Gianni Giarelli is a third generation Italian homosexual man who was raised in the 1960s on the East Coast. He teaches English at Los Angeles City College during the week while crashing on friends' couches, and spends his weekends at his cabin in the small town of Green Lake Valley near Big Bear Lake. He enjoys the cultural opportunities in LA as well as the slower pace of life in Green Lake Valley where he spends time with his dogs and friends. Giarelli is able to befriend both students and strangers easily through conversation and shares differing generational perspectives with his students.

1. A (FEW) DAYS IN THE LIFE OFA (FEW) DAYS IN THE LIFE OF
GIANNI GIARELLIGIANNI GIARELLI
A PRESENTATION BY JAZMIN VALENZUELAA PRESENTATION BY JAZMIN VALENZUELA
ANTHROPOLOGY 102; DR LEANNA WOLFEANTHROPOLOGY 102; DR LEANNA WOLFE
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015

2. I’VE DECIDED TO INTERVIEW MY FORMERI’VE DECIDED TO INTERVIEW MY FORMER
ENGLISH PROFESSOR, GIANNI G. PROF G IS AENGLISH PROFESSOR, GIANNI G. PROF G IS A
THIRD GENERATION ITALIAN HOMOSEXUALTHIRD GENERATION ITALIAN HOMOSEXUAL
MAN WHO WAS RAISED IN THE SIXTIES ONMAN WHO WAS RAISED IN THE SIXTIES ON
THE EAST COAST.THE EAST COAST.
SINCE HE IS FROM A DIFFERENT TIME, OF ASINCE HE IS FROM A DIFFERENT TIME, OF A
DIFFERENT CULTURE, AND OF A DIFFERENT SEXUALDIFFERENT CULTURE, AND OF A DIFFERENT SEXUAL
ORIENTATION FROM ME, I’VE CHOSEN HIM AS MYORIENTATION FROM ME, I’VE CHOSEN HIM AS MY
SUBJECT OF INTEREST.SUBJECT OF INTEREST.

3. G’S LIVING SITUATION IS A PARTICULARLY INTERESTING ONE. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAYG’S LIVING SITUATION IS A PARTICULARLY INTERESTING ONE. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING HE TEACHES AT LACC AND CRASHES ON FRIEND’S COUCHES. BUT DURING THEMORNING HE TEACHES AT LACC AND CRASHES ON FRIEND’S COUCHES. BUT DURING THE
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK, HE LIVES UP IN A SMALL TOWN BY BIG BEAR LAKE CALLED GREENREMAINDER OF THE WEEK, HE LIVES UP IN A SMALL TOWN BY BIG BEAR LAKE CALLED GREEN
LAKE VALLEY.LAKE VALLEY.

4. WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT WHY HE CHOOSES TO COMMUTE BACK AND FORTHWHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT WHY HE CHOOSES TO COMMUTE BACK AND FORTH
BETWEEN HIS HOME IN GREEN LAKE VALLEY AND LOS ANGELES, HE HAD THIS TOBETWEEN HIS HOME IN GREEN LAKE VALLEY AND LOS ANGELES, HE HAD THIS TO
SAY:SAY:
““LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I HAVE THIS LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH LOS ANGELES.LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I HAVE THIS LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH LOS ANGELES.
LA IS ONE OF THE MOST CULTURAL CITIES IN AMERICA AND IS FILLED WITHLA IS ONE OF THE MOST CULTURAL CITIES IN AMERICA AND IS FILLED WITH
PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, ETHNICITES, SHAPES, SIZES, BACKGROUNDS, ANDPEOPLE OF ALL RACES, ETHNICITES, SHAPES, SIZES, BACKGROUNDS, AND
STORIES. AND THAT’S GREAT! BUT SOMETIMES THE CITY MOVES TOO FAST FORSTORIES. AND THAT’S GREAT! BUT SOMETIMES THE CITY MOVES TOO FAST FOR
MY PACE. WHENEVER I FEEL THAT WAY, I GO UP TO MY CABIN IN GREEN LAKEMY PACE. WHENEVER I FEEL THAT WAY, I GO UP TO MY CABIN IN GREEN LAKE
VALLEY AND HAVE SOME TIME WITH MY DOGS AND FRIENDS I HAVE UP THERE. IVALLEY AND HAVE SOME TIME WITH MY DOGS AND FRIENDS I HAVE UP THERE. I
GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

5. THIS ONE ONE OF GIANNI’S FAVORITE PLACES TO GO TO IN GREEN LAKE VALLEY: THE MALT SHOPPE.THIS ONE ONE OF GIANNI’S FAVORITE PLACES TO GO TO IN GREEN LAKE VALLEY: THE MALT SHOPPE.
THE MALT SHOPPE IS THIS GREAT LITTLE SMALL TOWN-ESQUE DINER ON THE MAIN ROAD IN GREENTHE MALT SHOPPE IS THIS GREAT LITTLE SMALL TOWN-ESQUE DINER ON THE MAIN ROAD IN GREEN
LAKE VALLEY. GIANNI AND I HAD DINNER THERE ONCE AND AS A CITY GIRL, I CAN EASILY SAY IT;SLAKE VALLEY. GIANNI AND I HAD DINNER THERE ONCE AND AS A CITY GIRL, I CAN EASILY SAY IT;S
DIFFICULT TO FIND THE KIND OF HOSPITALITY I WITNESSED AT THIS DINER. THE WAITERS KNOW MOSTDIFFICULT TO FIND THE KIND OF HOSPITALITY I WITNESSED AT THIS DINER. THE WAITERS KNOW MOST
OF THE FOLK LIVING THERE AND ARE KIND TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO COMES IN.OF THE FOLK LIVING THERE AND ARE KIND TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO COMES IN.

6. THESE ARE G’S BELOVED BABIES:THESE ARE G’S BELOVED BABIES:
SAMMY, SOFI, AND ROCCO. GIANNISAMMY, SOFI, AND ROCCO. GIANNI
NEVER GOES ANYWHERE WITHOUT HISNEVER GOES ANYWHERE WITHOUT HIS
BABIES. HIS DOGS TRAVEL WITH HIMBABIES. HIS DOGS TRAVEL WITH HIM
FROM GREEN LAKE VALLEY TO LOSFROM GREEN LAKE VALLEY TO LOS
ANGELES ALL THE TIME.ANGELES ALL THE TIME.
WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS DOGS,WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS DOGS,
THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY: “AWWWTHIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY: “AWWW
THESE ARE MY BABIES! THEY’RE THETHESE ARE MY BABIES! THEY’RE THE
BEST COMPANY ANYONE CAN HAVE.BEST COMPANY ANYONE CAN HAVE.
THEY’RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE METHEY’RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE ME
AND LOVE RUNNING AROUND UP INAND LOVE RUNNING AROUND UP IN
GREEN LAKE VALLEY. I HIKE WITHGREEN LAKE VALLEY. I HIKE WITH
THEM AND WALK EVERYWHERE.THEM AND WALK EVERYWHERE.
THEY’RE THE BEST.”THEY’RE THE BEST.”

7. ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT GIANNI ISONE THING I LOVE ABOUT GIANNI IS
HOW MUCH OF A SOCIAL BUTTERFLYHOW MUCH OF A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
HE IS. HE CAN MAKE CONVERSATIONHE IS. HE CAN MAKE CONVERSATION
AND BEFRIEND ANYONE EASILY,AND BEFRIEND ANYONE EASILY,
WHICH IS A MAJOR CONTRAST TOWHICH IS A MAJOR CONTRAST TO
MYSELF, SINCE I HAVE A DIFFICULTMYSELF, SINCE I HAVE A DIFFICULT
TIME SOCIALIZING IN BIG GROUPS (ITIME SOCIALIZING IN BIG GROUPS (I
MUCH PREFER SMALLER GROUPS).MUCH PREFER SMALLER GROUPS).
WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUTWHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT
BEFRIENDING HIS FORMER STUDENTS,BEFRIENDING HIS FORMER STUDENTS,
HE HAD THIS TO SAY:HE HAD THIS TO SAY:
““THERE’S SOMETHING INTERESTINGTHERE’S SOMETHING INTERESTING
ABOUT BEFRIENDING MY FORMERABOUT BEFRIENDING MY FORMER
STUDENTS. NOT TO BOAST, BUT THEYSTUDENTS. NOT TO BOAST, BUT THEY
USUALLY COME TO ME, I DON’TUSUALLY COME TO ME, I DON’T
NECESSARILY GO TO THEM. I THINKNECESSARILY GO TO THEM. I THINK
THE DIFFERENCE IN GENERATIONSTHE DIFFERENCE IN GENERATIONS
AND OUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTAND OUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT
PROCESSES ARE WHAT MAKES MYPROCESSES ARE WHAT MAKES MY
FRIENDSHIPS WITH MY STUDENTS SOFRIENDSHIPS WITH MY STUDENTS SO
INTERESTING. THERE’S SO MANYINTERESTING. THERE’S SO MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS OF VIEWING ADIFFERENT WAYS OF VIEWING A
CERTAIN TOPIC, AND WHEN I DISCUSSCERTAIN TOPIC, AND WHEN I DISCUSS
THEM WITH MY STUDENTS, I’MTHEM WITH MY STUDENTS, I’M
EXHILARATED AND SOMETIMESEXHILARATED AND SOMETIMES
ASTOUNDED BECAUSE I’VE JUST BEENASTOUNDED BECAUSE I’VE JUST BEEN
TOLD SOMETHING I WOULD HAVETOLD SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE
NEVER PERCEIVED MYSELF.”NEVER PERCEIVED MYSELF.”

8. THIS PHOTO WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN A YEAR AGO WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN HIS CLASS. HERE, WETHIS PHOTO WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN A YEAR AGO WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN HIS CLASS. HERE, WE
ARE ON OUR FIELD TRIP TO PLACITA OLVERA AND THE CENTER OF THE BEGINNING OF LOS ANGELESARE ON OUR FIELD TRIP TO PLACITA OLVERA AND THE CENTER OF THE BEGINNING OF LOS ANGELES
(ORIGINALLY CALLED EL PUEBLO DE NUESTRA SENORA LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES DE(ORIGINALLY CALLED EL PUEBLO DE NUESTRA SENORA LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES DE
PORCIUNCULA). IF YOU WERE TO TAKE G’S ENGLISH 103 COURSE, HE FOCUSES ON THE EXPLORATIONPORCIUNCULA). IF YOU WERE TO TAKE G’S ENGLISH 103 COURSE, HE FOCUSES ON THE EXPLORATION
OF LOS ANGELES AND ITS HISTORY THROUGH THE WRITERS WHO INHABITED THE VERY STREETSOF LOS ANGELES AND ITS HISTORY THROUGH THE WRITERS WHO INHABITED THE VERY STREETS
THEMSELVES.THEMSELVES.
BECAUSE OF GIANNI, I GAINED A NEWFOUND LOVE FOR MY OWN CITY I HAD LOST WHEN I CAME BACKBECAUSE OF GIANNI, I GAINED A NEWFOUND LOVE FOR MY OWN CITY I HAD LOST WHEN I CAME BACK
FROM A MONTH-LONG TRIP TO EUROPE. GIANNI TAUGHT ME HOW TO LOVE THIS CITY FOR WHAT ITFROM A MONTH-LONG TRIP TO EUROPE. GIANNI TAUGHT ME HOW TO LOVE THIS CITY FOR WHAT IT
REALLY IS: A BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT ENCAPSULATES ITS PEOPLE, A PLACE FULL OF LIFE AND CULTUREREALLY IS: A BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT ENCAPSULATES ITS PEOPLE, A PLACE FULL OF LIFE AND CULTURE
THAT IS NOT ALWAYS SEEN, BUT CAN BE FOUND IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH.THAT IS NOT ALWAYS SEEN, BUT CAN BE FOUND IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH.