. She was also, however, a very attractive young girl who drew the attention of a man named Alessandro. Alessandro tried to force himself upon her but she refused. Alessandro stabbed her for denying him. While in jail, Alessandro had visions of Maria forgiving him. Alessandro was then converted to the Catholic faith after this event. The stories of Maria have really resonated with me and have made me a more firm believer in the power of prayer.
Overall, I do think that the power of prayer is powerful indeed and can be used to cure disease and illness. I think that the reason so many people participate in this activity on a daily basis, many other people would agree with me. Prayer is powerful, it can be used to help someone you love who is in need, it can be used to help get yourself through tough times, and it can be used to praise God and to give thanks for what you have.

GL 350 Blog 6

Prompt: In what ways is the Catholic Church both Roman and Global?

First off, the Roman Catholic Religion is an extremely popular religion all throughout the world. It is used in early every corner of the world on a daily basis. However, here in Rome there is something special about it. There is a church around every corner of the city, and the majority of them are much more beautiful and much larger than any church found in the United States. Churches like San Pietro, San Giovanni, San Clemente, Santa Maria Majore, San Poalo; the list could go on for days. All of these churches are not only beautiful inside and out, but also extremely large. I think that this shows how dedicated the Roman citizens have been to the Catholic faith throughout their existence. The sheer scope and size of all of these basilicas and the paintings and frescoes that were put into them goes to show that Romans are extremely dedicated to the Religion, as around 90% of the population is Catholic. In the book The Italians, Barzini states, "But Rome was something infinitely more than Paris in 1940. Rome was also God's seat on earth, the rock on which Christ had established His Church, the centre of a vast spiritual Empire of which all Christians had been subjects until a few years before." (Barzini, pg. 295).
Some of the best artists in history have put work into many of the basilicas around Rome. From Michelangelo to Bernini, artists throughout history have put some of their best work int the churches that can be four throughout Rome and I think that this also shows the importance that Italian people place on the Catholic faith. There are also many relics to be found in the churches around Rome. Graves of Popes and Cardinals line the floors, pieces of history like a relic from the Last Supper Table found in San Giovanni, or even pieces of the bodies of Saints can all be found in the churches of Rome. This is something that cannot be said of almost any church of the United States. The churches are also much older and this makes them feel much more authentic and original, simply because they are. There is simply nothing in the United States that can compare to the beauty of both San Pietro and San Giovanni, and these buildings were built hundreds of years ago, this is simply breath-taking to me. No church in the U.S is anywhere near as old.
Here in Rome on Easter Sunday, we all had the amazing opportunity to go and attend the Pope's mass. This experience also showed the dedication of the Italians to the Catholic Faith. Thousands people attended the mass and it as one of the most unique experiences of my life. The weather during the mass was terrible. However, Mike even pointed out that most likely non of us would be kneeling during the mass, however, there would be many people who would because of their dedication to the faith (even through the three straight hours of rain). This experience was something that was only possible to see here in Italy, and there is nothing else like it in the world. I think that this is one way that the Catholic Church is Roman.
It has come to my attention after attending a few of the masses here in Italy, that even while the masses have been in Italian or Latin, I still know exactly what is going on at all times. This is because even when we are hundreds of miles from home, the Church still uses the same routines to complete the mass. The tradition of the Church is truly global. No matter where you go, the Catholic mass will more or less be the same everywhere else. I think that this is how the Catholic Church is global. The same routines are followed everywhere you go. In the book The Smiles of Rome, Michelangelo states, "I know this true and prove it in my sculptures: art lives forever, death forfeits its trust" (Michelangelo, pg. 106). In this, I feel that the beauty and size of the basilicas, and the dedication the Roman Catholic Church of the Italian people, will also live forever.

GL 350 Blog 5

The way that Italians view leisure in my opinion is much different than that of the way Americans view leisure. I think that overall, Italians are much more active than Americans are and they tend to be out and about much more as well. Americans like to spend time in their homes with family and friends where as Italians spend time with family and friends at the piazzas around the large cities, or simply at one of the cities main landmarks like the Santa Maria del Fiore or the Coliseum for example. He two countries also (for the most part) enjoy different things to spend their time with. Italians watch soccer, whereas Americans watch football. However, Italians get crazy for soccer. The way Americans enjoy football doesn’t even come close. In America people paint up their bodies to support their team and get a little loud and that is the extent of it. Italians however will light smoke bombs, blow up real bombs, jump the gates to get in fights over which team is better and so on. The soccer game we went to was a completely different world to us.

            In the book, The Italians, Barzini states in chapter 10 that, “They know a man should not be kicked if he is old, if he is strong and can immediately kick back, if he can later avenge himself, if he has powerful friends or relatives, if he could be useful someday in any way, or if a policeman is watching.  But why not when he is down?” (Barzini, pg. 183). In America, it is a general rule to never kick a man when he is down, but in Italy, according to Barzini, this is the best time. Just like their way of life is different, their overall behavior is different. In Italy, there is so much history that you could spend a lifetime here and still not see it all. In America, we have a couple hundred years of it. The Italians have different views on leisure because of this. They enjoy totally different things than Americans do. They enjoy art, we enjoy movies. They enjoy spending their days out and about with family and friends and we prefer to do this in the comfort of our own homes. They enjoy soccer while Americans enjoy football, basketball and baseball. Finally, Americans like to get drunk (much more so than Italians). Danilo told some of us that Italians simply do not get drunk. They enjoy alcohol (like wine) but not like Americans enjoy beer.

            Overall, the way in which Americans and Italians view leisure is completely different. I think this is because the overall way of life is completely different too. In the book titled The Smiles of Rome, Muriel Spark states, “If you live in central Rome, you have only to walk down the street and you come to a fountain by Bernini in which children are playing or a Michelangelo embassy or some fine fifteenth-century building with today’s washing hanging out.” (Spark, pg. 231). The life of Italians is very different from the life of Americans. In America if you walk down the street you would be lucky to see almost anything with as much history as anything in Rome.

Is our health something we can control?

This past summer, after numerous failed attempts, I told myself I would finally lose weight. In the past, I would start out doing very well, then I would see that I had not made any progress so I would give up. This past summer I told myself that no matter what I would do all I could to lose weight. I was up to almost 270 pounds, eating a horrible diet, and was unable to do things I loved, like playing basketball, as well as I used to because I got tired very easily. At the end of summer, I had lost 40 pounds, but I was determined to keep going. I ended up losing 65 pounds before this trip, and I plan to keep going after the trip as well. But is my health completely in my control?
Even though I have lost all of this weight and I am living a much healthier lifestyle who is to say that I can't get sick with some kind of genetic illness, or even something totally out of the blue down the road like cancer? My point is that even though I am healthier now, there are some things you simply cannot control. Our health in general is not in our control because of these things. In Universal Health Care, John Goodman states that, "These differences are thought to reflect such lifestyle choices as diet, exercise, and smoking." (Goodman, pg. 128). These things are in our control. I was able to change my diet and exercise through willpower and the determination to keep going, and the same goes for the thousands of smokers who quit every year. However, he later states, "It makes far more sense to look at the diseases and conditions to which we know medical science can make a real difference-cancer, diabetes, and hypertension for example." (Goodman, pg. 129).
It makes sense that people who are against universal health care to look at the obese, drug, and alcohol addicted people, but like so many things, there is another side to the story that they are not telling. That side of the story is that unfortunate things can happen to anyone at any time and you can't only look t diet and exercise as your deciding factors. Even though I lost weight, there is no reason for me to say that I couldn't get sick at any time. I am not trying to bark up my own tree, I am just using myself as an example. In Gaudiem et Spes, it states, "If one is in extreme necessity, he has the right to procure for himself what he needs out of the riches of others" (Gaudium st Spes, Chapter 3, Section 2).
In the end, I do not think that our health is something that we can control completely because there are some things that happen out of nowhere that are out of our control. It is unfortunate but true. While our diet, exercise and bad habits are something that we can control, other things like cancer happen out of nowhere and we cannot help it. I think that no amount of exercise and grilled chicken can keep certain diseases away from you, and harm you in some way. While people who do exercise and eat well may not ever have anything happen to them, others are not so lucky.

GL 350 Blog 4

Prompt: How does the piazza provide a lens toward Italian culture?

I think that her win Rome (along with Florence and Venice) the lifestyle is completely different than it is back home. One thing that is very different to me is how Italians here tend to walk almost everywhere, whereas Americans walk very little when the two are compared side by side. The piazzas here in Rome are always full of people meeting up, seeing the sites, and going about their days. It is here where you can see people meeting up for lunch or simply chatting or walking around in groups. I think that the piazzas act as meeting places or just hangout spots for people.

This is interesting because when you think about these places back home, the places that come to mind would be someone's house. People in America (as it was brought up in class the other day) almost always spend their time with family and friends in their own homes. Houses back home tend to be bigger, and can be better used as place for gatherings and meeting places, whereas the homes here are much smaller and most often cannot be used as such. I also think that this has a lot to do with the lifestyles of the two countries. Here in Italy, or more specifically Rome, people are always walking around. Even the second day we were here, Professor Mustafaga pointed out to me that one thing you will notice when you look at the children here is that almost none of them are overweight, while back in America, it is almost the opposite, where the majority of kids will be overweight. People here do not sound their time indoors, they are always active and walking around. I still have yet to see any obese Italians, and I don't think I will.

Another thing you would notice about the piazzas are the shops. The roadside vendors that seem to be everywhere around areas like the Coliseum, and the large churches like San Giovanni. They all will try to give you a "special price", and as if you have been friends your entire life, they will answer the question "How much?" with "50 Euros, but for you, 40." They will do anything to sell what they have in their shops. They also seem like they can never be trusted. I remember the second day we were here in Rome and we were split up into two groups, some of us went to the Spanish Steps, and the others (including myself) went to the Coliseum. While we were there, we noticed a stand selling Rosaries, and Brandi wanted to buy one. After a while of talking to the shop owner, he tried to get Brandi to buy a Rosary for 10 Euros, she said that we would be back tomorrow and she would think about it. He said he would not be there tomorrow, he was going somewhere else. As we were walking away, he stopped her one last time and said, "5 Euros for you!" and she bought it. We went back the next day and sure enough he was indeed there, contrary to what he had told us.

In the book, The Italians, Barzini says, "But he is lying not for himself. He is lying for you.He wants you to feel at peace until Thursday at least, warmed by the hope that your shoes will arrive." (Barzini, pg. 78). This reminds me of the story Professor told us in class about his dry cleaning and how he was told it would be done by a certain day, but hen he went he was met with the phrase "that is not possible". This brings to mind the quote by Barzini which states, "How many impossible things become probable here." (Barzini, pg. 80).When I think of the piazzas, I also tend to think about the people begging for money and I always think to myself if they actually need the money, or of they are just trying to get more. Barzini states, "Is the hungry beggar in the street real or a good imitation?" (Barzini, pg. 88).

I have also noticed that the Piazzas are very common here, they are everywhere and they are where everyone seems to go. In the book, The Smiles of Rome, in the short story "Twin Beds in Rome", John Updike says, "They stood looking at the Palazzo Venezia until they imagined Mussolini frowning from a window, climbed the many steps of Piazza del Campidoglio, and came to the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius on the pedestal by Michelangelo." (Updike, pg. 216). It just seems to me that the Piazzas are the main attractions, and even in smiles, they seem to mention many of them (some of which we have been to). Overall, when I think of the piazzas, I think of life of Italians. To me, the piazzas are where people tend to spend most of their time, whereas in America, people tend to hang out at the homes of friends and family. I also think of the shopkeepers telling their "kind lies" and the beggars (real or not).