From The Italian-American Page Via Ann (anncruise).
Of course I had to add my two cents.
~Marie
American kids: Move out when they’re 18 with the full support of their parents. Italian kids: Move out when they’re 28, having saved enough money for a house, and are two weeks away from getting married….unless there’s room in the basement for the newlyweds. (Do the Boschetto’s have a basement? ~M)
American kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings a Bundt cake, and you sip coffee and chat. Italian kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings 3 days worth of food, begins to tidy up, dust, do the laundry, and rearrange the furniture. (Hey, any Italian mom out there, come on over. Please! ~M)
American kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them, and it’s usually only on special occasions. (Not my Dad. When I moved out he came over because he was afraid I would be with an Italian kid. ~M) Italian kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads show up, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00, and starts pruning the fruit trees. If there are no fruit trees, he’ll plant some.
American kids: Always pay retail, and look in the Yellow Pages when they need to have something done. Italian kids: Call their dad or uncle, and ask for another dad’s or uncle’s phone number to get it done…cash deal. Know what I mean?? (Anyone have Uncle Giuseppe’s number? ~M)
American kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get only cake and coffee. No more. Italian kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get antipasto, wine, a pasta dish, a choice of two meats, salad, bread, a cannoli, fruit, espresso, and a few after dinner drinks. (If I had been born in Italy I wouldn’t fit thru the door ~M)
American kids: Will greet you with “Hello” or “Hi”. Italian kids: Will give you a big hug, a kiss on your cheek, and a pat on your back. (I am expecting that at the next M & G ~M)
American kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs. Italian kids: Call your parents Mom and Dad. (I secretly call the Boschetto’s Mom & Dad. ~M)
American kids: Have never seen you cry. (They have if they’ve been with me to an Il Volo Concert, I weep with joy through the whole damn thing. ~M) Italian kids: Cry with you.
American kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days and then return it. Italian kids: Keep your stuff so long, they forget it’s yours. (Like your heart? ~M)
American kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave. Italian kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together.
American kids: Know few things about you. Italian kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
American kids: Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on soft mushy white bread. Italian kids: Eat Genoa Salami and Provolone sandwiches on crusty Italian bread.
American kids: Will leave you behind if that’s what the crowd is doing. Italian kids: Will kick the whole crowds’ ass who left you behind.
American kids: Are for a while. Italian kids: Are for life. (True. Il Volo is for life! ~M)
American kids: Like Rod Stewart, and Steve Tyrell. (Who is Steve Tyrell? ~M) Italian kids: Worship Tony Bennett, and Sinatra. (I know one who worships Sinatra. ~M)
American kids: Think that being Italian is cool. (American adults think so too.~M) Italian kids: Know that being Italian is cool.
Why do I get the impression that a number of you are ready to go to Italy to “move” into the basement of Gianluca or Piero or Ignazio. Maybe just be a live-in assistant mother or additional grandma ?? Somehow that Italian side of the comparison seemed more interesting.
I’m packing my bags. When does the plane leave? Marie, I think
we would fit in quite well in Italy. No one will miss us and we will
have a brand new family to love and be loved.
Very cute! Made me laugh, and I appreciate that, Marie! But I’m afraid I have dibs on the Boschetto basement (if they have one, and if they don’t, we’ll call Uncle Guiseppe and have him dig one!)
Somehow I think I would probably be getting the stinkeye from Signora Elanora Barone if she even thought I would be moving in!. Besides we all know Piero wants at least six kids and I tell you this old mare ain’t goin down that road!
Everyone is laughing thinking this is so cute… I am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I write this… I am the Italian kid… I grew up with these values… I see the American kids every day and say what has happened to these values… Then I realize that the values have faded into the sunset … My parents brought those values to America with them from Italy… They instilled them in me.. .But I was first generation American and I wanted my children to be American… Then I found Il Volo and I realized that I am 100% Italian and they brought me back to my youth… Not because they are young and I want to be young like them, but because they share their family, their love and their culture freely with me… It is almost like being reborn and starting over… Thank you Il Volo for bringing me back to my roots… Thank you Marie and Ann for sharing this charming comparison with us… I just want to say, it is all so true… Italian family are filled with love for everyone… That is why Il VOLO IS LOVE… They were born that way…
Jeannette, I gotta tell ya… Maybe that’s why I always feel my heart swell and my face smile when I read what you write. You are a kindred spirit to me. I guess my soul is Italian, even though my genes ain’t.
And that is why I want to write my multimedia book IL VOLO: The Synergy of Love!
That ole’ infinity sign… It goes around and comes around and goes around and comes around. Reminds me of
“L’amore e’…amare l’amore” [Italian for “Love is … Love Love”]
And I want to say to you, Jeannette, and all who stepped up to contribute to the Flight Crew sharings how grateful I am. I so look forward to being able to spend more time taking in all the wonderful contributions here!
And Marie, as always, Ya done good! Great choices and wonderful not-so-surprising additional remarks! 😉
Love and gratitude,
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
I love it!!! So true! The basement or spare room at the Barone’s, the Boschetto’s, & the Ginoble’s, are going to be overflowing with excess great Grandmas, Grandmas, Aunts, & new cousins!!! I had the best of two worlds, my background & Carl’s Italian lifestyle. Way back my family came from Bohemia to one of the Carolina’s! My grandson has the info & I am forgetting things! If it isn’t about Il Volo the mind says it’s not top priority!!! From Carl’s family I learned to hug everybody & you could drop in anytime & food would appear in front of you!!! Also there was spaghetti (with sauce) on Thurs & Sunday!!! After work we would often jump in the car with the kids & go from Covina & then Glendora to his family in Downey! Dinner was always ready! We would visit & then go home with a bunch of sleeping kids in the car! Christmas had bushel baskets full of Italian cookies!! I have had a wonderful life with the best Italian man, God ever put on earth! Now our 6 kids with families of their own are carrying on the love for people & no one is a stranger traditions that were learned at home!!
Reading about you and Carl just brought back so many good memories… My childhood friends always remind me that the only house they have ever been to that the food never stopped fllowing was my parents home… That is just the way it was and is at my home too… I remember as a child that I had to make Italian cookies with my mother for a week before Christmas, because you had to have enough to send some home with each guest… I do this with my grand daughters at Christmas as well… Maybe not as many as my mom used to make but Amber and I spent two days baking before Christmas… It is always so special when I can do that with my grand kids… It makes me feel like I am keeping the love of my parents alive in some small way…
You all are making this Irish kid envious of all your family get-togethers and the food, food, food! My family is close, but we don’t have such heavily laden tables when we get together! But we all LOVE Italian food!
I think the Barone basement is going to be very full. I have my stuff ready to go whenever we get the word. Piero is going to have grandmas all over the place!
Very true. As a real life Italian-American kid, I can confirm that I enjoy PB&J *and* salami sandwiches. Mmm.
However, as for “Will leave you behind if that’s what the crowd is doing.”, I have to disagree. I’m an American kid and I would certainly never do anything like that.
I was thinking that, as one who taught high school for 31 years. There are so many great American kids. They certainly could take guidance on the really juicy love of our Italian friends, but so many of our American kids are really good people.
We just want to “take it to the next level” with Italian togetherness!
I thought as much! I just wanted to make sure nobody would get the wrong idea. 🙂
Loading...
Yes!
~ Jeanine
Loading...
Marie,
I was smiling as you were writing the comparisons between the cultures. When i was growing up our neighbors were Italian & everything you said is so true about Italians. Always open for hugs, kisses and enjoying family. They love to cook and boy did they make the best Italian Cookies! Yummm. I have a daughter getting married this year and her fiance loves to give hugs when he sees you and when he leaves. I taught my daughter to always give hugs and kisses to the family because i never got a lot of that when i was younger. It was important to me to instill this into her and let her know i loved her very much no matter what. <3
I loved this! Asan Italian American I know all this to be true even though here in America we are losing that true Italian closeness. My Aunt was just saying when kids married they lived a block or two away from their parents and other family but now they move across the country. Savor your family ties always Piero, Gianluca, Ignazio.
Marie, This makes me wish I was Italian. My home town was Boston and my friends were Italian. I always envied their large families. North Boston is all Italian and the houses are very close. The old men would sit around and play dominos. My friends mother made the best salad dressing and we kids would drink the remains. What a good life. I am an only child and never knew the closeness of an Italian family. I wonder if the Barones would adopt me. Hugs to all of you. Joanie G
Love this! As an Italian American who had these values, but no longer living in an Italian American community and feel these keenly when I visit with my 88 year old aunt. Hopefully am passing on some of these to my 15 year old son. Is everyone ready for the upcoming PBS show, “The Italian-Americans?”
I loved this. It’s so true. No wonder our guys have such great values and their feet firmly planted on the ground. Italians are such loving people and thanks to Il Volo the whole world is finding this out.
Nice!
I am a Brazilian kid, and we are like Italian kids 🙂 Btw I think the Barones, Boschettos and Ginobles do not have “basement” , maybe a wine cellar 🙂 But I think you will love to live with the wine 🙂
I also came from an Italian family. My friends always commented on our three course Sunday dinners. We loved music. My dad sang tenor and played guitar, His bother played mandolin on the Italian Hour of WTAM Italian Hour every Sunday.. The children all gathered after dinner to have a variety show, with music, singing,playing piano and poetry recitals . Good Times..
Why do I get the impression that a number of you are ready to go to Italy to “move” into the basement of Gianluca or Piero or Ignazio. Maybe just be a live-in assistant mother or additional grandma ?? Somehow that Italian side of the comparison seemed more interesting.
The whole population of the World could shift!! Is there a limit as to how many Nonna’s can be in one Italian family?? Nonna Dot……
I’m packing my bags. When does the plane leave? Marie, I think
we would fit in quite well in Italy. No one will miss us and we will
have a brand new family to love and be loved.
ok I’m ready!
Very cute! Made me laugh, and I appreciate that, Marie! But I’m afraid I have dibs on the Boschetto basement (if they have one, and if they don’t, we’ll call Uncle Guiseppe and have him dig one!)
Move over Ruth, there will be a lot of us there!
I am still laughing. This is so true! Every word. I loved it.
Somehow I think I would probably be getting the stinkeye from Signora Elanora Barone if she even thought I would be moving in!. Besides we all know Piero wants at least six kids and I tell you this old mare ain’t goin down that road!
Gave me a good laugh, Connie!
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
Love it!!! It applies for Hispanic kids too! That’s being Latin, then!
Maybe we could bring our favorite dishes, like a pot-luck, and stay with whichever family likes our food!! Nutella Pie, fabulous fruit bowl, etc!!
I love it. You are so right. This certainly applies to some italians we know.
I really love all the articles you all write… I smile each day when I get the alerts! 😄
This is just great!! Nice work Ms Crider! I think you would fit just lovely into that family. 🙂
Jane, have I said that I love you?
🙂
I love it-it’s so very true! It’s what I love about the Italian culture.
Bravo!!!
Everyone is laughing thinking this is so cute… I am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I write this… I am the Italian kid… I grew up with these values… I see the American kids every day and say what has happened to these values… Then I realize that the values have faded into the sunset … My parents brought those values to America with them from Italy… They instilled them in me.. .But I was first generation American and I wanted my children to be American… Then I found Il Volo and I realized that I am 100% Italian and they brought me back to my youth… Not because they are young and I want to be young like them, but because they share their family, their love and their culture freely with me… It is almost like being reborn and starting over… Thank you Il Volo for bringing me back to my roots… Thank you Marie and Ann for sharing this charming comparison with us… I just want to say, it is all so true… Italian family are filled with love for everyone… That is why Il VOLO IS LOVE… They were born that way…
Jeannette, I gotta tell ya… Maybe that’s why I always feel my heart swell and my face smile when I read what you write. You are a kindred spirit to me. I guess my soul is Italian, even though my genes ain’t.
And that is why I want to write my multimedia book IL VOLO: The Synergy of Love!
That ole’ infinity sign… It goes around and comes around and goes around and comes around. Reminds me of
“L’amore e’…amare l’amore” [Italian for “Love is … Love Love”]
And I want to say to you, Jeannette, and all who stepped up to contribute to the Flight Crew sharings how grateful I am. I so look forward to being able to spend more time taking in all the wonderful contributions here!
And Marie, as always, Ya done good! Great choices and wonderful not-so-surprising additional remarks! 😉
Love and gratitude,
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
I love it!!! So true! The basement or spare room at the Barone’s, the Boschetto’s, & the Ginoble’s, are going to be overflowing with excess great Grandmas, Grandmas, Aunts, & new cousins!!! I had the best of two worlds, my background & Carl’s Italian lifestyle. Way back my family came from Bohemia to one of the Carolina’s! My grandson has the info & I am forgetting things! If it isn’t about Il Volo the mind says it’s not top priority!!! From Carl’s family I learned to hug everybody & you could drop in anytime & food would appear in front of you!!! Also there was spaghetti (with sauce) on Thurs & Sunday!!! After work we would often jump in the car with the kids & go from Covina & then Glendora to his family in Downey! Dinner was always ready! We would visit & then go home with a bunch of sleeping kids in the car! Christmas had bushel baskets full of Italian cookies!! I have had a wonderful life with the best Italian man, God ever put on earth! Now our 6 kids with families of their own are carrying on the love for people & no one is a stranger traditions that were learned at home!!
Reading about you and Carl just brought back so many good memories… My childhood friends always remind me that the only house they have ever been to that the food never stopped fllowing was my parents home… That is just the way it was and is at my home too… I remember as a child that I had to make Italian cookies with my mother for a week before Christmas, because you had to have enough to send some home with each guest… I do this with my grand daughters at Christmas as well… Maybe not as many as my mom used to make but Amber and I spent two days baking before Christmas… It is always so special when I can do that with my grand kids… It makes me feel like I am keeping the love of my parents alive in some small way…
Hey Ann what a lovely story! What a lovely family!
Part of my childhood was spent living in Covina!
You all are making this Irish kid envious of all your family get-togethers and the food, food, food! My family is close, but we don’t have such heavily laden tables when we get together! But we all LOVE Italian food!
I think the Barone basement is going to be very full. I have my stuff ready to go whenever we get the word. Piero is going to have grandmas all over the place!
Thanks for the funny piece, Marie. I loved it!
Very true. As a real life Italian-American kid, I can confirm that I enjoy PB&J *and* salami sandwiches. Mmm.
However, as for “Will leave you behind if that’s what the crowd is doing.”, I have to disagree. I’m an American kid and I would certainly never do anything like that.
Way to go, randomilvolofan!
I was thinking that, as one who taught high school for 31 years. There are so many great American kids. They certainly could take guidance on the really juicy love of our Italian friends, but so many of our American kids are really good people.
We just want to “take it to the next level” with Italian togetherness!
~ Jeanine, Compassion’s Doorway
I thought as much! I just wanted to make sure nobody would get the wrong idea. 🙂
Yes!
~ Jeanine
Marie,
I was smiling as you were writing the comparisons between the cultures. When i was growing up our neighbors were Italian & everything you said is so true about Italians. Always open for hugs, kisses and enjoying family. They love to cook and boy did they make the best Italian Cookies! Yummm. I have a daughter getting married this year and her fiance loves to give hugs when he sees you and when he leaves. I taught my daughter to always give hugs and kisses to the family because i never got a lot of that when i was younger. It was important to me to instill this into her and let her know i loved her very much no matter what. <3
funny- ha ha
I loved this! Asan Italian American I know all this to be true even though here in America we are losing that true Italian closeness. My Aunt was just saying when kids married they lived a block or two away from their parents and other family but now they move across the country. Savor your family ties always Piero, Gianluca, Ignazio.
Marie, This makes me wish I was Italian. My home town was Boston and my friends were Italian. I always envied their large families. North Boston is all Italian and the houses are very close. The old men would sit around and play dominos. My friends mother made the best salad dressing and we kids would drink the remains. What a good life. I am an only child and never knew the closeness of an Italian family. I wonder if the Barones would adopt me. Hugs to all of you. Joanie G
Love this! As an Italian American who had these values, but no longer living in an Italian American community and feel these keenly when I visit with my 88 year old aunt. Hopefully am passing on some of these to my 15 year old son. Is everyone ready for the upcoming PBS show, “The Italian-Americans?”
I loved this. It’s so true. No wonder our guys have such great values and their feet firmly planted on the ground. Italians are such loving people and thanks to Il Volo the whole world is finding this out.
Eileen, what’s this about a PBS special coming up “The Italian Americans”. I haven’t heard anything about it. Do you know when it will be on?
Nice!
I am a Brazilian kid, and we are like Italian kids 🙂 Btw I think the Barones, Boschettos and Ginobles do not have “basement” , maybe a wine cellar 🙂 But I think you will love to live with the wine 🙂
kisses!
I also came from an Italian family. My friends always commented on our three course Sunday dinners. We loved music. My dad sang tenor and played guitar, His bother played mandolin on the Italian Hour of WTAM Italian Hour every Sunday.. The children all gathered after dinner to have a variety show, with music, singing,playing piano and poetry recitals . Good Times..