CultureShock! Italy

Alessandro Falassi Raymond Flower &

Description

CultureShock! Italy is the must-have guide for anyone living or working in Italy and who wants to decipher this diverse and rich country. This book will guide you through the highs and lows of adapting to Italian culture, offering useful tips and suggestions along the way. Learn about the geographical diversity of the country and how to hire a geometra for all your accommodation needs. Navigate your way through Italian body language and discover what it really means. Understand Italian family values and pick up tips on business etiquette.

Sujets

• Italy
• My Last Duchess

Informations

• Publié par: MarshallCavendishM
• Date de parution: 01 août 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789814435727
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

This 6th edition published in 2008, reprinted 2009, 2011 by:
Marshall Cavendish Corporation
99 White Plains Road
Tarrytown NY 10591-9001
www.marshallcavendish.us
First published in 1995 by Times Editions Pte Ltd, reprinted 1995 (twice), 1996, 1997, 1998 (twice); 2nd edition published in 1999, reprinted 2000 (twice), 2001, 2002; 3rd edition published in 2003; 4th edition published in 2005. 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]
The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:
Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited. 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196 Marshall Cavendish Ltd. 5th Floor, 32-38 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8FH, UK Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited
eISBN 13: 978 981 4435 72 7
Please contact the publisher for the Library of Congress catalog number
Printed in Singapore by Times Printers Pte Ltd
Photo Credits:
All black and white photos from Raymond Flower except for pages 7 , 8 , 42 , 64-65 , 88-89 , 103 , 129 , 140-141 , 161 , 172-173 , 184-185 , 198-199 , 224-225 , 241 (Lonely Planet Images); pages viii-ix , xiii , 36-37 , 60-61 , 147 , 153 , 170 , 190-191 , 245 , 264-265 (Corel Stock Photo Library); pages 12-13 , 24-25 , 74 , 86 , 110-111 , 137 (Pietro Sc zzari).
Colour photos from Getty Images pages b-c, f-g, p; Photolibrary pages a, d-e, h, i, j-k, l, m, n-o Cover photo: Photolibrary
All illustrations by TRIGG
ABOUT THE SERIES
Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from one s comfort zone. CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades, been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture shock whenever they move to a new country.
Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as possible again.
Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people-where they came from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This is covered in the first half of the book.
Then on with the practical aspects-how to settle in with the greatest of ease. Authors walk readers through how to find accommodation, get the utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and keep in the pink of health. But that s not all. Once the essentials are out of the way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more about the business side of things.
To round off, snippets of basic information are offered before readers are tested on customs and etiquette of the country. Useful words and phrases, a comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also included for easy reference.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Map of Italy
Chapter 1
First Impressions
Arrival
Getting from the Airport to Town
Accommodation
Reasonable Hotels
Breakfast
People-Watching
Having a Meal
Seeing the Sights
Closing Times
Telephones
Conveniences
Dress
Smoking
Quenching Your Thirst
Touring
Chapter 2
The Land and its History
Geography
History
Chapter 3
The Italian People
The Family
Friendship
The Italian Lover
The Weight of Tradition
Festivals, Saints and the Year Cycle
Food Festivals
Political Festivals
Autumn
Superstitions
The Seamier Side of Life
Chapter 4
Socialising
Dress Code
Receiving Hospitality
Visiting Cards
Caf /Bar
Conversation
Smoking
Making a Phone Call
Siesta
Social Customs
Chapter 5
Settling In
Formalities
Finding a Home
What to Bring From Home
The Education System
Managing Your Home
Banks
Taxes
Shopping
What the Motorist Needs to Know
Postal Services
Telecommunications
Houses of Worship
Chapter 6
Food and Entertaining
Piedmontese Food
Piedmontese Wines
Lombard Food
Lombard Wine
The Food of Emilia-Romagna
The Wines of Emilia-Romagna
Venetian Food
Wines of the Veneto
Ligurian Food
Ligurian Wines
Tuscan Food
Wines of Tuscany
Umbrian Food
Umbrian Wines
Food of the Marche
Wines of the Marche
The Food of Abruzzi and Molise
Wines of Abruzzi and Molise
Apulian Cuisine
Apulian Wines
The Food of Basilicata
Wines of Basilicata
Calabrian Cuisine
Calabrian Wines
Sicilian Cuisine
Sicilian Wines
Neapolitan Food
Wines of Campania
The Cuisines of Lazio
Roman Wines
Dining Etiquette
Chapter 7
Enjoying the Culture
Architecture
Music
Literature
The Renaissance
16th Century
The Seicento
The Enlightenment
Romanticism
Risorgimento
Unification
20th Century
Fascism
Post-war
Current Trends
Getting Around
The Grand Tour
Public Transport
Recreation
Chapter 8
Learning the Language
Latin
The Italian Language
Body Language
Linguistic Minorities
Spelling in Italian
Weeding Out Foreign Influences
Anglicisms
False Friends
The Language in Daily Use
Learning Italian
Chapter 9
Working in Italy
Snags
Starting Out
Business Etiquette
Working Hours
Negotiations
Italian Flair
Summing Up
Chapter 10
Fast Facts about Italy
Acronyms Abbreviations

Culture Quiz
Do s and Don ts
Glossary
Resource Guide
Further Reading
About the Authors
Index
FOREWORD
Simply letting yourself live is beautiful in Italy... what, after all, is pleasure if not an extraordinary sweet pain?
- Heinrich Heine
As your plane circles over the Eternal City on its descent into Leonardo da Vinci Airport, you may perhaps catch a glimpse of such famous landmarks as the Tiber, St Peter s or the Colosseum in the urban sprawl below.
Tutte le strade portano a Roma (All roads to Rome) , smiles your neighbour as you fasten your seat belts and check your belongings in preparation for the landing.
It s an exciting moment. Yet naggingly, a small voice deep inside you keeps murmuring: What s in store for me down there... what will Italy really be like? You think of all the old chestnuts you ve heard about Italy, and wonder how you ll cope with a strange new environment. In other words, you fear you re in for a cultural jolt. And of course you are right: things will certainly be different from what you are used to at home. What else do you expect?
But there s no need to worry. Italians are past masters in the art of making visitors feel over the moon. They have always been ready to welcome the invader-provided he comes with a smile on his face. The cultural differences you encounter will prove exhilarating if you remain as cheerful and upbeat as the Italians themselves.
So the first tip we have to offer is to greet Italy with a smile. That s the secret. A smile is enough!
ITALIAN FACTS AND FIGURES
Since these introductory remarks are addressed to the first-time visitor, we d better start by stating a few basic facts. Italy is a mountainous land mass nearly 1,300 km (807.9 miles) long and roughly 250 km (155.3 miles) wide, stretching from the great arc of the Alps to half-way across the Mediterranean.
Its silhouette is unique-a high-heeled riding boot poised to kick Sicily through the straits between Tunisia and Sardinia. No other country is so immediately recognisable on the map.
In contrast to the glaciers which form its frontier to the north, most of Italy is bordered by the sea, with a coastline extending over 1,600 km (994.2 miles) (the distance from London to Rome). Seventy per cent of the country is mountainous, which restricts the fertile areas and affects the climate. Yet 70 per cent of the land is cultivated, and always has been, which says a lot for the centuries-old ingenuity of the people.
This disparity, accentuated by Italy s length, explains the difference in temperament that distinguishes the inhabitants of the highly industrialised north from those in the Mediterranean Mezzogiorno.
CAMPANILISMO AND IDENTITY
Italy is one nation, to be sure. But at the same time it is also two countries-north and south-indeed three if you count the centre separately, or even five if the islands of Sicily and Sardinia are reckoned apart. In fact it is more like 20 countries if you consider the true spirit of each region.
This psyche was personified by the ancient Romans in a genius loci -a spirit that inhabited and guarded the differ