RESTLESS NATIVE:

It’s been a cross-cultural kind of week for me. I started with an Italian birthday party then dined at a Chinese restaurant and finished with a trip to a contemporary art museum.

Since I have yet to meet Renato’s parents — it’s a long story with lots of mixed feelings on all sides — I chose to wear the outfit I purchased for that undetermined date, to Remigio’s 21st birthday.

I had never met Renato’s friend Remigio before, but I learned that he is a big fan of all things American. As soon as I arrived, I was shown an array of American food products that Remigio had purchased for the occasion, including yellow mustard, hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks from the States, fruit punch and a jar of peanut butter. I had to explain that this last item was not intended to go along with the other items in the group (unless you have Elvis’ taste in food) but it was quite amusing to watch several of the other guests try a peanut-butter snack bar for the first time. Of course, I was given a plate of two hot dogs, a hamburger and a steak (all cooked on a real American grill). Thankfully, I had Renato there to help me finish a good portion of this — otherwise he would have had to roll me out the door at the end of the evening. I later explained the virtues of a nice Kosher dog.

Remigio and all of Renato’s friends (Gaetano and Dino were there, as well) couldn’t have been more welcoming. Though I was often unable to keep up with many conversations, Remigio spoke to me in English as much as he could, as did everyone else. At one point I was asked about American-style birthday parties. In Italy, it is customary for the birthday boy or girl to treat his friends to a party or meal; before arriving at Remigio’s, Renato, in a joking manner, suggested that I not reveal the American tradition. When Remigio questioned me, I truthfully told, to his delight, that it was customary for the friends to cover the cost. Perhaps that’ll get me invited to more parties!

Italians have two parties a year: Renato informed me that everyone has a birthday and a name day. Each day of the year, from what I understand, is assigned to a saint and everyone with that saint’s name or a variation associated with that saint’s name celebrates on that day. I don’t know if presents are involved, but, considering that it’s Italy, I’m sure there’s a lot of good food to eat.

I was amazed the other day to learn that Renato had never tried Chinese food. Since I practically survived on Chinese take-out while going to school at UC Berkeley, I knew I had to remedy this situation. It was all the more amazing to me considering that there are Chinese restaurants throughout Italy. Remember, however, that I wrote before about Italianized Chinese food. It falls a bit short of the mark. OK, maybe more than a bit! At any rate, on my night off, I treated Renato to his first Chinese food. After a brief chopstick demonstration and a few instructions, Renato dove into his chop suey and roasted dumplings, determined to master his new utensils. By the time we got to the chicken with peppers and the Peking duck, he had found his confidence and looked rather comfortable, even with the white rice. I was quite proud of my new student. I had learned to use chopsticks from a Chinese neighbor of mine. Who would have thought that an Irish girl, like me, would ever be teaching an Italian boy how to eat with them too! Together, we finished off the night with a new experience for both of us. We tried our first taste of fried ice cream, which, we discovered, makes a great chaser for a strong grappa.

The following afternoon, Renato, Gaetano and I went to the Museo D’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina Napoli. Actually, we started off with a visit to the Duomo, the major cathedral in Naples. Gaetano, who studies architecture, made a wonderful tour guide here before continuing his know-how at the museum. I’ve been to a few contemporary art museums before, including one in Barcelona, and I have to admit that I am one of those people who just “doesn’t get it.” (What does a pile of coal on the floor mean, anyway?) But I continue to give it a whirl and, honestly, I enjoy myself every time. This time it didn’t hurt to have two friends with me as well. I was able to explain a few English titles to them and we had a nice conversation after watching a short avant-garde film — my professors would have been proud. If I had been alone, I would not have enjoyed myself half as much or taken my time considering each piece either.

All in all, I had a very fulfilling week, both for my stomach and my mind. I really have no plans lined up for next week, though Renato wants to test his taste buds on some Indian food. We may have to do a little searching to find a restaurant in Naples, but I’ll keep my readers informed on our progress.

Ciao ragazzi!