by Lisa Emig (Cincinnati, OH)SO WHAT are my impressions of Cagli….
This morning I awoke at 6AM to the smell of fresh bread. That is a wonderful beginning to the day.
Some of the residents are very friendly, some less so. This may be due to the actions of the previous group of students who were here. Personally, I found it difficult to begin to approach people for the photography lesson but was surprised to find most people seem flattered to be chosen. A few of the older women asked me not to take their photo and one guy told me I’d have to pay him. It must be pretty funny to watch use take pictures of all the “normal” things they see every day. Some of the older residents slow down when they see you have a camera almost as if to silently ask you to take their picture.
The teenagers seem much like teenagers at home; Fashion conscious and mildly amused by our presence. They are kind regardless and respond to “Ciao”. They seem more respectful and less rowdy, less gregarious. And thank goodness all the men/boys where the pants around their waists!
Older people have relationships they have built over time and meet at the piazza or at the caffe. The isolation that exists for many American elderly doesn’t seem to exist here.
No one seems too busy to stop, no one seems to busy at all. There is no sense of urgency that I can see. The afternoon pausa is still blowing my mind. It makes total sense but I try to see the US operating this way…
In Florence and Cagli both there is a lack of chain stores. There is a farmacia on every corner but not a Walgreens on every corner. The stores are small and personal and it makes you wonder how they can make a living with such a small business. I guess less inventory, no salaries and benefits for employees, less rent due to less space and you specialize in what you love. You have personal service because you know that person. Is it the small town, the sense of community or the history associated with their relationships?
I think I may be experiencing a little of the culture issues. When I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, I felt a little annoyed with the people speaking Italian outside the window.
Communication is challenging and like everything else, some residents try harder than others. One gentleman stopped me to ask if I was Americana and told me he visited San Francisco. And he asked if I like Italy and did I like it better than the US. He was joking and was such a pleasant man. While out taking pictures yesterday, a little boy who was standing in a doorway saw me and jumped into the shot and said “cheese!”. It was so funny. His dad reprimanded him and told him to come back. I laughed and told him I had two kids too….well, I told him two and motioned to his son. Like Chris said, there is a lot of commonality between people.
