LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
Apr 17th 2008, 10:14 am
#16
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
Genoans will cross the road just so they don't have to say hello!
Last edited by yellowdog; Apr 17th 2008 at 10:16 am.
Apr 17th 2008, 10:15 am
#17
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I love the traditional ways of doing things (my neighbour even makes her own soap!). But I hate the ingrained corruption - like the way that Guardia di Finanza never seem to pay for things.
I love the friendliness of the people, and how they can't do enough to help you. But I hate the way old men stare!
I love the way Italians tell it like it is, compared to us reserved Brits! But I hate the way Italians have no qualms about being racist, sexist, ageist... etc.
I love the breadth of history that you see everywhere. I wish Italians valued it more.
I love the quality of life and the priority placed on work-life balance. But I hate standing outside shut shops/offices wondering when they might open.
I adore Italian home cooking. I hate it when Italian "mammoni" sons complain at their mothers and don't appreciate how great the cooking is!
I love the friendliness of the people, and how they can't do enough to help you. But I hate the way old men stare!
I love the way Italians tell it like it is, compared to us reserved Brits! But I hate the way Italians have no qualms about being racist, sexist, ageist... etc.
I love the breadth of history that you see everywhere. I wish Italians valued it more.
I love the quality of life and the priority placed on work-life balance. But I hate standing outside shut shops/offices wondering when they might open.
I adore Italian home cooking. I hate it when Italian "mammoni" sons complain at their mothers and don't appreciate how great the cooking is!
Apr 17th 2008, 10:20 am
#18
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
and I think I am the only person here who actually stops at zebra crossings to let people cross. Most of the drivers look as if they'd rather run you down than stop. I felt as if I was putting my child's life at risk everytime I had to step out onto a zebra crossing with a pram or pushchair infront of me.
Apr 17th 2008, 10:29 am
#19
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
and I think I am the only person here who actually stops at zebra crossings to let people cross. Most of the drivers look as if they'd rather run you down than stop. I felt as if I was putting my child's life at risk everytime I had to step out onto a zebra crossing with a pram or pushchair infront of me.
Every now and then I get beeped by the car or scooter behind me because I've stopped to let someone pass cross the road.
Once a guy I know said to me, hey, what a pain you are, yesterday I was following you on my scooter and you kept stopping the let people cross!
Obviously by law here you are supposed to stop when anyone is at a crossing.
This selfishness extends to when leaving a parking space. Its ages till someone lets u pass. Sometimes you have to throw your car in the middle of the road otherwise you'll never get out!
Apr 17th 2008, 11:03 am
#20
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I get that too.
Every now and then I get beeped by the car or scooter behind me because I've stopped to let someone pass cross the road.
Once a guy I know said to me, hey, what a pain you are, yesterday I was following you on my scooter and you kept stopping the let people cross!
Obviously by law here you are supposed to stop when anyone is at a crossing.
This selfishness extends to when leaving a parking space. Its ages till someone lets u pass. Sometimes you have to throw your car in the middle of the road otherwise you'll never get out!
Every now and then I get beeped by the car or scooter behind me because I've stopped to let someone pass cross the road.
Once a guy I know said to me, hey, what a pain you are, yesterday I was following you on my scooter and you kept stopping the let people cross!
Obviously by law here you are supposed to stop when anyone is at a crossing.
This selfishness extends to when leaving a parking space. Its ages till someone lets u pass. Sometimes you have to throw your car in the middle of the road otherwise you'll never get out!
Somebody has started driving around our small village in a HUMMER - I swear the only time I have ever seen one up til now has been on CSI Miami. And he parks it wherever and however he likes - most of the time taking up two full spaces in the small car park that is here because he just pulls in and stradles the white lines. Next time I am going to leave a note saying "coglione" on his windscreen !
Apr 17th 2008, 12:08 pm
#21
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
and have you noticed that often it's a case of - the bigger the car the smaller the brain of the person driving it.
Somebody has started driving around our small village in a HUMMER - I swear the only time I have ever seen one up til now has been on CSI Miami. And he parks it wherever and however he likes - most of the time taking up two full spaces in the small car park that is here because he just pulls in and stradles the white lines. Next time I am going to leave a note saying "coglione" on his windscreen !
Somebody has started driving around our small village in a HUMMER - I swear the only time I have ever seen one up til now has been on CSI Miami. And he parks it wherever and however he likes - most of the time taking up two full spaces in the small car park that is here because he just pulls in and stradles the white lines. Next time I am going to leave a note saying "coglione" on his windscreen !
Yes BMW Audi MErcedes drivers think they are exempt from laws. As well as Smart cars.
Apr 18th 2008, 11:55 am
#23
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I hate over anxious mammas... and papas and nonni come to mention it.
I hate the ones who take their children to the playground in a winter coat and woolly hat, and then tell them not to run as they will sweat, and we all know what happens then...
and they tell them not to get dirty, not to swing, or climb, or go on the roundabout, and...
not to break their balls.
These over anxious mums, are afraid of the breeze, of the dirt, of letting their children eat an ice cream and then padle in the sea in the middle of a heat wave,
and then they put them on a motorino, or let them bounce around in the car with no belt, and no one has ever talked to my kids about an equivelent of the good old green cross code.
Is it just me...?!
I hate the ones who take their children to the playground in a winter coat and woolly hat, and then tell them not to run as they will sweat, and we all know what happens then...
and they tell them not to get dirty, not to swing, or climb, or go on the roundabout, and...
not to break their balls.
These over anxious mums, are afraid of the breeze, of the dirt, of letting their children eat an ice cream and then padle in the sea in the middle of a heat wave,
and then they put them on a motorino, or let them bounce around in the car with no belt, and no one has ever talked to my kids about an equivelent of the good old green cross code.
Is it just me...?!
Apr 18th 2008, 12:03 pm
#24
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
all so very true - I hate all that too - and the mum's who dress their little girls up in white flouncy frilly dresses with lots of ribbons and bows and then expect them not to move even an inch !!!!
Ok - so our kids might be dirtier sometimes but they are also healthier and free to be kids. They don't need antibiotics or a week at home with the windows permanently closed because the thermometer reads 37.2 !!!!!!
La febbre - la febbre. Sometimes it seems as if it's almost the equivalent of the plague !!!
Ok - so our kids might be dirtier sometimes but they are also healthier and free to be kids. They don't need antibiotics or a week at home with the windows permanently closed because the thermometer reads 37.2 !!!!!!
La febbre - la febbre. Sometimes it seems as if it's almost the equivalent of the plague !!!
Apr 18th 2008, 2:56 pm
#25
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
What makes me laugh is how all the brits, and northern europeans, and north americans and australians etc all think along the same lines when it comes to certain subjects, like children and so on.
Apr 19th 2008, 9:03 pm
#26
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
Its a cultural difference almost the Latin way as opposed to the Anglo saxon . But your all right it does drive you mad having to wait in stuffy waiting rooms with doors closed when its a nice sunny day, just because there happens to be a slight breeze outside.
Apr 20th 2008, 7:28 am
#27
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
This thread gave me a smile. I definitely have a love hate relationship wth Italy. I thinks it's easy to have a love hate relationship with Italy for all these reasons mentioned. 
It's forecaset 26 degrees today where I am and I'm sure I'll still see people with their puffa jackets on and kids with scarves and hats due to fear of febbre and breezes.
It's forecaset 26 degrees today where I am and I'm sure I'll still see people with their puffa jackets on and kids with scarves and hats due to fear of febbre and breezes.
Apr 20th 2008, 5:01 pm
#28
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
Going to IKEA today I told my daughter she had to wear a jacket so the Nonna's wouldn't shout at me! I always dry my hair before I go out in the morning too, I can't be arsed with the looks, so I just fit in where I can. The only thing I really cling to is having a cappucino whenever I want, at whatever time of day! I always put a bit of make-up on too!
I wonder if an Italian female moving to the UK would: go out with wet hair; not wear make-up all the time; stop wearing tights/socks even though it still wasn't "officially" summer; wear clothes appropriate to the temperature not the season; let her kids get dirty and sweaty?
I wonder if an Italian female moving to the UK would: go out with wet hair; not wear make-up all the time; stop wearing tights/socks even though it still wasn't "officially" summer; wear clothes appropriate to the temperature not the season; let her kids get dirty and sweaty?
Apr 21st 2008, 6:44 am
#29
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I hate real fur coats. Most of the older generation here all have one. There even seems to be some kind of unwritten contest about the length of the coat reflecting on how rich you are - dragging behind you on the ground being the richest.
And even though I have been here for years I only discovered recently that there are cold cell storage facilities where you take your coat in the summer to stop it from moulting !!!
And even though I have been here for years I only discovered recently that there are cold cell storage facilities where you take your coat in the summer to stop it from moulting !!!
Apr 21st 2008, 7:10 am
#30
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Re: LIVING IN ITALY - A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I hate real fur coats. Most of the older generation here all have one. There even seems to be some kind of unwritten contest about the length of the coat reflecting on how rich you are - dragging behind you on the ground being the richest.
And even though I have been here for years I only discovered recently that there are cold cell storage facilities where you take your coat in the summer to stop it from moulting !!!
And even though I have been here for years I only discovered recently that there are cold cell storage facilities where you take your coat in the summer to stop it from moulting !!!
A. The Italians know fashion and they are starting a new trend using furs from cruelty-free farms
;orB. No change. Italy is 15 years behind
