Going to the hairdresser without an appointment – Outside Italy, I think the hair salon is the archetypal place an appointment is made, after the dentist. Here I was shocked to find that one just has to go along and try their luck… To wait their turn.
There doesn’t appear to be an underclass or much of an alternative current in the populous – Generally, Europeans could be getting more heterogeneous in the way they express themselves through appearance, true; but here more than anywhere else, it seems that there is no ‘The Sharks vs the Jets’ (to use a comparison from the musical West Side Story) or mods vs rockers, hippie vs hipster, no equivalent of punks or bohemians, to name just some mainstream socio-cultural divisions. Everyone buys into eclectic fashion, which comprises the ‘coolest’ elements of boho’ – chic, hipster and ultimately, formal style.
Those who speak English as a 2nd language are in the minority – I avoid resorting to English when I can. Here, most people wouldn’t understand English, so there isn’t even that option. Therefore it’s admirable when some, like you, esteemed reader, make the effort to update their schooldays language-skills.
The cemeteries – I’ve never seen so many pet cemeteries in one place. In fact I’d never even seen one before (…San Prisco pet necropolis beggars belief). Also, the rows of mausoleums/family tombs in human cemeteries is quite unusual to me. They seem like serene settlements or model villages.
‘Closed for Lunch’ – Places to eat or dine are closed in the afternoon. I’m familiar with the mid-day siesta break elsewhere too, but an exception is made for restaurants and taverne, as far as I know.
Peanuts served with small spoons at locale – Eating nuts with your fingers is a greasy and awkward business; here, there was the inspired decision to offer them with tiny spoons.
The dog fetish – The degree to which dogs are humanized here seems over-the-top. And I speak as someone who keeps a dog. While all animals have rights and deserve to be respected, outfits and privileges go against their nature, and in some cases stifle it. They have not evolved to the point of needing constant heating or cushions. Could Italians be compensating for their low birth rate?
No singles – Correct me if I‘m wrong, but everyone seems to be in a relationship. No matter what type of person or at which stage of their lives s/he is, hardly anyone seems to be without a partner. Even my boyfriend has one!
So why is this? Is there a stigma attached to being single? Do Casertans ‘put up with’ or tolerate more, in order to maintain a relationship? Let me explain the alternative reality: a community of: a) a section of people rarely seen with anyone romantically; b) those who are getting along with other things in life but frequently give relationships a try; c) a large minority who are in a long-lasting relationship or married.
I met a couple in their 80s on a bench in Casagiove. I felt I had to ask if they were married, because they seemed so astonishingly amicable towards eachother. It turns out each had previously been widowed and had remarried. Is this what is interpreted as the Italian stereotype regarding Amore? My most cynical response would be that relationships don’t always bring about, or follow, love.
Kitty Spathia
aurora_awakes@hotmail.com
