quality of life v. career ambition

italy has the quality. america allows for the ambition.

within the short time that i have spent in italy i have come to many conclusions. italians know how to enjoy life at a far greater level then americans. i know this observation is extremely subjective, but the caliber of even their everyday sandwich (panino) is to a point that the us will never reach.

americans care about, and demand, many things. exceptional food for a low price is not our top priority. my point being that americans want things fast so they can continue with their day, letting them accomplish more (even if it is to get more time in on their wii, which isn't really an accomplishment).

italians live slow. they savor the moment. they stop for pedestrians on their own free will (crazy i know coming from nyc). they are generally content with their jobs and living situations. this is an amazing perspective to experience in full, with a couple exceptions.

italians have the lowest average yearly salary in europe. how can that be when they are one of the major powers of the european union? people here can accept being happy with less.

what defines happiness and success? is it how good your slice of pizza was for lunch? is it enjoying where you work- not how fast you move up to corporate ladder? is it realizing how lucky you are to be living even an average existence?

where my ideology severely clashes with the italian way is their work environment. not so much how everyone functions in the office, because everyone here is so nice that it makes your teeth hurt (like sugar?). not being able to move up though is a major problem for me. it isn't a current problem, because i'm an intern, but as i look to the future and think, "could i really live my life in italy?" the answer is yes, BUT...

i would be miserable at my job. the youngest creative working in this office is over 30. it has nothing to do with where i work either. people take longer with school. there isn't the pressure to hurry up and spread their wings after they get out of high school. no one is forcing anything on anyone. one can take a job with less responsibility and then a few years later, maybe, apply to a job that is a little harder, better paying, and if not, no big deal.

it might just be the way i was raised, or that american ambition in me, but i would die. this process feels smothering to me. thus, the conflict.

there are far more restrictions in italy too. they are about twenty years behind american tv and advertising. i mean italian television is bad. i mean REALLY bad. think american idol mixed with a small town public access channel, and you've got their most popular show 'x factor'.

i can live life at a slower pace for the most part. i love the way people take time here to really enjoy time with friends and family, not just thinking about what they have to do next. the food, my god, the fucking food here. it alone is worth a trip to parma. but, is it enough to stay?

the world of advertising is fast paced. everything is changing constantly, whether it is being employed by what agency or keeping up with the current trends in pop culture. if one can't cut it they are quickly left behind.

my solution? don't have a sure one yet, but i'll keep thinking on it - leaning towards accepting italy for what it is, and finding a job back in nyc or the us.