Posts tagged italy
A Journey To & From Italy - Then and Now

Written by Gabriela Prioetti

A journey to and from Italy: Then and Now

Italy: the land of delectable food, pristine coastlines, snowy mountain caps, romantic language, and mesmerizing dialects—one may say this country seems to offer it all. But what about 100 years ago?

A short history lesson

It wasn’t until 1861 that most of the Italian peninsula was united. It became the Kingdom of Italy ruled by Victor Emmanuel II hailing from Sardinia and was named the King of Italy. Before that, Italy was divided into smaller states, far from being anything close to united. But a more important date to pay close attention to is June 10, 1946, when the short-lived Italian Monarchy was overthrown and the Repubblica Italiana (italian Republic) was born. But this was not an easy feat. Between World War I and World War II, Fascist ruling, a dictatorship, country, language confusion, heritage division, and territory destruction, those years between the monarchy and liberation were far from what us Italy lovers experience now, AKA la dolce vita.

Then

So, what were these Italian people forced to do? Find life elsewhere. There were two waves of one of the largest voluntarily emigrations ever recorded in world history, commonly known as the Italian diaspora. The first wave began in the late 1800s continuing into the first four centuries of the 1900s, estimating that more than 13 million Italians voluntarily left Italy, escaping extreme poverty and fascism, especially those hailing from the south (think Sardinia, Sicily, Calabria, and Campania). These populations were mostly peasant farmers or poor city-goers who didn’t see much light at the end of the tunnel. The second wave began shortly after the war, continuing until the early 1970s. It is estimated that over the century, more than 25 million were living outside the country. But, where did they all go?

Argentina and Brazil quickly became two of the most popular destinations for migrants to settle (still to this day, Brazil and Argentina have the largest Italian populations outside of Italy in the world!). Other countries included America, specifically cities close to Ellis Island, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and New Jersey, and Canada. After the war, migration was seen heavily in northern European countries like Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and France.  Despite where these immigrants ended up, building a new life was far from easy. Most faced harsh working environments, cramped, unkept living conditions, and prejudices. But as we say in Italian piano piano (slowly slowly), those Italian immigrants created life in big cities and began to integrate themselves into their new home and society thanks to a lot of determination and patience (patience).

Now

Today, over 80 million people around the world claim to have some type of Italian ancestry, i.e. full Italian heritage or partial Italian Heritage, and over 5 million Italian citizens live outside of the country. So we could say that history seems to repeat itself, but these 5 million citizens didn’t choose to leave due to war-stricken lands. But, there is still a fine line between job opportunities and sustainable living wages here in The Boot. As of 2023, the average yearly salary in Italy is just over 30,000 euros (around 2,500 euros a month) and this is some of the highest it has been in the 21st century. Although you may be thinking after a recent trip to Italy that the cost of living is more reasonable compared to big cities like New York and Sydney (sure, you may be on to something), the cost of rent and food prices are rising, the job market is slow, and pay is steadily staying the same. So it is no wonder that more and more giovani (youth) are deciding to pack up and say goodbye when an industrial, economic city like Milan isn’t cutting it anymore. Let’s not forget that nearly 25% of Italy’s population is made up of people over the age of 65, one may say anziani (elderly).

That being said, there’s no denying how much population change our beloved Italy has faced over the decades and in recent years. What do you think the faces of Italy will be like in the next ten years? Are we in the midst of the country’s third wave of Italian diaspora? Let us know in the comments below!

Back To School: What It's Like Going To School In Italy

Picture & Article by Gabriela R. Proietti

L’estate Italiana (Italian summer) is over *sadly.* As millions of Italians return to their home base, day-to-day life begins to come to fruition once more. Sunset spritzes are traded in for pre-work mornings at the neighborhood coffee bar, promenade strolls for days at the office, and sunny beaches for even longer days preparing for the new year ahead. 

You may be experts in all things Italian culture, from dining etiquette to embracing everything there is to living la dolce vita. Still, some things may surprise you like the educational system in Italy (hint: it is very different from what you may be expecting). Traveling to Italy, thinking of moving, or generally curious? In honor of the back-to-school season, let’s take a look at what it’s like for children going to school in Bella Italia

Grade Levels & School Attendance 

Compulsory schooling begins at six years old across the Italian Boot and is mandatory until the age of 16. However, earlier options are available for families that want to jump-start their child’s education. These are known as asilo nido (baby daycare that typically begins being offered around 6 months) and scuola dell’infanzia (preschool from ages 3 to 5-6 years old). Note, kindergarten, also known as prep, does not exist in Italy!  

Primary school, referred to as scuola elementare, begins from age 6 to 11 years, depending on when the child was born. Days are long (think 8-4:30) and there are 5 years total. After primary school comes scuola media aka middle school, lasting another 3 years, and finally liceo, from 14 to 19 years of age (5 years total, and yes, teens technically have an extra year of high school…yikes!). 


School Selection 

In Italy, families can choose where they want to go to school! What?! That’s right, it doesn't stop at which school institution is closest to your place of residency. Although it is not guaranteed the school selected will automatically be appointed to the child, it is highly likely. Turning to high school, the material taught is not the same across the board. Students are obliged to choose a high school specializing in specific subject matters (which usually occurs for most come university and college level…can you feel the pressure?). Options include school of arts, classical studies, sciences, languages, human sciences, and music and dance. 

Study, study, study

Studying for exams and completing assigned homework is a HUGE part of Italian schooling. Afterschool activities are rarely offered by the school (especially in the public system), and elementary school kids to high schoolers spend most afternoons at their home desks preparing for upcoming assignments or exams. Young pupils can expect 3 hours of homework per night and middle to high school 5-6 hours per night. Even after all the planning and preparation, receiving good grades (on a scale of 1-10) in Italy is nearly impossible (if you are rewarded an 8, that is considered excelling and a 6 is usually the average). Many exams are given orally and rarely are given tests that are multiple choice (sorry!). 

Other Quirky Elements 


Are you thinking to yourself how quirky the Italian schooling system is? It doesn’t stop there! Here are a few other interesting elements. Cursive is still taught and is mandatory, and students rarely write with a pencil rather a pen. Italian summers are one of the longest offered in the world (from early June to the middle of September) and summer day camps are not the norm. Some high schools have 6-day school weeks (Monday to Saturday), religion class is part of the curriculum, and lunch is never brought from home but kids eat what is offered by the school.