Comments on: Dodging the Draft and other Southern Italian Myths http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/ Living and Traveling in Calabria, Italy Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:57:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Patrice http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-12483 Patrice Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:25:26 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-12483 I can't resist this one, since my house is like old wives' tales gone wild. 1) A pregnant woman must never, EVER, reach her arms above her head. This will result in the child getting entangled in its umbilical cord, and it will be all mom's fault. I've been fighting with my mother all these years about this one, until my third child decided to be completely wrapped in the dern thing. 2)Never put shoes on the table. This has nothing to do with hygiene. It is a sure sign of impending death or illness (maybe because of the microbes on the table?). 3) If a pregant woman has a craving, the child will have a birthmark on its body unless mom-to-be is indulged. Usually this mark is in the form of the thing desired, so be careful what you wish for. 4) The foot of the bed should never face the door of the room (because, of course, you will be going out feet first). I don't play around with this one--all of our beds face away from the doors. I can't help myself. <strong><em>Oh dear, I've never head the hands over your shoulders thing. Gulp. </em></strong> I can’t resist this one, since my house is like old wives’ tales gone wild. 1) A pregnant woman must never, EVER, reach her arms above her head. This will result in the child getting entangled in its umbilical cord, and it will be all mom’s fault. I’ve been fighting with my mother all these years about this one, until my third child decided to be completely wrapped in the dern thing. 2)Never put shoes on the table. This has nothing to do with hygiene. It is a sure sign of impending death or illness (maybe because of the microbes on the table?). 3) If a pregant woman has a craving, the child will have a birthmark on its body unless mom-to-be is indulged. Usually this mark is in the form of the thing desired, so be careful what you wish for. 4) The foot of the bed should never face the door of the room (because, of course, you will be going out feet first). I don’t play around with this one–all of our beds face away from the doors. I can’t help myself.

Oh dear, I’ve never head the hands over your shoulders thing. Gulp.

]]> By: Lucia http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11938 Lucia Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:35:45 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11938 I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Lucia <a href="http://www.modernfurniture4home.com" rel="nofollow">Italian bed</a> <strong><em>Thank you.</em></strong> I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Lucia
Italian bed

Thank you.

]]> By: OrangePolkaDot http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11930 OrangePolkaDot Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:19:07 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11930 My husband, Argentine of Southern Italian descent, swears that you cannot go swimming for 2 hours after eating. His mom made him and his brother wait 2 hours after they ate before swimming because you could die or stop digestion. I told him, I think your mom wanted a siesta! Two hours seems a bit extreme. <strong><em>Ha! So funny. My husband believes that one, too!</em></strong> .-= OrangePolkaDot´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OrangePolkaDot/~3/Grk-aSqCvuk/barcelona-festivals-sa-pobla-in-gracia.html" rel="nofollow">Barcelona Festivals: Sa Pobla in Gràcia</a> =-. My husband, Argentine of Southern Italian descent, swears that you cannot go swimming for 2 hours after eating. His mom made him and his brother wait 2 hours after they ate before swimming because you could die or stop digestion. I told him, I think your mom wanted a siesta! Two hours seems a bit extreme.

Ha! So funny. My husband believes that one, too!

OrangePolkaDot´s last blog ..Barcelona Festivals: Sa Pobla in Gràcia My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Katja http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11916 Katja Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:05:14 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11916 I have to say I'm with the Italians on air-con and iced water. As a one-time professional singer, I don't ever drink really cold water, as it makes my throat close up. (Also, it hurts my teeth, but that's by the by!) I'm the girl who fishes ice cubes out of my drinks in restaurants - can't bear the things unless they're in a G&T, in which case all bets are off. ;) Air-con just seems to dry me out. My skin gets itchy and my throat gets, if not sore, definitely dry and parched. Of course, I haven't yet done a summer here, so I'll wait to see how I do without it in June hehehe. <strong><em>Oh it gets hot down here, trust me. Strangely enough, though, I have a hard time sleeping with the AC on now when I am in the US. Mah!</em></strong> .-= Katja´s last blog ..<a href="http://drivinglikeamaniac.blogspot.com/2010/01/hear-no-evil.html" rel="nofollow">Hear no evil</a> =-. I have to say I’m with the Italians on air-con and iced water. As a one-time professional singer, I don’t ever drink really cold water, as it makes my throat close up. (Also, it hurts my teeth, but that’s by the by!) I’m the girl who fishes ice cubes out of my drinks in restaurants – can’t bear the things unless they’re in a G&T, in which case all bets are off. ;)

Air-con just seems to dry me out. My skin gets itchy and my throat gets, if not sore, definitely dry and parched. Of course, I haven’t yet done a summer here, so I’ll wait to see how I do without it in June hehehe.

Oh it gets hot down here, trust me. Strangely enough, though, I have a hard time sleeping with the AC on now when I am in the US. Mah!

Katja´s last blog ..Hear no evil My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Pat http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11879 Pat Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:30:15 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11879 Here we go again, this is like the expat mantra for you people...it must be that time of year again..anyway I understand this, my grandmother would chase me down the stairs to the door with a towel screaming that I would die from pneumonia in the cold with my wet head, true story...anyway, you people are very unfair to them. My grandmother's aunt buried four children, all under seven years of age, including her only daughter, from pneumonia in the 1920's, because their house was literally too cold. The kids caught pneumonia and died because there were no antibiotics at that time...my grandmother's aunt died in her 40's, and her sister always said that each child she buried took a decade off of her life in heartbreak...my great aunt and great uncle almost died as toddlers from pneumonia as well in the 1910's...the doctor said the cause was the constant cold and damp of the house in winter...my great grandmother could afford to move, they did and the kids lived. Pneumonia could be a death sentence in those days. There's a historical memory in those people and those places that deserves our respect. <strong><em>Oh, Pat, I don't think you are being fair to "us people," either. Many of the things Italians believe are very different from what medicine and science teach us as truths today. I am sure there are cases in the US that are similar to your great grandmother's and people from that generation in the US would no doubt (have) agreed with the Italians. It is not a disrespect thing, more of a mystery to me why the new generation still believe it. </em></strong> Here we go again, this is like the expat mantra for you people…it must be that time of year again..anyway I understand this, my grandmother would chase me down the stairs to the door with a towel screaming that I would die from pneumonia in the cold with my wet head, true story…anyway, you people are very unfair to them. My grandmother’s aunt buried four children, all under seven years of age, including her only daughter, from pneumonia in the 1920′s, because their house was literally too cold. The kids caught pneumonia and died because there were no antibiotics at that time…my grandmother’s aunt died in her 40′s, and her sister always said that each child she buried took a decade off of her life in heartbreak…my great aunt and great uncle almost died as toddlers from pneumonia as well in the 1910′s…the doctor said the cause was the constant cold and damp of the house in winter…my great grandmother could afford to move, they did and the kids lived. Pneumonia could be a death sentence in those days. There’s a historical memory in those people and those places that deserves our respect.

Oh, Pat, I don’t think you are being fair to “us people,” either. Many of the things Italians believe are very different from what medicine and science teach us as truths today. I am sure there are cases in the US that are similar to your great grandmother’s and people from that generation in the US would no doubt (have) agreed with the Italians. It is not a disrespect thing, more of a mystery to me why the new generation still believe it.

]]> By: JA Getzlaff http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11873 JA Getzlaff Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:34:36 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11873 Just after I moved to France, I acquired a terrible sinus infection and everyone kept scolding me for not wearing a scarf. And by everyone, I don't just mean the French — every European in my French classes blamed my sickness on my lack of scarf. Also, whenever the wind blew my fellow students would scoot their chairs away from the window; never mind that the window was closed, or that it was 65 degrees outside. Some wives tales, I think, are Continental. Although I must admit that, having been here a while, I now tend to agree with them. And I never liked air conditioning or ice cubes much anyway ... <strong><em>Ha, isn't that funny how they can rub off on you. I wrote a post a few months ago about how I'm coming around to some of these, too! ha</em></strong> .-= JA Getzlaff´s last blog ..<a href="http://foreignparts.typepad.com/foreign_parts/2010/01/%C3%A0-d%C3%A9tester-les-soldes-dhiver.html" rel="nofollow">À DÉTESTER: Les Soldes</a> =-. Just after I moved to France, I acquired a terrible sinus infection and everyone kept scolding me for not wearing a scarf. And by everyone, I don’t just mean the French — every European in my French classes blamed my sickness on my lack of scarf. Also, whenever the wind blew my fellow students would scoot their chairs away from the window; never mind that the window was closed, or that it was 65 degrees outside. Some wives tales, I think, are Continental. Although I must admit that, having been here a while, I now tend to agree with them. And I never liked air conditioning or ice cubes much anyway …

Ha, isn’t that funny how they can rub off on you. I wrote a post a few months ago about how I’m coming around to some of these, too! ha

JA Getzlaff´s last blog ..À DÉTESTER: Les Soldes My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Debra http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11859 Debra Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:46:17 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11859 What about getting "cold on your stomach"? If you eat a meal and don't cover your stomach with several layers of sweaters before going out, it will halt your digestion and, of course, you will die! <strong><em>Oh noooo, I haven't heard this one. I'll be careful!</em></strong> What about getting “cold on your stomach”? If you eat a meal and don’t cover your stomach with several layers of sweaters before going out, it will halt your digestion and, of course, you will die!

Oh noooo, I haven’t heard this one. I’ll be careful!

]]> By: Diana http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11858 Diana Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:16:22 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11858 I have to admit that I have always hated drafts. I never thought they would make me sick, but I "just don't like air blowing on me". So I guess I'll fit right in. <strong><em>Funny, I never did, either. Not that I was scared, though! I promise.</em></strong> I have to admit that I have always hated drafts. I never thought they would make me sick, but I “just don’t like air blowing on me”. So I guess I’ll fit right in.

Funny, I never did, either. Not that I was scared, though! I promise.

]]> By: amber http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11857 amber Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:41:28 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11857 It's just as bad in Tuscany, my friend. My MIL supposedly got pnemonia from Air conditioning on a trip to Bologna. It couldn't possibly have started from the cold/flu that she had and didn't take care of! Of course not! It's the cross breeze (corrente) for us here. If G-d fordbid there is more than one window open in the house we have to put on our winter coats! And I have to listen to them yell at me for not protecting my son! I always joke with them and say, don't worry. We're American and immune to (whatever it is that I am getting yelled at for at that moment.) <strong><em>Oh that is funny. I like your American immunity defense!</em></strong> It’s just as bad in Tuscany, my friend. My MIL supposedly got pnemonia from Air conditioning on a trip to Bologna. It couldn’t possibly have started from the cold/flu that she had and didn’t take care of! Of course not! It’s the cross breeze (corrente) for us here. If G-d fordbid there is more than one window open in the house we have to put on our winter coats! And I have to listen to them yell at me for not protecting my son!

I always joke with them and say, don’t worry. We’re American and immune to (whatever it is that I am getting yelled at for at that moment.)

Oh that is funny. I like your American immunity defense!

]]> By: jmisgro http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-11855 jmisgro Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:33:16 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-11855 All of those are true here in Sicily! My husband's family had a bird the first time they saw me go out in the cold (70 degree F) with wet hair. They cannot believe that I do not own a blow dryer....I was expecting to see one on Christmas Day. Thank God that didn't happen. Everyone here is cold...they are out in coats and hats and scarves and such. Most of the time we don't wear anything because it is not cold to us. Maybe it will be next year. Today we went to Ipercoop and I just had a on a short sleeve shirt. You should have seen teh looks i got! Great post! <strong><em>Oooh, you rebel you!</em></strong> All of those are true here in Sicily! My husband’s family had a bird the first time they saw me go out in the cold (70 degree F) with wet hair. They cannot believe that I do not own a blow dryer….I was expecting to see one on Christmas Day. Thank God that didn’t happen.
Everyone here is cold…they are out in coats and hats and scarves and such. Most of the time we don’t wear anything because it is not cold to us. Maybe it will be next year. Today we went to Ipercoop and I just had a on a short sleeve shirt. You should have seen teh looks i got!
Great post!

Oooh, you rebel you!

]]> By: mental mosaic » Blog Archive » Rebel without a Rhinovirus http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-3154 mental mosaic » Blog Archive » Rebel without a Rhinovirus Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:44:54 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-3154 [...] Fellow Naples-dwelling expat, Delina, knows firsthand how Italians feel about soaking wet hair, while Cherrye, over at her blog “My Bella Vita” explains these Italian attitudes in hilarious detail. [...] [...] Fellow Naples-dwelling expat, Delina, knows firsthand how Italians feel about soaking wet hair, while Cherrye, over at her blog “My Bella Vita” explains these Italian attitudes in hilarious detail. [...]

]]> By: proverbs31 http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-1491 proverbs31 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:45:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-1491 LOL! Oh Zia M would NOT like me!! We Texas gals LIKE our air conditioning and ice water, yes? In fact there are days when even sweet iced tea is not good enough and I MUST have a tall glass of extremely cold ice water to quench my thirst! <br/>However, having said that, it IS true that if you get over-heated, you should not GULP cold water. You should sip it slowly. So it's not COMPLETELY crazy. IF you have heat exhaustion. ;) (Google "heat exhaustion do not gulp water.")<br/><br/>I got 80% on the quiz! I should have gone with my first instinct on the other two. :) LOL! Oh Zia M would NOT like me!! We Texas gals LIKE our air conditioning and ice water, yes? In fact there are days when even sweet iced tea is not good enough and I MUST have a tall glass of extremely cold ice water to quench my thirst!
However, having said that, it IS true that if you get over-heated, you should not GULP cold water. You should sip it slowly. So it’s not COMPLETELY crazy. IF you have heat exhaustion. ;) (Google “heat exhaustion do not gulp water.”)

I got 80% on the quiz! I should have gone with my first instinct on the other two. :)

]]> By: Cherrye http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-542 Cherrye Mon, 14 May 2007 08:32:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-542 NYC - you are lucky your mom told you the truth - my mom is the one who told me about not crossing my eyes! ha<br/><br/>Enza! Welcome and thanks for coming over. I bet you have even more wive's tales you could share.<br/><br/>Cheeky - Feel free to use said expression whenever you feel, well, plum pissy!!<br/><br/>Erin - I know, that is why I think we have to warn everyone else. Last night I went out with wet hair and Peppe's cousin said, "She is going to get a headache!" I just smiled!<br/><br/>Yours Truly - 80%? That is what I got, too...I was proud!<br/><br/>Susan D - thanks for stopping by. That toilet seat thing is an ugly idea...yuck yuck yuck!!! NYC – you are lucky your mom told you the truth – my mom is the one who told me about not crossing my eyes! ha

Enza! Welcome and thanks for coming over. I bet you have even more wive’s tales you could share.

Cheeky – Feel free to use said expression whenever you feel, well, plum pissy!!

Erin – I know, that is why I think we have to warn everyone else. Last night I went out with wet hair and Peppe’s cousin said, “She is going to get a headache!” I just smiled!

Yours Truly – 80%? That is what I got, too…I was proud!

Susan D – thanks for stopping by. That toilet seat thing is an ugly idea…yuck yuck yuck!!!

]]> By: susan d http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-527 susan d Sun, 13 May 2007 01:31:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-527 That was funny. Found your blog connected to Poppy Fields who popped up on ??? You know how it goes, you start linking to people through their comments on other's blogs.<br/>Got 90%.<br/>But I do know for a fact you can diseases (which ones??) from sitting directly on toilet seats. That's why they invented those rotating toilet seat covers in the airports. That was funny. Found your blog connected to Poppy Fields who popped up on ??? You know how it goes, you start linking to people through their comments on other’s blogs.
Got 90%.
But I do know for a fact you can diseases (which ones??) from sitting directly on toilet seats. That’s why they invented those rotating toilet seat covers in the airports.

]]> By: yours truly B http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-523 yours truly B Sat, 12 May 2007 17:30:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-523 I got 80% pretty good for the first time I got 80% pretty good for the first time

]]> By: Erin http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-519 Erin Fri, 11 May 2007 16:17:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-519 I can't believe there aren't dead bodies and sick people everywhere with all those warnings! That was so funny! It makes you wonder if some people just were not given their dose of common sense... I can’t believe there aren’t dead bodies and sick people everywhere with all those warnings! That was so funny! It makes you wonder if some people just were not given their dose of common sense…

]]> By: cheeky http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-517 cheeky Fri, 11 May 2007 02:58:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-517 This was a fantastic post. I don't think I stopped laughing the whole read.<br/>My grandfather had a thing about "catching a draft", argh we used to roll our eyes, and plead as we were nearly suffocating in either the car or the house. My grandfather was Hungarian, not even Italian!<br/>I'd be plum pissy too about turning the air con on. I mean really, sheesharoo! BTW I like that expression, tee hee! This was a fantastic post. I don’t think I stopped laughing the whole read.
My grandfather had a thing about “catching a draft”, argh we used to roll our eyes, and plead as we were nearly suffocating in either the car or the house. My grandfather was Hungarian, not even Italian!
I’d be plum pissy too about turning the air con on. I mean really, sheesharoo! BTW I like that expression, tee hee!

]]> By: Enza http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-516 Enza Thu, 10 May 2007 22:49:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-516 i found your blog through Bleeding Espresso and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Being the daughter of a Sicilian, I have heard every one of those wives' tales and then some. Going barefooted is definitely the way to die early! Thanks for bringing back some memories and making me laugh! i found your blog through Bleeding Espresso and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Being the daughter of a Sicilian, I have heard every one of those wives’ tales and then some. Going barefooted is definitely the way to die early! Thanks for bringing back some memories and making me laugh!

]]> By: nyc/caribbean ragazza http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-511 nyc/caribbean ragazza Thu, 10 May 2007 15:20:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-511 LOL. I heard many of these from my West Indian parents esp. regarding digestion and the whole catching a draft thing. <br/><br/>Giulia I remember the watermelon one from when I was a kid. My mom was a nurse and told me it wasn't true. Phew. :) LOL. I heard many of these from my West Indian parents esp. regarding digestion and the whole catching a draft thing.

Giulia I remember the watermelon one from when I was a kid. My mom was a nurse and told me it wasn’t true. Phew. :)

]]> By: Cherrye http://my-bellavita.com/2010/01/06/dodging-the-draft/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Cherrye Thu, 10 May 2007 07:56:00 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=87#comment-504 Oh Goodness, Nadine. I don't think I put shoes on the table or bed...but I'll have to be more careful...going to check on your blog!<br/><br/>J-VERY FUNNY! LOL...I'm in trouble!<br/><br/>Guila-The bed thing I think comes from Feng Shui and, while I dont believe you will DIE (ha ha) from it, I did make Peppe put all the beds in the B&B without the "feet" facing the door! Guilty! Oh Goodness, Nadine. I don’t think I put shoes on the table or bed…but I’ll have to be more careful…going to check on your blog!

J-VERY FUNNY! LOL…I’m in trouble!

Guila-The bed thing I think comes from Feng Shui and, while I dont believe you will DIE (ha ha) from it, I did make Peppe put all the beds in the B&B without the “feet” facing the door! Guilty!

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