When we first arrived at Piazza Vittorio I felt like we had entered Chinatown. There were tons of people there who didn’t look like the many Italians I was used to seeing in the Campo. Germaine and I walked around the stalls, checking out the fresh seafood and meat. There were also tons of familiar fruits and veggies I was used to seeing back in Seattle. As we explored the market, we kept an eye out for any younger merchants who we might be able to interview.
Our meanderings brought us to a fresh fruit and veggie stall where a young man watched over the goods. Germaine and I attempted to communicate with him in English, but soon realized that he didn’t understand what we were saying. A friend soon came over and addressed us in English. His name escapes me right now, but we found out he was 24 and from the Philippines. In 1996 he had moved to Italy in search of work. He currently worked in the Piazza. We asked about other immigrants in the area and he pointed out many of the other merchants around his stall that were also from the Philippines. He also mentioned his sister had been born in Italy and was currently going to school here, but his parents still lived in the Philippines. When we asked him about immigration and the laws about immigration, he didn’t have much to say about it. Talking to him gave me a better understanding of the people who make up the Piazza Vittorio
One thing I noticed while we were talking and walking around was the sense of community in the Piazza. When we were talking, the other merchants in the surrounding stalls would talk with each other and help out with getting exact change if they didn’t have it. It might have been because of the familiar ties of where people came from, but it seemed like everyone was a friend.
Germaine and I attempted to talk to some Italians, but had no luck. We tried to talk to another merchant in the Piazza who ran a little bakery, but the communication barrier proved to be difficult to overcome. Later we tried to talk to two Italian girls, but they were late for something, so we weren’t able to interview them. Later we tried to ask two other women, but between our Italian and their English, the only thing we accomplished was getting directions outside of the Piazza. As Germaine and I continued out search for an Italian to interview, we ended up interviewing another immigrant. He was from Egypt and had just moved to Italy 2 years ago. He too came in search of work. When we asked him about the government and his view on immigration laws he only had good things to say about them. Our interview was unfortunately cut short, when things got a little inappropriate and he starting making passes at Germaine for his friends. It was our signal to move on.
My experience in Piazza Vittorio gave me a different view of Italy. It wasn’t another image of the one I get walking around Campo di Fiori, it was an image full of the stories of immigrants and people not originally from Italy. In many of the readings we’ve had for class, there has been a constant theme of immigrants as the “other”. The idea that immigrants in Italy are not apart of the society was something that came up frequently. It portrayed the concept that immigrants don’t fit into what Italians perceive as their culture. When going to Piazza it was evident that it was where many immigrants were located. There was one incident where Germaine, Sarah and I were walking a little outside of the Piazza and we stopped in an Indian store to pick up some sodas. When I told the storekeeper that I didn’t want the receipt, he told me that I need to keep them because cops can stop anyone and ask to make sure that they have proof of the purchase and also that the store had taxed them appropriately. I was surprised to learn this and I wondered why no other storekeepers had told me this information when I had refused to take the receipt. I also wondered if this had anything to do with the area we were in? Were cops more active in pursing “criminals” in this area? I’m not sure if this is the case, but it crossed my mind. Were the people who lived in and around Piazza Vittorio treated differently because of their immigrant status? These questions filled my head as we concluded our adventure in Piazza Vitorrio. The time we spent there gave me a look into a different side of Rome and the colorful population that is making its presence known.
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