Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Life in Italy
Of course, depending upon one's personality, one could see this as criticism or praise. But it's all true.
Hehe. I remember queueing earnestly at a busy coffee bar in Italy and watching one after another local get served before me. I wondered whether I'd offended someone until someone was kind enough to show me how to barge and shout, behaviour that does not come naturally to a Canadian.
Dr. John Rao tells a story in one of his lectures, to make a point about the differences between Protestants and Catholics.
He tells about a German novel he read, in which a woman's lover has a fight with his father, goes off in a huff and goes to work as a sailor on the high seas. He eventually feels bad and writes home, but his father refuses the letter. The woman, who has not heard from her lover and is absolutely heartsick, encounters the mailman, who knows her and her lover, and the lover's family, personally. She cries and begs the mailman to let her read the letter, but the mailman, although he sympathizes, says "you know I can't do that, it's against the law." And the woman says, "you're right", and drops the subject.
Dr. Rao then says, "Now tell me: Can you imagine this happening in Italy? Can you *imagine* this happening in *Italy*??"
Because in Italy either the mailman would immediately bend the rules, or else the woman would not let him alone until he did.
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Hehe. I remember queueing earnestly at a busy coffee bar in Italy and watching one after another local get served before me. I wondered whether I'd offended someone until someone was kind enough to show me how to barge and shout, behaviour that does not come naturally to a Canadian.
ReplyDeleteA couple moments seemed oddly familiar here in the States... especially catching buses.
ReplyDeleteDr. John Rao tells a story in one of his lectures, to make a point about the differences between Protestants and Catholics.
ReplyDeleteHe tells about a German novel he read, in which a woman's lover has a fight with his father, goes off in a huff and goes to work as a sailor on the high seas. He eventually feels bad and writes home, but his father refuses the letter. The woman, who has not heard from her lover and is absolutely heartsick, encounters the mailman, who knows her and her lover, and the lover's family, personally. She cries and begs the mailman to let her read the letter, but the mailman, although he sympathizes, says "you know I can't do that, it's against the law." And the woman says, "you're right", and drops the subject.
Dr. Rao then says, "Now tell me: Can you imagine this happening in Italy? Can you *imagine* this happening in *Italy*??"
Because in Italy either the mailman would immediately bend the rules, or else the woman would not let him alone until he did.