Soc 490 Week 5!

These past few weeks in our Soc 490 class we have been discussing ones control over their own health. In our class discussion last night there were many points brought up about who has the ultimate control over health and the factors that affect ones’s health. Some people believe that people can control their health by controlling the factors that influence one’s health. Others believe that their health is completely out of their control and tend to believe bad health is caused but supernatural things. 

While reading Universal Health Care for our assigned readings this week, I noticed two authors in the beginning of the book had two very different viewpoints. Robert Helms thinks that having a Universal Healthcare system would be a moral hazard while Malcolm Gladwell thinks there is no moral hazard involved. Helms talks about how a Universal plan encourages abuse of the system. We said in class that people would be lining up to take advantage of free doctor visits. But, would people really want to go the doctor just because it’s free? I know I already dislike going to the doctor and just because it would be free would not make me want to go. I guess I agree with Gladwell when he says, “You’ll no longer grab one of those free Pepsis when you aren’t really thirsty” (p.59). Gladwell is saying just because it is free people aren’t going to do it just because it is there. If they don’t need to visit the doctor then they wont go. 

Another point we talked about in class was whether one has control over their health. We also compared various statistics of countries with universal plans compared to the United States. In 1990 Italy had a Universal Plan but their mortality rates, and life expectancy were close to those of the United States, but in 2007 their numbers were drastically lower. What cause a decrease in their numbers if they already had a plan set in motion? In the United States there are people dying from heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and accidents. These numbers are almost double the amount compared to Canada. If one has control of their health can we limit these problems? My thought is no because our health is not completely in our control. Even if you eat healthy, and lead what some may call a healthy life style you can still have a condition that is passed down through genetics that could give you heart problems or diabetes.

It is said that people in Italy only eat McDonald’s as a treat, and they walk every where which is one reason their numbers are better than the United States. I don’t think this statement is completely true since not everyone goes to a McDonald’s or other fast food chains daily or even weekly. For some families McDonald’s is used as a reward or a special occasion. Some people believe that if American’s didn’t eat as much fast food then there would be more control over their health. But once again, I don’t think our health is in our control. I think external factors such as not eating healthy and not exercising contribute to bad health, but things like genetic disorders cannot be changed. I also feel that I will always have an argument that ends with a yes but.. which means I think to some extent things are in our hands BUT there are external factors involved. 

GL Week 5.. We’re about to make some memories tonight

I cannot believe another week has come and gone here in Rome and I have to say it is going by far to quickly. Each week seems to get better and better and I never want to leave. Well, okay I lied, I miss my friends and family so if they move to Italy I am set for life. This past week was Thanksgiving, and it was the first holiday I’ve missed with my family. On Monday, we went to the Museum of Medical arts. This museum was weird at first because it was all about medical tools and medical processes of the past. When we first walked into the museum there were babies who had birth defects or were still births sitting in containers. I was really grossed out at first but after going through a second room filled with tools it became easier to look at the things in the museum. After the museum Katie B, Brandon, David, and I all headed to St. Peter’s Basilica to prepare for mine and Brandon’s walking tour. 

On Tuesday, we had another student led tour of the Borghese gardens and vicinity. At the beginning of the tour Gabby and Aubree pointed out the American Church in Rome that we would be attending on Thanksgiving. After their tour was over we ended at Borghese Gardens where we were visiting the Borghese Museum and the actual gardens. In The Italians, Barzini says “He had always felt the wind turning with sufficient anticipation to prepare himself without vulgar haste” (p.159). As mentioned in our class discussion, this saying is about changing with the wind and accepting changes as they come. This is precisely what we had to do when we arrived at the gardens. We were supposed to have an appointment at 11:00 to tour the museum but instead the tour was postponed until 1:00. Instead of being mad our group had to embrace the change since there was nothing we could do about it. We also couldn’t hold it against our professor or Danilo since it was neither of their fault. After we found our disappointing news, we decided it was time for our picnic in the park. We then proceeded to wander for what seemed like miles until we found benches to sit and eat and then have class on. 

In our Smiles of Rome book Edith Wharton says “she took daily walks and and carriage rides within the four-mile circumference of the park surrounding the villa” (p. 200). After walking just to find a place to eat and have class I can understand why she went on daily walks. It was so beautiful to see the different monuments and things throughout the park. I also learned how big the park actually is. When we finished class we headed into the Borghese museum which was different then expected. Again we had to go with the wind of things since we had no guide for the museum and everything was in Italian. Overall I wouldn’t change that experience for anything. 

On Wednesday we had another free day which was occupied by yet another paper, this time for my online class. On Thursday it was thanksgiving, my first one out of the United States. We caught the 8:24 train into Rome so we could attend the Thanksgiving mass at the American Church. At approximately 4:00 we had an American Thanksgiving dinner, or as American as we could get. Danilo hired an American Chef who cooked two turkeys, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin soap, pumpkin pies, apple pies, cranberries, and gravy. It was delicious and fun since we spent the evening with some of our Italian friends. 

On Friday Katie, Amy, Emily, and I left for Dublin. After wondering around and doing the mandatory souvenir shopping, Katie and I headed to Hard Rock for our annual dinner. After dinner we checked out the bar scene since that is what Dublin is known for. It was so much fun and we even got kisses from an Irish man, on the cheek of course! On Saturday we went to the zoo which took about three hours, and then headed back on our hop-on hop-off bus to get back into the city. In the city there was a Union protest happening on O’Connell Street, which was fascinating to see. I’ve normally only seen protests in pictures and on t.v but now I’ve seen one in real life. We ended our night with a pub crawl which was probably the highlight of my weekend even though I don’t drink. It was fun hanging out with my friends and just enjoying our night at the night clubs we went to. On Sunday we had a long day of traveling, but it was defiantly worth it in the end. Stay tuned till next week!

SOC 490 week 3/week4

In our Universal Health Care, Ben Furnas says “The United States as a whole is performing well below the standards of health, efficiency, and care that are realistic and have been achieved in the most successful U.S. states and other developed nations” (p.27). Furnas says that one of the indicators of our failing health system is infant mortality.  The United States is behind many other countries in life expectancies. Not only do we have a low survival rate of babies we have a shorter life span than most other countries.  Furnas says that obesity is one of the reasons for chronic problems in the United States. When looking at the functionality of the United States, there are fast food restaurants on every corner. People drive or take buses to get from point A to point B.

In Italy there are the same amount of McDonald’s since there is one almost every where you are. The difference is that people in Italy walk every where. Since everything is in a close proximity there is no reason to drive or take a metro because it is faster to walk. In America people eat McDonald’s and don’t exercise to get rid of the extra calories they have consumed, and people wonder why Americans are obese. Another difference is the freshness and quality of the food. Even though the restaurants we eat at are technically “fast food” the ingredients are fresh and things are made daily. 

There isn’t as much fat in the foods that they serve. Another thing that contributes to our health care failing is people in America don’t take care of their bodies. Along with the fast food being consumed, people are binge drinking. The drinking starts anywhere from age fifteen until the legal age of twenty-one. When people drink daily or weekly they tend to get what some may call a beer gut. Now I’m not saying a drink here and there is bad, but when it happens so often that people get alcohol poisoning or addicted then it impairs their health. I’ve noticed that people here in Italy tend to stop throughout the day and get a drink at the bar and then continue on with their day. Most people aren’t drinking to get drunk but rather its simply something they have grown up with. They also exercise more than American’s do, so they don’t develop beer guts. 

While we were at the museum of the mind, and the Museum of Medical arts, I realized that everyone has different approaches to people who are different then themselves. For example people were put in the museum of the mind for things as little as a learning problem. This is because some people thought that was an impairment to their health when in reality they just didn’t know how to deal with it. Now the question is what can we take from the Romans to improve our health? In my opinion we can’t take a lot from them except to balance what we eat with exercise. We can’t fix our healthcare system and make it like theirs because we would need to start from the beginning. America is trying to improve the system we have instead of creating one from the very beginning. 

Soc 490 Museum of the Mind/Medical Arts

Over the past few weeks in Soc 490, we have been taking about whether health care is a right or a privilege and whether the United states should provide it to their citizens based on the results from other countries. This past week we went to the Museum of the mind. This museum was in an old psychiatric hospital that was open for about 60 or so years. Yesterday we went to the Museum of Medical Arts. This museum housed different tools and instruments that were used during medical procedures in the past. Although these museums are different they both gave us a look into history.

The museum of the mind was interesting to see because there were different rooms that were set up as they were when the hospital was functional. There was a room where patients would sit to get their pictures taken, one for them to sit in silence, and another where they rock back and forth. While rocking back in forth in the chair we were able to use an interaction module to hear the different stories of the patients that came to this hospital. Most of the patients who came did not have any psychiatric problems they just simply had a learning disability or were homeless or were in an orphanage. By staying in the hospital for months these patients tended to gain psychiatric problems. It was interesting to see a room where patients who imposed danger were kept because there were ropes attached to the beds to tie a patient down. These patients started to then act like animals and pee in the bed since they constantly needed assistance to do simple everyday tasks. During a documentary film a nurse admitted that they would give patients sleeping pills in order for them to be silent.

The museum of Medical Arts gave a completely different vibe. At first it was cool because I didn’t know what to expect but then we stepped further into the museum. The first thing I saw were babies in containers that had been preserved. These babies were born with defects or were still borns. It was gross to see the babies features but it was also sad because the babies never had a chance at life. After the babies we saw a display of the different ways a baby could be positioned in the fetus. I realized that there are many dangerous ways a baby can be positioned that can harm their life. Professor Mustafaga explained to us that in most cases the doctor would have to rotate or fix the baby by hand in order for there to be a safe delivery. There was also no anesthetics at this time so a woman felt every movement. The next rooms in the museum housed the different medical tools used during that time. I’m just glad to say we’ve come a long way since then. Most tools were long and sharp and seemed like they would hurt more than they actually helped. After seeing the different tools and things that go into medical care I am glad I don’t have to look at things like that everyday because it would certainly make me sick! 

GL 350 Week 4..Hey girl I'm waitin' on ya come on and let me sneak you out

I can’t believe week four has come and gone so quickly. It seems like just yesterday that we arrived in the beautiful city of Rome. After our weekend in London, Monday morning seemed to come a little to early. We had to catch the 8:24 train into Rome to begin our day with a student led tour. Danielle led her tour which was of Aventine Hill. It was really cool because in the beginning of her tour we walked through a dirt patch that used to be used for racing. At the end of her tour we walked into a garden and got a beautiful view of the city. Even though we were miles away from St. Peters Basilica, it still stood out among every thing else in our view. After the tour was over we had class in the gardens, and as usual it was interesting watching the views of by standers who were trying to understand what was going on. 

On Tuesday morning we had another student led walking tour. This time it was Amy J. and Rachel through Piazza Della Rotonda and Piazza Navona. While walking around the first corner of the tour we walked up on the four rivers fountain under the obelisk.  As Muriel Spark says in The Smiles of Rome, “In central Rome you only have to walk down the street and you come to a fountain by Bernini” (p. 231). This is true because you never know what great wonder your going to see when you walk up the street or round a corner. The rivers are represented by people and one of them is blocking their face because they thought the church was going to collapse. We then walked to a bakery shop that had the best cannoli’s in all of Italy, or so I thought. When the tour was over we were headed towards subway only to realize it was closed for maintenance. We had to settle for a little mom and pop pizza place right down the road that turned out to be pleasantly good. After lunch we had another class in Rome in front of a different obelisk. This time we were in many different tourist photos including one of our own.

On Wednesday we had our free day. This time it was spent writing our Soc 490 midterm and doing laundry. Thursday morning Mrs. Mustafaga arrived to campus, just in time to celebrate her birthday! Since professor wanted to greet her at the airport our morning class was postponed and we caught the 10:24 train. After two train rides and a metro ride we finally arrived. We spent the afternoon at the museum of the mind. It was a museum of an old psychiatric hospital so it was pretty cool to see the history in the place. Before we got our tour of the museum we had class across the street since we had time to kill. Thursday night we had our first dinner with Professor’s wife and had Pope cake! It was a surprise to her since she had no idea we planned a party for her birthday.

On Friday morning we headed to Florence. We caught the 7:43 train into Rome and then the 9:15 train toward Florence. It was a beautiful city and frankly the best one yet, besides London. The afternoon was spent with an orientation of the city and then time to explore. Katie and I went on a mission to find a leather shop and ended up walking from one side of the city to the other. After we found what we were after we headed back to the hotel to relax for a while. Around 7:30 we met Danilo in the Lobby so the three of us could head to Hard Rock. Since we’ve been to three Hard Rock’s in different cities since arriving it’s sort of a tradition by now. 

On Saturday we went to an Art museum which was kind of boring but interesting at the same time. It was filled with over twenty rooms filled with paintings and sculptures. When we were done at the museum Katie and I headed towards the Duomo to accomplish the task of climbing to the top. Eight euros and 463 steps later we were looking over the entire city of Florence. It was breathtakingly beautiful and not just because we were over five stories in the air. After the Duomo we went out in search of a leather jacket and ended up in a market full of venders, each one willing to make the right deal for us. When a vender asked us how much we were willing to pay for the jackets and we both said a price without looking at the dealer in the eye. As Barzini says in The Italians, “Italians must always look at each other’s faces. The read in their opponent’s eyes (or catch in his voice and choice of words) the signs of his stubborn decision or hidden timidity” (p.188). Since the dealer knew we hesitated on how much we were willing to pay he asked a higher price than what we offered. 

Now we know that the Italians will only take us seriously if we can maintain a straight face. We ended the day with a group dinner at an authentic restaurant that served amazing food. Our dessert was Tiramisu and it was to die for, literally. On Sunday we had time to do last minute souvenir shopping until we had to head back to campus at three. Overall it was a great week, stay tuned for next week! 

GL 350 week 3.. Its Now or Never

This past week has probably been one of the best weeks I’ve had here in Italy so far. On Monday we went on another walking tour led by David and Emily of San Giovanni and San Clemente. I think the best church I’ve seen so far was San Giovanni. This church had a wow factor like no other. I remember walking in and just trying to take in the size of the church. Even though we could take pictures, I felt as if there was something I missed every time I turned around. Before we went into San Giovanni, we went to the Sacred Steps. There are twenty-eight sacred steps in which you are supposed to climb every step on your knees while saying a prayer or homily on each step. Although I did not personally partake in this task, watching my classmates and roommate complete the steps made me realize how much stronger we are becoming as a group. As St. Paul says in The Smiles of Rome, “ Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other (p.84).” By watching my new friends and family perform a religious journey, made me respect them even more. On both Tuesday and Wednesday we had free days. On these free days me and my roommate just relaxed around campus and caught up on sleep and homework. 

On Thursday we went to the Aqueducts after class. It was really interesting to see the aqueducts that were built many years ago still standing and transferring water today. After the first half hour it got kind of boring since the aqueducts all looked the same. On Thursday night Danielle’s parents joined us for dinner. It was nice having her parents at dinner but it made me miss my family. Its as St. Paul says, “Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying (p.84).” Even though seeing her parents made me sad, I knew I had to just keep going through the day because I would see my parents and family at the end of this wonderful experience. 

On Friday Katie B, Emily, Amy and I all left for London. After traveling through Germany and getting our passports stamped in customs (Again!) we found our way to the underground. Thankfully everyone spoke English so we were able to ask for directions to our hostel. The first person we asked sent us in the complete opposite direction of which we needed to go, but then we found directions and got back on track. That night we actively seeked out a Chipotle for a little American-Mexican food. On Saturday Katie and I explored the city on our own. We ate lunch at subway and then went into the city to find Big Ben. When we got off the underground we walked up the steps and looked up to the right and saw big Ben. After taking the very touristy pictures in front of Big Ben we walked toward Buckingham Palace. Before we reached the palace we came across the Abbey Road district. It was cool to know that the beetles took a picture right near where I was. When we found the Palace we were disappointed to find that there were no guards at the gates. 

We then took another tour of the City to go back toward Big Ben and the London Eye. We were told to get on the London eye right as the sun was setting because it was supposed to be the prettiest time to go. I would have to say the London eye which is the big Ferris wheel was well worth every penny. After the London Eye we found the Hard Rock to meet Emily and Amy for dinner. We all decided we wanted to celebrate Katie’s birthday so I told the waiter it was her birthday. She had to stand up in front of the entire restaurant while everyone sang happy birthday. It was really embarrassing for Katie, but of course we were all laughing at her. 

On Sunday we headed back to Rome. For our layover we had thirty minutes to get from our one flight to the other. We had to go through customs once again but got another stamp in our passport! The final flight home was hit with lightening making our radar system go out but thankfully we still landed safely. This was will an entourage of twenty firetrucks following the plane as we landed. All in all I’m realizing this trip is full of adventure. As Alice Steinbach says, “‘The unexpectedness of life, waiting around every corner, catches, even wise women unawares (p.245).’” Just like stepping of the metro on the very first day and seeing the colosseum to stepping off the underground in London to seeing Big Ben. Stay tuned to next week!

Soc 490 Week 2...Hold on to me as we go, as we roll down this unfamiliar road

Some people say that in order for one to fully understand their own opinion on a topic they need to fully understand the other side. That is my job this week, I need to defend the other side of the healthcare debate. My position is that healthcare is a privilege, while the other position is that healthcare is a right. In the Universal Health Care book, Helen Redmond describes why access to health care is a human right. Another author that thinks Healthcare is a human right and not a privilege is Gary Dorrien. Both these others point out valid points as to why healthcare is a right and not a privilege. 

One example that Redmond uses is people who are addicted to drugs. She says that people who are addicted should be provided the help they need in order for them to get their problem under control. She also says that treatment programs do not allow enough spots to help treat all of those who are addicted to drugs. Another example that Redmond uses is that some people only stay at their place of employment for their medical plans. If people are forced into jobs they hate in order for them to have decent medical coverage or any medical at all, then they are at an unfair advantage. If there was a universal health care plan then people wouldn’t have to worry about the medical coverage at a specific job because they would be covered no matter what. 

When looking at the debate of whether universal health care is a right or a privilege it is important to remember who is affected. For example if a child is born into a poor family who cannot afford to buy healthcare or cannot seem to find a steady job, then should that child be held accountable? If Universal Health Care is a right then the child should be provided health care no matter what.  As Gary Dorrien says, “Health care is a fundamental human right that should be available to all people regardless of their economic resources (p.100).” Dorrien is saying that no person should have it held against them if they cannot afford healthcare. He believes that healthcare should just be provided no questions asked.

While now I can see where the other side of the argument comes from, I still agree one hundred percent with my decision that healthcare is a privilege and not a right.

GL 350 Week 2...I know we only met but let's pretend it's love

This week in Rome.. hmm where to begin is the question on my mind. On Monday we were given our first free day due to the forecasted weather. We were supposed to spend most of the morning and afternoon riding bikes along the Old Appian way. I was not thrilled about having to bike almost ten miles that afternoon, so I was relieved it was postponed till Thursday. Since there was nothing to do around campus, my roommate Katie and I took an adventure to the Spanish steps in search of rain boots. After countless hours of shopping, we turned up empty handed because we couldn’t find the boot store. On Tuesday, we had our first student led walking tour. This tour was on the Spanish steps and surrounding area. Even though I had already been to the Spanish steps twice, I was excited to go into the churches that were pointed out. After the tour we had our first class in Rome! Normally our classes are held in the classroom on campus Monday-Thursday, but with the walking tour we needed to catch the 8:24 train instead of the 10:24 so class was postponed. We ended up on the steps in front of a very important building. As we were having our class discussion people walked by gawking at us. I guess they were intrigued at a group of student’s having class on a set of steps in Rome. After class Katie and I went back out in search of rain boots for the upcoming weekend, this time finding the store and the boots.
            On Wednesday, we had our scheduled free day. It was the first time since we had arrived that it was raining outside. Now I’m not talking a light drizzle, I’m talking a full blown rain storm. It was so bad the windows in our room started to leak. There was so much water coming in our room we had a small puddle on our floor. On Thursday, we had our dreaded bike tour of the Old Appian Way. Though I had anticipated it to be horrible it turned out to very relaxing and cool to look at since this road was used back in the day. After the bike tour we got ice cream and cupcakes. The cupcakes were from the Sweety Shop that was once visited by Buddy from Cake Boss.
        On Friday, we had to be up nice and early to catch our flight to flooded Venice. When we arrived, however, Venice was not flooded and barely had any water to be seen. When we got to the hotel we were all worried because it looked extremely sketchy and old. In our book The Smiles of Rome, John Updike discusses a couples experience in Rome. This piece was called Twin beds in Rome. After reading this chapter I thought I would never seen a king bed or a double bed in Rome since they are uncommon. To Romans the bedroom is strictly used for sleeping. Much to my surprise, the beds in Katie and I’s room was made into a King which was unaccepted. We both just wanted separate beds as we were told so we could have our space while enjoying each other’s company. Since we had to wait for our beds to be separated, we just became more and more exhausted and annoyed because we wanted to take a quick nap before our mandatory orientation of the city. After the orientation the “Cinque Chicks” or Katie B, Emily C, Amy, Danielle, and I found a gondola ride. It was extremely worth the wait and the money since our gondolier was hilarious. One of our group members was a little scared to be on the gondola and would yelp a little when the boat tipped. Our gondolier noticed and swayed the boat more just to see our reactions. After this our weekend seemed to get better. On Saturday, we went to the Murano Glass workshop and saw a live glass demonstration and got to see completed pieces of work. It was amazing to see what could be done with a little bit of time and a whole lot of glass. Now that the weekend is over it is time to recover and settle back into “Rome Home”
        After our most recent weekend trip, I am starting to see what Barzini is talking about when he says people are drawn to Italy. Barzini says, “many foreigners come back the next year. Some come back more and more often. Some stay a little longer, every time, and decide to live in Italy for a spell (p.8).” After being in Rome for three weeks I understand the feeling. Barzini quotes Nathaniel Hawthorne by saying “’we find that the native air has lost its invigorating quality, and that life has shifted its reality to the spot where we have deemed ourselves only temporary residents.’” I feel as if I am no longer a temporary resident of Italy or Rome but a permanent resident. Stay tuned for next week!