By Rosa Didonna
I did it. I overcame a new obstacle. I discovered a yet unexplored part of my new American life.
While still maneuvering between fraternity parties, waffles makers, greasy barbecues and endless homework that make me feel like a teenager again (I’m 24), I started my anthropological adventure for my Latino community project in my social media class. The Italian girl came to Reno for her last semester and is ready to discover the colorful Latino world!
My country is famous for its unique, millenarian culture, made of ancient traditions, art, famous explorers, poets, and food. Especially food. It is often not easy to face a culture so different. An Italian in Reno is something quite unusual. There isn’t a large Italian community here. Despite my great love for American culture, I am now beginning to understand the enormous difference between their way of thinking and mine.
I am also faced with one another point of view—the Latino culture. I must analyze as a foreigner, not only the culture I am staying in, but yet another culture, and so the challenge becomes even more electrifying. In Italy, the Latino community is not as big as the one here, and it is not so deeply rooted in the history of the country.
Our knowledge of the Latino world is often linked to an unusual Saturday night, when you do not know what to do with your friends and want to try something ‘exotic’. We say, “We could go the Mexican restaurant.” (For Italians, food that is not Italian is always something EXTREMELY HARD to try). Or Latino culture is linked to the evergreen Spanish/salsa style songs, danced on the beach after a few tequila shots. There are exceptions, of course. I always hated generalizations. Here it is common to says “Italiano – pizza, spaghetti and mandolino”, and at worst, “Italiano,mafia.” But we are not only this, we are much more. Every culture has a lot more to give. Our project, Noticiero Móvil , is based on giving voice to the Latino community. For this reason I wanted to understand more about it.
I did not know much about the Latino community of Reno. I needed information, experiences; to find differences and similarities. So I ventured to Wells Avenue, a street in the 89502 zip code with the highest percentage of Hispanic residents in Washoe County. I began to observe the world around me; I wandered into the supermarket looking for inspiration: I breathed the air with the scent of freshly baked beans and cilantro. I savored the full flavor of a huge enchilada with melted cheese and tender pieces of spicy chicken.
I started to acclimate using my weak Spanish. I listened to the demands of children and mothers’ recommendations as they pushed their full carts. Step by step I felt more and more comfortable. I began to see many similarities with Italians. I reviewed the hands gesticulation, the passion in every single word, the noisy laughs, and the deep love for food and care for fashion.
After my experience, I wondered how it feels to be born in a country that is not of your original culture. I believe that it is never easy because it is a continuous fight between your roots and the place where you live. I believe that beauty is in enjoying the best of your host culture but at the same time, you must preserve and respect what is most characteristic of your traditions.
Inside my process I found many similarities between Italians and Latinos that make me think that in the coming months I will be able to feel closer to this culture, and I will be able to understand better.
For Latinos born outside of the U.S. who are living in Reno, we are united in our strange coexistence with Americans, and I think I can summarize what we share a bit further.
Food
The food is one of the fundamental elements of our cultures. Surely one of the most important and characteristic. Rich, colorful, caloric, fat and perfect food; a poem for the palate that is not only fuel but rather an art. Obviously, even American food can be super caloric or fat, but our particularity about our culinarian culture is that it’s always loyal to itself: It is never intimidated by last vegan or raw food trends from Hollywood. Is not afraid of the alternative chic sushi. We Mediterranean women, are proud of our b-side J Lo style, carved through spaghetti. Curvy is sexy.
Music
One of the most powerful traits of all cultures. We are deeply patriotic toward our music. America is the land of great opportunities, the big melting pot. Every type of music is able to find its space. Above all, it is the land for modern singers, young stars, beautiful and damned. But which Italian wouldn’t be excited to hear Pavarotti sing Opera? Which Hispanic doesn’t feel the same listening to “Besame Mucho”? For many Americans, it may be strange or old fashioned. To hell with Bieber: we love vintage.
Relationships
We kiss, we hug just to say hello. And this, I can say from personal experience, creates many embarrassing situations. As you get closer to his or her cheek, every American looks at you as if you were E.T. Creepy. Very creepy. By this time I have learned that a hug or a handshake are sufficient. I’m learning a lot about relationships between people here, but I continue to think that sometimes a hug is stronger than a thousand words.
My journey into the Latino culture it is only at the beginning, but I think that this brotherhood is a good starting point.