cultural differences
so I decided not to move to Rome in the instant future. why is that? i tell you. I spent there 7 great days, but there are things, i'm pretty sure i cannot live with.
- people a talking by shouting, from 30 centimeters. that's concidered as friendly.
- even if they are really sick and coughing, they don't turn away while speaking, just to be sure you get all the bacteriaan viruses.
- time: weird thing. so there is a really strict call to arrive at 2.30. off course the only people there at 2.30 are the canadians and me. by 2.50 most of the group is there. by 3.10 the one calling out really strict arrives without exusing...
-time 2: we are going out - they say. so for 30-40 minutes we stay before the building, everybody enjoying the chat. at one point they go. they don't look behind. they don't realize we are lost. in 3 hours i get a text: where are you?
-time 3: the bus for the airport arrives with 15 minutes delay - of course. I was prepared, i went to the earlier one. I get on the bus with my tiny suitcase. It would take app. 7 seconds to lift my suitcase and sit, but the driver does not wait, so in the following 30 seconds I fall twice. hard... nobody helps...
- public transport in general: crowded, like in every other capital of the world. the difference is, that they don't aks for move. 80 year old ladies push their sharp elbow into my waist and push me away really hard. after I'm able to breath again, all i'm able to ask is: really?
- they invite us for diner. while on our way we get a text, we should bring our food. hm. okay. we arrive, all the seats at the table are occupied with guest we didn't knew will be there and the rests of a diner ordered form a better restaurant. we should go into the kitchen, where is leftover pizza heating up for the canadians and i should make my own food. when going into the room nobody rises from the table. we sit on the sofa, with our food in the hand.
- there is 10-12 people in the group. 2 of us bit understanding, but not talking italian. they speak to eachother. at one point somebody asks me a question in english. i'm not a slow one, i have to say, but before i take a breath to answer s/he turns away and starts to talk to somebody else about another topic. loud. in italian. did I mentioned we've been the guests?
-oh yes the extra one: asking the canadian colleague and me too to participate in an act with music. we have to add: in a foreign language, so it takes full concentration to add the singing/harmonica at the correct time. at the end of the act, people applauding and that simple act ot aknowledgment by rising the arm and showing at the person, who helped - is missing. not from the side of a beginner, but not from the side of one of the most professionals...
cultural differences or just plain rude? don't really know...