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..."