| Comparing Italy with America By Jim Correale (Published in the East Boston Sun Transcript on July 20, 2001.) The annual Italia Unita feast is scheduled for this weekend in East Boston, and that has prompted me to reflect upon the 11 wonderful days I spent in Italy two years ago. The trip was my first and only visit to Europe (I also spent four days in Spain), and I overcame my distaste for air travel in order to make the journey. It was certainly worth the effort. My friends and I saw the beauty of the Mediterranean and the magnificence of the Alps; we absorbed the culture, enjoyed the company of locals, ate amazing meals, visited ancient ruins, took part in the wild nightlife, and ate even more amazing meals. The only negative incident happened in Rome when, much to my surprise, I found someone else's hand in my pocket. If I had paid attention to any of the travel books we had with us I would have known to avoid the bus called "The Pickpocket Express." Well, nothing was taken from me -- except my sense of security. That returned quickly, however, because everyone else I came across in my travels was very friendly. Over the course of the trip, I did notice a number of differences between life in Italy compared with living in America. Here are my findings: *First of all, the next time someone says that Boston drivers are crazy you should laugh loudly. Compared to drivers in Italy, we are all elderly women on our way to Sunday Mass. On the trip I learned quickly to stay as far right as I could without actually driving on the curb because Italian drivers totally ignore speed limits and will pass anywhere at any time. *To these American eyes, the automobiles were all the size of washing machines, and mopeds, with their annoying buzzing, are everywhere. *In Italy, drivers clearly have the right away over pedestrians. In Rome it was hard to find a stoplight and crosswalk to use in order to navigate the city on foot. In Boston, pedestrians often step into the middle of the road, but on the streets of Rome that would mean certain death. *Even scarier than the driving were the police. The Carabinieri, as they are called, carried machine guns and never smiled. They looked like they might shoot us on a whim. *Much more pleasant is the custom of the big afternoon meal, followed by a nap. At first we didn't get it, and we wondered why all the businesses were closed in the middle of the day. All we found in the heat of the afternoon were other Americans wandering thirstily, and a few canny street vendors charging way too much for bottled water. *The money in Italy took some getting used to. Though we did learn the value of lire rather quickly, it is difficult not to treat it like Monopoly money, pulling a wad from a pocket and dumping it on the counter of a store. *I'm sure there is quality music and entertainment in the old country, but I sure didn't find any of it on television or radio. Bad American music and cheesy local pop was all I heard, and when you are used to 50 or 100 channels on the tube, half a dozen just doesn't cut it. *Finally, there were two areas concerning personal comfort in which my host country fell far short. Shower nozzles were generally not attached to the wall in the tub, and when they were it was on the middle -- the long side -- and not either end. Far worse, the toilets usually did not have toilet seats. I was stunned. I thoroughly enjoyed my European adventure, and I hope to return in the near future. But I was never happier to see Boston drivers, American money, local police, and my bathroom. |