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The Florentine
Concerned that living long-term in Italy has somehow damaged my ability to set meaningful goals, my sister does her best to nurture my undernourished purposeful side'. Not that I have one. But just in case I do, she wants to be the first to feed it. Every September,
Although Italy has taught me to nurture a neurotic need for aesthetic perfection, I am not much of a scenery girl. And, while I do prefer palaces to skyscrapers, I'm seldom subject to the wide-eyed ‘wow' that gives weak knees to those who marvel at Tuscan hillsides
Do you remember Mrs. Taylor, the one who used to work at the library?' My mother wanted to know over the phone the other day. >Vaguely,' I said with a more-than-vague idea as to what she was driving at. Every time my mom starts playing the
In Venice, everyone knows at least one good man who owns a good boat. In a city where useful acquaintance is key, people and objects ultimately get nowhere without the ...
I have recently been accused of wanting all things in life to be lovely. And in a country where cynicism is a means of survival and a way of life, the comment was meant to be an insult. Of course, I had no adequate rebuttal. It was a legitimate
A month after I had settled into my new apartment, my ex-landlady called. She had just received a notice in the mail from the garbage collectors. They had neglected to bill our neighborhood for three years and now that they'd finally gotten around to it, I was expected
Some jobs pay the rent, some don’t. Some make you want to wear your walking shoes, some make you want to hide under the bed alongside your slippers. I’m sure ...
In Italy, want-ad newspapers have a dual function. They keep you abreast of all the jobs that have recently become available throughout the territory. They also spur you to not take yourself too seriously. Venice's paper is called Il Boom. The name suggests that although you are unemployed,
Getting married is complicated enough. She needs her wedding dress to be simple. So, Carlotta marched into the bridal boutique and quickly informed the saleslady of all of her semi-neurotic stylistic limitations. Nothing too sparkly, lacy, shiny or puffy. She was not a collegiate debutant, Greek opera singer, French
It happens often. I get a song stuck in my head and it clings to my brainwaves as if they were the only source of energy in the world. The other day, I found myself singing the theme song from Roberto Benigni's La tigre e la neve, a film
My two-hour-a-week job at a Venetian nursery school was, strangely enough, Berlusconi's idea. In order to conquer the ills plaguing Italy, the then prime minister proposed the Three I' Initiative: Imprese, Internet and Inglese. A focus on enterprise, web technology and English from toddler-age up
Last September I took a job in Venice selling jewelry behind the cityys only piazza. If you ever need quick employment and mindless labor, know that a cubicle full of hanging necklaces will provide you with both. During the job interview, I took the advice of my 80-year old
If you’ve just arrived in Italy and are kicking for a little avventura italiana, you’re probably still feeling excited and optimistic. Most likely you’re convinced that if you ever decided to stay long term, you’d never get homesick enough to miss something
In 1998, I was hired to teach English at the military barracks in the province of Mantova. The course was funded by the European community so that all the draft ...
Nell'amicizia, Italians do not necessarily aim for understanding. The simply see, know and feel. And while this type of soul-searching needs no consent, real trust might not apear for years. People phone the pressroom with various questions. Some depend on the season. In autumn, they call wondering where
In a country where food must always be served at the right time and temperature, I find Sunday brunch the easiest way to entertain. I say this for two simple reasons. First, I am a morning person who makes a mean pancake. Second, the prospect of serving pasta to al
