Even if you don’t consider yourself superstitious, you probably notice when Friday the 13th rolls around. However, it is the number 17 that is unlucky in Italy – not 13. That makes Friday the 17th a day to be particularly careful of bad luck. The belief that the number 17 is unlucky in Italy probably […]
Category Archives: Life in Italy
15
Apr
Apr
Are you going to celebrate a birthday in Italy? In Italy, birthdays usually mean cake and presents, but some of the details differ quite a bit from the United States. The main one being: Italian birthdays are paid for by the celebrant. Your day, you foot the bill! Here are the top Italian birthday traditions, […]
27
Mar
Mar
Italy has been locked down for more than two weeks as the staggering death toll from the novel virus continues to rise. In the first days, Italians sang from their balconies in solidarity but things are much quieter now as the reality of the awful situation settles over the nation and the world. I don’t […]
21
Mar
Mar
As we enter our 12th day of a full national lockdown, the bad news seems to have become a part of our regular lives. We are hoping this changes soon, but we still can’t leave our homes unless we are going out briefly for food, medicine, or a medical appointment. The European Union has closed […]
18
Mar
Mar
When you don’t speak the local language or even if you are simply new to a place, it can be hard to know where to turn for the news. Luckily, it is absolutely possible to find reliable English language news about Italy to follow while you are here, or as a way to keep in […]
17
Mar
Mar
For those moments when you can’t be in Italy, podcasts provide a lifeline. Hearing directly from the country can be a welcome bit of escapism even when your next trip might be far off in the future. Voices from Italy and more can provide a virtual link right back to Bel Paese, and share some […]
14
Mar
Mar
Every single museum and cultural site in Italy has been closed since March 8th. Since then, the restrictions on movements within Italy have become much stricter. At the same time, the restrictions on coming into Italy also keep growing, with travel bans, flight cancellations, and airport closures. In Italy, we are all stuck inside and […]
13
Mar
Mar
I recorded this interview with NBC between the time that the first nationwide locked down occurred, and the next night when stricter measures were put into place. That means: all coffee bars and nonessential businesses are closed; you can only go to work if you work for an essential industry; and we need to be […]