Cheek Kisses

By Dr Rahoul Masrani, FSU Florence Professor, Media and Communications

The idea of ‘personal space,’ so prevalent in America, doesn’t carry nearly the same significance for Italians.

This is a country where people greet new acquaintances with at least a handshake— but often with a kiss on each cheek. Polite affection and solidarity are often communicated through a gentle touch on the shoulder. Getting ‘up close and personal’ is normal, even expected.

Even in the context of payment transactions, I always find it amusing that contactless card payments are referred to as ‘contact’ in Italian — the exact opposite of contactless! These quirks, that make Italy charming, endearing, fascinating and loved by so many, were abruptly halted on March 9th, when the entire country went into full lockdown in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Social distancing suddenly became the new norm, with people required to keep at least one metre or three feet apart—later revised to two metres or six feet. For the duration of the quarantine, we must carry a self-certification document justifying our movements, or risk a hefty fine. Only those shops providing essential goods remain open—these include pharmacies and grocery stores. All other retailers are shut, as are schools, universities, gyms, social clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes. Coffee made on the stovetop in a moka has replaced an important cultural staple—a quick stop at one’s local bar for a caffè.

Technology has become central to life in the country, with even the famous Italian aperitivo now an online event—and we are grateful for FaceTime, Zoom, Skype and other platforms that make these interactions possible! The crisis has demanded a huge shift in the way people operate. The ‘in your face-ness’ of life here, with its strong community aspect, has for now been replaced by online video interactions - chats with friends and family, and learning sessions with teachers.

Has this challenging transition, from face-to-face to online, caused the community spirit, so central to Italian culture, to waver?

My infrequent trips to the supermarket suggest that, on the contrary, this spirit is alive and in some ways even more vibrant. As a media scholar, I have been following the portrayal of the crisis in the various news outlets with great interest. I was surprised to see non-Italian media reports focusing on the barrenness of life in lockdown Italy, given that our shelves are well-stocked (no toilet paper shortages here!) and people are kind to one another (whilst of course respecting the two-metre rule); not to mention the plethora of footage of singing, performing and clapping from our balconies to show solidarity and to thank healthcare workers. The warm and smile-filled conversations I’ve had queuing outside my local supermarket suggest that the desire for human contact, albeit from a distance, is still a fundamental part of life in this country.

We have transitioned into unfamiliar territory. I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a retired gentleman at my gym, only a few weeks before the lockdown. He joked that he spent more time chatting with his friends in the changing room than he did on the gym floor. For what it’s worth, I told him not to fret, as being socevole (social) was also healthy. The suspension of this key aspect of our existence – the social closeness – has meant adapting our daily lives and habits. While I miss my students very much and fondly recall my morning caffè normale at my local bar, we all know that this is temporary. As well as focusing on the limitations of the current situation (which is only human and natural), we can embrace the opportunities offered by this transition. We will hopefully emerge from this crisis with a renewed appreciation for all the means of communication available to us. We will probably re-evaluate many aspects of our ‘normal’ life and will perhaps decide to leave some of them behind—while bringing forward new strategies and ideas.

After all, it is spring, the season of rebirth, a renaissance of sorts. The sun is shining and the trees are bursting with life. One can feel the very essence of transition in the air (albeit during the short essential outings). Yet, I hope, some things will remain the same. One such thing that springs to mind—with the pun fully intended—is the local passion for eating seasonally, another beautiful aspect of Italian life. Spring highlights like strawberries and asparagus may not be the solution to the crisis, but they do remind us of Italy as we used to know it and give us hope that Bella Italia will eventually be back to its glorious self, cheek kisses and all.

Andrà tutto bene!