Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
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Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
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Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#2A lockdown is obviously not an enjoyable thing, but it is necessary to flatten the curve [^1] and it's downsides are less severe then it's benefits if done correctly.
Keep this in mind as the situation continues to evolve. Stock things in your house which bring you joy (good food, games, good books) and do your best to spread confidence to others around you. If you have enough space to get in some exercise, even if it's just pushups and situps, do so. If you are working from home, do your best to have a clearly defined time for your work and separate your working space from your leisure space as much as practical. If you've been thinking about writing a book or starting a new blog, now is a good time to do so.
It may not be enjoyable but it is necessary. Make the best use of this time you can.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#3As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant.
There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else.
This is simply not accurate.
If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with him/her (and that's it, no hugs, no kisses), as well, unless the other person is an old friend the normal shaking of hands is the normal means of greeting.
It is extremely rare that you are touched (again let alone hugged or kissed) as a customer when you enter any shop or similar.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#4As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant. There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else. This is simply not accurate. If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with hi…
> If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with him/her (and that's it, no hugs, no kisses)
Are you sure you aren't extending the culture of northern Italy to all of Italy?
When I lived in Rome/Naples, it seemed like with almost everyone I met we shook hands and did the "air kisses" (not a real kiss but you still lean in close and touch cheeks).
It didn't ever happen to me with restaurant owners, sure, but then again I never really interacted with anyone other than the waiter/waitress/cashier. I could see it happening in a super small hole-in-the-wall mom and pop type restaurant though.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#5A lockdown is obviously not an enjoyable thing, but it is necessary to flatten the curve [^1] and it's downsides are less severe then it's benefits if done correctly. Keep this in mind as the situation continues to evolve. Stock things in your house which bring you joy (good food, games, good books) and do your best to spread confidence to others around you. If you have enough space to get in some exercise, even if i…
Imagine if steam takes advantage of this to have a coronavirus sale. 50% off all zombie themed games for the coming month.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#6As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant. There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else. This is simply not accurate. If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with hi…
> If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with him/her (and that's it, no hugs, no kisses) Are you sure you aren't extending the culture of northern Italy to all of Italy? When I lived in Rome/Naples, it seemed like with almost everyone I met we shook hands and did the "air kisses" (not a real kiss but you still lean in close and touch cheeks). It didn't ever happen to me w…
I am from Rome, the cheek kiss is common amongst people who know each other, and sometimes it applies "transitively" (e.g. a friend's partner which you don't know), but it is definitely not done when meeting random people at work.
You could be kissing someone on the cheek coming in your restaurant if you are familiar with them, but it's not very common.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#7As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant. There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else. This is simply not accurate. If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with hi…
> If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with him/her (and that's it, no hugs, no kisses), as well, unless the other person is an old friend the normal shaking of hands is the normal means of greeting.
In northern Italy, most of the times. In southern Italy, kissing is much more common and it's often used even in formal environments. Shaking hands it's seen as polite but cold.
The stereotypical Italian is, for many reasons, the southern Italian, hence the kissing meme and other exaggerations that really do not apply to northern Italy.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#8Italian here, north-west. Media are really exaggerating with the situation with daily life and routine, we are allowed to take a walk and go to bars or restaurants if there is one meter of distance between people.
The real problem is in the hospitals, and for some enterprises who will really have a loss in these weeks (everything about tourism, for example). One of the biggest downsides is that people are not allowed to visit relatives or families in other cities/villages, even if a few kilometers away.
We've been promised discounts, taxes, even free subscriptions for ebooks... this lockdown is not so bad, the important is that people really understand why it has been implemented (people here in Italy tend to overreact for every news - it's always apocalyptic).
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#9As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant. There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else. This is simply not accurate. If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with hi…
> If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with him/her (and that's it, no hugs, no kisses), as well, unless the other person is an old friend the normal shaking of hands is the normal means of greeting. In northern Italy, most of the times. In southern Italy, kissing is much more common and it's often used even in formal environments. Shaking hands it's seen as polite but c…
Well, no.
Again, we are not talking of old friends, we are talking of strangers.
Even in the south (I lived in sicily almost 15 years) it is not at all common.
Re: Italy's Coronavirus Lockdown Upends the Most Basic Routines and Joys
#10As a side note, maybe the single restaurant manager interviewed does normally that, but it is highly unusual that a restaurant manager hugs and/or kisses (or even shakes hands) with a customer of the restaurant. There is this sort of folklore about Italy that everyone kisses and hugs everyone else. This is simply not accurate. If you are introduced to someone (a stranger), it is normal courtesy to shake hands with hi…
Based on context in the article, it seems to me that the owner is probably not talking about his interaction with customers, but that in his private life.