One of the most enjoyable parts of living in a foreign culture is the humor associated with experiencing customs that are new and strange to me. I know my brother Ryan had the same feelings about his time in Germany, but unfortunately he didn’t have another American over there to share the laughs with. Hopefully some of you American readers will enjoy a few of these amusing experiences during my extended stay here in Italy.
The incident that inspired the title of this post and is featured in the picture above is a very interesting practice here in Naples. I’ll start by explaining that Italians are much more willing and likely to live at home until an older age than we are in the States. It is perfectly normal for men in their late 20’s to live with their parents, in fact I would say that most of the guys that age on my team are still in school and/or living at home.
While this practice certainly has its benefits (I know my mother would love to have all her boys at home!), it does create some problems for those guys who have girlfriends and are seeking a little privacy. So, couples who want their “alone time” often resort to, you guessed it… the back seat of a car. But here’s the good part. They don’t try to park in some secluded place off the beaten path, but rather along the side of a few particular roads with newspapers up in the windows. Travel down one of these Lovers’ Lanes a couple hours after dusk and you’ll literally see cars lined up for a mile, all with newspapers and steamy windows like a “Do Not Disturb” sign on a hotel doorknob. Thanks to my brother Dan for the picture… he was the only one with the guts to get close enough to snap a shot.
I enjoy the way Italians communicate. It’s dramatic, intense, and usually seems like far too many words are used to deliver the desired message. The theatrical nature of the conversation combined with the zealous hand gesturing, facial expressions, and the rhythmical cadence of their language make mundane conversations seem very passionate. I don’t know how many times I’ve observed a conversation that I thought surely was a bitter argument or intense debate, only to realize it was a discussion of the weather or a visit to the market earlier that morning. It’s also still funny to me to hear Italian expressions on the sidelines of a football game. I crack a smile when I hear a “Mamma mia!” after a big hit or a “Bellissimo, Max!” after a good pass. I’ll admit I’m joining in, though. I definitely hand out my fair share of “bravo’s” during a game.
Fashion is a very important part of life here. I never see people dressed down. Never see guys in town with sweats and a hoodie… never see girls walking around in flip flops and shorts. Even the basketball courts where we play pick-up are littered with guys in jeans and button-downs. Brennan, Elisa (an American friend of ours), and I played a basketball game a few weeks ago against three Italian dudes, one of which was rocking some Armani skinny jeans! Unfortunately for him, not only did he lose the game… but he split a massive hole in the crotch of his jeans while chasing after the ball about halfway through the game. There’s also an “in-style” color here in Naples… which is purple. When I first got over here I was shocked to walk by big store windows filled with only purple attire.
Yesterday morning, we were enjoying a sunny day down on Via Napoli… shooting some hoops and reading by the sea. We met some young teens who wanted to play a game of basketball with us. My favorite was Marco. He was a short, chubby 13-year-old whose entire outfit was a few sizes too small (at least from an American point of view). Marco wasn’t blessed with a whole lot of athleticism either… he fell down every time he ran more than five consecutive steps… and then took a minute or two to peel himself off the court. What made the sight of Marco even funnier was his tight black t-shirt that was tucked into his underwear, of which several inches were visible because his jeans wouldn’t stay up. It was quite a sight.
It seems like every day I come across something makes me laugh and wish my friends were here to laugh with me. I catch them up on some of it when I email, facebook, or skype with them… but I’ll definitely have some good stories for when I return home.
The incident that inspired the title of this post and is featured in the picture above is a very interesting practice here in Naples. I’ll start by explaining that Italians are much more willing and likely to live at home until an older age than we are in the States. It is perfectly normal for men in their late 20’s to live with their parents, in fact I would say that most of the guys that age on my team are still in school and/or living at home.
While this practice certainly has its benefits (I know my mother would love to have all her boys at home!), it does create some problems for those guys who have girlfriends and are seeking a little privacy. So, couples who want their “alone time” often resort to, you guessed it… the back seat of a car. But here’s the good part. They don’t try to park in some secluded place off the beaten path, but rather along the side of a few particular roads with newspapers up in the windows. Travel down one of these Lovers’ Lanes a couple hours after dusk and you’ll literally see cars lined up for a mile, all with newspapers and steamy windows like a “Do Not Disturb” sign on a hotel doorknob. Thanks to my brother Dan for the picture… he was the only one with the guts to get close enough to snap a shot.
I enjoy the way Italians communicate. It’s dramatic, intense, and usually seems like far too many words are used to deliver the desired message. The theatrical nature of the conversation combined with the zealous hand gesturing, facial expressions, and the rhythmical cadence of their language make mundane conversations seem very passionate. I don’t know how many times I’ve observed a conversation that I thought surely was a bitter argument or intense debate, only to realize it was a discussion of the weather or a visit to the market earlier that morning. It’s also still funny to me to hear Italian expressions on the sidelines of a football game. I crack a smile when I hear a “Mamma mia!” after a big hit or a “Bellissimo, Max!” after a good pass. I’ll admit I’m joining in, though. I definitely hand out my fair share of “bravo’s” during a game.
Fashion is a very important part of life here. I never see people dressed down. Never see guys in town with sweats and a hoodie… never see girls walking around in flip flops and shorts. Even the basketball courts where we play pick-up are littered with guys in jeans and button-downs. Brennan, Elisa (an American friend of ours), and I played a basketball game a few weeks ago against three Italian dudes, one of which was rocking some Armani skinny jeans! Unfortunately for him, not only did he lose the game… but he split a massive hole in the crotch of his jeans while chasing after the ball about halfway through the game. There’s also an “in-style” color here in Naples… which is purple. When I first got over here I was shocked to walk by big store windows filled with only purple attire.
Yesterday morning, we were enjoying a sunny day down on Via Napoli… shooting some hoops and reading by the sea. We met some young teens who wanted to play a game of basketball with us. My favorite was Marco. He was a short, chubby 13-year-old whose entire outfit was a few sizes too small (at least from an American point of view). Marco wasn’t blessed with a whole lot of athleticism either… he fell down every time he ran more than five consecutive steps… and then took a minute or two to peel himself off the court. What made the sight of Marco even funnier was his tight black t-shirt that was tucked into his underwear, of which several inches were visible because his jeans wouldn’t stay up. It was quite a sight.
It seems like every day I come across something makes me laugh and wish my friends were here to laugh with me. I catch them up on some of it when I email, facebook, or skype with them… but I’ll definitely have some good stories for when I return home.
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