Its been a while, yes I dropped off the map a little from my Italian American Girl duties on line, but never in real life. I've had a lot of challenges lately with life, career and everyday happenings. Thank God, nothing terrible but the usual. The "usual" in my life includes the Italian American upbringing, I don't know I was having a discussion with my sister the other day and asking-- do people think the way we do or is it because of our upbringing? I know I can't function without my family and we all collectively make decisions and know that what we decide always affects the family. Yes, the family.
Its funny, I go back on some of my old posts and see what I've written or talked about when it comes to stereotypes, struggles and the daily task of fitting into Americanized cultural traditions and no matter how much time passes; I realize these things are always a challenge and never change. You can't forget who you are or where you come from.
I am so consumed with work and my daily life that sometimes I feel like the outside world wants you to forget about your cultural upbringing and I struggle with this hard core. Understanding American-isms is part of everyday, but at times I know those "isms" are the very thing that could easily erase who I am. I can't have a conversation with anyone without talking about my culture or how the way I was brought up influences my social mannerisms or how I engage with others. Does anyone else think about this?
Wow, so the ultimate question is, "Where have I been?" I'm here just looking in and listening. I want to regroup, re-energize and come back strong on Italian American Girl.
You, the readers of IAG, have made this blog so successful and the next step has arrived, I want more!
I love that saying, "Love what you do and never work a day in your life." That most certainly applies to the Italian American Girl site.
Get ready!
Love-
Italian American Girl
Italian American Girl
Margaret
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7 comments:
I was born in Italy and lived in the USA for 55 years. I am an American as far as believing in this country but I never lost my Italian values and traditions. I believe values are a vital and permanent part of ourselves, formed in childhood before the age of reason, which dictates how we understand the world.
Thank you for your insight, nice to get another perspective! Grazie.
I was born in Philadelphia, 1st gen. just like you and the comment about how everything is discussed amongst family and decided upon together is so true.
I just got laid-off Friday, I knew it was coming for approx. a year but it was discussed tonight with my parents my brother and his kids present. Everyone knows what i am up to and chimes in with their opinions. And to answer your question very few think the way we do..very very few and even when i think I've met someone who does in time I realize...not really. But I wouldn't trade our values and traditions for anything. You can always count on family!
Welcome back, I missed your post. The older I get the more important family traditions are. I am delighted that my children have embraced their Italian American heritage. What's not to love about the culture and country that is a unique work of art! And how about the FOOD!
Did you get to the OLMC feast in Montclair this past weekend? WOW. Was amazing.
Congratulations to your great blog, you are not afraid of sharing your heart online and this is what makes your site so special. My parents moved from Southern Italy to Germany many years ago so growing up "between two countries" has never been an issue actually, given that you can easily and quickly hop from one to the other. However, had my parents chosen the US back then, things would have been very different now. I send my very best regards from Rome, please advise when next stop by Rome, I would love to show you around. Donatella
as an american with paternal, sicilian grandparents who was born and raised in the states but fell in love with an Italian, I ask myself a lot of what you're asking... but from the other side. I live in northeastern Italy, and after 6 years there are still so many 'Italianisms' that I just don't get, or get but don't want to incorporate into my mindset/lifestyle. This just makes everything so much harder and the worst thing is that there seems to be so little space to be different here. We are, in fact, trying to organize ourselves to move back to the states. I don't know how it will be for my Italian (Veneto) husband, but he says he's ready and i believe he is. But, his culture and upbringing, like mine, will never cease to be an issue. I've realized that, and i just try to embrace it. I take the good of the 'italianisms' i've seen here, and leave the rest... hoping that he'll be able to do the same when he's in the States. Good luck to you as you work through what your american experiences mean for you.
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