As the days count down I am getting more and more excited for the trip. I have been doing a lot of research, reading, and analyzing television broadcasts on Sicily focusing mostly on the history and culture. The biggest historical fact about the history of Sicily is the numerous amount of conquests and invasions the island have suffered over the years. It seems like every civilization that has had a decent navy have at one time or another has laid claim to the land. This has a lot to do with the location and the plentiful natural resources of the area. The location is in the center of the Mediterranean which is a key strategical position in terms of trade.
Most of the recurring themes about Sicilian culture all show up in professional traveler and television personality Anthony Bourdain's episode of No Reservations. Not only did he give me a guide of how to experience all that Sicily has to offer but also taught me some new aspects of the culture I have not been exposed to. I grew up in a very Italian American household so I am no stranger to the Italian lifestyle. Sicily's history of invasions has drawn the natives inward with a focus and reliance on the family, which is the only constant and the only one that can be trusted. To learn more about Bourdain suggests markets as a good way to learn about the culture and provides an inside look into a country's psyche. The biggest and best market in Sicily is in Palermo which we will be visiting later in the trip so I will be curious to see if that is true. Bourdain states that Palermo's market reflects each foreign influence that has made their way through. One other point of interest Bourdain examines is the local population, when he interviews a native Sicilian who has studied at a American university. The native states that the common perception around the world is that the United States is a melting pot. However the real melting pot is in Sicily because Sicilians are melted in blood. The example he uses is himself. He has many distinct physical characteristics based from the Normans, Arabs, Greeks, and Spanish. All who have invaded the lands. At this moment in time he does have point, Americans are not as universally melted in blood as the Sicilians. Plus I think the term tossed salad is gaining more universal recognition these days and is more appropriate to describe the Americans. The concept of many different pieces coming together and living together is not a bad way to go.
Bourdain also provided advice on travel. Be a traveler, not a tourist, try to integrate into the culture and not be an arrogant American. To try to be in accord with that logic, I just finished reading a book about an American author trying to integrate into Italian society through soccer. In Joe McGinniss' book The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro, he tries to do so. Initially this book was supposed to chronicle the journey of a small town soccer team as they rise the ranks of the Italian soccer hierarchy. However as he got more involved, the more he was surprised to find new Soccer is the pride and passion of Italy's sports landscape so understanding soccer culture can lead to understanding the nation. McGinniss does this by trying to live the daily routine just lie a native Italian would. This includes constant interactions with the local people and the soccer team. Life becomes tough for McGinniss because no matter how hard he tries or how much he studies he is looked like an American outsider. The Italians he encounters believe there are intricacies in Italian culture he will just never understand because he was raised as an American. Throughout the book there is a constant struggle between what McGinniss believes and what the Italians believe. However the book provides great insight into the infrastructure of an Italian soccer team and the intricacies of the Italian culture. This will be my challenge for this trip. To try and integrate as much as I can, learn the culture, learn the history and strengthen my knowledge of the Italian language.
References: McGinniss, Joe. The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro. Boston: Little, Brown, 1999
"Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations." Sicily. Travel Channel. Television.
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