S an A nge lo

A Guide
for
Italian students
relocating to San Angelo

Alina Hernandez
The city of San Angelo offers the opportunity to be a part of a community just as big as the state
of Texas.
San Angelo has long had a history with the American military and soldiers. “Fort Concho” on
one side of the Concho River was established by soldiers in 1867. On the other side of the river,
a small trading village named “Santa Angela” became a trading settlement where ranchers and
farmers would trade goods. Once the soldiers left, the town continued to grow as a trade center,
and continues to grow even today especially in the areas of agriculture and education. The town
is now home to Goodfellow Air Base that provides “military intelligence training and a fire
fighting school for the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines” (SanAngelo.org).
You will experience different weather patterns throughout the year in San Angelo. Starting in the
spring, you’ll experience the famous West Texas winds. However, going into summertime, it is
common for the temperature to go above 38 Celsius. The average temperature in the fall months
is around 20 Celsius. The average temperature in the winter is 7.5 Celsius. The chart below from
the Climate-Zone website gives you information on the average weather in San Angelo.

A chart in degrees Celsius giving average temperatures each month for the city of San Angelo. 1
While the city doesn’t have the elaborate piazzas and city squares as in Venice, the beautiful
parks and Concho Riverwalk give you the opportunity to have fun with friends and sit by the
water.

Boy rides his bicycle along the Riverwalk.2

The Concho River view of Celebration Bridge3
Outdoor fun in San Angelo begins at the San Angelo Riverwalk. The Riverwalk is over four
miles, and it is connected by the Celebration Bridge. Here, you can walk by the water, exercise
on your bike, and even visit the beautiful gardens.
The Bosque, a park on the river, also offers boating on the Concho River. It is open from
Tuesday to Friday and has other park activities to enjoy with your friends. You can also play
volleyball and play a giant game of chess.

Boating event and chess game at The Bosque. 4

For a bright and colorful experience, you can visit the International Water Lilly Collection at the
Civic League Park. The collection is the “Number One Tourist Destination for the City of San
Angelo” according to their website. It is eleven minutes away from Angelo State University.

A view of the water lilies at the International Water Lilly Collection. 5

San Angelo is also home to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (SAMFA). The SAMFA
website says they offer permanent and traveling exhibitions of ceramics, Texas Art, Spanish
Colonial art, and more. The pieces include outdoor art, clothing pieces, framed artwork, and
historical pieces in each of their exhibits. The museum is near Downtown, less than 15 minutes
away from campus.

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. 6

San Angelo State Park is only 10 minutes away from the university campus and is worth the trip.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife website says: “the park has 50 miles of multiuse trails for hiking,
mountain biking and horseback riding (you must bring your own horse)” (tpwd.texas.gov). There
is also a “dinosaur trail” that has two miles of prehistoric creatures’ footprints. To cool off after
your hike or bike ride, you can travel 10 more minutes by car and visit Lake Nasworthy and
Twin Buttes Reservoir.

An aerial view of Lake Nasworthy.7

For a more relaxing activity, San Angelo also has two cinemas that show films every day.
Cinemark Tinseltown shows more than 16 films a day, beginning as early as 10:30. The large
theater is only five minutes from the university’s campus.
Icon Cinema shows at least nine films every day and has an arcade inside. This theater is 13
minutes away from the university’s campus. Here you can purchase any size popcorn and drink,
and can refill each item, completely free. The cinema offers special price tickets for only $5 USD
every Tuesday.
In San Angelo, Joe’s Italian Restaurant and Napoli’s Italian Restaurant will remind you of home.
Joe’s Italian Restaurant promises to have fresh, flavorful food every day, along with a wide
selection of wines to accompany every meal. The restaurant has been in the town’s Top 20
restaurant for three consecutive years. Some of their most popular dishes are the stuffed
mushrooms, Neapolitan Cheese pizzas, and Chicken Marsala. After dinner, they offer tiramisu
and cannolis made fresh every day. The restaurant is open from Monday through Saturday until
22:00. From 11:00 to 15:00, Joe’s offers a lunch special, so you can enjoy a full meal at a
discounted price. Joe’s is only 10 minutes away from the university and is sure to remind you of
home. The menu and more information are on joesitaliansanangelo.com.
A pasta dish at Joe’s Italian Restaurant. 8
Napoli’s Italian Restaurant is about 15 minutes away from the university. You can visit the
restaurant every day for lunch and dinner. This restaurant offers seafood dishes like Shrimp
Fradiavolo and Frutti De Mare. After lunch or dinner, you can explore all of San Angelo’s
downtown shops and business located along the Concho River.
If you are older than 21 years of age, you can enjoy a few glasses of wine at any one of San
Angelo’s wine bars. In Vino Veritas offers a beautiful place to get together with friends and
enjoy their wines from around the world with complimentary cheese, meats, and crackers. The
bar is located only three minutes away from the university campus and is open from Monday to
Saturday until 19:00.

The wine selection at In Vino Veritas.9

Brix Winery is home to more than 20 wines crafted in-store. The winery is in San Angelo’s
Historic Block. Here, you can get a glass of wine, sit in the courtyard, and admire the mermaid
statue located in front of the winery. Located only eight minutes from the university, you can
enjoy unique wines that only San Angelo has to offer.
You can appreciate art and wine at The Black Swan Art Gallery and Wine Bar. Here, the walls
are lined with pieces of artwork. You can sip a glass of wine and walk around the building while
discussing the art pieces with the rest of the visitors. The beautiful, historic building is located
less than 10 minutes away from the university. The gallery opens at 16:30 every Wednesday to
Saturday.

Inside The Black Swan Art Gallery and Wine Bar. 10

San Angelo also has great and unique coffee shops where everyone is welcome. Stango’s Coffee
Shop on South Chadbourne Street, is a vintage café that also offers authentic New York pizza. In
addition to its signature coffee, the café also offers vintage arcade games, an old American soda
fountain, and vintage art that you’d find from the past 60 years of American history.

A view of the vintage décor at Stango’s Coffee Shop.11

TJ’s Frozen Yogurt and Gourmet Coffee is a place where you and your friends can get a sweet
treat while getting your choice of hot or cold coffee. They have bright artwork lining the walls,
and you can start your day with them by getting a light breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and other
small items. It is only two minutes away from campus, so you can visit at any time.
The Slanging Dough Bakery is one of the town’s artisan bakeries. Starting at 08:00 they serve
hot, fresh pastries, croissants, tarts and more, that are so popular that by then end of the 8:00
hour, most items are sold out. Located in a small building only 11 minutes away from campus,
you can start your morning with a delicious pastry and hot coffee.

Some of the pastries available at the Slanging Dough Bakery.12

There are several Catholic churches in the community, but Sacred Heart Cathedral is the seat of
the West Texas Diocese. Mass is held every week day at 12:10 and vigil is Saturday at 15:00.
Sunday mass is at 10:00 and 16:00. Confessions are Wednesday and Saturday. The Cathedral is
only eight minutes from the university campus.

The Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart. 13

There are a few different transportation options in San Angelo. Concho Valley Transit offers
transportation to popular spots in San Angelo such as Downtown San Angelo and Sunset Mall.
The bus offers a monthly pass for $30 USD. It operates from 06:30 to 16:30 Monday through
Friday. It operates from 07:30 to 16:30 on Saturday. Bus routes are available on their website:
www.cvtd.org.
There are also several taxi companies. Yellow Cab is available at any time and can take you to
any location in San Angelo.
If you need to send something home, or are expecting something from home, San Angelo’s Post
Office can help you set up a Post Office Box. Any packages and mail that you may receive will
be waiting for you at the Post Office. There are several locations each 10 to 15 minutes away
from the university. You can choose the location you’d like, and an employee will assign you a
box from 08:30 to 16:00, Monday through Friday; and 09:00 to 14:00 on Saturday. However,
you can access your mail at any time of day, since the lobby is open 24 hours a day.
There are also several apartment buildings available in San Angelo. Most apartments offer dorm-
like living with multiple bedrooms and shared living space and kitchen. A bedroom with a
private bathroom at River Ranch Apartments is $450 USD. Some apartment buildings offer
laundry rooms and fully furnished bedrooms, while others offer swimming pools and on-site
gyms.
Apartmentguide.com is a useful tool in helping you find what you’re looking for in your budget.
Most apartment buildings include water, electricity, and Internet, in the total cost, however the
City of San Angelo website (www.cosatx.us/) offers more information on how to open utilities in
your new apartment.

A front view of the River Ranch Apartments. 14

San Angelo is a town filled with more than 100,000 people who will always treat you like
family. More than just a place to live, San Angelo is a place to call home.
 Alina Hernandez
◦◦Student, Mass Media◦◦

MEMO
DATE: February 23, 2019
TO: Dr. Nicole Dilts
FROM: Alina Hernandez
SUBJECT: Cultural Dimensions of Italy and Creating a Guide for Italian Students
In this memo, I will discuss my findings on the cultural dimensions of Italy. The facts on cultural
dimensions and the lifestyle information I have gathered will help me create a guide tailored
specifically to Italian students moving to San Angelo.
According to the Hofstede Insights website, Italy ranks similar to the United States in power
distance. Italy’s score is 50; the U.S. scores at 40. According to the DePauw University’s
website, “Power Distance measures the extent to which people with and without power accept
and expect that power is distributed unequally” (acad.depauw.edu). Based on the score of 50,
Italians do have respect for titles, and older individuals, especially family members, however, the
Hofstede Insights website says younger Italians, tend to dislike “control and formal supervision”
(Hofstede-insights.com). According to a leadership study from DePaul University, Italy’s power
distance score reflects their “preference for democratic governance” (citeseerx.ist.psu.edu). The
study adds that in Italy, “leadership and power…are more about ‘influencing’ a subordinate or
peer to action,” as opposed to “ordering someone to complete a task” (citeseerx.ist.psu.edu).
Italians have a high Uncertainty Avoidance score which means that they are uncomfortable with
uncertain or new situations. They also do not take risks. The Taylor Training website says these
types of cultures avoid uncertainty with “strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and
on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in an absolute Truth” (taylortraining.com).
Because Italians scored so high on the uncertainty avoidance dimension, I think it is especially
important to include items in my guide that will make them feel more comfortable in San
Angelo. For example, Italians have a very distinct cuisine, so it will be important for the students
to know that they will still have familiar foods, even though they are not in Italy.
Italy is a high context culture. Commisceo-Global says that “Italians are intuitive” and
“extremely expressive communicators” (commisceo-global.com). They make decisions based on
details they have gathered themselves, rather than information that is presented to them up front.
According to a communications study done in Japan, in high context cultures, greater confidence
is placed in the nonverbal aspects of communication than the verbal aspects” (Helsinki.fi).
From the Hofstede-Insights website, I learned that Italians are an individualist culture. The
website says that for Italians, personal goals are “very motivating and the route to happiness is
through personal fulfillment” (Hofstede-insights.com). However, I did find from multiple
websites that for younger Italians, it is common to meet and get together as groups rather than in
pairs. LifeinItaly,com says that “Italians often pile into a couple of cars and go out in a big
group” (lifeinitaly.com). This website also says that popular meeting places are the open streets
of Italy, or a “piazza,” which is similar to a town square or main street (lifeinitaly.com).
According to the website, young Italians enjoy a lot of the same activities as Americans, such as
going out to eat, getting coffee, going to the movies and bars, and playing sports. Roger E.
Axtell’s book of business communications says that “soccer (football) is the most popular sport
in Italy. Other popular sports include bicycling, horse racing, tennis, boxing, swimming, and
track and field (Axtell 192).
The Aspect Foundation named lunch as the most important meal of the day, so I would like to
integrate good restaurants where the Italian students can meet (aspectfoundation.org). The
LifeinItaly website lists some popular food choices throughout the day and dining customs.
“The primary religion in Italy is Roman Catholic” (commisceo-global.com). In my guide, I
would like to include architectural and artistic appeal to the students, since their cities are very
artistic. The Life in Italy website also includes Italians participation in ballet and operas
(lifeinitaly.com). To reflect this lifestyle, I will highlight the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art
and some of San Angelo’s parks where students can gather.
Axtell’s book also lists some things to avoid in communications with Italians. For example:
“never give chrysanthemums because they are considered flowers of the dead” (Axtell 191).
Another example is giving flowers in odd numbers, but never totaling to exactly 13 because that
number is considered bad luck (Axtell 191). This information is extremely important if I was to
include pictures of San Angelo’s murals or the visitor center for example, since they may include
flowers or the mural could be a dedication to someone who has passed. A very important taboo
that Axtell lists is “pouring wine backwards (with your hand held under the bottle)” and “placing
a loaf or bread roll upside down” (Axtell 192). Of course drinking wine and eating bread are
staples in the Italian culture, so if I included a photo or graphic of a winery or from the inside of
a restaurant I would need to play close attention to those details.
I also found that Italians prefer elaboration and details in writing. “Italian packs in the flourishes
and words and information” according to Miriam Hurley, an Italian translator
(mirriamhurley.com). The guide should be especially helpful in giving the students a visual
picture of what San Angelo will be like.
The climate of San Angelo is almost the complete opposite of the Mediterranean climate of Italy,
however, the lakes in San Angelo could offer some resemblance to the beaches at home for the
Italian students.
Through my guide, I hope to give enough information to the Italian students while being aware
of their cultural dimensions and preferences, so they will feel comfortable with their move to San
Angelo.
 Works Cited

De Fillipo, Anna. “Italian and American Youth: Some Cultural Differences.” Life In Italy, Life
In Italy, 5 Nov. 2018, www.lifeinitaly.com/potpourri/italian-and-american-youth-some-
cultural-differences.

“Essential Do's and Taboos: the Complete Guide to International Business and Leisure Travel.”
Essential Do's and Taboos: the Complete Guide to International Business and Leisure
Travel, by Roger E. Axtell, Wiley, 2007, pp. 191–192.

Finney, M K. “Italy Typologies.” Cultural Portfolios - Italy Typologies, DePauw University,

acad.depauw.edu/~mkfinney/teaching/Com227/culturalportfolios/ITALY/Italytypology.ht
ml.

“Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions.” Taylortraining.com, ITIM International, 2007,

www.taylortraining.com/spanish/Hofstede_Cultural_Dimension_Explained(external).pdf.

Hofstede, Geert. “Country Comparison.” Hofstede Insights, Hofstede Insights, www.hofstede-

insights.com/country-comparison/italy,the-usa/

Hurley, Miriam. “Italian vs. English.” Miriam Hurley, 22 Jan. 2016,

miriamhurley.com/italian_versus_english/.

“Italy Guide.” Italy- Language, Culture and Doing Business Etiquette, Commisceo Global
Consultancy , www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/italy-guide.

Tavanti, Marco. The Cultural Dimensions of Italian Leadership: Power Distance, Uncertainty
Avoidance and Masculinity from an American Perspective. Sage Publishing, 2012,
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.849.9230&rep=rep1&type=pdf.

“Italy.” Aspects of Culture - Italy, Aspect Foundation, aspectfoundation.org/host/italy.html.

Nishimur, Shoji, et al. “Communication Style and Cultural Features in High/Low Context
Communication Cultures: A Case Study of Finland, Japan and India.” University of
Helsinki, University of Helsinki, www.helsinki.fi/~tella/nishimuranevgitella299.pdf.

“Our History.” San Angelo :: Getting Here, San Angelo Chamber of Commerce,
www.sanangelo.org/downhome/history.php.

Paolo. “The Mediterranean Diet.” Life In Italy, Life in Italy, 23 Jan. 2019,
www.lifeinitaly.com/food/the-mediterranean-diet.

“Previous Plant Specialists.” International Waterlily Collection,

www.internationalwaterlilycollection.com/?page_id=3806.
“San Angelo State Park.” Texas Parks and Wildlife, TPW Foundation, 5 Feb. 2019,
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/san-angelo.
 Photos
Cover Page:
Texas Picture: https://www.iconspng.com/image/101826/texas-american-flag-map-no-stroke
Italy Picture: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/HotMeiNi-Car-Styling-Italy-National-Silhouette-
Map-Flag-Waterproof-Decal-Car-3D-Sticker-Body-Bumper-Accessories/32905263658.html
Guide
1. https://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/texas/san-angelo/index_centigrade.htm
2. http://www.cosatx.us/visitors/conc+ho-river-walk#ad-image-0
3. http://www.cosatx.us/visitors/conc+ho-river-walk#ad-image-0
4. http://www.cosatx.us/visitors/conc+ho-river-walk#ad-image-0
5. http://www.internationalwaterlilycollection.com/?page_id=3799
6. http://www.samfa.org/the-building
7. http://www lakenasworthy.com/photos
8. http://www joesitaliansanangelo.com
9. http://www.invinoveritaswines.com/index.php/
10.Black Swan Wine Bar Facebook
11. Stango’s Coffee Shop Facebook
12. https://slanging-dough-bakery.business.site/website/slanging-dough-bakery/
13. https://sanangelodiocese.org/san-angelo
14. https://www.riverranchapartments.com/photogallery.aspx