Questions Asked While Back Home

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From the Staten Island Ferry
Still recovering from jet lag. I am sitting here mulling over conversations we had with Americans during our two week trip to the states.   The questions discussed were enlightening.
  1. Several people mentioned to us that they know that most all Italians make their own wine, and for that reason don’t they drink a lot of wine?
During my 7 years in Italy I have known only two people who make their own wine, and one of them owns a agritourismo.  Most people do not have the space in their home for winemaking, nor would be interested in trying.

  2.  Isn’t it more crowded over there?   
Evidently these persons have never been to New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago.  

  3.  What side of the road do you drive on? 
 This is a fair question from anyone who has never seen a movie involving Italy.  Probably they would also be dumbfounded by the question, what is the capital of Europe.

  4.  Italy and France sit next to each other so you must often jump in the car and  drive over to Paris?  
It’s a two day car trip from Venice to Paris.  Blame Hollywood for making it look a whole lot closer.  

  5.  You can’t get good Mexican food in Italy?  Why not?  
The basic reason is that there are no good corn tortillas to be found here.  The ones in Mexican restaurants taste like cardboard, with no corn flavor at all.  Guacamole servings are two tablespoons of avocado with mayonaise added.  Salsa brought to the table will never be spicy, and in a tiny bowl that after 6 chips is exhausted.  Tamales?  Ha!  

  6.  How long is the plane flight from Denver to Venice?  I don’t think I would want to be up that high, that long.  
My answer is that it is only 3 movies and two meals.

  7.  You can’t get Starbucks in Italy?  I thought Italians are big coffee drinkers.
Starbucks realized that they could not compete within the coffee culture of Italy.  

  8.  Aren’t you afraid of terrorists?  Isn’t it  dangerous there? 
 This was the big question we heard over and over.  My answer is a bit longer….Check out these statistics.

People living in Italy are 78.95 % less likely to be murdered than persons living in the United States.

3,80 in every 100,000  people are murdered in the United States.
0.80 in every 100,000 people are murdered in Italy.

698 in every 100,000 people in the United States are currently imprisoned.
87 in every 100,000 people in Italy are currently imprisoned.

Yes, the terrorists have killed people in Europe, and in Italian cities there are a lot more police and soldiers visible now, but in America, there are movie theatre massacres, and school shootings killing far more innocent people.  
My village is so quiet and crime free that the local police only lately began carrying pistols.  Citizens of Italy, unless they are hunters with a special license, are not allowed to have guns.  


During our two weeks in America it was interesting to discuss similarities and differences between life in Italy and America.  I believe discussion is a good thing for everyone, especially over a plate of hot, spicy Mexican food.
My Selection in Denver, Jan. 2016

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