Italian Culture
By: Amanda Clark
Italian Healthcare, Diseases, Illnesses
The healthcare in Italy is coordinated through government agencies. People can choose their family physician. The government pays for most of the services. In Italy smoking is common but has decreased since 2005 when a law was passed prohibiting smoking in enclosed public spaces. Since of the smoking people get diseases like lung cancer from not only smoking themselves but also secondhand smoke. Today many Italians refuse to wear seatbelts when driving even though it's a mandatory law. Since people don't like to wear seatbelts a lot of injury occurs from car accidents and etc.
Activities: Leisure, Stress Relief, Everyday Activities
Italians usually like to got to the beach, countryside, movies, dances and sporting events. They often socialize at bars during the day and at night too. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy. Italians also enjoy bicycling, horse racing, skiing, tennis, boxing, fencing and swimming.
Family
Italians enjoy strong family ties and live as nuclear units. In northern Italy the average family has one or two kids but in southern Italy families are large and families of multiple generations often live together or in the same area. Today many villages are still compromised of groups of families who have lived in the same area for generations. Italy is a male-dominated society so men expect women to take care of them.
Marriage/Dating
Italians either date in groups or as couples. For young people being apart of a couple is very important. PDA is common among young people. There is some disapproval from older Italians that do not approve of dating someone with a different nationality or a different race. Women usually marry by age 27 and men by 30. In Italy engaged couples aren't supposed to see each other on the day before the wedding. Also both the men and woman wear rings and the man pays for the woman's dress and veil. Their marriage ceremonies follow Catholic traditions and they often occur in the morning.
Divorce
The divorce rate is rising in Italy like it is in the US. In Italy divorce is only granted after 3 or more years of legal separation.
Holidays
The holidays Italians celebrate include...
- New Years Day
-Epiphany- a kids holiday kind of like Christmas
-Easter
-Liberation Day- commemorates Italy's liberation by the allied forces in World War II
- All Saints Day
-The Assumption of the Virgin Mary
- The Anniversary of the Republic
-Immaculate Conception
-Christmas
Diet
Italians have a light breakfast and heavy dinners. The main meal includes pasta, fish or meat, vegetables. In North Italy pasta or rice is apart of every main meal. Pasta is also dominant in the South. Salad or roasted vegetables are served with the 2nd course. Italians favorite meats include veal, beef, and lamb. Italians enjoy a lot of cheeses including mozzarella and parmesan. In Italy their pizza is thinner and less rich than American pizza.
Explanation of Choice
I chose to study Italy's culture because I am mostly Italian and I really wanted to see what Italians beliefs are. Also I picked Italian culture because I wan to be an architect when I grow up and they have a lot of very detailed beautiful buildings and also when I get older I would like to take a trip to Italy.
Bibliography
-https://www.google.com/search?q=italian+culture&biw=1138&bih=561&noj=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=D2dvVa67EorItQWa5oLIDA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.9#imgrc=DlqVpSW-HsmhiM%253A%3BQeIVKpi2R2mKFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmlbblogger.files.wordpress.com%252F2013%252F10%252Fitaly-flag2.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmlbforlife.com%252Fcategory%252Fnippon-professional-baseball-league%252F%3B500%3B322