Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE OLD PROVERBIAL
They might be old clichés, but proverbs can be quite the cultural revelation. Here are six of Italy's
well-worn best:
'Donne e motori, gioie e dolori.'
(Women and motors, joy and pain.)
'Chi trova un'amico trova un tesoro.'
(He who finds a friend, finds a treasure.)
'A ogni uccello il suo nido è bello.'
(To every bird, his own nest is beautiful.)
'Fidarsi va bene, non fidarsi va meglio.'
(To trust is good, not to trust is better.)
'Meglio essere invidiati che compatiti.'
(Better to be envied than pitied.)
'Il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi.'
(The devil makes the pots but not the lids, ie the truth
always comes out in the end.)
While Italy's family-based social fabric provides a protective buffer for many during
these challenging economic times, intergenerational solidarity has always been the basis
of the Italian family. According to the time-honoured Italian social contract, you'd prob-
ably live with your parents until you start a career and a family of your own. Then after a
suitable grace period for success and romance - a couple of years should do the trick -
your parents might move in with you to look after your kids, and be looked after in turn.
As for those who don't live with family members, chances are they're still a quick stroll
away, with 54% living within a 30-minute walk from close relatives. All this considered,
it's hardly surprising to hear that famous mobile phone chorus at evening rush hour: '
Mamma, butta la pasta!'
(Mum, put the pasta in the water!).
According to figures released in 2011 by Istat, Italy's bureau of statistics, 58.8% of Italian
households have a computer, while only 54.5% have internet access. The prevalence of mobile
phones in Italian households is a much higher 91.6%.
What it Feels Like for a Girl
It might string straight As in fashion, food and design, but Italy's prowess in gender equal-
ity leaves much room for improvement. Despite the cultural, economic and political gains
made elsewhere in the 1960s and 1970s, sexism remains deeply entrenched in Italian soci-
ety. On TV, women are often little more than scantily dressed props. On radio, female voi-
ceovers range from quasi-hysterical to blushingly orgasmic. Despite his well-publicised
sexist gaffes and alleged sexcapades, ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi remained a sep-
tuagenarian stud in the eyes of many Italian men, themselves influenced by the country's
