I am 100% Italian, and am beyond proud of my heritage. There's nothing quite like the Italian culture, and it gets a whole new twist when combined with that of Americans. It's interesting to see how both cultures mix! If you yourself are Italian-American, I might not know you, but I can bet that I'll be able to accurately sum up your life (at least to some degree). Please try not to get a neck cramp from violently nodding in agreement.
(warning for the politically correct: major generalizations ahead.)
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- Being a MAJOR food snob. Chances are, you've grown up surrounded by amazing food. Even though nobody will ever be as good a cook as your Nonna is, your mom, aunts, and other relatives hardly pale in comparison. You probably died a little each time you had to pretend to be blown away by the spaghetti and Prego sauce you'd get served at a friend's house. You can't help it, you have insanely high standards for food because you are used to fresh ingredients (usually picked from the backyard garden) prepared with inimitable skill and unquestionable love.
- Having a ~flair~ for the dramatics. Everything is a big deal, and I mean everything. We are an expressive and passionate people who wear our hearts on our sleeves. Everything is taken personally, and everything has an emotional implication. We are the divas and drama queens of our social circles, not because we try to be, but because it's who we are. However, this isn't always a bad thing. Friends love sharing good news with us because they know that we will be excited for them. We don't hide our love for others. We get just as excited about the good as we do the bad.
- Calling everyone "Zia" and "Zio" because, though you can't remember how you are related to them, they practically raised you. I have great aunts and uncles who are more like grandparents, and third cousins more like first. It is easier to call someone "Zio" (uncle) instead of "grandpa's cousin to whom I am still really close". There are some relatives who, in all honestly, I forget my exact relation to. This doesn't stop us from being close and spending a lot of time together. It's a beautiful thing, it really is.
- Family is everything. You might fight like cats and dogs. You might even have long-standing beef with a relative. However, at the end of the day, you know that they will come through for you because family is family. Even if you have been mad at someone for months, you know deep down that if you run out of gas they'll come pick you up...they just might yell at you all the way home.
- Having to reassure people that you are not, in fact, like the people from Jersey Shore. Just because we value physical fitness (well, everyone except me), are tan, and enjoy fresh laundry, does not mean we are trashy slobs who party 24/7. Our personalities are just as big, though, and our lives are just as interesting. Follow one of us around with a camera all day and MTV will be paying you for the footage, my friend: we're pretty fun people.
- Being constantly asked if you are involved with the mafia. Yes, I'm Sicilian. Yes, I have to work hard to not hold grudges (honestly, Jesus is the only way I succeed at this). This does not mean I am involved with the mafia! But us Italians, we stick together; if you mess with us, you're going to get a lot of people mad at you, just by default. The wrath of an Italian mother is arguably worse than organized crime.
- The most lit weddings. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" ain't got nothing on us. There is no such thing as a "small" wedding; when one of us gets hitched, it is the event of the year. Oh, and marrying into an Italian family? That's a whole other article.
- A violent, active hatred for Olive Garden. I know I already talked about our food-snobbishness, but this point is so valid that it warrants its own paragraph. Olive Garden has broken my heart more than boys have. Chicken in pasta? You ... you can't do that. We truly don't comprehend such things. Olive Garden is to us what Taco Bell is to Chinese people..yes, you read that right, not even to Mexican people, but to Chinese people. That's how much Olive Garden has missed the mark. (Ok, sorry. Some of that trademark melodrama may have slipped in right there...I'll stop now.)
- Having relationships that transcend thousands of miles. You likely have family that still lives in Italy, and you've probably visited each other a few times. There's a beautiful bond that miraculously forms despite not speaking the same language or having been brought up in the same cultural context. It's always sad when the trips are over, but through phone calls and social media, the relationships thrive. The vast ocean that separates you ain't got nothing on you; blood runs thicker than water, after all.
- Random Italian folk songs: you don't remember ever learning them; you were born knowing them. You have no idea what the words mean, but still find yourself singing them from time to time. Then you get hit with the feels, and must work hard to not burst into tears wherever you are. "Sorry guys, this song's nostalgic tune triggers a strong emotional response causing me to pine for childhood days gone by" has never gone over well with my friends.
- A work ethic like none other. The typical parental lecture of "when I was your age, we never got to ___" is taken to a whole new level when that parent dealt with life as an immigrant. My mom moved here from Italy when she was seven, and though she had a happy childhood and wonderful parents, life was not always a walk in the park. They lived in a rough part of Detroit and worked their butts off to get to where they are now. In turn, I was raised with an understanding to be thankful for what I have, and to remember that you must earn the things you want because they aren't handed to you. I am glad to have inherited a strong business sense and attitude of determination.
Was I pretty spot-on with your Italian-American life experiences? Let me know. I'd love to hear other things you think are pretty key to our unique cultural blend!
