Rome and Italians

Tonight one of my favorite shows comes on. I am reveling in these last few episodes because this, I've heard, is going to be the final season. It is just too expensive to put on. (The costumes are just incredible, and the whole thing is filmed ON LOCATION!) The show is called "Rome" - it is a joint production between the BBC and HBO (who could ask for more?!?). Well, if you haven't seen it, it is worth checking out and watching. But start at the beginning! You won't want to miss a single show. Oh, and by the way, it's a bit bloody.

Speaking of Rome, this photo is one we took when we visited the ruins of the Roman Forum a couple summers ago. It's funny, I've been thinking a lot about Italian culture and trips to Italy and whatnot lately. Tim and I have been re-watching the Sopranos, and in the second season Tony takes Christopher and Paulie to Italy for a "business" trip. This makes me laugh, because throughout the whole episode, you see these Italian-Americans who are so very "Italian" but have never even visited Italy before, in their whole lives. What cracks me up is when certain American cultures are more cultural here than in their home country! It's like perpetuating cultural stereotypes and somewhat objectifying themselves or something. And I'm not trying to single out any one culture, this applies across the board to any American-plus culture. I don't know, I'm not offended by this (or trying to offend others, for that matter!), I just think it's a funny and odd phenomenon.

Maybe I'm sensitive to this lately because I have some young kids at work who are always asking me what I am, as in what my heritage is. What should I say? I tell them I'm American and they are like "American and what?" Geez, I don't know! Some French? A bit Cherokee? Part Oompaloompah?