Category Archives: Italy

Everyday Italian: Newspaper Headlines 11

The above recent newspaper headlines in Lecco read:

Corruption in court: is it now the turn of professionals and banks? – Lecco [team] beaten at Leganano: third consecutive defeat

Manager attacked and “massacred” with blows in downtown Lecco [NB: He didn’t die – massacrato doesn’t mean killed.] – Young [man] found dead at Lecco [railway] station

A business committee steered the auctions [of public property, I think} – Bariffi murder. The suspect: “I know how Chiara died”

Attempted robbery of a [small house], night of fear in Castello [a neighborhood of Lecco] – another [city] councilor turns in his “pass” [parking pass?]

Everyday Italian: Newspaper Headlines 10

left: The Financial Office inspects [under warrant] the offices of the Twinning Committee. (Throughout Europe you see signs upon entering towns and city saying “This town is twinned with…” followed by one or more names of towns elsewhere in the world. This twinning is used to promote cultural exchange and tourism, I’m not sure with what degree of success.) – Lecco [the team] warms its engines. Sunday to host AC Milan

center left: University student drowns in the lake – Real landslide during practice [This probably refers to practice runs by an Alpine rescue team. Some Italian hikers and climbers volunteer as part of these teams, and for the “Civil Protection” units, it’s part of their job.]

center right: Denounces: If you want to give birth without suffering, you must pay under the table. [Probably refers to the fact that an epidural during labor is far from standard practice in most Italian hospitals. This may be because there aren’t enough anesthesiologists able to administer one, and they are busy with emergencies and surgeries. Some say that it’s (also) because Italian culture and the medical establishment believe women should suffer in labor. Whatever the reason, it can be difficult or impossible to have an epidural for childbirth. If it’s possible to get one only by paying a bribe, well, that’s not good.] – Euthanasia or inexpertise? Manzoni’s doctor investigated.

right: Dead on a motorcycle: incredulity and pain [I don’t get the incredulity – people die on motorcycles frequently around here.] – Crowd on the lakeshore road for the air show.

Vergogna Postale

Ci lamentiamo in molti del pessimo servizio delle poste italiane. In tutti questi anni, pensavo che stesse migliorando, e forse é cosi’, ma soltanto se contrastato con i propri livelli (ancora peggiori) di prima.

Prendiamo in considerazione:

Dagli USA quest’estate, ho dovuto spedire due pacchi: uno a mia figlia in India, l’altro a me stessa in Italia (altrimenti la valigia avrebbe pesato troppo!).

Stavo da amici nel Mission District di San Francisco. Ho portato i pacchi ad un negozio vicino specializzato nel mandare pacchi, soldi, ecc. ai paesi del sudamerica.

La commessa ha preso il pacco per l’India senza commento. Vedendo che l’altro andava in Italia, mi ha chiesto:

"Vuoi l’assicurazione? Poiche’ il servizio postale li’ é inaffidabile."

(Il pacco é arrivato a Lecco dopo due settimane, quello per la Ross é arrivato in India un po’ prima…)

Oggi ho guardato il sito di Amazon (USA) per ordinare un libro e un DVD da vedere con Ross quando arrivo a Mussoorie (un paese sui pendici dell’Himalaya). Parto fra 14 giorni. Me li faccio mandare in Italia o in India? Ho provato entrambe le opzioni.

Per la "spedizione internazionale standard" dagli USA in Italia, stimano che ci voranno da "9 a 36 giorni lavorativi." Da un’esperienza recente sappiamo che la stima é giusta: un pacco di due libri che avevo ordinato il 14 Sett. é arrivato a Lecco il 18 Ott., e m’hanno fatto pagare €6 di dazio – probabilmente il pacco é rimasto a lungo alla dogana mentre calcolavano questa cifra.

Troppo tempo per poter ricevere il nuovo pacco prima della partenza. Ma il servizio corriere di 2-4 giorni sarebbe costato $40 – troppo.

Ho immesso l’indirizzo della scuola in India. "Spedizione internazionale standard: 10-16 giorni lavorativi."

Cioé, un pacco spedito dagli USA in India arriverà quasi tre volte piu’ velocemente dello stesso pacco mandato in Italia.

Benvenuti in Italia, paese del terzo mondo.

Italy’s Postal Embarrassment

Complaints are common about the Italian postal service, but I thought things were getting better. And maybe they are, measured strictly against la posta’s own previous service levels, which have always been dire.

But consider these events:

I needed to mail two packages from the US this summer, one to Ross in India, one to myself in Italy (too much luggage!). I was staying with friends in San Francisco’s Mission District, so I went to a nearby shop that specialized in sending packages, money orders, etc. to south American countries.

The woman at the counter took the box for India without comment. Then she looked at the box for Italy.

“Do you want insurance on this? ‘Cause the postal service there is really bad.”

(The package did arrive safely in about two weeks, Ross’ got to India a little faster. Can you see where this is going?)

Just now I was on Amazon, ordering a book and a DVD that I want to share with Ross when I get to Mussoorie (a hill station in India’s Himalayas). I’m leaving in 14 days. Should I have them shipped to Italy or India? I looked at both options. Amazon’s “Standard International Shipping” from the US to Italy was estimated to take “9-36 business days”. Recent experience shows that this is about right – some books I ordered from Amazon ~Sept 14th arrived in Lecco ~Oct 18th (and I was charged €6 customs duty, the calculation of which is probably what held up the package).

Far too long for me to get these items before my departure, but the 2-4 day courier service would cost $40. Not worth it.

So I put in Woodstock’s address. “Standard international shipping, estimated 10-16 business days”.

A package from the US will get to a remote hill station in India almost three times faster than to Lecco.

Welcome to Italy, third-world country.

Jan 4, 2008 – Both Amazon packages, plus my new Moo cards, arrived in Mussoorie on time and intact.

The Ever-Expanding Holiday Season

Yesterday the local supermarket stuffed an advertising flyer into our mailbox, as they do about once a week. This one was unusual. Blazoned across the front was “E’ gia’ Natale!” (It’s already Christmas!)

I almost puked.

It’s not even November, and we’re already talking about Christmas. At this rate, Italy will soon have caught up with the U.S. in terms of over-advertising the holidays. (As I mentioned some time ago, the UK is already almost as bad).

And I’m not even Christian, and this makes me sick. I used to enjoy the Christmas season, whose bright lights and shiny decorations help me cope with the depressing deep dark nights of winter. Now I feel oppressed by it. And this oppression begins earlier and earlier every year. The feeling that I must buy something – anything! -for all the “important people” in my life.