I am learning a lot from this project. For instance, there is much more to being Italian than the typical stereotypes that we have come to know from movies, television shows and books, which makes Italians seem very loud, close to their families and traditions. This ethnographic project has not only provided me with an opportunity to learn about a new culture, but also has taught me how to interact with someone whose personality is completely opposite of mine. This was our third meeting. My partner Michael decided to take me to “Little Italy,” located in lower Manhattan, on Mulberry Street bordering Chinatown. On October 19th, around 11:30 am, we met at the corner of Bowery Street. The most fascinating thing for me was the multiculturalism …show more content…
The streets were colorful and elegant. The colors of the houses, store windows, restaurants, fire hydrants, decorations and murals on the street were all colored according to the national colors of Italy: red, white and green. Most of the people in Little Italy were Italian with a few people that were non-Italian. Even though we went to little Italy in the morning, the restaurants were busy. I could hear people speaking Italian on the streets. Since Little Italy borders Chinatown, I saw a lot of Chinese people and a few Chinese stores around the area as well.
As we walked and observed, I asked a few questions about his culture. I felt a little disrespected because he was using his phone often, which made it difficult for me to ask questions. When I asked him about the paintings, buildings and people around us, he seemed to not be interested. He mentioned that he is not from a traditional family and he doesn’t know much about his culture himself. He showed me a few places that he sometimes visits with his friends. We went to an Italian souvenir shop and bought a few tokens of remembrance that include a keychain and tiny monument of the leaning tower of