What italian emigrants do

Recently an italian newspaper hosted a debate about what italian emigrants do.

According to Matteo Cavezzali, who lives in Italy:

1. They go out only with other Italians.

2. They know everything about italian politics, especially about Berlusconi, even if they emigrated because they were sick of him.

3. They miss the italian sun, because they live in cold and gray countries, but they don’t want to admit it.

4. They eat bad, they look for good italian restaurants but they cannot find one.

5. They have jobs that in Italy they would have never accepted.

6. They cheat (e.g., don’t pay the bus ticket) and they forget to pay taxes.

7. They dislike going back to Italy, even for a short trip, because they feel superior.

The reply by Andrea D’Addio, who lives in Berlin, was:

1. They do not wash their car because they use public transportations or their bike.

2. They miss the sun and they do poor jobs, but the working conditions are much better than in Italy and they can pay for luxury vacations in sunny countries.

3. They generally eat at home, cooking by themselves, but they also try exotic restaurants.

4. They go out mostly with other Italians, but they work in an international environment. Their friends are true friends and the nationality doesn’t matter.

5. They try to build their own family because the host nation helps families, although the salaries might be not that high.

6. They follow the italian politics because they care about their country. When they are asked about Berlusconi, they want to give a good answer.

7. They don't envy who remained in Italy. They know how difficult is leaving friends, family and country for going in a hostile place, so they hope one day to go back to Italy.

Ovviamente non possiedo alcun diritto sull'immagine. Italia, è questo che pensi di noi?

Somehow Matteo and Andrea are both right.

- I go out with other Italians but also with international colleagues. My friends are from different nationalities.

- I always read the italian news, but also those of host country. News are filtered before being published abroad, I can have a different point of view than while I was in Italy. I’m sick of questions about B., I don’t have an answer.

- In Brussels I don’t cook at home as often as I was used to do in Vienna, but I still cook when I invite friends to my place for a dinner. Many other (not only) Italians do the same. I must admit, I like enjoying a restaurant sometimes. I try italian restaurants (often suggested by Belgians) but I prefer local restaurants or very exotic ones. During my stay in Japan, I didn’t miss the italian food, I loved eating japanese, even when I didn’t know what I had in the dish.

- Honestly, I never complain for the temperature. I don’t miss the “italian sun” because I grew up in a foggy and gray part of Italy. I like even the rain. Probably I’m the only Italian who says that.

- I was lucky, I got the job I like, with a position consistent with my qualification. Other italians weren’t that lucky, unfortunately, but the foreign governments usually help unemployed people.

- I’ve always payed my duties, in Italy and abroad. The honesty was part of my education, if italians behave bad, they should blame their parents.

- I dislike going to Italy because I feel bad for my country. The comparison with other countries is sad, the solution to many problems is much closer then expected… if only we would be able to look to the problem from another point of view…

Disclaimer: I might have misinterpreted Matteo and Andrea's opinion in the attempt to translate. This is my interpretation of what they have written.