An Expat In Italy: Italian Culture Class

Friday, September 26, 2014

Italian Culture Class

Today we are out of school. Already? Why? Glad you asked!

When going through the immigration process in Italy, there is a credit system where you need to attend classes and do specific tasks to keep these credits.

One requirement for us is that we attend a 10hr Italian culture class. Which is where I find myself today. Actually we are only doing 5hrs today and 5hrs on Monday. Fun? Can't really say that. Informative? Well, if I could stay awake and have my attention sustained then maybe. Interesting? Let's not comment on this one. ;)

So what is Italian culture class? It is where we go to a building quite far from school ($40, 30 min cab ride) and sit and watch a video. Yep! Staring at a screen listening to two invigorating presenters telling us about laws, culture, food, immigration and more. Best part was the administers of this class told us prior to it starting that it was really boring. LOL. Very candid I tell you. ;)

Can't wait for the return trip on Monday! :/

Our "presenters"

Some of us were intense during the program. Some of us were not ;)

Class paparazzi

Celebrating surviving part 1 of Italian class with lunch on the sea.

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Language Fun

As I meet new people and visit various countries, I'm finding out fun, interesting english words used in various parts of the world.

Here is a list of what I've learned/heard so far:

(Please note that different regions may have different terms within the categories I've listed. I'm just labelling them this way for the ease of purpose and am not saying that everyone from these areas uses these terms).

European

take away (to go)

toilet (bathroom)

tissue (Kleenex)

coloured pencils (pencil crayons)

rubber (eraser)

queue (line)

number plates (license plates)

letter box (mailbox)

Australian

a (er ending)

arvo (afternoon)

metro (subway)

dooner (duvet)

twigged (suddenly realised)

chemist (pharmacist)

full stop (period)

uni (university)

lollies (candies)

stroppy (pouty)

swimmers/bathers/boardies (swim suits)

dummy (pacifier)

fizzy (pop)

bin (garbage can)

rang (called)

car park (parking lot)

bannister (railing)

pinch (steal)

dunny paper (toilet paper)

English (UK)

fancy (desire/want)

quid (monetary unit)

squidgy (soft)

wee (go to the bathroom)

stone (unit of mass)

tube (subway)

rubbish (garbage)

galoshes (rubber boots)

loo (bathroom)

jumper (sweater)

vest (tank top)

knickers (ladies underwear)

flat (apartment)

lorries (trucks)

purse (wallet)

bag (purse)

rang (called)

tea (dinner)

pinch (steal)

mobile (cell phone)

urInal (urinal)

wanker (insulting word)

American

rain boots (rubber boots)

hair band (hair elastic)

plan (prep time)

duty (supervision)

Things I'm Learning in Italy

25. You will not find salt and pepper (or any condiments for that matter) on restaurant tables in Italy. You may ask for them, but good luck getting them in most places.

24. Italians answer the phone not with hello/ciao, but with "pronto". I believe I was told that it has a historical context from the days when calls were connected through an operator. They would say "pronto" meaning 'now' to alert the operator to put the call through (they were ready).

23. Italians count with their fingers differently (or at least different from what I usually have seen back home). Thumb = 1, pointer = 2, middle = 3, ring = 4 and pinky = 5.

22. Mozzarella is served in water in a bag. Apparently this makes it more moist and keeps the flavour.

21. While it is customary to remove your shoes when entering someone's house in most places in Canada, that is not the case here. I don't think I've had anyone remove their shoes when entering my place, unless its my NA friends. I've heard that this is the case in Italy....unless you provide your guests with a pair of slippers to wear.

20. Shoes sizes are different. I went from a 6 to a 36 in the conversion ;)

19. Credit cards from the bank are often pre-paid: you load it first then use it.

18. You'll get asked at many shops, "Do you have change?" Yep, they actually want exact change and will totally, patiently wait for you to count it out. Definitely not a NA thing. When someone starts counting out change there, often it's followed by a collective sigh from the line following.

17. Many places are closed from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon. Why? Good question. I'm still trying to figure that one out. My guess: leisurely lunch.

16. Take away is not a thing here, even for coffee. If you go to a coffee bar, you: order, stand, drink and leave. Probably the one thing Italians don't seem to do so leisurely here.

15. Scooters don't seem to really have to follow the rules of the road, or stay in a lane. Nope. You should see their owners zip in and out of traffic, and quite closely between cars.

14. When a wall falls down and blocks a road, do not expect it to get cleaned up quickly (or even at all its beginning to seem). Have had a new path to school for about a month now.

13. Lines for things aren't always a usual in many places. Learn to be a pushy part of the clump, but not super rude, and don't sit back on your heels. If you do, you'll find yourself budged often and not getting anything (especially food).

12. When you guy things the instructions are in Italian (go figure) and aren't accompanied by pictures. Hope you have inferring skills. :/ Good luck!

11. There are lizards / geckos that can get into your house and run along the wall. Ewww!

10. Wine is like water - cheaper than it too, and it's served EVERYWHERE!! (Even at school functions/events)

9. You have to wear gloves when buying non-packaged produce at the grocery store. Also, you weigh it and print out a bar code for it right there.

8. Gloves are actually worn any time anyone is preparing food for someone other than their self of their family. High health codes in Italy. Interesting considering smoking is done almost anywhere. Breathed in a lot of second hand smoke walking downtown, or while in the train station.

7. Pre-packaged produce at the grocery store can be cheaper than bulk. Who'd have thunk!

6. There are community garbage and recycle bins. You find the closest one on the street and drop your stuff in (paper, glass, garbage, plastic - not all in each area though).

5. Small, bitty cars the the norm in Italy. Even those get super close to things (like other vehicles and the sides of walls). Doesn't seem like having a large horizontal scratch along your vehicle seems to phase car owners here.

4. Pink, clear geckos are good for you. Not to eat, of course, but they eat the bugs in an abode. In my mind, the little sucker can still take a hike!

3. People will stand REALLY close to you in line, and have no problem budging if there is a space in the line. Have felt many an unwanted warm breath on my head while in a store.

2. I get VERY excited when there is English writing on packaging. It doesn't happen often, if at all, so when it does please take a moment to be appreciative of that fact.

1. Italians, who speak English, often apologize for it (broken, hesitant). However, we are always just SO grateful to have someone we can communicate with without pantomime.