Although many of these people come to Italy to escape danger in their own countries, some are illegal immigrants that come to cause trouble in Italy. As a result, there is a great divide in Italian politics on whether or not to allow more people to enter Italy since this mass migration puts a strain on resources and the economy -- especially since Italy is so small compared to other countries. This challenge strongly reminds me of the divide in politics we face here in the United States concerning Mexican immigration. And just like here, it is difficult to develop a compromise to these challenges that pleases everyone.
Italians seem to embrace the specialness of their environment. There are many Italian coastal cities such as Genoa and Venice that thrive from commercialism (the act of buying and selling goods) and tourism. Being so close to seas has created the identities of many of these cities. For example, this special geography made it possible for me to see dolphins in Europe's biggest aquarium in Genoa and then to experience the unique local transportation by boat in Venice. Italy's government deals with the challenges of drug trafficking and illegal immigration by investigating the criminal activities of the Mafia and limiting access to ports and harbors. Further inland, Italy's terrain makes it possible to build trains that connect major Italian cities, making transportation easy and affordable.
