Three More Funny Things Italians Do in Everyday Life

Last month I wrote a post about some of the funny things Italians do in everyday life. Lucky for us they keep doing them.

Here are Three More Funny Things Italians Do in Everyday Life.

1. If you have ever been to Italy you know the leap of faith required to get behind the wheel of a car. Well a few weeks ago my husband I were en route to Catanzaro Lido – he was driving and I was telling an undoubtedly fascinatingly intriguing story.

Suddenly, I was interrupted with a “Che Ca^Zo, ma vaffanC%lo …”

Shocked, I looked at my normally gentile, non-aggressive partner.

“So,” I continued …

“B@stardo!”

I tried to shrug it off, but I have no patience and couldn’t continue without pointing out the obvious.

“Pep! You have interrupted me three times (so I exaggerated!!). Is it really that important?”

“Yes, it is. He has to learn.”

A giggle escaped.

“HE has to learn?” My sarcasm was lost on my husband.

“Yes,” He told me … slightly irate. “He can’t pull out in front of people like that. He has to learn a lesson.”

“But he isn’t learning anything!” I stated. “You are yelling at me.”

2. Remember Zio Joe from last month’s post (#2)? Well that is one active guy, lemme tell you.

Recently he thought his garden needed a face lift and asked his youngest son to help him trim some of the limbs. Young Marco climbed the tree and started cutting the upper-level branches.

He glanced down to help his eyes adjust to the sun and saw his dad cutting lower limbs.

“Dad! Dad!” He yelled. “Basta!”

His dad stopped cutting and looked up at him.

“What?”

“Dad. Stop! I’m standing on that limb!”

3. In my spare time I teach English to underprivileged children in Catanzaro. Ok. Well, really I teach English to a little family who lives nearby and well, they pay me.

But anyway.

They have a son. He is four years old and can rarely sit, stand or play with one toy long enough to get past “dog.” Last week we were listening to a song in English and the little singing girl kept saying “Hello.” “Hello.”

I finally encouraged the kid to repeat … “Hello.”

“Bravo! Do you know what that means?” I asked him in Italian.

“Yes, I know!” He told me proudly.

“Great!” I told him. “What does it mean?”

“Vaffanculo!”

Mah! I tried.

Ok, expats and travelers, weigh in. What are some funny things you have noticed lately about people in new countries? You can tell us … I did!