Chain Reaction

This energy is fantastic. Since the day I arrived in Milano I have felt what can only be described as a tremendous sense of urgency. This is not the same pressing feeling I get when I am studying for finals or rushing to get out of the door on a busy morning, but a positive feeling rather. Even though I rarely get to bed before 2:00 AM, I always wake up with an inexplicable amount of energy. At first I blamed it on adrenaline and the excitement of being in a brand new city but now I'm aware it is something much greater. I (happily) blame Milano. The people approach every single day with an awareness of their reality along with a permanently positive attitude to combat any problems they may encounter.

Interestingly enough, every Italian professor I have had for my study abroad program thus far has outrightly said that Italy is in the middle of an economic crisis. Pause. Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? 2008 recession. United States. The depression was palpable no matter where I was. Everyone was utterly consumed with the inescapable situation at the time that they seemed to forget life was marching on ahead of them. The Italians are handling their current situation a bit differently to say the very least. The professors who admit their country is in a financial crisis were not looking to throw a pity party. The street merchants who barely make a living in a decent economy are not selling out and standing in an unemployment lines. The shopkeepers are certainly not closing their doors left and right. Almost everyone offers me a reassuring nod or a warm smile as if they are trying to communicate that everything is just fine, because it is. The chain reaction phenomenon began in Italy a really long time ago. 

It is clear that the Italians cherish life far too much to fester their emotions into something they can't immediately control.

I'm not saying every person here is sitting on a gondola eating Buffalo Mozzarella not giving a single thought about the economic turmoil, although I may be on to something with that strategy.  In all actuality, they are simply living the way they would if the economy were in perfect condition. They take time to savor. This holds true for everything from the picture perfect outfit one wears to go to the grocery store to the countless hours one spends in a restaurant on a weeknight. This careful observance of what other countries refer to as life's mundane moments is what separates Italians from others. If they are a depressed society they certainly do not show it. If they are unhappy with their life, they have a superb way of hiding it. I appreciate their continual sense of urgency to get things done all while maintaining a genuine zest for whatever life brings.