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Next week there will be our last Skype exchange WITH VIDEO with our American peers from Tulane ;-) I guess we'll skype altogether in a big conference and, as Sarah has already told us, a camera will zoom in on the person who's speaking at that moment :-( I'm quite exciting about it but also a bit scared to talk -let's say- in front of such a big audience :-( However, I'm sure it will be veeery funny seeing our very Italian speaking hands moving quickly!

Francesca, Lara and I will probably ask them something about their 'eating habits' that we chose as the topic of our final presentation; we decided to compare American and Italian eating habits: our starting point is the opposition between FAST FOOD and SLOW FOOD.

The Slow Food Movement was founded in 1986 after Carlo Petrini had led a protest against the construction of a McDonald’s in Rome. Developed in opposition to the globalization of fast food and the McDonaldization of life, the Slow Food Movement has evolved into a lifestyle that stresses the need to slow down, to protect and preserve local food culture, and to re-educate society on the importance of taste and food.

Not only Italy but also the United States, which is the biggest violator of Slow Food ideals, has developed a growing Slow Food community that is changing the way Americans approach food.

I'm very interested in preserving the regional traditions of our culture and food plays a vital role in reaching that goal. The topic of my final project at the University of Verona was on the multifunctional roots of farm holidays within the Mantuan countryside. The Mantuan farmhouse hotels and restaurants have the important role of both protecting the landscape and promoting the sorroundings.

Healthy eating is directly linked with taking the time to enjoy food in a relaxed state of mind; however, destructive eating habits and production practices have affected the health of the American public. I think in their small territory the Mantuan farmhouses are trying to be a good alternative to such unhealthy lifestyle.

Alice