As much as I love being here, there are some REALLY ANNOYING THINGS about the Italians. I love them as people but they have some frustrating ways. For example:
1. They don't know how to stand in line. They create clusters and mobs, but never lines. Well now, with the COVID-19-grocery store restrictions, we are supposed to form a line outside the store. There are large crates that form channels we are to stand in, creating a snake sort of line. No kidding, I stood there this morning while the Italians yelled at each other and me, bossily dictating where people should stand. But it was ALL WRONG. There were huge gaps and even a whole row of the snaked line completely vacant. Even when they try with all their effort to form a line, they can't freaking do it.
2. They just cannot seem to get words and expressions correct. For example, in Leigh's online classes, they call "video lessione" the virtual, streaming lessons that the students are supposed to log in to and attend. But the teachers also make recorded lessons, and they also call these "video lessione." They tell the students to do this "video lessione" and the students get all confused where to log in or where to find the recording. It is so, super stupid! I really don't see why they cannot see the importance of giving these things different names! It's just not that hard.
3. Clare has a textbook for her government class. I'm not joking--the book has 2 chapter one's. Really! It has 2 chapter two's and 2 chapter 3's, and so on. Really?!?!?!!!#*###>?! At the beginning of the year, she studied the first chapter one when chapter one was assigned. But no, she was supposed to have started with the second chapter one (why would they EVER start with the beginning?). And I understand that some text books are divided in parts. But they should still not start over in numbering the chapters. That's just stupid. We got a good laugh (not a very nice one, either) about how the Italian government textbook probably reflects rather accurately the Italian government.
Please excuse my outburst. I try really really hard to accept the fact that I am the foreigner and not impose my way of doing things on them. But sometimes I just marvel!
It's a good reminder that we are all so silly and laughable. Italians have their ways, but Americans and I in particular have my own way of doing things that must be really annoying and ridiculous to other people. It's good to keep a healthy sense of Shakespeare's famous line, "Ah what fools these mortals be!"
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