Nearby the Il Chiosco cafe, two young girls are walking along, talking
quietly to each other. The tap of their sandals is audible against the
narrow, cobblestone street. I ask to speak to them, hoping that they could
enlighten me as to what pressures Cagliese teens face. Perhaps it is maturity
or culture-based gender differences beginning to take hold, but these
17-year-old girls seem more serious and more controlled than their male
counterparts. One girl, the taller of the two, smiles politely, and we
chat briefly about people her age. The other girl is quieter but occasionally
adds a comment of her own. They do not tease or joke around, but instead
converse with a very polite, formal tone. It is apparent that the girls
are not nearly as interested in politics as the boys claim to be. Though
they say world relations bothers them in troubled times, specifically
referring to the United States' recent war with Iraq. Now that the war
has ended they feel as if there is less to be anxious about. I can easily
understand their lack of interest, yet I wonder if they worry about more
personal subjects. The quieter girl fidgets nervously with the strap from
her knapsack, avoiding eye contact with me. The Cagliese girls, while
easier to speak to than the boys, are not nearly as extroverted. I continue,
"What about school and careers-are you worried about keeping your grades
up or getting a job after school?" Both young women reply that they do
try to get good grades, not for higher academic pursuits, but because
they would just like to do well.
As for the future, they are not sure what they will do when they finish
school. They shrug their shoulders emphatically, as if to say, "Don't know-haven't
really thought about it." With a half smile and a shaky voice, the quieter
girl says something to me. The translator tells me that she has said she
would like to be a hairdresser and stay in Cagli, but might leave for a
bigger city if she cannot find a job here. The other girl mentions that
she might go to University instead of getting a job immediately, but she
hasn't decided yet. Their facial expressions are casual, their responses
steady and relaxed-it appears that even grades and future employment do
not concern these Cagliese. As the afternoon sun descends, it casts a terrible
glare in our eyes, both girls raise their hands above their foreheads, and
we move to a shadier spot near a cold, stone wall. Sweat drips from their
brows as well as mine. I ask them my final question, the one that is the
most important in American teen culture. "Do you feel any pressure concerning
dating and boys?" I expect the girls to laugh nervously or show embarrassment
as the Cagliese boys did, but neither seems the least bit uncomfortable.
With the same nonchalance they showed earlier, the girls reply calmly, "No.
Not really," while shaking their heads. "Why not?" I ask. The reply is the
same as the males. They are still too young to worry about their romantic
lives. In a town where marriage is not expected until somewhere in the mid-twenties,
after a five or more year engagement, dating is not a big concern for those
of high school age. They do date, but it is more casual. The idea of the
"dinner and movie" date confuses them. Instead, the Cagliese youth usually
go out in groups, among many friends, enjoying an evening pizza and drinks
at a local bar or cafe. They have a while before they have to worry about
serious relationships or marriage.