Scioperi, “strikes” in Italian, are a fact of life here, but they are quite different from strikes in the US, maddeningly so, at times. When we read about workers going on strike in the states, it’s usually a fairly big deal, at whatever level, whether it’s the local teachers’ union going on strike for better…

On Sunday, I went to Verona to see the professional world cycling championships. One of my favorite things in Italy is how popular cycling is. In the states, the sport is doing well because of Lance Armstrong, but there is nowhere near the same level of interest there is in Italy. You could put together…

“Il Camping” in Italian is not an activity, but a place – what we would call a campground in English. And the linguistic difference is just the beginning. The most apt way to describe it is that camping in Italy is a far more civilized experience than back home in Oregon, for better and for…

Greece recently pulled off quite an upset to win the European soccer championships. Italy, on the other hand, got knocked out of the tournament pretty early and never really lived up to their expectations. Not that I care too much, I’m a big cycling fan, and am not too interested in watching matches drag on…

I recently had visitors from the states, which is always a good opportunity to go see some of the more “touristy” sides of Padova that I don’t normally see. One of the most interesting things about Padova is its university. It’s apparently the third oldest in the world, after the nearby University of Bologna, and…

The freak snowstorms of early March are now a fading memory, and something that can honestly be called spring is blooming. Daylight savings time is now in effect, the days are longer, and begin to be pleasantly warm. In fact, the government has decreed a day when it is officially warm enough and central heating…

Eating in Italy is a very, very important part of life, and eating well is a priority for everyone, in all walks of life. During the evening news on Christmas day, they showed footage of the soldiers in Iraq spending their day, which included a celebration of mass, but also a description of all the…

Not being particularly inclined to “follow the herd”, Ilenia and I decided to take our vacation in October, instead of August, when pretty much everyone else in Italy takes the month off. I have a couple friends in Spain that I had been talking about visiting for several years, and the timing finally worked out!…

Padova, a city of 300,000 some odd people had two chain hamburger “restaurants”: a McDonalds and a Burger King. A few months ago, the Burger King closed. The McDonalds is right next to the train station, and stays in business because of its location (Ray Kroc, McDonalds founder always said his business was ‘real estate’).…

In Italy, “la residenza”, residency, is not just an attribute that describes where you live, it is an actual legal certificate. When we moved back to Padova, Ilenia decided to officially change her residency from that of her parents’ home to our apartment. Just moving isn’t enough, of course. The proper authorities must be notified,…