Italy- a Great Place

Italia! A beautiful country with people to match. In my recent travels to Italy, I have once again seen what this marvelous country has to offer. Italy is a great place not only to visit but to live in as well. It is a country known for its food, its culture, and for its quality.

Demographics
Italy, the country known for its boot shape, is located in Southern Europe, and is a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. Italy covers a total square mileage area of 301,230 and includes two islands Sardinia and Sicily. Italy borders France, Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria. Italy also has the fifth highest population density in Europe, about 196 persons per square kilometer (490 per square mile) and with a population estimated to be 59,093,092 (2006 est.)

The People
Italian ethnicity really depends on which region you are from. If you live in the north, your ethnic background includes small groups of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians (who are usually of lighter complexion, with lighter hair and lighter eyes), Albanian-Italians, and Greek-Italians (who are usually of darker complexion with dark hair and dark eyes) in the south. Italians are very expressive people; they are expressive in almost every aspect of their life including family, business, and love. Italians also are a people known to appreciate and express their fashion sense. Many of the world’s greatest fashion designers and labels come from Italy such as: Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana just to name a few. They take what they wear seriously and put great emphasis on maintaining the upkeep on their clothing and accessories. Being well dressed is also viewed as a sign of success.

Food
As mentioned previously in this article, Italy is known for its food. Italian food being one of the most varied cuisines in the world has greatly influenced other cuisines and brought many people to Italy. Each region in Italy has its specialty. For example, in the Emilia-Romagna region they are known for their buttery, creamy sauces, this is because in this region there are no olive groves therefore butter is the alternative to the usual olive oil. This region is also known for its ham and cheese, being that the city of Parma which I had the opportunity to visit while I was there is located here. Food is practically its own culture in Italy, people eat and drink according to code. What do I mean by this? Well, in Italy you would never order a cappuccino after lunch, you would order a macchiato. Why? because that is just the way it’s done.

Culture
Italian culture is very distinct to me. Italians are a very happy people; they are friendly and very helpful. Italians are also very sure of who they are, where they come from, and what they can offer. It seems like they know exactly what it is they do best and they do it. What do I mean by this? Well for example, almost every business in Italy has a cappuccino machine, and by the way they make them you can tell they are proud of what they are making and for good reason they are unlike any cappuccino I’ve had anywhere else.

Business and Economy
Business in Italy is growing and will continue to grow thanks to its exporting capacities. Growing at 1.6% in 2006, the Italian economy is considered one of the best in Europe, tourism being its main source of income. In the north, the per capita GDP is $29,700.The average Italian lives better than the Briton or Swede according to some. Today, Italy is the world’s sixth largest industrialized economy. Italy owes its success to several thousand family businesses capitalizing on Italian artisanship and ingenuity to turn out outstanding well-made products. Business and family in Italy go hand in hand since most businesses are passed on from one generation to the next. One example of this is the famous gondolier, there is no job application to be a gondolier you have to have inherited the job from your ancestors, otherwise you cannot be one. When I was in Venice, our gondolier told us that his family has been in the gondolier business for over 700 years! Italian artisanship is famous worldwide especially for things like leather goods, clothing, food, wine, marble, etc.

Communications
Immigration from Morocco, other North African countries, South and Central American Spanish speaking countries, and Eastern Europe, namely Ukraine, Russia, and Albania requires added linguistic resources. In addition, due to its large exporting business Italy is in need of not just translators but quality translators. Translation and language specialist are in high demand in Italy. Many signs, labels, marketing pieces are really missing the mark when it comes to hitting their target audience.

Overall, Italy is a place I recommend each one of you to see and experience for yourself. It is truly a great place to do business in, visit, explore and my personal favorite, drink a fantastic cappuccino!