31 December 2006

Well, I went home for Christmas and I had a really really nice relaxing time. When I first get back it's always a bit strange and I get analytical and pensive about so many things (more so than usual :) ) - both Italian and English. I look at both sides as an outsider, weighing up the pros and cons of everything. It usually passes quickly.

What I miss about England following this trip is the peacefulness and the fact that there was almost no traffic and you could choose your parking space! What I found to be so nice too is that people who I didn't know would stop and say "hello" or "merry Christmas". How nice. Plus constant "excuse mes" and "sorrys" - even when it was me who had bumped into someone else! This would rarely happen here, but then I'm sure a lot of it is to do with the fact that I live in a village in England and a city here. I'm sure that in some villages here the politeness is the same - I hope so, because it makes life just a little bit more pleasant.

I've been back 2 days now, so I'm settling back in :) It's a lovely day today and we've been shopping for this evening's feast - fish based. Yum. Time to hit the kitchen soon - only as supervisor/helper though, I'm not very good at cooking fish.

4 comments:

Shirley said...

Welcome back. I found exactly the same things and we were only in London one night, so many "sorry and thankyous". I read a really funny book a few months ago called " Watching the English", it is a study into the ways of the English, so different from mediterranean cultures.
Have a great New Years Eve.

Delina said...

Sounds like an interesting read. Happy New Year to you!

Anonymous said...

Hello Delina and Shirley; I partially agree with Delina about the "thank yous" and the "sorry"; are you sure that the people that say "Sorry" are not saying that only because in all England this is the way to do? (I've been a lot of time in England and I notice that...)

I agree with you that here in Italy the life is not "ideal" but the people that you meet here are what you see: I dont know if in Englad you get what you see...

(Sorry for my poor english!)

happy new year from a very Italian proud citizen :D !!!

Delina said...

Anonymous, whatever the explanation - whether it be sincere or not, it's nice to be on the receiving end of a thankyou/excuse me, rather than being on the receiving end of a door not held open or someone pushing past you, or nothing said when you let someone pass before you.
Happy New Year!