….ok
so yes I didn’t do anything today really….but I feel like if I want this to be
my journal I should try to at least find something to write about everyday, and
at the end of all of this im going to want to remember the tiny, seemingly
insignificant things, of everyday life…..like how Italians drive and, well,
park…
…oh dear goodness gracious…..they cant…..or they can? Maybe they
are just really creative in their parking jobs and the rest of the world isn’t?...
either way, there is zero semblance of rules here that pertain to driving, or
parking…seriously, they drive wherever, and however they want…..and I know this
not even just from walking and watching but also because I drive with my host
parents….since Italy really doesn’t understand the idea of lines, or taking
turns, everyone just goes whenever they think they should (which is usually before
everyone else, unless there is an elderly lady walking)….and literally, as. Fast.
As. Possible…..honestly!….when we were driving to Bardonecchia one of the first
weekends that I was here, I even asked my host dad, Simone, and he was like, “yyeeeaaahhhh
there are speed limits, but no one ever really is checking…”…..case in point,
no one cares J….
…also, as far as for people crossing the street….in America,
pedestrians have the right of way, always….here? nope. Never….which is well,
frightening….even in a crosswalk….if you have the go light, usually they will
at least slow down and let you cross first if they are say, turning into the
crosswalk….but goodness gracious, if you just try to run in between cars (aka
everyday when I am on my way to school…because well, lets be real, the straight
shot to school across the street, as opposed to walking aaallllllll the way
down the street to a crosswalk is just too much J)….they don’t stop for
you….they don’t even usually slow down….just lay on their horns…..sometimes
they do swerve around you J….one day however, I literally had someone playing
with me, like trying to see if they could hit me….he actually changed lanes
into the one I was running into….gotta get some fun on your commute to work
right?? J…
…oh and the horns?...oh the horns…ive come to the
realization that, although, yes Italians use their horns like they are going
out of style, its not necessarily out of annoyance or anger….its just to let
you know right away that you are in the way, or that the light has turned green….see
Italians I don’t believe, shall we say, hold grudges….no they are passionate
people…and they just let that passion out right away…..they let you know
whatever emotion they are feeling, right as soon as they are feeling it….case
and point, the quick action car horn J….after a while of
living here, and spending quite a lot of time out on the front (street side)
balcony, its just kinda funny to listen and watch J….
…..i kid you not about the parking rules either, no tickets,
nothing…. This very morning, I was just on my happy, sunny, Sunday morning walk
to church….when I thought to myself, “that doesn’t look right” …(the picture
above)…which is a lot for me, because Im so used to it by now, that people
usually have to point it out to me….this car was parallel parked….but uh, well
parallel to the wrong side….this car was completely on the sidewalk, with
another car, parallel parked correctly next to it on the street…..like
seriously, why did this constitute as the appropriate decision? …..what part of
the driver thought, well its Sunday why not set a new trend and go straight up
on the curb entirely…
….i may never understand how people drive, or park, here and
not get tickets, or ya know, die….but somehow, to Italians it just plain makes
sense….and if for nothing else, it gave me a good laugh this morning, and everytime
I think about it J…..Happy
Sunday everyone, and remember, “Don’t drive like my (Italian) brothers…”
(Renaldo kids, please reread that in a Cartalk accent J)
(PS we were shown this youtube in my Culture class, kinda a funny spoof about how different Italy is from the rest of Europe.....sadly its all ENTIRELY TRUE!!!....this is my life people...)
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