Blog #5 GL 350

            Leisure is an important part of everyday life no matter what country you live in or what culture you are a part of. Leisure is having free time to just relax or engaging yourself in a hobby of interest or anything that you like. Just anything you’re not being forced to do, it is truly something of interest when one is not working or occupied by something else. I think this concept is very important so people do not feel over worked or stress. Each culture of course has different ways they spend this leisure time.

            When I look at the leisure time between my culture and the Italian culture, I can immediately see a difference in how people spend their leisure time and how much leisure time each person spends. It seems to me that Italians spend much more leisure time on a daily basis. On are many visits to different parks there always seem to be people lounging or relaxing, walking their dogs or taking a jog. It almost seems like nobody is ever at work or school here, like everyone is just enjoying the beauty of the city or just enjoying the weather. I know at home there are times of the day you can go to any park or trail and it almost feels like a ghost town. You will not see any kids playing or any people jogging because everyone is either at school or at work.  I think back home we have so many hours dedicated to obligated activities that we don’t get to enjoy the beauty of our cities like the Italians do.

            There is also a big difference in how leisure time is spent in Italian culture then compared to at home. Leisurely time here is spent in many different ways. People take walks around the parks, like when we were in the aqueducts. I see so many people just laying or studying in the sun, walking their dogs and exercising. If they are not in the parks enjoying the weather you see many Italians in the piazzas enjoying each other’s company. They all get together, have great food and just socialize in the many piazzas around Italy. Overall It just seems like Italians enjoy being outside more to spend their leisure time. In Villa D’Este by Wharton he describes the beauty and the amount of work that went into making the gardens, you can just tell that the beauty of nature is enjoyed here. At least their crafted master pieces of nature they seem to enjoy but they are not really fond wild nature. Regardless it is pretty obvious that Italians like to spend much more of their free time outside of the house then in the U.S.

 I feel that the social part of the leisure time in a way is similar to home. In their free time many people will go out with their friends and socialize, I just don’t think there is a place at home like the piazzas. In the piazzas you can find people of all ages and social classes together in one area. Things tend to be a little more spread out back in the States. At home there are many people who will work out, take jogs, or walk their dogs in their leisure time. I think this is the smaller percentile though, I think a lot more people back home spend their leisure times just relaxing at home. Italians are never really in the house but back at home people get off work then just go home and sit in the house and watch television. Not everybody just sits and watches television but I think there is a pretty good chance that whatever they are doing, they won’t be leaving the house to do it.

            Barzini had said, “I always allow appointments to run after me and not vice-versa…” I think this simply quote shows the differences in the idea of leisure between the two cultures. Back home we run by the clock, everything needs to be done at a certain time and you have to stick to the schedule. While here in Italy, there is a much more relaxed vibe. They know things will get done but at their own pace. They enjoy many of the small things in life while working and going to school and I think that is an important idea that should adopted back home in the U.S.