Indonesian students see beyond myths of Italy

Indonesian students see beyond myths of Italy

Fabio Scarpello, Contributor, Jakarta

Vitri has watched various Discovery Channel programs on Italy,
loves the country and thinks that "Italy has it all -- history,
nature, food".

Thanks to a scholarship from the Italian Institute of Culture
(IIC) on behalf of the Italian Embassy, she will soon have a
chance to uncover the truth behind some Italian myths, including
the bombastic promotional jingle, "Italy is a one-stop
destination for every traveler," as she said.

Scholarships from foreign organizations and universities opens
the door of opportunity to savor experiences in a different
world. Unfortunately, not all 249 applicants to the IIC
scholarship will get their first taste of Italy, and in mid-May,
only 79 shortlisted candidates made their way to the IIC on Jl.
Hos. Cokroaminoto, Central Jakarta.

The IIC staff worked overtime reviewing and filing
applications, fielding questions from applicants and providing
general support to the interview panel. A couple of weeks ago,
notification letters were sent out to the 33 successful
applicants.

For those that did not succeed this time, but had "been there,
done that", a mini-survey was conducted to see if Il Bel Paese --
the beautiful country -- lived up to its reputation as a friendly
place rich with culture.

In a nutshell, their responses confirmed some myths about
Italy. Almost all respondents agreed that the country was indeed
beautiful and that its cuisine was extremely tasty. They also
agreed that Italy was far too pricey for most Indonesian pockets
and that Italians' disinterest in the language of Shakespeare
could be rather frustrating. Also, according to some, Italian
friendliness was overrated.

Kirsty said she spent the best year of her life in Italy.
"Italy is much more beautiful than I could have imagined or
pictures could record. The combination of the air, the light and
landscape inspires very strong sensations," she said.

Dian, who traveled around Italy during the summer of 2003,
found "the landscape enchanting and the clean beaches quite
different from Indonesia's".

Like Kirsty, she thought Italy was very beautiful, but did not
fully take to Italians.

"At times they are arrogant, vandals and superficial," she
said, adding that "they judge others by what they wear".

Italians' habitual lateness also did not impress Dian, who
said, "It is worse than the Indonesian jam karet (rubber time)."
She also discovered some unflattering similarities between the
Indonesian and Italian governments: "They both are corrupt, have
bad leaders and unfair policies for citizens."

Another sober account is told by Sisca, who spent some time in
Perugia before moving on to Milan to study fashion design. Sisca
found Italy striking, but "Italians are difficult people" who
made life there "not as pleasant as I had expected".

Annet's experience was quite the opposite: "Italians were even
friendlier than I had imagined. I got to know them easily. It's
like they invite you into their culture".

To her, Rome was particularly suitable for those seeking a
break from Jakarta's hustle and bustle, but cannot quite fit into
a fast-paced Western lifestyle.

"Rome is organized but laid back, functional but not dull,
lively but not messy," she said.

Like everyone else, Annet loved the food: "It is absolutely
fantastic! Italian cuisine brings out the real flavor of the
ingredients, whether it is veal, chicken, tomatoes, olives, olive
oil, mozzarella, lemon or carpaccio (thinly sliced raw beef)."

For Kenny, Rome's grandeur never faded and he found the
Italian skill for gesticulating quite amusing.

"Especially when they talk on the phone and every single part
of their body moves," he recalled. Kenny, who is very grateful to
the Italian government for the experience, only wished more
Italians spoke English. "It is not like in Jakarta. There,
everything is dubbed -- TV programs, films. It could be
frustrating at times."

Indri, currently studying in Siena, agreed, albeit
sarcastically: "I watched Troy, and Brad Pitt's command of
Italian was remarkable."

Indri, who has made short trips to Rome, Florence, Perugia and
Assisi, said she enjoyed the way Italians treated her: "They are
very curious, helpful and polite, just like Indonesians are with
bule (Westerners) in Jakarta."

She also explained, "Italy is expensive, but the 620 euros (Rp
7.45 million) a month we receive from the Italian government is
enough to cover our expenses."

IIC director Professor Ostelio Remi said Italian education had
much to offer, including its deeply rooted academic tradition. A
part of Old World Europe, Italy still preserves its glorious
history while it has developed itself into a high-tech country.

"We have a long and established academic tradition in fields
like science, technology linguistic and humanistic studies, not
to mention the world's oldest university," he said, referring to
the University of Bologna, established in 1088. "Currently, we
are among the world leaders in architecture, design, fashion, the
arts and some branches of medicine, and we can provide state-of-
the-art facilities and a supportive educational system."

Remi conceded that "big cities may, at times, be difficult"
and explained that the Italian myth was something created by the
media and fueled by the people's imagination, "Just like the
American dream or the exotic East".

"With all its problems and contradictions, Italy is a great
country and Italians are friendly," he said.

He noted that there was a significant rise in Indonesian
students interested in studying in Italy, from 35 applicants last
year to 249 this year. "It shows that Italy is getting better and
better known in Indonesia," he said.

Applicants hail from as far away as Papua, Sulawesi and
Sumatra, besides Java and Bali, and he expressed his hope that
the international exchange program could lead to an "exchange of
culture", which he believed would benefit Italians and
Indonesians both.

Remi, who closely monitors the students' progress, concluded
with a beaming smile: "Lecturers are satisfied with Indonesian
students' contributions and most of the students have asked me if
they could stay longer in Italy. Never mind not settling in..."