Living to Work or Working to Live...That is the Question

Over the past 11 years, I have been plagued with this question while living in Rome. I thought that choosing to live in Rome would have allowed me to simplify my work ethic and reduce my hunger to work and serve others...to recalibrate how I approach my work responsibilities and accept the easier work ethic that surrounds me. Tranquilla, fai con calma, non ti fregare...I figured, quite erroneously, that I would assimilate to the Italian work mentality: do what I need to do until 17:01 and then boom! just drop the pen, turn off the computer, and leave the office, as many Italian office people do (even many colleagues in US institutions).

However, I do not have a typical Italian office job for an entirely Italian company- and of course this is by choice. I work for and serve American students in international education and now have been even more emotionally drawn into the job since I work for my own school in Rome: a sort of No Man's Land where we are to abide by local laws while fostering an American educational tradition with the mother ship 2,000 kilometers away. Believe me, I am so happy to be doing this, do not get me wrong. It's just I find that I am all the more challenged in negotiating my role as lead customer care support and as administrator with her hands tied more often than not. I am the Ambassador for the disfunctionality of Italy....

As each day comes to a close, I realize more and more that I cannot simply adapt the attitude of rimbalzare- having things bounce off of you. (I am simply not the rubber ball-type) But I do need to compromise with the fact that I cannot become the glue for all the negativity on the earth and for the disfunctionality that does abound around me. Misery sure does love company and it is frighteningly easier to become devoured by negative acts and thoughts than by positive ones.

But what I do know is that when I hit the pillow at night, I know I helped a student or colleague approach a new challenge or at least smile and embrace what is Rome and/or the US, direclty or indirectly, by channelling a personal relationship, a personal connection to a new culture.
I am both: a strong American work-a-holic and a passionate Mediterranean who loves people. I do not have to choose, only balance work with pleasure.

Let's hope I do not self-implode.