^ carabinieri arriving for a soccer match at Milan’s San Siro stadium I used to believe that spectator sports were a way of channeling the mob’s inherent violence into vicarious forms of conflict. “Supporting” a team means joining a sort of artificial tribe, comprised of that team’s fans. You signal your membership in the tribe… Continue reading Is Football Worth It? The Cost of Stadium Violence in Europe
Category: living in Italy
Cars
Speaking of air pollution: What is it about cars, anyway? Personally, I’m not fond of them. Because I went to high school in India, I did not learn to drive at the usual American age of 16. By the time I did learn, I had already been involved in two spectacular accidents (someday I’ll tell… Continue reading Cars
Smog Days: Italy’s Pollution Problem
When I was a kid in Pittsburgh and Connecticut, waking up to find snow on the ground was always exciting, because it meant the possibility of a snow day – a day off from school due to dangerous road conditions. I’d crouch over the radio, holding my breath for the longed-for announcement that my school… Continue reading Smog Days: Italy’s Pollution Problem
Ringing in the Euro
So now the euro, as a currency we can use at the cash register, is three weeks old, and we’ve all had time to get used to it. The changeover really hasn’t gone badly, even in famously disorganized Italy. There were long lines at highway tollbooths and banks the first week (the holiday peak travel… Continue reading Ringing in the Euro
Exact Change Required
One thing that baffles me about Italy is the inability of retail establishments – or anyone who has to take cash payment – to make change. This in a society where most store purchases are made in cash! Automatic teller machines give out 50,000 and 100,000 lire notes (NB: At current exchange rates, one US… Continue reading Exact Change Required