written for a proposed Admissions Blog for prospective students published on the John Felice Rome Center website
Maybe you’re the next Messi, though he arguably didn’t do too well at the 2018 World Cup, so let’s say you’re the next Mbappe. Regardless if you’ve kept up with global soccer stars, what started as a pick-up game of calcio (or soccer) between students and staff members is now a long-standing pillar of the JFRC community. Organized into several different teams, players are randomly assigned based on skill. Each team is averaged out to an equivalent skill level and plays one another throughout the season.
Why should you give the JFRC league a shot? Here are just some of our reasons:
Cardio
You don’t have to be a super calciatore (soccer player) to break a sweat. Not only does it increase cardiovascular health, but it improves muscle tone and builds flexibility, strength and endurance. While not as long as official games, you’ll still find that running back and forth on the field for about 40 minutes will definitely provide you with the right kind of aerobic exercise. It’s a great way to stay active while studying abroad!
Culture
You may or may not follow the sport back at home, but in most countries around the globe, soccer is the world’s favorite sport, and nowhere does that ring truer than in Italy. The national Serie A league kicks off in late August and comes with the sort of fanfare that accompanies national holidays in most other countries. Games at Stadio Olimpico, only a 25 minute walk downhill from our campus, are absolutely an insane experience– especially if our AS Roma wins and you get to sing Antonello Venditti’s “Grazie Roma” at the top of your lungs. Don’t be afraid to dive headfirst into the Italian tradition.
Not only do you build teamwork with your squadra, but with everyone involved– the games would be nothing without the team parents, without the refs and the awesome fans! After each game, everyone is invited for some pizza e birra at one of our favorite neighborhood haunts, Il Pepperoncino Dispettoso!
Will we be seeing you on the field? Do you have what it takes to become your semester’s champions? Be sure to follow the Rome Center on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for more highlights on life in Rome and if you’re ready to start your JFRC journey, check out the application details on our website!
written for a proposed Admissions Blog for prospective students published on the John Felice Rome Center website
Rome, and Italy in general, is one of the most popular study abroad destinations for students. According to most study abroad sources, an average of 32,000 international students choose to call Italy their home each year. And who can blame them? Rome’s vast history, its architecture, its culture, including its incredible cuisine is internationally renowned. Many make the trips to get the Insta-worthy shot at the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican- but there is so much more to Rome than its celebrated treasures.
Check out the JFRC’s three tips to living la vita romana off the typical tourist path!
Explore the “other” must-sees.
Lesser known piazzas and churches (there are over 800 of them!) are hidden gems in the Eternal City. From the “secret” Galeria Sciarra, which is now used as an office building to the Capuchin crypt (which is built up of old bones!) there are enough things to add to your list that’ll keep you busy all summer or semester long! P.S. Atlas Obscura is a perfect resource if you’re looking for some inspiration.
Start with the centro storico– but don’t stay there forever!
The aforementioned sites are well-known for a reason- definitely go and experience them, but there are other parts to the city that equally have their charms. You may have already heard of lively Trastevere or did some shopping in Prati, however, you should do some research on the other quartieri of Rome. Studying at the JFRC, you have a head start by living in the Balduina area, but that’s just one corner. You may find that your new favorite coffee bar to sip on cappuccini may be out near Appio Latino or Ponte Milvio!
Grab a bite to eat at a mercato.
The Conad and Pam grocery stores in Piazza Balduina are lifesavers, it’s true. When you don’t want to grab a cornetto at Rinaldo’s, the vending machine is out of Kinder Bueno and there are only so many oranges you can smuggle out of mensa, you’ll need some fresh fruit, yogurt and other snacks to have in your rooms at the res hall. However, every once in a while, go a little further down Monte Mario to the Mercato Trionfale or take the regional train a few stops to Ostiense, where you can hit up Mercato Testaccio for some amazing street food stalls!
These are just a few suggestions on how to enrich your experience in the Eternal City. Bonus tip: many of these sites and experiences are usually discovered while on your on-site classes in the city!
written for a proposed Admissions Blog for prospective students published on the John Felice Rome Center website
The public transportation in Rome gets a bad rap, you’ll even find some locals complaining about it. Agenzia del Trasporto Autoferrotranviario del Comune di Roma, or ATAC for short, is the company that manages the public transport system in Rome, which includes many types of transport services: metro, metro trains, buses and trams. ATAC can seem daunting to many students the first time they come to call Rome their home. If you’re not used to Italian, the unfamiliar stop names that might not even show up on the screen and the nuanced ticketing systems are definitely confusing at first- but not impossible to master!
First thing’s first, if you want to get on any of the mezzi pubblici (public transports), you need a biglietto, or ticket. An ATAC ticket costs 1,50 euro and is valid on any bus, metro, tram, or regional train (as long as you stay within city limits!) for 100 minutes. You can validate it once on a bus and use the same ticket on a metro, but you cannot scan into the metro twice on the same ticket. Buying an ATAC ticket in Rome is fairly easy and it is definitely NOT logical, but thanks toAn American in Rome, expat Natalie Kennedy helps explain it. Helpful hint: as a JFRC student, you can also buy single-use bus tickets at the portineria with one of the guards, while their daily supplies last!
For your first trip, plan ahead and allow yourself a gracious amount of wiggle room so you can get the hang of the route, but also because it seems like the system is wildly unpredictable, so you’ll never be 100% certain when the bus is ACTUALLY going to pass. There’s a joke I’ve heard that while there is a schedule, no one is really sure if the driver’s are aware of it. I remember in the days of my study abroad when none of us were required to have phones with functioning data plans so we relied on the wifi of our uni and cafes, I could either run to catch the impending 990 towards Piazza Cavour, or wait for 40+ minutes, in which I could have walked to Cavour by then, but I digress.
My memories aside, it has gotten better. There are some awesome apps that have been developed (Moovit, Citymapper, or MyCicero) that allow you to look up schedules and also be able to buy passes, apparently (this one’s definitely new to me!). Regardless of mobile or physical ticket, once you see it coming, have your biglietto ready. You’ll notice that all three doors of the bus should open. There is no “correct” door to go through, just let the passengers off first and then get on. At the front and back end of the buses, you’ll notice yellow machines, and this is where you will validate your ticket. It stamps the ticket with the day and time you validated, as well as the time the ticket will expire after its 100 minutes is up.
The bus validation runs on an honor system, so you technically are not required to validate to enter the bus, however: without warning, ATAC workers can board buses and while there is no rhyme or reason to the stop or when they come on, they will check for validated tickets. They are quite unsympathetic for anyone caught without one and the fines start at 50 euro, which you’ll have 5 days to pay off at the nearest post office before it doubles. It happens to almost every Roman at least once in their lifetime, but it’s a rite of passage that many would recommend avoiding if you can. Something you may want to consider as a semester or full-year student at the JFRC, especially if you have on-site classes, engaged learning or an internship which will require you to take ATAC to different parts of the city on a frequent if not daily basis, is to go about buying a month pass. It’ll cost 35 euro the first month (a 5 euro activation fee for the first month) and then you would fill it up month by month!
written for a proposed Admissions Blog for prospective students published on the John Felice Rome Center website
Students studying abroad at the John Felice Rome Center call Balduina home. This residential quartiere seems like it’s “off-the-beaten path” for what Rome is known for, but it has a lot to offer to enhance your experience as a resident, not just a tourist, of the Eternal City.
What’s in a Name?
As anything boasting 28 centuries of age, there are many stories about where different corners of Rome, both grand and hidden, get their name from. Monte Mario is no different. Some say it’s named after a Catholic cardinal, Mario Mellini, who owned a villa on the hill. Others say it comes from what it was known as during the Middle Ages- Monte Malo, or Bad Mountain, after a patrician was murdered in the woods in 988. Che spooky!
History of the Hill
Like most of Rome, Balduina and Monte Mario aren’t without their pieces of history. For example, the Via Trionfale, which runs through most of the quartiere, was the one used by ancient Roman generals who returned to the city to celebrate their victories. Similarly, pilgrims from the north, traveling towards the Vatican, would have to pass through Monte Mario on their way from La Storta (St. Ignatius of Loyola being one of them!). In the 1970s, Balduina was in fact very politically active, all residents participated in political life and a historical section of the Italian Socialist Movement was born there.
The Balcony of Rome
Rising above Trastevere and Prati, the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) and Monte Mario make up a northwest balcony to overlook the rest of the city from. Monte Mario in particular, the highest hill with 407 feet above the Tiber River, offers a fantastic panoramic views from the restaurant/bar Lo Zodiaco, where you can sit outside with a caffe (or uno spritz for aperitivo time), look through the telescopes at the Tiber and monuments, and feed the local gatti that will most likely stop to purr at your feet.
Embrace the Local Environment
The Riserva Naturale di Monte Mario is arguably one of the best parks in Rome. With over 588 acres to cover, you can spend a great many afternoons following the trails that span much of the hill. The Reserve is a protected place where dozens of species of plants and animals live.
Monte Mario Marks the Spot
As the highest point of the city, it would make some sense that back in time, Monte Mario would be perfect for stargazing. The Astronomic Observatory was constructed in the 15th century and is one of twelve observatories in Italy. A curious fact: all of the maps of Italy that were made before the 1960s used the coordinates of this observatory instead of the usual Greenwich coordinates! While you won’t be able to see real stars from here nowadays, there is a small museum which holds a collection of ancient astronomical tools from all over the world.
written as an assignment for my Special Topics; Ethics in Advertising course
The following work looks at six different organizations’ websites which involve pages and statements dedicated to their missions in regards to social justice and areas of social awareness.
Loyola University Chicago The first organization I chose was my alma mater and current place of employment, Loyola University Chicago (LUC). Loyola is a private, Jesuit, Catholic university, so it would be categorized as a higher education institution. Its “headquarters” would be the main campus, the Lake Shore Campus, located at the border of the Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods on the Far North Side of Chicago. This statement was found on the university’s website, specifically on the About page of a section titled, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” The statement is not dated specifically. Some highlights of the copy (full statement available at the link above) are as follow:
“Our Shared Commitment”
“… fosters transformative cultural experience that honors diversity and social justice”
“… Jesuit Catholic heritage is founded in equality”
“… commitment to diversity comes from Ignatius himself and the belief that God is to be found in the “other”- in the person, the place, the culture, the context and the human experience that differs from one’s own”
“… principle embraces inclusivity, mutual respect, inherent freedoms, and the dignity of giving each perspective a voice”
“…ambassadors of change”
“…our social responsibility in challenging times”
“Our end goal… is not simply a representation of the beauty of “otherness,” of diversity”
“…commitment to inclusion”
The values addressed in this statement feature prominently in these highlights, and they include Jesuit ideals surrounding social justice and social awareness, inclusivity, respect, dignity and unity. The statement obviously addresses diversity and that it enhances the university’s atmosphere, emphasizing that “each member of our student, faculty, and staff community brings their own unique perspectives, strengths, and critical inquiries to serve our mission.” It does however, directly address race, gender, or sex. It also does not add any specific mentions to other areas of social awareness, such as the environment, but I believe this is because (at least in the case of sustainability/climate matters) Loyola has a dedicated school (The School of Environmental Sustainability) for this particular matter and has particular initiatives and commitments regarding this.
Generally, and I recognize my bias as an undergraduate alumna and current staff and graduate student, I believe Loyola does try to both promote social justice and raise social awareness through its academics, programs, and opportunities presented to students, faculty and staff throughout all of its campuses. I think this statement leans in heavily on how natural the connection between Jesuit/Catholic values are with regards to the social justice aspect of diversity. It has a tone that is a matter of fact, but not condescending or holier-than-thou, more so letting the audience know that “these are things that are naturally aligning with our overall mission and identity.”
Looking at one of the most recent marketing campaigns, pre-pandemic, there were several ads throughout the Chicagoland area featuring Loyola students with the slogan “We Are Called to ______,” either “Solve, Venture, Protect, Redefine, Activate or Advocate.” The ad included portraits of a multicultural group of students, 3 male representations and 3 female representations. Each ad would feature one of these students with one of the aforementioned attributes, looking towards wherever the source of the dramatic lighting behind the camera was, thus making them seem inquisitive.
There is a wide variety of resources and initiatives on campus: diversity committees, themes of diversity embedded in the core curriculum and major-related courses, the Department of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (SDMA) which promotes multicultural education as well as affinity peer groups and mentorship programs for underrepresented students, just to name a few. There is now an Office for Diversity and Inclusion and looking at its site, it shares annual diversity reports. As of 2019, it shows that collective practices university-wide have “increased University composition to 37.7%.” While it’s not a huge jump, I do believe it is a start and I believe the university recognizes that there’s still work to do, saying that it recognizes it must continue to create and foster diversity efforts
Apple Apple is an American, multinational company in the technology industry that specializes in electronics and online services. Based in Cupertino, California, not too far from San Jose, it is the world’s largest tech company, and arguably one of the most valuable public corporations in the world. They specialize in products such as phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, watches and a variety of software. It has a high level of brand loyalty, with about 1.65 billion Apple products in use worldwide (Clover, 2021). This statement was found when I scrolled towards the bottom of the main page of Apple’s website, under a section titled, Apple Values- Inclusion and Diversity.” Some of the highlights include:
“We’re All In”
“Commitment to making our company more inclusive and the world more just. Where every great idea can be heard. And everybody belongs.”
“… becoming a better reflection of the world we live in”
“…. and there’s a lot in the works. And much more to do.”
“Inclusion and diversity are cornerstones of the global Apple community. We’re proud of the foundation we’ve built, and we’re clear-eyed about the challenges that remain. Together, we’re committed to continuing this journey with humility and resolve.”– Barbara Whye, VP of Inclusion and Diversity
From the web page highlighting this general approach to Diversity and Inclusion, it shows that Apple values community, inclusivity, representation, being true/authentic, and individuality. While not explicitly mentioned in the general copy, there seems to be a comprehensive look at diversity, looking at gender, sex, race, and ethnicity, when looking throughout the webpage, specifically the statistics that are included. Additionally, the page mentions initiatives for enduring change in research and development, including those regarding “cyber threats, hiring practices, pay equity, allyship, racial representation and female representation.”
While no organization is perfect, Apple seems to put in a genuine effort in terms of both talking the talk and walking the walk, however, this is definitely debatable. Although the numbers regarding diversity at Apple are showing positive progression, the company still has a majority of its employees identifying as both white and male. The Verge also came out with an article about workplace issues, a leak to the public about the “discrepancy between problems and Apple’s ‘carefully managed public image and commitment to diversity” (Schiffer, 2021). Even if gossip or tabloid rumors, it does not instill a lot of confidence in the authenticity they seem to value.
Additionally, Apple has been in hot-water in the past for its sweatshop labor and overall difficult working conditions, most notably leading to employee suicides in Asia. I think while this statement is well-intentioned and does have legitimate small successes regarding “progress” to share, being highly valued (both monetarily and by its loyal consumers), Apple could invest and act more tangibly at a quicker pace than many other organizations.
Starbucks Starbucks is a global, public corporation, consisting of a multinational chain of coffeehouses and its special roastery reserves. It is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, where it was founded in 1971 but has retail locations in over 80 countries around the world. Starbucks specializes in coffee drinks, teas, baked goods, and coffee ware. It is currently ranked 125th on the annual Fortune 500 list. This statement regarding diversity was found in its Starbucks’ Stories and News posts, dated October 2020. The following highlights are from this particular post:
“Our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity at Starbucks”
“We are on a journey to advance racial and social equity for our partners (employees), our community, and our society”
“We set out to be a different company”
“… bold actions that we must take as our journey continues, to act with intention, transparency, and accountability”
“… it is grounded in our mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit. It is our responsibility and it is our commitment.”
The post demonstrates Starbucks’ values for its community, which includes transparency, accountability, intentionality and inclusivity. Its tone is inspirational, but simultaneously seems humble and down-to-earth. Diversity is explicitly named, with mentions of social and racial equity, Starbucks’ BIPOC mentorship programs, Black Partner Network, and other organizations. They have a separate section on their website for environmental causes, and past posts in the News section celebrate Pride Month/the LGBTQIA+ community, disability awareness, equitable access to food, allyship, and access to education, to name a few. Overall, they, at least in words, have a pretty good sense of the value of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
That being said, Starbucks has had notable racial bias and discrimination issues in the past, including the Race Together Campaign that faced a lot of backlash, the 2018 incident in Philadelphia where two Black men were handcuffed and arrested by Philadelphia Police after an employee called them, and most recently, employees were told they were not allowed to show visible support for or wear Black Lives Matter (BLM) gear at work (Beer, 2020). These three incidents and their impacts are interesting. The reason Starbucks received so much backlash for that Race Together campaign, where employees were given the option of writing “Race Together” on customers’ coffee cups to help initiate conversation amid racial high racial tensions in the US, because a majority of consumers said the company was “overstepping its boundaries with a campaign on sensitive cultural topics that had no place in the coffee shop’s lines” (Bartlein, 2015), which may be what informed their initial decision on not letting employees don BLM-gear in 2020. The Philadelphia incident, on the other hand, prompted Starbucks nation-wide to close their doors and provide racial-bias training (designed by nationally recognized experts) for its nearly 175,000 U.S. employees (Neuman, 2018).
American Eagle Outfitters/Aerie American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is an American clothing and accessories retailer brand, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The public company mainly focuses on athleisure, lingerie, university-themed wear, as well as sleepwear. It has over 1300 stores worldwide and it mainly targets teenagers and college students. This section was found on the Inclusion + Diversity web page on AEO’s website. Highlights from the copy include:
Inclusion + Diversity
“AEO celebrates the diversity of one through the inclusion of many. AEO Inc. and the AE and Aerie brands are a reflection of all of our stakeholders—different ages, abilities, genders, cultures, sexual orientations and identities, and races.”
“Creating an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered is more than just a statement, it is an expectation and part of our core values. We are committed to driving Inclusion & Diversity efforts through three key working groups: hiring, culture and development.”
With these particular quotes in mind, it is clear that AEO’s values are inclusive, social justice-oriented, equal and promote education. Their page explores diversity in terms of ages, abilities, genders, cultures, sexual orientations and identities, and races. They support this by boasting about their mentorship programs and their latest initiative encouraging associates to get the COVID-19 vaccination through education and outreach.
The site reports that between 2018-2020, there was an increase of 40% in persons of color (POC) representation for the American Eagle brand and that in 2020 particularly, 65% of the talent identified as POC. In terms of their workforce, in the United States, about 41% of their retail workers identified as persons of color, while 78% were women, however when looking at their corporate counterparts, an overwhelming 82% identified as white. However, they are not very transparent with their environmental policies and working conditions, which has caused skepticism in the past. Ultimately, on the surface, AEO is considered a fast fashion entity. Not being environmentally friendly, adding to the sustainability issues plaguing, can inadvertently affect communities in need and underrepresented minorities because they are the ones being disproportionately affected by the rising issues brought about by climate change. It sounds like a slippery slope argument, but for a popular brand that seems to be reaching for the gen-z population, it seems short-sighted not to make effective initiatives towards sustainability.
Netflix Netflix is a public, international production company, specializing in film production, streaming, and film and television distribution. It is headquartered in Los Gatos (part of Silicon Valley), California. With a few exceptions (i.e. mainland China, North Korea, Syria) its contents are available worldwide, coming from both in-house productions and several film and television archive libraries. It currently has over 207 billion subscribers (Stoll, 2021). The following post was on the company’s news page. It includes a statement from Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos and is dated February 2021. Some highlights include:
“Building a Legacy of Inclusion: Results From Our First Film and Series Diversity Study”
“…. we aspired to tell stories that weren’t available elsewhere. Not only in terms of variety we offered, but also the people and cultures we brought to the screen.”
“… we continued to push boundaries — celebrating firsts with talent from traditionally underrepresented communities”
“…. stories… resonated with audiences who rarely saw themselves on screen. We thought we were making progress… but were we really, and was it enough?”
“We are outpacing the industry in hiring women and women of color to direct our films, and women creators to bring our series to life, and we have achieved gender equality in leading roles across our films and series. We have also exceeded proportional representation of Black leads, co-leads and main cast across the two years that were examined.”
“We still have notable representation gaps in film and series for Latinx, Middle Eastern/North African, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities. And we still have work to do in increasing representation of the LGBTQ community and characters with disabilities.”
“Doing better means establishing even more opportunities for people from underrepresented communities to have their voices heard, and purposefully closing capacity and skill gaps with training programs where they are needed. So we are excited today to announce the creation of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity.”
“And by better understanding how we are doing, we hope to stimulate change not just at Netflix but across our industry more broadly. “
This by far is probably my favorite posts and statements about diversity and inclusion for several reasons. First and foremost, whether this is the truth or not, by Netflix asking themselves if what they were doing was effective and enough- it puts the onus of improvement on them. They saw the need, they recognized where it fails in terms of lacking in diversity. That sounds a lot more proactive rather than reacting to it. Secondly, they take the take to actually list the different groups of diversity, giving them a name, a space. To be inclusive, even if it seems counterintuitive to single them out, you have to recognize the individual groups. It gives them a sense of importance.
The values seem similar to the organizations previously mentioned, such as inclusivity, improvement, equity and transparency, however, I feel like innovation and creativity are something specific to Netflix. Perhaps that is due to the nature of the entertainment industry they find themselves in, or the innate affinity for storytelling that humans have, but it works well for them. It has specific mentions of racial diversity, the LGBTQIA+ community, female representation and equity, as well as those in the disabled community. While it has tangible, financial initiatives (such as the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity) Netflix has had its criticisms. It was specifically criticized back in 2011 regarding accessibility to captioning for its disabled consumers and as its most recent study shows, while its strengths in diversity lie within the number of females represented cross-company, “other racial and ethnic groups were underrepresented relative to the U.S. population,” along with the LGBTQIA + and disability communities (Boorstin, 2021).
UEFA The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is an athletic organization and the governing body of football (soccer) in Europe. It includes all of the representatives of national football teams and club leagues of Europe, as well as their respective competitions and technically falls under the jurisdiction of their “parent company,” the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Though founded in Basel, it is currently headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland. Their sponsors depend on whether it is a national competition or a UEFA Champions League competition, however, to name a few, they include FedEx, Gazprom, Volkswagen, PepsiCo, Heineken, Mastercard and Lay’s. This diversity commitment was found on their website, under a section titled Football and Social Responsibility. Some highlights include:
“Football and Social Responsibility” (FSR)
“Creating positive social impact through football”
“…. core business while contributing to sustainable development in society”
“Positioned under the pillar of Respect, UEFA’s approach to FSR is continuously evolving; aiming to extend and develop social responsibility within UEFA and with national responsibility”
It’s clear from this webpage that UEFA recognizes its audiences and stakeholders, and that a CSR (or FSR in this case) that celebrates multiculturalism is necessary. With this statement, one can surmise that UEFA values inclusivity, solidarity, sustainability and overall, being a member of a greater community. It encourages an inclusive culture, embracing differences within ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, culture, national origin, income, and ability. These different levels of diversity are talked about throughout the different points, even beyond the initial “Diversity and Inclusion,” but also how it affects their work with the environment, health and wellbeing, peace and reconciliation, solidarity, human rights, child safeguarding, and also their relationships with their fans and supporters.
It is probably the most comprehensive and probably most formal statement of all of the organizations analyzed here and part of that also comes down to the culture of Europe as a continental community, but also being under the umbrella of the global FIFA. It’s a huge platform and some of their players are the most famous people in the world, so it makes sense that they try and touch on important social causes, but at the same time, it feels like it’d be difficult to manage authentic and genuine action with these idealistic and lofty goals.
While they do cover a lot of bases, I think that UEFA does show its true colors in moments like the last Euro Cup that concluded about a month ago. To summarize, the English football team lost to the Italians in the final in the penalty kick round. Of the players that went up to kick, three missed their penalty, losing the Cup for England. All three players who missed were Black and faced a backlash of racist abuse (mostly through social media) from British fans (Sullivan, 2021). Many have condemned it, but the only reason the Football Association (of England) is being investigated by UEFA, is because of security breaches on the day of the final at Wembley Stadium where the match was being held (Klosok, 2021). There was no official statement on the racist remarks on the part of UEFA.
Reflection Reading all of these commitments and pledges reflecting various levels of diversity, I feel conflicted. On the one hand, I can’t help but feel jaded. Companies/organizations and their brands know that nowadays, their consumers demand more from them than just a product or service. Consumers want the organizations and brands they associate with to stand for something. Why is that? We want the things we associate with to be good, positive forces in the world, for the most part, because I think inherently, people feel that these traits help them identify themselves. People want to consume in a way that reflects their values, but how can you tell if an organization is genuinely interested in bettering the world or if they’re just interested in gaining new supporters and retaining their existing consumer base (because of capitalistic self-interest).
It’s a difficult line to walk, but I believe the communicators with a solid foundation of ethical knowledge and a strong moral compass can balance on that line. With this in mind, there is also a part of me that feels excited and proud to live in a time where most folks seem to celebrate diversity and be aware of the existing situations or institutions that need to be changed or updated to “get with the times.” As communication professionals, I think we have a responsibility in the world to use our knowledge, talents, and platforms in order to voice our support or to stand alongside our communities with regards to social justice issues. Despite many instances telling me otherwise, I do truly believe that the world is not a totally apathetic place. There are still passionate people who care about not just doing a job well, but about doing good in the world with it.
co-written (with authors S. Lang and J. Bedenian) as a final project for my Global & Multicultural Audiences and Stakeholders course. This was a fun one (for me) as it combined my love of coffee and Italian culture. As someone who’s lived in Italy for a few years, I witnessed the reactions to Starbucks “invading” the peninsula, so it was interesting to pivot perspectives and try to see how Starbucks could hypothetically carry out their expansion.
Executive Summary
Starbucks is well-known as an international coffee brand, but it has yet to take a firm foothold in Italy having just opened its first coffee house there in 2018. Since then, the coffee giant has opened almost a dozen stores, but its presence in Italy still pales in comparison to other European nations largely because Italian culture is resistant to a big brand, American coffee option. This is not without reason; Italy is the third largest consumer of coffee in Europe, and coffee drinking habits are tied to Italian tradition making it difficult for foreign brands to establish themselves successfully.
Our objective is to expand the presence of Starbucks in Italy by educating Italian consumers about the environmental and economic benefits of new Starbucks stores and changing their perception of the brand to accept it as a high quality, Italian-inspired coffee option. Since Starbucks already has more of a presence in the northern cities of Milan and Turin, we will focus on bringing the brand to the city of Bologna and the southern city of Naples. Bologna is a college town filled with millennials who are more likely to accept non-local coffee. While Naples is a more traditional city, millions of visitors pass through its ports each year and offer a good opportunity to appeal to a more international audience.
We will begin with a month of research in both cities to gauge the knowledge and perception of Starbucks then utilize that data to develop a targeted campaign for each city. We will create newspaper ads, social media posts, and a TV commercial that appeals to our key audience and track engagement of the campaign with SEO. After three and six months, we will conduct additional focus groups and surveys to track how the perception of Starbucks has changed with the end goal of seeing enough positive change to build permanent stores in both locations.
Background and Situational Analysis
Introduction: Starbucks in Italy
“We arrive with humility and respect in the country of coffee” — Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks.
It was in September 2018 that Starbucks did what was previously considered taboo: it had opened their first coffeehouse in Milan, Italy. Located inside the historic 25,000 square foot Poste building in Piazza Cordusi, it was not just any average Starbucks Coffee. The first of its kind in Europe, the Milan Reserve Roastery is meant to be an upscale experience. It features unique elements in addition to specialized blends of coffee beans, which include a bakery (headed by artisanal local baker Rocco Princi) and cocktail bar.
According to the company, it was “the theatre and romance” of Italian coffee bars that inspired Starbucks in the 1980s (Starbucks celebrates one year in Milan 2019) and the thoughtful and intentional design choices reflect this. Marble was imported from quarries in Tuscany, beautiful Scolari coffee roasters, palladiana floorings and traditional Italian architectural motifs pay homage to the country of coffee and to the city of style and design that the Roastery finds itself in (2019).
The Roastery’s opening created nearly 300 jobs in Italy. Additionally, while collaborating with Fondazione Don Gino Rigoldi and La Scala Academy, Starbucks brought its Apprenticeship Program to the Milan location.
“As of the first quarter of 2021, Starbucks had 2,509 stores in Europe;” the majority of which are located in the United Kingdom with 748 stores (Europe: Starbucks, per country 2021). In Italy, there are currently 11 stores open, concentrated in two northern cities, Milan (which includes the Roastery), and Turin.
“As an Italian myself, I grew up with only one concept of coffee – and that’s espresso,” said Giampaolo Grossi, general manager of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milano. “It’s been a privilege to share a whole new coffee experience with our customers here and to watch them discover who we are at Starbucks. Whether it’s ways to brew and taste coffee or a beautiful environment where they can sit, relax and connect with friends, we aim to offer an experience that is unexpected and new, while at the same time somewhat familiar.” (Starbucks celebrates one year in Milan 2019).
Brief History and Regional Divides
Italian history covers a little over three millennia, including events such as the rise and fall of the Roman empire and the Renaissance to name a few. An important detail to note is that before its complete unification in 1870 to make up what we now know as modern-day Italy, rule was left to the level of the city-state. Each of these city-states were regions ruled by major cities, run by either elected leaders or ruling noble families. This relatively recent achievement of national unity drew regions of fundamentally different people together, creating a divide between northern and southern Italy in particular.
The transatlantic economic boom following World War II reached northern Italy and intensified the differences between the north and south. Southern Italy in particular, became a “country of emigration” and more than 2 million southern Italians moved to northern Italy or to foreign countries. It can be said that the North is generally thought of as industrialized, fast-paced, efficient, and colder in terms of weather and people’s approach to personal relationships. It is considered to be more “European” or cosmopolitan than other parts of Italy. The South is considered more laid-back, intensely tied to older traditions/superstitions, but is also sometimes tied to stereotypes of mafiosi and cheaters.
The main takeaway is that although a united country within geographic borders, Italy should be considered a mosaic of histories, languages and cultures fused together.
Hofstede’s Insights- Italian Cultural Dimensions
Italy’s various regions also make up for paradoxes in the 6 dimensions laid out by Hofstede: power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation and indulgence. Understanding the basic essence of where Italy scores out of 100 within these dimensions will lead us to a better appreciation for reaching Italian consumers.
Power Distance (50): This dimension truly shows the differences between Northern and Southern Italy. Northern Italians prefer equality, and any control or formal supervision is usually not looked upon favorably, especially among the “younger generation, who demonstrate a preference for teamwork and an open management style,” whereas in Southern Italy, many Italians have the opposite tendencies (Hofstede 2021).
Individualism (76): Italy is an Individualist culture, and this correlates especially in the “big and rich cities in the North, where people can feel alone even in the middle of a big and busy crowd,” whereas the South still varies within this dimension because of its tendency to perpetrate a more traditional approach, including the importance of the “family network” and social aspects and rituals such as big weddings, Sunday lunches, and other familial obligations. It has been often noted and reflected in popular culture that many migrants from the southern regions find their reception and approach to relationships “less warm” in comparison to what they are used to (Hofstede 2021).
Masculinity (70): Having a high score within this dimension indicates that a culture/society is “highly success-oriented and driven.” Being competitive and assertive are values that are instilled at an early age, and throughout their lives, Italians like to show their success with status symbols (Hofstede 2021).
Uncertainty Avoidance (75): As a culture, Italians rank high in uncertainty avoidance, which means they do not find comfort in the unknown or ambiguous. For its highly bureaucratic society, where formality and civil codes are filled with complicated details and clauses, Italians surprisingly do not always comply with them, but in general, Italians are planners. This paired with their high score in Masculinity make Italians tense and to release that, Italians crave good times, or la dolce vita, in the form of relaxing moments in the everyday, such as “long meals and frequent coffee breaks.” (Hofstede 2021).
Long Term Orientation (61): A score like this makes Italy a pragmatic society, which means that Italians tend to accept that “the truth” depends very much on context and time. They are adaptable to changing conditions, and usually show an intense sense of perseverance and being thrifty.
Indulgence (30): Despite cultural stereotypes, Italy’s low score indicates that it is a culture of Restraint, meaning that they often “control the gratification of their desires.” While la dolce vita is emphasized abroad, Italians tend to be cynical or pessimistic as they see their actions being restrained by social norms.
Reaching the Italian Consumer
Quality is key: Italians as a whole demand and expect quality products. They traditionally have been concerned with the quality of a product or customer service significantly more than about sales or promotions. If available, they trust and prefer products ‘made in Italy’, however foreign products are also stylish, specifically in the realms of the fashion sector, where “novelty is welcomed.” While villages and smaller towns focus on small businesses and local products, consumers in big cities do purchase from mass retailers and larger chains (Santander 2021).
While they are historically loyal to their domestic brands historically, recently consumers, particularly younger, have become more interested in trying new products/brands, especially if they have intriguing promotions. This is due to the recent re-organization of their “shopping habits to meet economic constraints,” which were affected by both the 2008 financial crisis and most recently the coronavirus pandemic—however: “consumer confidence has been increasing since the second half of 2020,” because of the loosening of lockdowns and pandemic restrictions (Santander 2021).
Coffee Culture in Italy
Italians often act as if they invented coffee, and in a way, they did- at least when it comes to espresso. Coffee was introduced in the country in the 17th century. Italy’s original coffee houses date back to the 1700s like the famous Antico Caffè Greco (opened in 1760) in Rome where Keats and Byron sipped at the marble tables. Established in 1720, Caffè Florian is the oldest continuously operating coffee house in Italy and oldest in the world, serving customers in Venice for three centuries.
In these original coffee houses, the coffee was brewed “in the Turkish style, which took about five minutes to prepare” in addition to the time it had to cool down enough for patrons to be able to enjoy it (Kovick 2020). Despite the stereotypes against Italian efficiency, a need arose for a more productive and swift system. Enter the espresso. The name comes from the Italian verb esprimere, meaning to express or press out, which aptly describes the brewing method in which pressure is used to make what many consider the purest, concentrated of coffee. Espresso became extremely popular because without burning coffee grounds or watering them down, it does the least damage to the grounds, giving them the ability to maintain their flavors.
The Italian Market Italy is the third largest coffee consuming country in Europe, accounting for 11% of the total European coffee consumption in 2017, which included “151 thousand tons of green and instant coffee” (Coffee market in Italy- Statistics and Facts 2019). Although it is not the highest consumption rate among the continent, Italy’s per capita rate is “still above the European Union’s average of 5.2 kg per year” (2019). Lastly, an important detail to note: independent cafes make up more than “90% of the Italian market, with a very small share of International chains” (2019).
Competitors
While Illy and Lavazza dominate as the top Italian roasting companies, or torrefazioni, it is interesting to see where the Italian roasting companies are concentrated. It is in southern Campania that we find not only the largest number of coffee roasters, but immensely popular brands such as Kimbo and Motta coffee. In second place is Emilia Romagna with seven roasting companies such as Molinari, and in third place is northern Piedmont with six roasting companies, which include the world-famous coffee brands Lavazza, Vergnano, and Bialetti.
Number of coffee roasting factories in Italy per region (Marche di Caffè italiano 2019).
In addition to domestic brands, Starbucks’ most significant foreign chain competitors would be the McDonald’s McCafé brand as well as Costa Coffee. In 2019, both had “recorded… higher numbers” of locations open across the continent than Starbucks (Europe: Starbucks, per country 2021).
SWOT Analysis and Conclusion of Background
Strengths: Starbucks is essentially inspired by Italy and the Italian coffee tradition, so it wants to pay homage to it while providing its customers with a different option within the robust Italian coffee market. Starbucks is a successful, global brand with a strong CSR, and it can provide job opportunities. It is a third space that is not only conducive to work in, but it has the offer of reliable Wi-Fi, coffee and food, an offering that not many of the traditional coffee bars or pubs can boast. Additionally, the younger generations of Italians are aware of Starbucks from their times abroad, from movies and television. Just as other cultures dream of emulating the Italian ideal of “la dolce vita,” being able to participate in the American Starbucks way can be seen as some sort of trendy or cool phenomenon, just because it is foreign.
Weaknesses: Starbucks does have higher prices than coffee offerings available to the average Italian consumer. It is also easy to imitate most of the offerings that Starbucks provides- meaning, if they wanted to, coffee bars around the country could potentially provide their own imitations of frappuccinos.
Opportunities: Opening new Starbucks locations in different cities gives the brand a chance to continue collaborating with local businesses (for example: The Milan Roastery’s partnership with local pastry chefs) and provides job opportunities for locals. It also gives Starbucks the opportunity to celebrate the Italian coffee tradition, paying homage to it in the country of coffee.
Threats:The low cost of traditional competitors, the potential of other global competitors (such as McDonald’s Café or Costa Coffee) being able to imitate and perhaps oversaturate the “international chain” market, and the strong cultural ties are among the biggest threats to successfully opening new locations.
To conclude our background and situational analysis: Italy has a well-established coffee tradition, however, the younger generations who have had the opportunity to not only travel abroad and experience the novelty of Starbucks in other countries, but embrace the idea of a third space, especially now as the pandemic has emphasized the probability of remote regular work in some sectors. Just as the innovative Italians of the 1700s saw a need for a quicker way to prepare coffee, some Italians of today recognized that need for a third space (particularly with reliable Internet). Additionally, while people may travel to Italy to experience something different than the Starbucks they may be accustomed to back home, it is a globally recognized brand– often known for providing a brief space of refuge for tourists in the forms of Wifi, air conditioning, and familiarity in perhaps a foreign place. Italy can continue this new wave of caffeinated innovation by expanding its coffee choices for its consumers. This need does not undermine or diminish the strong culture Italy has surrounding its coffee bars and the quality of their products. Because Starbucks has a deep admiration for the Italian coffee tradition, we believe there is a respectful way to effectively proceed with the expansion of the brand to cities beyond Milan and Turin.
Statement of Purpose
Our goal is to further expand Starbuck’s presence in Italy. We plan on expanding by celebrating and recognizing Italian coffee culture and acting as a part of it as opposed to overtaking it.
Objectives
Based on our research, Italians tend to have a negative opinion or hesitancy towards Starbucks which has prevented the company from expanding. This stems heavily from the perception that Starbucks is an American, big-brand corporation that provides a lower quality coffee experience than Italians prefer. In order to expand Starbucks’ reach in Italy, we must first accommodate the opinions and lifestyle of the population and blend the Starbucks brand with Italian culture. Therefore, we propose two main objectives for our campaign:
Reposition Starbucks as a high quality, Italian-inspired coffee brand to encourage a more positive perception of Starbucks among Italians.
Educate Italians about the economic, environmental and cultural benefits of Starbucks’ presence in Italy.
Target Audience and Rationale
We identified two key target audiences for our campaign: millennials and tourists. The northern city of Bologna is a college town where millennials are abundant, and they tend to be more open to new ideas. The typical age of Italian millennials is 24-40 and is more skilled and educated than those in previous generations. However, most millennials are not completely financially independent, and many still live with their parents which has earned their generation the unfortunate nickname of bamboccioni, meaning “big babies” (Martens Center for European Studies). This is not an entirely fair designation because millennials have endured two major economic hardships in their lifetime: a recession in the early 1990s as well as the economic crisis of 2008. Recently, the coronavirus has continued negatively impacting Italy’s financial welfare. Each of these situations has made it difficult for millennials to achieve financial independence, but this does not stop them from spending and enjoying life.
As noted in our Hofstede analysis, Italy traditionally ranks lower for indulgence and is known as a culture of restraint. Italian millennials are shifting that behavior, and they are more interested in spending money (to some extent), going out and moving at a faster pace than older generations. As consumers, they value sustainable products that have good quality and design. They are interested in learning about the production and ingredients that go into their goods, and they enjoy brand name items. From a media consumption perspective, Italian millennials prefer to use social media apps on their personal devices rather than staying up to date via traditional media like newspapers and television. In summary, Italian millennials are attracted to high quality, branded products they can acquire quickly at a reasonable price.
The southern city of Naples presents a much different population. As a port city, tourist traffic is high, as many pass through on their way to neighboring tourist attractions, islands and resorts. Locals to the city are more traditional than northern Italians and are more likely to have a negative bias toward big-brand companies, instead preferring local business. Because of this, we will instead target our message to tourists passing through Naples while still respecting the traditional preferences of the local population.
Naples is the ninth most visited city in Italy, and its tourist population is growing. Most tourists are from other European countries as well as the United States and China (Italy Travel Statistics 2021). Tourists are fast-moving individuals looking for a quick Neapolitan experience during their short time in the city. They are familiar with international brands, and while they are looking for an authentic experience during their time in Naples, they also value affordable, quick products and services. Together, tourists and locals to Naples have juxtaposed interests that intersect at valuing quality and authenticity so we must position our message around these values in order to attract tourists without insulting locals.
Communication Strategy
Our plan calls for the implementation of new marketing in two cities, Bologna (Emilia-Romagna) and Naples (Campania). These two cities were chosen because of their geographic location and local culture. Bologna is a northern, collegiate city. Because we have already set up a foothold in Northern Italy, we would like to consider the possibility of a more traditional Starbucks. As seen in the background information, younger Italians are not opposed to the novelty of Starbucks. Our marketing will try to utilize this feeling, balanced with the Italian idea of “la dolce vita” to continue to expand the Starbucks’ brand in Italy.
Our second city, Naples, was chosen for a few main reasons. Firstly, Naples, while less of a travel destination than other Italian cities, is a short drive from Rome and is the gateway to both the architectural site of Pompeii, a port city for cruise ships, as well as access to the Amalfi Coast and Capri. It can provide the perfect mix of international tourists and locals. Secondly, it would be our first effort to infuse Starbucks in Southern Italy, which is noted as being more traditional and more opposed to a global coffee brand and more in favor of local shops. In Naples, we are hopeful for data that indicates that we would be able to open a version of a “Starbucks Lite” that allows us to begin to develop the Southern Italian market.
The first part of our strategy will be extensive research utilizing both focus groups and internet surveys. Any budget made for this plan will need to include approximately 130,000 euros which covers a stipend in each city for focus groups (50 euros per volunteer, 500 volunteers in Bologna and 1,500 in Naples) and 5,000 euros for survey prizes where 10 random surveyors will be given 500 euros each. Finally, around 25,000 in free coffee bean sample bags for those who fill out our online survey. Both the survey and focus groups will revolve around the following questions:
Are you familiar with Starbucks?
How would you describe Starbucks in three words?
Are you interested in a Starbucks coffee shop?
Do you like the taste of Starbucks coffee? (Focus group members will be given the opportunity to taste)
Are you more interested in Starbucks coffee or novelty drinks?
How long would you be willing to wait for a Starbucks coffee?
How much would you be willing to pay for a Starbucks coffee?
Would you be offended if a Starbucks coffee shop were to open in your city?
What is the best way to communicate with the consumer: print, television, or social media?
The research will last one month and will be revisited both three months and six months after the communication plan implementation.
Based on these results, plans will be devised for each city. Both plans, however, will be formed around creative pieces we have designed (included after works cited). First, we will devise newspaper ads, and as many older Italians still receive most of their news from print, we plan on taking a full-page ad. One ad will include the slogan “Una tradizione Italiana, con il tocco di Starbucks” which translates to “An Italian tradition, with a touch of Starbucks” and include a picture of a traditional Italian café and a minimalistic Starbucks logo sign. Another ad will be an ode that harkens back to the luxurious “la dolce vita,” re-emphasizing the high quality of the product.
Secondly, for television, we will have a thirty second ad of our newly minted “CEO of Starbucks Italia.” Our new CEO will be an Italian citizen. Their message will be reassurances that Starbucks is not looking to remove Italian tradition from coffee but be a part of it. The message will end with an offer for a free espresso for those who fill out our online survey. The ad’s purpose is twofold; not only will we receive more survey responses, but it also allows for the Italian consumer to taste what Starbucks has to offer.
Lastly, we will utilize Italian influencers and social media. These influencers will be given tours of our flagship location in Milan and asked to taste the traditional and non-traditional coffee drinks. The hope is that they will be able to convey the flavor and similarities of Italian coffee with the traditional beverages and hype of the allure of the non-traditional beverages for those who wish to try something new. We will also design an Instagram campaign contest to boost brand visibility within Italy and encourage our consumers to interact with us. The campaign will celebrate summer in Italy and showcase the refreshing sweetness of a Frappuccino and how it coincides with the sweet life (la dolce vita).
After the first 3 months of the campaign, we will once again bring in focus group members and examine new survey results to see if there are any changes that our plan needs to accommodate. Finally, after 6 months, we will examine the growth from our research and see if building store fronts in Bologna and Naples is feasible at that time. The hope is that both cities will welcome Starbucks, either a traditional Starbucks or a specialized store that is strictly Italian style. Even if the research yields that one or neither of the cities are ready for a Starbucks, the money used for the campaign will still be more inexpensive than building and staffing new Starbucks stores and will give us valuable information for future Italian expansion.
Media/Communication Channels and Rationale
Our plan calls for three distinct communication channels: Print, Television, and Social Media. These have their own varying level of importance and will be utilized based on their effectiveness in different areas. First and foremost, despite its costs, television is the most effective communication channel and will be used in both Bologna and Naples marketing. In 2016, the Italian television ad market was worth over $6.8 billion dollars (Santander 2021). As stated, Italy is a pragmatic society, and a level of trust needs to be formed for Italians to buy a product. By using a television ad with an Italian head of Starbucks, it begins to build the trust between the Italian consumer and Starbucks.
Secondly, Southern Italians are considered to be more traditionalist, and when paired with their long-term orientation and uncertainty avoidance scores, leads to the idea that while internet and television are useful, printed media in newspapers is still needed to sell a point to consumers. According to Statista, Italy’s top ten newspapers sell more than 990,000 newspapers each month (Statista 2019). While these sales have less reach than television, it is still an effective way to reach the more traditional group of Italian consumers.
Lastly, nearly 75% of Italians have access to the internet (Central Intelligence Agency 2021), therefore, because of the reach, we should be easily able to post a survey online and reason ample results for our research phase. Additionally, nearly 40% of social media users find advertisements on social media interesting (Santander 2021). If we are able to use social media influencers to tap into the market, we can begin to switch the attitude of the Italian consumer towards embracing Starbucks into Italian coffee culture.
Scheduling/Content Calendar
The plan will take place over the spread of six months beginning in July 2021 and conclude in December 2021 and is broken down as follows:
July 2021: Research – This first month will be used to begin the process of forming focus groups, creating a survey and gathering data.
August 2021: Forming Marketing Plan – Based on what the data tells us, we will design plans specifically for the two cities. For example, if Bologna would like more novelty items and has a desire to be communicated through social media, we can design an Instagram post of a Le Due Torre in Bologna.
September 2021: Initiate the plan – This month will feature all communication channels including print, television, and social media. September can be seen as the month the communication plan begins for consumers.
October/November 2021: Monitor Marketing Strategy – As the communication plan is being rolled out, the communication team will continue to monitor the survey results and if the attitudes of the Italian consumer are not shifting, we can readjust our communication strategy.
December 2021: Final Analysis and Next Steps – Our first step in December will be to hold another round of focus groups and continue to monitor the survey results. As the data continues to roll in, we will be able to see if opening a Starbucks coffee shop is viable in Bologna and Naples. If we find that neither city is ready to hold a store front, we can use the survey and focus group results to form a new plan to further our entry into the Italian market.
Measurement
As explained in the communication strategy, we will conduct surveys – promoted in our TV commercial – and focus groups to assess how the perception of Starbucks changes from the beginning of our campaign to the end. We will aggregate these results to see if and how much knowledge of the Starbucks brand has increased as well as the willingness to be a Starbucks consumer. We will create visual representations of our data via charts and graphs that show the changes over three and six months.
Additionally, we will track engagement with our campaign. Our outputs – the social media posts, commercials, and news ads – will be created and executed based on our timeline. We will track various SEO outtakes for the entirety of the campaign including survey participants; shares, likes and replies on social media posts; new follows and mentions on social media; searches for Starbucks and campaign related hashtags and content; and survey participants.
From this data, we will identify our outcomes. These outcomes will determine the next steps for both Bologna and Naples, and our hope is the results indicate that opening new stores in both cities would be successful.
After three collective years of living in Rome, I’ve had friends, friends of friends, coworkers, my friend’s cousin’s mother-in-law- basically a lot of different people- ask me for my recommendations. These consigli are definitely bound to change as I learn more and as time passes, but some of this information is evergreen- just as the Eternal City.
Finding accommodation in a city as sprawling and filled with “unmissable” sights can be challenging. While I encourage for added research, here are my top suggestions for a first-time trip to Rome, so that you are well-connected via ATAC (the public transportation system), close to not only the “must-sees,” but also the must-eats and must-drinks! Rome is a pretty safe city to begin with, and we’re fortunate enough that there aren’t any real “no-go” areas in the city center itself. While there are some sections of neighborhoods further from the center that I would suggest avoiding, the most common crime is petty theft, so be attentive in crowded areas like buses/trains. Like anywhere in the world, you just have to be aware of your surroundings and know your resources in case of emergency.
Lastly, a disclaimer: I have never stayed in a hotel, Airbnb, or hostel while in Rome, so while I do not have suggestions to specific accommodations, these recs are based on my experiences hosting friends and planning their visits to Rome.
PRATI (prah-tea)
For a quiet, well-connected part of town, Prati is the best bet for any first-timer. It’s easy to get to by metro, convenient for the Vatican, has many good hotels and decent eateries to choose from. It is very easy to get to the historic center across the river from Prati, as well as a 20-minute stroll along the river to get to Trastevere. Throughout the day, thousands of tourists flock to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican museums, but also to frequent the good shopping on Via Ottaviano and in and around Cola di Rienzo. If you hate crowds, avoid the Vatican area on Wednesday (papal audience) morning and Sunday (papal blessing) morning. It quiets down throughout the evening, although you’ll still find pockets of life in some popular bars and jazz clubs. You’ll be connected by several buses (Piazza Risorgimento is a depot that many of them stop around, as well as two tram lines), but most importantly, to the Metro A. One of the more important hubs of the A line is Ottaviano (the closest to the Vatican), however; the Prati neighborhood technically spans between the Lepanto and Cipro stops.
A tourist taking in the view from Ponte Cavour in the Prati area.
TRASTEVERE (trah-steh-veh-reh)
Over the river from the historic center, Trastevere is what you possibly think of when you think of Rome- picturesque, medieval cobble-stoned streets, and vibrant piazzas. It has some interesting sites, with some beautiful churches, chapels and villas, but what it’s known for both by locals and tourists is the food. Trastevere boasts hundreds of bars and eateries, from Michelin-starred to grungy art cafes, to authentic ristoranti and osterie generationally run by Roman families. It’s great to explore by day and it BURSTS to life at night when tourists and locals alike keep it lively until the early hours of the night. Trastevere is not directly connected to a metro stop, that is its biggest fault, however, the historic center is just across the river and it is connected by buses and by a tram that takes you directly there. Keep in mind, Trastevere is also located in between the Vatican and the Testaccio/Ostiense area (where you can pick up the Metro B). The regional train also has a stop (a bit further away from the river) that can connect you to Fiumicino airport if you choose to take the Leonardo Express train.
A picturesque vicolo in Trastevere.
Other Neighborhoods to Consider for a First-Time Visit:
Piazza della Minerva, tucked away just behind the Pantheon in Centro Storico. Grab a panino to go from Mordi e Vai- a staple at the Testaccio market.A Fiat in Monti.
CENTRO STORICO (chen-troh stoh-ree-co)- The historic center is hard to beat for a first time visit, however; keep in mind this should be the place to tour, not necessarily to stay. While some locales are well-frequented for a reason, and the ones that I like will be shared later, there are so many other (and often better) places to eat. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, mostly mid-range or above. The area seems overwhelmingly large, spanning from Piazza del Popolo, enveloping the Jewish Ghetto, and ending just past the Colosseo, but it is walkable, there are a few bus and tram lines available, several metro A and B stops spread throughout, and if it comes to it, you could always get a cab.
TESTACCIO (tes-tah-cho)- Calling all foodies- Testaccio is the place for you! Think Trastevere, but without the partying John Cabot students. Mercato Testaccio is perfect for trying Roman classics but with a new spin. A little off the tourist radar, Testaccio is a former working-class area on the rise. In addition to its delicious food, it has some popular clubs and discos. Not many hotels to boast, but an AirBNB would be interesting here and the nearby Aventine hill has some luxury hotels. Its Ostiense stop is part of the regional train line as well as the metro B line (which could easily connect you to the Colosseum and also the Termini Station to transfer to another line).
MONTI (mohn-tea)- A short hop away from the Colosseum and Forum, Monti is a favorite haunt of Rome’s boho and edgy subcultures and exudes a laid-back village vibe with its hipster boutiques, popular bars and excellent restaurants. The center of action is Piazza Madonna dei Monti, but there’s also plenty going on around Via Leonina and Via Urbana. It’s connected at the Cavour metro stop off of the B line.
*** You will find much of Rome’s budget accommodations near Stazione Termini (the main train station of Rome). It’s not the most attractive, nor is it the safest part of town at night, however it’s not as bad as it’s often made out to be. During the day it’s perfectly fine and you can find some excellent museums and basilicas.
written as a part of the #RamblersAbroad blog. As a recipient of a study abroad scholarship, I was chosen to be one of the student bloggers during my year in Rome. This was written shortly after the November 2015 attacks in Paris.
I spent two days in one of the most beautiful places in Italy, arguably the world—and despite that, my mind was hundreds of kilometers away, in a city I have never been to. Positano itself was a place unlike any other I had been to. Built into the cliffs of the Amalfi coast, the colorful houses, endless flights of stairs and the brisk air off the sea were absolutely gorgeous. My travel companions and I were excited, because despite this being Positano’s off-season, it was a place that seemed like paradise. Tranquil, natural, colorful and safe.
We had an amazing AirBnB booked, which was stocked with great amenities, comfy beds, an amazing host with an adorable pug named Willy, who snorted like a little piglet running behind Michele, and a view that took my breath away (much like Willy). We had a fantastic morning and afternoon, strolling down the winding staircases towards the pebbled beach front. We enjoyed some snacks and drinks at a bar right on the beach, good conversations, Once it got dark, we ended up just laying on our backs on the pebbles, listening to the waves, trying to soak in the fact that we were there. After a struggle of trying to climb the hill all the way back up to our lodgings, we were still in a great mood and going to start a movie, when one of us saw the first scrap of news of what was just beginning to happen in Paris. The mood of the night automatically transformed into a somber one. Luckily, all of us who had friends in Paris at the time were able to contact them and we found out that they, along with all of our other JFRCers that were abroad, were safe.
Despite the news, we persisted to enjoy ourselves the next day, but it was clear that we were all affected. It was impossible not to be. This was most clearly demonstrated to me by two instances. The first is when climbed back down to centro storico to visit one of the little cathedrals. We had been pretty talkative the whole morning, even complaining a bit about all of the stairs and cracking jokes, but the second we stepped into that little cathedral, each of us just sat in our own little separate pew, and took a couple of minutes. I can’t speak for my travel companions, but I felt a deep sense of reflection, gratitude, and dare I say inner peace, which I found strange, given the current situation that was unfolding in Europe.
The second was at our late lunch, where we seemed to have calmed down a bit and Paris was somewhere in our subconscious, but it was brought back automatically when we heard a large bomb-like blast coming from somewhere above the town. I swear, my heart skipped a beat. We later found out that they were fireworks, the ones that have a quick spark before letting out a huge, thundering boom and although the spike in our fear seems a little silly in hindsight, at the time, we were definitely on edge. It didn’t help when some lady from Texas who was on our bus back to Sorrento told us that she heard that there were reports that Rome was going to be targeted for the next couple of days. Granted, she said she heard that on Fox news, which I personally have trouble putting stock into, but regardless, to say I wasn’t scared would have been a lie.
I think what scares me most about the attacks, is the realization that I could have easily been in Paris instead of Positano for the weekend. The study abroad life, right? My friends and I could have decided to travel to France instead of staying in Italy—and I actually had friends and fellow JFRCers that were in Paris. Or even the opposite- what happened in Paris could have easily happened in Rome, or any other city that my friends and I have traveled to. Perhaps realization is the wrong word. Unfortunately, I think we’re all aware, whether consciously or not, that things like this happen, and can happen everywhere and any day.
I was too young to truly comprehend that idea when 9/11 happened, as I was only 7 years old. I remember being scared, but I was only scared of traveling in airplanes. I had never even traveled on a plane, so needless to say, my first flight from Chicago to Warszawa was a nine-hour endeavor of anxiety. Yet, on the way back, despite getting the normal little jitters one can get with the realization that they’re in a big hunk of metal that is somehow defying gravity and thousands of miles up in the air, I grew accustomed to flying. I forgot the fear. Then the terrorist bombings in London made me aware that planes aren’t going to be my only worry, and any time I stepped onto a train or mode of public transportation, I noticed that I unintentionally would size people up. I started thinking of how easily something similar could happen here, as there was nowhere near the security that airports now had. But time passed, Chicago seemed far away from that. I was lulled back into a sense of safety again.
Even the attacks in the offices of Charlie Hebdo this past January did not affect me as much as recent events have. Those, although also sad and tragic, did not scare me. It was an attack on free speech, it was an attack with specific targets. I am in no way saying that anyone deserves to be the target of that kind of retaliation, but for some reason, I was not as affected as I was when I saw the events in Paris, November 13, 2015, unfold in front of my eyes through my news updates on my phone. I felt sick to my stomach. These were people, innocent people who have most likely NOTHING to do with the politics on a global scale. Some were enjoying a football match with two of the best teams in the world. Others were at a music concert. Some were simply sharing a meal. What on earth could these people have done to deserve such a horrifying nightmare? One could twist my aforementioned argument, that they, like the victims of the Hebdo attacks, were intentional targets paying the price for what France was doing in Syria.
Again, the scariest thing is that my friends and I could have easily been there. We go out to eat and to bars in Trastevere and Monti- popular neighborhoods of Rome. We go to concerts and AS Roma games at Stadio Olimpico. Perhaps that’s egotistical and slightly irrational, turning what’s happening in some place that you’re geographically nowhere near into focusing on what could happen to you, but I think that’s just how humans are wired. I don’t even want to try to imagine myself in that kind of terror and I hope I never will have to experience anything like that firsthand- but then I read that among one of the victims was an American student, studying abroad.
With this fear also comes a sense of anger. I’m angry that the fact that people like this are trying to take away any sense of normalcy and innocence in the world. I’m mad that some people in parts of the world have to live in situations such as this every day. I’m mad that now, when I walk around Rome, or any place really, I’m feeling slightly on edge, because someone decided that the best way to channel their hatred and anger is to do so violently on innocent people. Doesn’t the world see enough sadness without humans trying to kill other humans? Isn’t trying to live out one’s life difficult enough without all of this hate? How is life supposed to go on now? Is this edginess going to pass, just as my fears of planes were lulled back into a sense of security only to be taken away when the next tragedy happens? Is this just the new, unfortunate normal? What are we going to do? How are we supposed to make it better?
The truth is- I don’t have any of the answers, and I’m also not sure if anyone else does. Despite all of this hatred though, there isstrength, solidarity, happiness and love. There are accounts from people who survived the hostage situation and massacre at Bataclan, telling stories of their survival because of the complete strangers who shielded them from harm. There have been reports of Parisian locals opening up their doors to shelter victims. Countless videos have become viral of various street musicians playing for crowds in public squares that have come to pay their respects by leaving flowers and lighting candles. The strong and proud people of France will try to pick up the pieces after this tragedy, as they’ve done before, just like we tried and did after 9/11. And I think that’s beautiful.
Obviously, despite being more anxious than usual, life has to and will go on. I can’t just hole up in my room, scared under my blanket, not wanting to venture out into the world. My heart goes out to everyone affected in events such as these, not only in Paris, but all over the world- including in Beirut, in Syria, in the Middle East, in Africa, in places where something like this may happen more often and places that do not receive the same coverage as the Western world. Not to defend the media frenzy that seems to only cover the Western world, but I think we’re so desensitized when we hear about bombings in the Middle East, that when it happens somewhere that you wouldn’t normally see it happen, it sadly becomes sensationalized. Normal is a key word, though. In a perfect world, there shouldn’t be any place where bombing/terrorist attacks/senseless killing is “normal.”
John Lennon was a dreamer, so perhaps I take after him because of my undying love for the Beatles. Maybe I’m naïve, but I really do dream that one day, despite the fact that we won’t agree on a lot of things- or anything for that matter- we will find a different way of dealing with that disagreement. Sure, there will be struggles, as that is what life seems to always include, but senseless hate won’t be one of them. Until then, all we can do is show that we’re stronger than that hate. The love we have for others is stronger than the fear that the people who don’t understand it try to instill within us. The world is filled with too many beautiful people, places and moments for it to be a bad place. I just hope that we’ll realize this sooner rather than later.
written as a part of the #RamblersAbroad blog. As a recipient of a study abroad scholarship, I was chosen to be one of the student bloggers during my year in Rome.
Confucius might have been on to something when he said the quote I’m using the title for this blog.. but I’m getting ahead of myself.
You’ve all heard of Milano, right? What do you think when you hear Milan? Many will say glamorous, stylish fashion capital. For anyone who knows anything about Italy, they could start to throw in some geographical knowledge and might add any familiarity regional stereotypes they might have and say that it’s located in northern Italy in the Lombardia region and that the milanese are sometimes known for being arrogant, cold and efficient in the working world.
If you would have asked me what I thought, I would have said all of the above, but if you asked me whether or not I was dying to visit it, I would have said, “eh.”
Now, before you gasp at my indifference, forget Milano for a second. Along the same lines, what do you think when you hear Cusano Mutri? Many might say what or where or is that a type of pasta? Don’t worry about it, though, because I can tell you that even some Italians don’t know about it.
But what I’m getting at: what do these two places have in common (other than the obvious fact that they’re both in Italy…)?
I had the pleasure of spending a weekend in each of these places the past two weeks. They were as different as night and day.
Cusano Mutri, according to Google, is a commune of the Province of Benevento. It is located in the southern region of Campania and has just a little over 4000 residents. Its biggest party of the year is the Sagra dei Funghi, or mushroom food festival. I, along with 17 other students and two JFRC staff members, traveled down to Cusano for the first weekend of this festival. Needless to say, I was excited, because food festival + mushroom + Italian cuisine = happy Ola.
Why did I chose to go on the Cusano study trip? Other than my obvious love for porcini mushrooms and food in general, the trip seemed different than the other study trips that the JFRC offered. They also advertised hiking and beautiful scenery that included mountains and lakes. I’m a city girl, through and through. The closest I come to nature are the forest preserves that surround Chicago and the forests and lakes that surround my family’s hometown in Poland (and even then, that’s for a leisurely stroll and overall relaxation). Hiking? That’s a challenge. Going to a small town where little to no one that speaks English? That’s a challenge too. I wanted to try something new and give Cusano my all; and I’m so glad I did.
We did indeed hike, along a river and a lake. We learned how to make pasta and gnocchi from one of the head chefs of Lo Suago, the restaurant that was our home base during the sagra. Our SLA Fran gave us a wonderful surprise and we made s’mores under a sky illuminated by the moon and hundreds of stars. My new friend Luis taught me how to dance merengue and salsa as we danced with friendly and welcoming locals in the town’s streets and piazzas. There were spontaneous pickup games of soccer with Romans (also happened to be visiting Cusano), cappuccini and probably the best cornetti con crema I’d ever eaten courtesy of our host, Clementina, and dinosaurs (oh yes, you read correctly- dinosaurs!… okay, it was a museum with some fossils, but one of them WAS a dinosaur fossil).
Truly and genuinely- the trip to Cusano was amazing and I can’t begin to describe how much I loved it. For anyone coming to a future fall semester here at the JFRC; definitely consider going.
Milano, on the other hand, is world-renowned, in a industrialized region of Italy, with a population of over 1.2 million people- and that’s not counting the thousands of tourists and huge events that bring in thousands more such as Milan Fashion Week and, currently, the Universal Exhibition, or Expo 2015. Now, back to my stunning lack of wow factor regarding Milan. Why wasn’t I as ready to embrace Milano as I was with Cusano?
Perhaps it has to do with the idea that it didn’t fit my concept of Europe. I wanted European cities to be charming, rustic, unlike anything I’d ever seen in America. Or perhaps it was being someone who’s been taught the Italian language and culture for almost six years by people who have been from southern or central Italy. Or maybe it’s because most of my neighbors and friends back in Chicago are from Calabria or Sicily. I’m not saying that they have influenced my views on the north negatively, but I guess you could say I’ve always had an affinity for the south probably because that’s the only experience I’ve had with Italian culture up until this point.
Instead of a study trip, myself and two other friends went to Milan on our own this past weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it; but I didn’t initially. Promptly after landing, I remember thinking how expensive this city was going to be, how gray it seemed, how modern it was. I don’t know what it is about me, but when I think of Europe, I used to never think the word modern. Again though, I blame my previous experiences with Europe and by that, I mean my summers in a small town in Poland where my babcia had a small TV with only three channels (although now she’s really upgraded and has 15!).
However, after seeing a ballet at Teatro alla Scala for ONLY 11 euro (the story of how we got those tickets is ridiculous, so if anyone’s dying to know, hit me up), eating absolutely delicious panzerotti at Luini’s (what I would do for another one now that I’m back in Roma..), and sipping on sweet drinks during aperitivo in the artsy neighborhood Naviglis: I fell in love with Milano. It’s hard not to. It’s such a cosmopolitan city and there’s just something about it. I often talk about the vibes I get from certain cities. Milano gave me a good feeling and I was mad at myself for not giving the city the same chance I promised I’d give Cusano, so for that, my dear Milano lovers, I humbly apologize.
I wasn’t ready to give Milan a chance and I already had preconceived notions on what I thought the city was going to be like. I only started enjoying the city when I actually let go of those feelings. I had no expectations of Cusano and was open to experience something new. No matter where you end up with life- go with all of your heart. Be open, NOT SOLELY to new experiences, but to rethink old habits and ideas. Isn’t that the whole point of being abroad? Opening up your mind to new ideas lets you change the way you think and potentially how you view the world. You don’t necessarily have to, but it gives you that option.
I could have easily stuck with my prior ideas of Milano and been unhappy during the trip, but what would have that taught me? And what would have that meant about me? Did I want to be that type of person?
Give every new place a chance- despite what you may have previously heard. You may end up falling in love with it and actually becoming excited at the prospect of one day coming back and learning even more.
Give every new place a chance; especially if you had no prior knowledge of it. You may end up watching a sunrise from the top of a mountain.
written as a blog post for a semester-long project (The Expressionist LUC) in my undergraduate Communication and New Media course
Stickers, posters, wheatpaste art, commissioned murals: Chicago street art is as diverse as the city’s districts. For a town with a spray-paint ban that’s lasted over two decades and a graffiti fine that can cost an arm and leg, Chicago street art is very much alive. In the past couple of weeks, The Expressionist visited a variety of Chicago’s neighborhoods. Here are our top three neighborhoods of street art in the Windy City!
Wicker Park
Hipsters rejoice! Of course Wicker Park made it into our top three. Since we’re familiar with the area, we knew there’d be something to see on the walls our way to Reckless Records and Myopic Bookstore- and there was (and that’s not just because we happened to visit Wicker Park during the CHIditarod Race, which made the neighborhood a lot quirkier than usual with clowns and Wes Anderson characters running about). Although there is a strict program dedicated to ‘cleaning up’ the streets, we found works of art – a mixture of what looked like commissioned and rogue pieces- everywhere.
Rogers Park
Want to see some amazing murals, but don’t have the time or motivation to go on a quest throughout the whole city? Fear no more, because there is some amazing work in our very own Rogers Park! From the painted benches at Hartigan Beach to the community-based art initiative called the Mile of Murals right off the Morse Red Line stop, there is plenty to see in our neighborhood. New themes are chosen each year through an intense selection process judged by leaders of the community and art professionals! For more information on how to get involved with Mile of Murals click here!
Pilsen
Arguably the heart of the art in Chicago! Pilsen may have been an obvious choice, but it did not disappoint! It is quite the trek from our northern Rogers Park area, but it’s totally worth it! For our trip to Pilsen, the Expressionist teamed up with another Loyola-based blog that aims to express the authentic experience of the Chicago neighborhoods they visit, Urban Explorers. We had an amazing time (and ate delicious Mexican food)! Although the National Museum of Mexican Art is 100% worth checking out, the phenomenal murals around Pilsen are what made this creative, cultural neighborhood our #1.
Check out this video that our friends at Urban Explorers made of our trip (you may see an Expressionist or two). Think we missed an important neighborhood? Would you have numbered this differently? Let us know! Comment below or tweet us @ExpressLUC with your thoughts!
Ola Wysocki 