1) Why most of the people I know here keep their houses pristine from floor to ceiling, but the minute they step outside they have no qualms in regard to littering (not just wrappers but refrigerators, scooters and other large pieces of garbage), letting their dogs sh*t anywhere and everywhere, and nobody cleans up after graffiti.
2) Why every doctor in a hospital can be a conscientious objector to abortion (inside hospitals abortions are free) yet if you go to their private studio and pay out of pocket they will happily oblige you (illegally). Watch this video from last night on Le Iene.
3) Why so many people continue to wait for years to become legal by sorting the ridiculous laws, demands for all types of paperwork and documents only to probably end up being ignore and denied anyways. If you watch the news, all you really need to do is immigrate illegally, get a job under the table then save the life of an Italian citizen and you are good to go! See this story and this one from Shelley.
I hear you Jessica! People use the streets as a rubbish bin. We have ‘recycle police’ near where I live who do random checks on people as they throw their rubbish in the recycle bins, as people cannot be bothered to seperate their goods…even when the bins are literelly outside our front door!
Verone may be better!
Gotta be a hero to become a citizen in Italy…you should go out everyday searching for good deeds to become one. I find it ridiculous that people are rewarded with such a prize for contributing some effort in the society. They should change the law and review their immigration rules. Are you a citizen now? When can you find a job? I really love reading your blog and wish you can write daily here! Take care.
I know what you mean. I am not a citizen but am a legal resident. I could work if I could find a job. My problem is that I don’t speak Italian well enough to be comfortable and I don’t want to settle on just any old job. I was an admin. assistant in the states and don’t want to go from that to working in a bar, pub or hostel. Teaching English is a possibility but I would have to get certified which can cost up to 1500 euro. I also am not sure if I would even enjoy it- So for me it is a big waiting game. luckily there isn’t a ton of pressure for me to find work.-jessica
I was complaining to OH about point 1 yesterday. Mi fa schiffo and I find it hypocritical how there is such an hygiene obsession in the home, then as soon as they leave the house there’s a complete character reversal. I saw a shop keeper throw some rubbish outside his own shop the other day (on the floor, not in a bin). Uh?
Last summer I remember seeing what really took the cake. A restaurant had dumped a big bin full of chicken heads, feet, fat etc in a huge pile next to a garbage bin. And it was summer so the flies were buzzing around and it stank. The bin was only half full so I imagine they just couldn’t be bothered lifting that big bin full of chicken parts high enough to dump them in the bin. But shouldn’t a restaurant have some better way of disposing of meat offcuts? Yuk!
Sheesh. The garbage thing is disgusting. Maybe it happens more in the bigger cities. If and when I move over there….I think I may stick to the small towns and hope for the best!!
Hoping for the best seems to be all we can do at this point! Yay for being positive!-jessica
They probably put the chicken parts on the ground to make it easier for starving cats & dogs to get some food.
Somehow I managed to lose your blog and only now came across it again. I’ve just read like three months of posts! Congrats on a beautiful wedding, and I hope your move goes smoothly! I’ll keep better track now, as I have added you to my Google reader.
We met in Rome briefly… remember? We traded books?
Hey Heather! I am glad you found me again! Of course I remember you! I need to add you to my GR too!-jessica
It’s a lot like Greece. People think that if it’s in their home, it’s private and their domain. Once they put the garbage in the street, it’s no longer their problem — it’s in the public sector and therefore the state’s responsibility to clean it up.
It doesn’t occur to them that they’re the ones who made poor choices at the store, consumed it and then created that garbage. Because taking responsibility would be too burdensome and too boring!!!
Just wanted to say ‘hi’ from across the sea. Haven’t been to Italy in ages…too many other places to see. Know what I mean? Verona is nice, Rome not so much…well, to visit but not to live. But then again, I live in abominable Athens. Ergh! Not proud of that either.