The Language Barrier and Blending In

What I have found most difficult about being in a foreign country, if not the only thing I have found difficult while here, is the language barrier. Yes, many, if not most, Italians understand english, and a majority of that population can speak it to some extent as well. But this doesn't mean using only english works in Rome...

Take ordering at Pascucci's (the cafe we get to eat lunch at every day though our program) for example. They are used to English speaking customers, and have been serving St. Mary's students for years. Yet none of staff understand or speak english. Ordering the first time was a mystery, I mumbled something in what I considered Italian, they questioned me, and I just agreed, si si, and whatever I had agreed to was what I was getting for lunch that day (fortunately I got something close to what I wanted to order). From then on I began to push myself to use Italian and understand what I was ordering. Their menu has italian and english on it, so picking isn't hard, but communicating after the initial ordering can be tricky. I can now confidently order a ham sandwich (toast al prosciutto) successfully. Other restaurants cater more towards an english speaking crowd, which makes it nice to eat there. Other times though, you would much rather blend in with the locals, which leads me to my next topic.

Blending in...we all think we can blend in, but truth be told we stick out like a sore thumb in a foreign country. Maybe its the camera around my neck, or my red headed roommate, or something else I don't even pick up on, but whenever we pass a restaurant or touristy place with a person standing outside trying to get us to come in, they are quick to speak to us in english, not italian. I have only successfully blended into the Italian society once since I have been here. I was walking the Via del Corso taking pictures the other day, and I stopped in a sports clothing store to look at soccer jerseys. An employee of the store came up to me with a friendly, "ciao" and cleverly I responded with a "ciao" as well. Normally Italians can tell when a person isn't an Italian speaker just by how they speak Italian. Many times I have greeted someone in Italian only for them to respond to me in english, a real let down when trying to learn Italian and blend in. For some reason this time though, I was able, through some sort of master disguise (a long coat, scarf and hat) convince the sales clerk I was Italian. Big mistake. Instantaneously she went into a quick spurt of Italian, leaving me speechless and staring at her blankly. The question was simple, it is what every sales person asks a customer after they greet them, "can I help you find something?" I stood there silent for a long amount of time, only being able to stutter "English?" after being caught in the embarrassing moment. She too seemed embarrassed, and quickly asked in perfect english, "can I help you find something?" I quickly responded I was just looking and found myself gravitating towards the door, both shocked and confused at what had just happened. It is a story though I share with all of my fellow American students though, because few of us have been able to pull off being mistaken for an Italian.