Unexplained facts about the life of Italians. Photo

Country with interesting traditions.

Mass vacation, Church tax, constant strikes and tricks economy.

They are not in a hurry

Arriving at the store, which is open from 10 o’clock, don’t be surprised to find a locked door. Better look for another. After all, this might open for an hour or two later. This is especially characteristic of southern Italy and small towns. Exemplary is the schedule of trains, buses, planes. In the ranking of the punctuality of airports around the world, compiled annually by the Agency FlightStats, periodically enters Rome Fiumicino airport.

And by the way, lunch in Italy can last for three hours. So, if you’re at a ski resort, come to the store or before 12:00 or after 16:00. Indeed, for one day of work — all on skis!

As well as the punctuality of the Italians do not consider a disadvantage, it only remains to treat the issue accordingly — safely.

They pay Church tax

More than 90% of the inhabitants are Catholics, and this is not surprising. Italy is the cradle of Catholicism. Therefore, the Church tax is perceived as something self-evident. Although payment is voluntary, almost every resident of Italy pays 0.8% of income tax in favor of the Church. And in the document of the taxpayer specifies what.

They celebrate holidays with relatives

Many Italian men live with their parents until 30 or even 40 years. To create a family not in a hurry because you’re afraid to make the wrong choice lady. The official procedure of divorce difficult and sometimes lasts for several years. But even after the divorce, the court may order a man to contain his ex-wife, if she has insufficient funds.

So the Italians are getting married consciously, and the family is for them in the first place. Family values, respect for elders, dinners and evening walks — it’s all about them, about the Italians. On weekends, they visit each other’s homes and even celebrate the holidays with your friends and relatives.

They form a schedule of classes in universities

The system of education in universities implies the autonomy of students. Despite the fact that are held and lectures and practical classes, even the teachers don’t check attendance. If the student do not understand something, he is recorded for an individual consultation. Almost does not appear in the University, the main thing is to prepare well for the exam. By the way, the delivery of a complex subject can be postponed. After all, the students themselves form the class schedule, but also decide which session to pass the exams. Despite this freedom (and maybe that’s why), Italian universities are highly rated in the world and their graduates without work do not sit.

They have a national profession

There are professions that can only be found in Italy. For example, tasters of balsamic vinegar (to separate regions of Modena and Reggio Nell’emilia), which evaluate the quality of the product and decide whether he is worthy to be released.

Another interesting post: the listener Parmesan cheese in the cheese factory. Tool specialist — silver hammer with which he rattles off a wheel of cheese as they Mature, listening to the resulting sounds. With the maturation of “notes” are changing.

But if the representatives of these professions are fairly rare, gondoliers in Venice know everything. The profession is one of the most prestigious and highly paid in the city. To get to the number of license holders is not easy: you need to be able to control the gondola, to know the routes and trends, to understand the history and traditions of Venice, proficient in foreign languages and during the year training.

They go on vacation throughout the country

Having decided to visit Italy in late summer, don’t be surprised to find deserted streets and closed shops and restaurants. Most likely, the doors of most places will hang a sign: “Closed for vacation”. Stop working even factory. If you want to order in Italy designer furniture, boldly snapped to the regular delivery time of a month and a half on vacation, preparing for it and out of it.

The first streams of tourists attracted to the beaches in the first month, and 15 August when is the national holiday of Ferragosto, begins the official holiday period and the town is literally dying out.

They often strike

Strike for Italy — the usual method of solving labor disputes, when to negotiate with the leadership of civil servants would not otherwise get. Strike all: engineers, doctors, teachers, students… When a disgruntled air traffic controllers canceled flights when infringe the rights of drivers not serviced by public transport. Fighting for their rights, the Italians enthusiastically and constantly, and the right to strike is enshrined in law.

They heat with wood

Surprisingly for residents of large cities, but in the Alpine villages do not have Central heating. Each Chalet has a shed, where to put but not only the birch Poleshko, but wooden boxes from under vegetables. However, tourists of this fact will remind is that special smoky smell of winter in the valley early in the morning and in the evening, Yes the lack of heat in the batteries during the day — why drown, when the sun is shining and there’s no one home!

They prefer bike car

Local residents remember that the environment and transport are incompatible. In large cities there are days when vehicles are prohibited to enter the centre. In some, for example, in Trento, in some days of the week drive cars with even numbers, the other odd.

It is logical that bikes in Italy is very popular. The country has created an excellent network of cycle paths and there are a large number of cycle routes. Hosts many competitions, marathons, events. And at special stations, you can rent a bike for a day or a week. For children there is a special velocista and valuelike.

They have a special relationship with alcohol

To drink in the morning, in Italy as in the rest of the civilized world, is not accepted, but in the afternoon if the Italian does not have to go to work in the office, drink a glass of wine or beer is quite permissible. A glass of Chianti, even the driver won’t hurt: the statutory limit is 0.5 per Mille of alcohol in the blood (the driving experience should be more than three years). For taxi drivers, truckers and public transport drivers license is not valid. And most importantly, if you decide to follow the example of the Italians, not to be confused: beer and pizza, wine and pasta. The Italians escorted alcoholic drink food, not Vice versa.

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