IAP 283: The Search for the Mondo Italiano with Special Guest Viviana Altieri of the Istituto Mondo Italiano

When Viviana Altieri journeyed from Rome, Italy to Pittsburgh, PA, on a dare nearly 30 years ago, she could never have imagined staying in the United States and pursuing the life of a "Professional Italian American."  But this week's guest is a natural-born adventurer, and her many incredible journeys seeking out the essence of what it means to "be Italian" have given her unparalleled experiences, which she now brings to her dual roles as the head of the Istituto Mondo Italiano and host of The Italian Radio Hour, her podcast and video series that seeks to reveal the best of Italy and Italian America! Viviana joins us to explore the mission of the Istituto Mondo Italiano,  a bastion of Italian culture right in the heart of the Steel City,  and how she looks to preserve some very unique aspects of Italian, and Italian American, culture through her work. We discuss how Italy can be many things to many people, as well as why it is dangerous to overgeneralize Italy, Italian cuisine, and Italian American culture. We also discuss why learning Italian is a key to unlocking a door filled with countless new ways to discover our ancestral homeland. And, as an added bonus, John and Pat will be guests on Viviana's show in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to find out the air date! Join us for an episode of kindred spirits, kindred missions, and immeasurable love for all things Italian! This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.