My daily life consists of many different ways to create leisure at home. While at home, I feel that the most relaxing way to create leisure is to relax on the couch and watch television, read a favorite book, napping, making food with my friends, or just watching a good movie. After a long week of hard work at the office, I love to spend my weekend relaxing and resting up. I feel as if I need leisure at home, but not as much while studying in Italy. While I’ve been in Italy, I feel that I need to take advantage of my time here and see as much as possible. Even on Wednesday’s (our free days), I love to explore the city of Rome.
While visiting in the city of Rome, I feel as if Italians don’t have as much leisure as Americans. There are so many activities going on everywhere. Traveling in Italy takes up much more time than in America. In America, most of all people have vehicles and here it is less common. Because of this, when a person needs to travel, they must either walk, take the train or metro. Some activities that Italians do for leisure is shop, hang out at piazzas to relax, or enjoying a walk at the famous parks.
When Italians aren’t involved with their busy lives at work, they take off time that is called siesta. This is a special time in the afternoon when most of the shops close. The time they close is usually between 1 and 4. During this time the women usually go home and cook and clean for their families. This gives the women a nice break from their busy lives to do work around their homes. In America, people only have about an hour lunch break. During lunch breaks, everyone uses this time to get a bit to eat from fast food.
Overall, my perspective of leisure has greatly changed. There is a difference of leisure in both of these countries are very different. In America, leisure usually means to just lay on a couch and do nothing for a few hours. American’s find this to be very relaxing and a way to rest. In Italy, it seems that leisure is still getting out of the house and doing something that involves activity. I wish that Americans would live more like the Italians. Thinking of this, American’s seem to be a little more lazy than Italians.
I wish we lived more like the Italians too! Too bad more Americans don’t find being active relaxing, because then maybe the obesity rate would decrease. The truth is Americans are lazy, but the purpose of leisure is to clear ones mind and get refreshed. If laying down on a couch and playing video games accomplishes this for a person then I cannot argue that they are doing anything wrong.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Americans are more lazy than Italians. Walking through the park, I saw everyone riding bicycles or jogging. Like you said, in America, we just sit on the couch and do nothing during our leisure time. There's quite a big difference there.
ReplyDeleteAmericans 'seem to be more lazy than Americans'! However, we do work 8-5 for at least 5 days a week! In Rome, they get 3 hour siestas! I however do believe that Americans spend more time watching television and doing lazy leisure activities. Riding a bicycle in the park or going on a walk like Italians could certainly help peoples moods and health in the U.S!
ReplyDeleteBrooke,
ReplyDeleteThe second sentence in your last paragraph confused me. I think that I understand what you were trying to say but I was still confused. I agree that some Americans do lazy leisure activities and I would just like to say that Im glad we don't have siesta in the US ... it would drive me crazy!