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Studying Italian in Italy
There is a saying
that "all roads lead to Rome". Some gravitate to Italy due to its beautiful art
and history, while others love the laid back and accepting attitude of the Italian people.
More
than half of the world's art, such as monuments and other famous sights reside
in Italy. There is a wealth of artistic variety extending through historical eras of over 2,700 years as a result of many
different societies and political cultures.
Italy provides geographic variety with its many beautiful towns, rolling green hills, seaside
regions, and beautiful countryside There are many mountains with striking views and ski resorts, thriving plains, unexplored
uplands, fertile marine swamps, active volcanoes, and a multitude of diverse islands.
Culturally,
Italy is very diverse: There are 21 regions, each with its own history, dialect, urban layout, and landscape. The various
regions offer different cuisines, distinct patron saints, as well as different political viewpoints. The 21 regions can be
broken down into 3 main regions: North, Center, and South, each having different economies and societies.
Some
regions have a secondaray language in addition to Italian which has been preserved from the cultures of Italy's past.
For instance, Alto Adige is an area where
half of the population speaks German; There are valleys in the Alps where the people speak Ladin (a unique language, not to
be confused with Latin); In the uplands in Calabria,Greek Albanian is often spoken; while the
Bergamo province speaks Bergamasco, which is a derivative of the German language; and finally, the Valle d'Aosta where
the people mainly speak French.
Despite the country's diversity, the people of Italy share a contemporary culture. Italians
are known for living life passionately. Everything they do is done with a flare whether it be art, fashion, wine, or cuisine.
Cuisine, a national passion, tends to be tasteful, imaginative, and often quite healthy! Right down to the food, everything
is made to appear desireable. Ferraris, in addition to being the fastest, are also the most
gorgeous. Milan is the most fashionably stylish, and even the Italian language itself is melodious and even appears throughout
musical notation used around the world. The Italian people refer to themselves as "People of Poets, Saints and Explorers". Whether it be for the people, or the food, or just the immersion experience to help
facilitate a better understanding of the language, Italy is a great place to study!
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