In Control of our Health? (SOC 490)

     For the past few classes, we have been discussing whether or not our health is something we have control over. There are many different types of health: physical, mental, social and others. While one may not be able to control aspects of their health such as hereditary illnesses and accidents, we do control how we treat our bodies, whether positively or negatively. We are only given one body, and if we treat it well, by exercising, eating healthy and getting enough rest for example, then we are on the right track for a healthy lifestyle. In my opinion, if you treat your body right, in all aspects of health, then the rest is not in your hands, but the hands of fate, destiny, God, or whatever you may believe in. Everything happens for a reason, and you may make mistakes, but in the end, you are not in control of some things that may happen to you, like accidents, diseases or dying.

     Another topic that has come up in class regards American health care compared with other countries such as Canada and Italy. These countries both have universal health care which make it easier to compare between the United States and Italy, for example, because there are many differences. While health care in the United States is said to be better in different ways, there are statistics which may prove this theory otherwise and raise questions as to which type of health care may be more efficient. For example, the life expectancy at birth for people of the United States in 2007, was 77.8, while in Canada, the life expectancy was 80.4. Infant mortality death per 1,000 births is also higher in the U.S. than in Canada. On the other hand, in Italy, the infant mortality rate is 3, while in America it is 7. The life expectancy is also higher in Italy (81), while in the U.S. it is 78. While statistics may not always be a great example of the health of an entire nation, they provide a perspective which helps focus on the bigger picture.
     One viewpoint about a universal health care plan suggests that having universal health care, or an open-ended insurance program, would encourage abuse of the health care system. Malcolm Gladwell, alternatively states in Universal Health Care: Opposing Viewpoints that "Open-Ended Insurance Payments Do Not Lead to Abuse of the Health Care System." Gladwell thinks that just because we would have universal health insurance, that doesn't mean people would abuse it, rather it would decrease costs in certain aspects. He states that "when it comes to health care, many of the things we do only because we have insurance...are anything but wasteful and inefficient...they are behaviors that could end up saving the health-care system a good deal of money."
     Chris Farrell says that "Universal coverage would stimulate the economy, it would boost the financial security of ordinary Americans, and it would break the health-care reform log-jam." He thinks that implementing universal health care would be good for the U.S. economy and that it should be implemented rapidly. The negative aspect of Farrell's viewpoint, is that he uses words such as "hopefully" and states "once the economy recovers, Washington can debate how to create a more cost-effective and cost-efficient health-care system." This viewpoint seems to be not thought out well, and gives off the vibe that we can "figure the rest out later," which would not be good for the economy. Henry J. Aaron, on the other hand, says that the United States should move forward cautiously to implement health care. 

Thanksgiving Week in Italy: Week 5 (GL 350)

     As yet another week of our Rome experience comes to an end, I find myself extremely thankful for this entire experience. I've become comfortable with being here, that I sometimes have to pinch myself for taking the little things for granted. We're here in Rome for eight weeks. While that seems like a long time, it has gone by incredibly too fast for my liking, which is why I just have to take the time and continue to embrace every moment, even if every moment isn't perfect. 

     "Let us consider the solitary Italian, whoever he may be, at the moment he is actually born, on the day, that is, when he realizes that things are seldom what they seem, words not always what they sound like, and most of what he learned in school, in the army, or from his elders, and what he read in many grave books, is complete nonsense." This quote from Barzini's The Italians, I found interesting because it sends a good message. It means that one cannot learn about Italy stuck in a classroom, reading countless books, or just listening to what others say. It must be experienced by oneself, in the many piazzas of Rome, with the natives of Italy, and with the massive churches, small cafes and ancient ruins surrounding you. 

     During week five, besides Thanksgiving, we had some other fun experiences as well. On Monday, we had a little piece of home when some of us were able to see the final installment of the Twilight series in theaters, Breaking Dawn. Even though the movie had Italian subtitles, it was really great to see it in Rome with my fellow students. We also had a tour given by Gabby and Aubree of the beautiful Borghese gardens and Borghese Museum, which was very fascinating. Also, some of us got to visit St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican city for the first time. As we walked out, we see something spectacular: a rainbow covering the Vatican. It was beautiful to say the least.

     Last Thursday was a different and new experience for me, and many other students on this trip. It was our first holiday away from home: Thanksgiving. After 18 years of spending it with my family, Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays. Great food, board games, laughs, family, ornament exchanges and good times are some of the things that make it special. While I missed all of this, I was happy to be spending this Thanksgiving with my new Rome family. We went to Santa Susanna, the English-speaking church in Rome for mass, sang "America the Beautiful," ate a delicious classic American Thanksgiving dinner, Skyped our families and watched Christmas movies, which left us all very full and happy people. This Thanksgiving in Italy was very special to me, and it is something I will be able to look back on and cherish for years to come. 

Ciao for now!

At the Vatican with a rainbow in the background

Thanksgiving feast on campus

   

Museums and Italian Health (SOC 490)

     For the past few weeks for our Sociology class, we have been focusing on several things. The American and Italian health care systems are different, and we need to ask ourselves why they are different and how we can learn from the comparisons. What can we, as Americans, take from the Roman approach to improve our health? We were also given something else to ponder over, and that is whether or not our health is something which we have control over. As part of the class, we visited the Museum of the Mind and the National History Museum of the Medical Arts. After visiting these museums, we could better understand part of the Italian health care system.

A bed which used to bed in the mental institution in the Museum of the Mind

     When asked the question of whether or not health care is something which we have control over, my answer is yes. We are in control of our bodies and what we eat, how much we exercise, and how we treat our bodies is in our control. In addition, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World states that man should take care of, not only himself but his brothers. "If one is in extreme necessity, he has the right to procure for himself what he needs our of the riches of others...'Feed the man dying of hunger, because if you have not fed him, you have killed him.'" Your health is determined by how you live your life, but at the same time, we cannot control when we die or when we procure certain things such as illnesses or diseases. In the Museum of the Mind, we had a tour of what used to be a mental institution in Rome. Some of the patients we learned, were entered into the institution because they were orphans, and had no mental illness. Though, when they left, and depending on how long they lived there, they left with a mental illness of some kind. This is sad, yet it shows us what can happen to someone if they are treated as if they have an illness, even though they don't.

National Museum of the Medical Arts

     On Monday, we visited the National History Museum of the Medical Arts in Rome. I found this museum interesting because it preserved many things that used to be used in hospitals long ago in Italy. It also had many things such as skeletons and wax models which were used to teach medical students. It was interesting to see the tools they used to use in hospitals and the differences between then and now. One of the main differences is technology, though it amazes me how much they knew even back then.
     In Italy, there is universal health care. In other words, if you are an Italian citizen, you are guaranteed basic health care. Statistically, Italy's life expectancy is 81 years while the United States' is 78. Some people also say that the U.S. health care system needs to change and that we should adopt a universal health care policy, similar to Italy's. Ben Furnas, for example, writes in Opposing Viewpoints that "the quality of health care in the United States has been declining...health care reform could lead to billions of dollars in savings." Italians have a different way of life. It is rare to see an overweight Italian. The foods they eat are also fresher and usually healthier. Though their way of life is not perfect, there are many things that we can learn from the way Italians live.

Living in the Moment: Week 4 (GL 350)

     Somebody pinch me. First of all, it's still hard to believe that I'm in Italy. Secondly, it's mind-boggling that we have just finished our fourth week here in Rome, and we're already halfway through this program. I'm still so grateful to be experiencing everything we have been doing so far and I try to embrace every moment. This past month can be summed up in a song that Aimee Jones and I have been singing since we've been here: "Living in the Moment" by Jason Mraz. It's a great song that we use to inspire us as we are studying here in beautiful Italy. 

A view of the Pantheon on Piazza della Rotonda

     "Work is pleasure and pleasure is work. I find Rome a good place to work." This quote found in Muriel Spark's "My Rome" is relatable to my time here because I find that even though we are studying here, it is highly enjoyable and I don't complain about the work we have to do here. We read about the places we are going to, we discuss Italian health care and we have find different places to just have class in Rome. This alone makes it so much more exciting and if every one of my classes were like this back in North Canton, I'd be set. But, I guess we can't have it great all the time, after all. This Tuesday, Aimee and I had to give the rest of the class a tour of Piazza Navona and Piazza della Rotonda. This included the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Sant'Agnese in Agone, Santa Maria sopra Minerva and the Pantheon.

     Alice Steinbach in "The Smiles of Rome"writes about a few things that I can relate to perfectly. She describes her feelings of homesickness first of all. I miss my family, my dogs, cat, my friends and "the comfort of routine" as Steinbach says, but at the same time, I'm in absolutely no rush to leave Italy. I know that my family and everything else will be there when I return home and I also know that they are proud of me and wish for me to experience the best of this trip. "I yearned to...lie in bed, waiting for the soft thud that signals the arrival of my cat." I can particularly relate to this sentence because my cat would sleep with me before I left for Italy, which was a comfort that I loved and can't wait to return to when I come home in December. 

Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence

     The fourth week ended with our group weekend trip to Florence. This trip has been the best weekend so far in Italy, and I find it so hard to believe that they just keep getting better. Florence had many great things to offer including a market down several streets with stands selling everything from various leather items (which Florence is known for) to scarves and souvenirs, the massive cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (which we attended mass on Sunday), the Accademia (which houses the spectacular statue of David by Michelangelo, which felt like meeting a celebrity), exciting night life, and fantastic food. It was a great weekend and I can't wait to not only see what Sorrento and Pompeii are like, but I look forward to this next month here in Italy. 

For now, I will be sure to keep living in the moment. 

So I just let go of what I know I don't know
And I know I'll only do this by
Living in the moment
Living our life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home

Doing as the Romans Do: Week 3 (GL 350)

     Rome is a city of faith. As week three of our experience in Rome came around, we began to focus on this concept. As the introduction of St. Peter's letter in "The Smiles of Rome" states, "Inspired by the blood of the martyrs, Christians made Rome their 'Holy City,' the destination of pilgrims for two thousand years." People from all over the world come to Rome for different reasons: to see the city they've seen in movies, read about in books and heard about from the mouths of others. Some come for the sights, the history, the food, the atmosphere, and some might not even know why they come, but seem to be drawn to the Eternal City.

The Holy Stairs or Scala Sancta

     The churches in Rome, ancient, historical and beautiful, are an important part of what makes Rome so grand and beloved. On every street, there seems to be a countless number of churches, or chiese, with open doors inviting pedestrians to enter and experience their beauty.  Personally, not one church we have visited so far hasn't struck me in some way, as I gape at the frescoes, statues, tombs and ceilings, imagining what life was like in ancient times and thinking about the meaning behind everything. Margaret Visser writes in "The Geometry of Love," "Memory, in a church, is not only individual, but also collective: the building is a meeting place for a group of people who agree with each other in certain important respects." I feel as though even non-religious people who visit the churches in Rome are able to take away some kind of meaning from them.
     This week, during a student-led tour, we visited the Holy Stairs, or Scala Sancta. According to Christian tradition, these stairs led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which Jesus Christ stood on during is passion on his way to trial. These 28 marble steps can only be climbed on one's knees. As some of us climbed the steps, we learned that some people say a rosary on each one (which might take all day), I though, said a Hail Mary on each one. This was a humbling experience for me, as I reflected on Christ's passion. An experience like this cannot be had just anywhere. Visser also states that a theatre is like a church. There is a stage in a church and seats for an audience and in both places, people come to "live together through a trajectory of soul...to be led by the performance...to understand something they never understood before, to feel relief, to stare in amazement, or to cry." I found it interesting though, that the difference between a theatre and a church, is that "a church can go on 'working' even when there is no performance and no crowd. A person can come in to a silent church in order to respond to the building and its meaning. This can produce an experience as profoundly moving as that of attending a performance. The same thing cannot be said of visiting an empty theatre."

Visiting the Trevi fountain at night

     Along with visiting San Clemente and San Giovanni in Laterano, we had guided tours of the catacombs and the aqueducts in Rome. At the end of the week, while everyone else went off to travel on our free weekend, I decided, along with Ciarra to stay on campus, catch up on some homework and explore Rome on our own. This included going to the zoo in Rome, visiting the Trevi fountain at night, catching a movie in English, and finding a Mexican restaurant. It was a fun experience and I am grateful to have had another great week in Rome. I can't wait until the next five weeks and I plan to make the best of every moment.
   

The Opposite Side: Health Care as a Privilege (SOC 490)

     Last week we were asked to blog about our viewpoint on whether we think health care is a right or a privilege. While I stated that I thought it was a right, this week we had to support the opposing side. Both sides of the debate, whether health care should be a right or a privilege have valid arguments, which make this issue complex and controversial.
     Donald Boudreaux in the Universal Health Care Opposing Viewpoints book argues that "it would make poor economic sense to treat access to health care as a human right. With health care freely available, individuals would use more health care than they actually needed, driving up the cost of care." I feel as though this would be true because some people would take advantage of the system. For example, just because it's free someone might go to receive health care if they have a cold, while someone with a terminal illness might need that care more. Who is to decide who needs the health care more? Who, then, would receive care first? With anyone and everyone showing up to doctor's offices and hospitals, the cost of health care could increase. "Because providing healthcare takes scarce resources, offering it free at the point of delivery would raise its cost and reduce its availability." Boudreaux concludes by stating that we will have better access to healthcare if we only lose our attempts to provide healthcare as a "right" that is paid for mostly by others.
     Another viewpoint on the side that states health care is not a right is Leonard Peikoff. "Health care can only be treated as a right through the violation of personal rights of doctors...Now our only rights...are the rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. That's all...they are the rights to action, not to rewards from other people." This argument goes with the idea that you should have to work hard in order to receive things like health care, instead of it just being handed to you. "The system gives you the chance to work for what you want-not to be given it without effort by somebody else."
     Another issue brought up in class was this: People from all over the world come to the Cleveland Clinic for care and the Clinic is rated the best hospital in the United States, yet not everyone in Cuyahoga County is healthy, explain. I think that people are going to be healthy and unhealthy no matter where in the world they are or whether or not they live near a good hospital. Also, just because somebody lives near the Cleveland Clinic, does not necessarily mean they are going to be healthy. Similarly, if I lived near a fast food restaurant, that does not mean I will be unhealthy.
     While I previously stated that health care is a right, I have to know the opposing side in order to support my own. The same goes with any controversial issue. After attempting to support the side that healthcare is a privilege, I found it somewhat easy because I agree with some of the points that support that viewpoint. Being able to defend both sides of the argument helps one to truly understand their own beliefs. As it is stated on the back cover of Universal Heath Care: Opposing Viewpoints, "Those who do not know their opponent's arguments do not completely understand their own."

Roma Week 2 (GL 350)



The view from the top of the Spanish steps

     It has now been two weeks since we've stepped off of the plane in the beautiful country of Italy. It's still hard to believe that our second week here has come to an end. Week two has brought more exciting and unforgettable experiences. The week included more tours of sights in Rome, Halloween and pumpkin carving on campus, and finally a group trip to the city of Venice.
     After experiencing Rome for two weeks, I, and much of the other students can now say that we feel as though we are not tourists, but natives. We can walk around without a map in some places and know where we are going, or if not, we are able to ask someone for help. By now, I feel as though I can travel by myself here and still feel comfortable. Barzini's explanation in chapter four about the busy street life of natives and foreigners alike captures the essence of Rome perfectly. "Streets, squares, marketplaces teem with people, noisy, elated, gay, energetic, busy people. There are uniformed carabinieri...fat priests strolling slowly, peasants dressed in rough velvet clothes, smart young soldiers on leave, housewives carrying heavy shopping bags, desperate youths with long hair and blue jeans, swarms of pretty girls and children playing between everybody's legs." Rome is a perfect place for the art of "people watching," which I do frequently. It may just be because we are in a different country, or experiencing a culture we have never been immersed in before, but Italy and its diverse culture is definitely something I can get used to.

     Since we have been here, and because we do not feel like crazy tourists from America with their fanny packs, camera, and souvenirs, we are able to notice the flaws of Italy more easily. Natalia Ginzberg in "Such is Rome" talks about how the cars, Vespas and other automobiles have taken over the city. "If ever there was a city made for walking, it's this one; the cars seem to have invaded it by stealth, like an attack of blight." I agree that the cars in Italy and Rome particularly are everywhere. They are on the streets, on the sidewalks, parked anywhere they can fit, even if it seems impossible. They do not care about their cars as much as in America where you can sometimes see a car parked in two parking spots just to avoid someone bumping into their car. If that were to happen here, two other cars would squeeze up beside it, just because they can. Although the streets are teeming with vehicles, I think that they are now a part of Italy and what makes it unique.

Gondola ride in Venice

     After the week's sights including a student-led tour of the Spanish steps and Piazza del Popolo and a bike ride on the Old Appian Way, we left for a plane to Venice for the weekend. Before leaving for Venice, we were told that the city would be underwater because it is right on the sea and the weather had been rainy with a high tide level. When we arrived, we took a ferry to our hotel, which was on the island of Lido. The weekend had many fun experiences such as shopping the many streets of masks, seeing Murano glass being made, eating pizza on the beach and taking a nighttime gondola ride (left). Overall, the first group weekend trip was spectacular and I look forward to the others along with the next six weeks.

Ciao for now!