A Kids Life in . . . Italy

Did you know that Italy got its name from the ancient Romans? They called the southern part of the peninsula Italia, which means land of oxen or grazing land.

Did you know that in Italy you go to school six days a week from 8:30 to 1:30?

Did you know that Italy has some of the best food in the world?

Did you know that the city of Palermo is known for its Citrus Groves and statues throughout the city?

Buon giorno! My name is Mario and I live in Sicily, Italy. Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula that is in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in southern Europe. My country also includes the two large islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Something that's really unusual about Italy is that there are two independent countries inside Italy's borders. First, there is the tiny Republic of San Marino, which is in north-central Italy. Then, there is Vatican City, which is located completely within the city of Rome.

I have two brothers; one is named Salvatore, who is thirteen, and Alfonso, who is two. I have two sisters Maria, who is eight and Caterina, who is two and she is Alfonso’s twin sister. I am ten years old. Like most of the people in Italy, my family is ethnic Italian. Pretty much everyone in my country speaks Italian, although a few small areas speak German and French.

Pasta Another thing you should know about us is that we love to cook - and eat! We eat our main meal at midday, and it always has a pasta course. Believe it or not, the type of pasta you eat depends on where you live. In the north they make flat, ribbon-shaped pasta and serve it with cream sauces. In the south, we make macaroni with a tomato-based sauce. That's my all time favorite! The most popular meats that we eat are veal and pork. We also love to eat cheese. Usually, wine is served with every meal except breakfast, but my parents say I'm too young to drink it.

In Italy, you have to go to elementary or primary school when you are my age. Primary school is for all children from the age of six to eleven, which lasts about five years. When I am done with primary school, I must take examinations to enter a three-year junior high school. I have to attend school six days a week, from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., from September until mid-June. We speak Italian of course, but we also learn how to speak English in school.

The city I live in is Palermo. Palermo is located on the northwest coast of Sicily, which is an island off the southwest coast of the mainland. The city of Palermo is known for its citrus groves, and also the statues and monuments throughout the city. Many of the statues and monuments date back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries. There is a very busy port in Palermo that is crowded with passengers and freight. This port in Palermo provides many jobs. Many people in Palermo work for the Government too. Some other industries in Palermo include housing construction, shipbuilding, as well as manufacturing of food.

One of the big events I love most that happens in Palermo is the Fiera Internazionale del Mediterraneo which takes place from May through June. Another big event in Palermo is Festino di S. Rosalia which is from July 10^th to July 15^th. I love these events because of their wonderful fireworks displays. Soccer Player

Some sports in my country are basketball, soccer, and Formula 1 racing. The most popular sport is soccer. My favorite sport to play is bocce ball, which is a very old Italian tradition that my papa taught me. I also enjoy taking my fishing pole and catching some fish down by the port. Fishing is more of a hobby than a sport to me.

The weather in Palermo is sunnier and less rainy than in most Italian cities. In Palermo we have more smog than a lot of the other cities in Sicily. In January, the temperature is usually between 50 and 60 degrees, but it gets very hot in the summer, (up to 95 degrees) and that is when my family and friends love to go to the beaches.

I dress pretty similar to people in the West, but there are a few differences that I have noticed. For example, I noticed that Americans seem to wear their tennis shoes almost everywhere they go. In Italy we only wear our white tennis shoes in the gym or on the athletic field. Also I noticed that American woman wear pants a lot, but not the women here in Italy. We can always spot American tourists because of what they wear. Tomorrow, which is Sunday, my family will take our usual passeggiata (family stroll) through town.

There are many wonderful places to visit in Italy. Here are some pictures of places you'll want to visit:

Venice

The city of Venice is made up of 120 islands in the Adriatic Sea. It has canals instead of streets. People there use boats instead of automobiles.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

It is a bell tower at Pisa, Italy. It is famous because it leans 14 1/2 feet (4.4 meters) out of line when measured from the seventh story.

The Colosseum

It is the largest outdoor theater of ancient Rome.

Maybe sometime you could come to Italy and I could show you the museums, and we could go to a soccer game. After a good soccer game I would love to take you to a restaurant and have some pasta and pizza. Pizza My mama makes the best canollis ever! My papa could make us some pizza too! I hope you can come see me soon, until then……Arrivederci…ciao!!