Comments on: Travel Tip Tuesday: Take the Shock Out of Culture Shock-Five Tips for Travelers Visiting Italy http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/ Living and Traveling in Calabria, Italy Wed, 23 May 2012 14:59:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: andrew http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12145 andrew Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:13:33 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12145 Hi Cherrye Thanks for pointing people in the direction of our tips. And great to read some of your own. The suggestion about books set in Italy is spot on - there are some great travel guides out there (and each has its role to play), but nothing puts you inside the skin of a native quite like reading a good novel; a story that allows you to see the country through their eyes, whether it's tough reality (like Levi's 'Christ Stopped at Eboli') or romantic escapism (Antony Capella's 'The Wedding Officer'). <strong><em>Thanks for stopping by, Andrew. Books are also a great way (for me) to do a little armchair travelin' for those stretches when I'm stuck in Italy! :-)</em></strong> .-= andrew´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/speaktheculture/~3/w5ZWOF6KBj4/sample-chapter-download" rel="nofollow">Sample chapter download</a> =-. Hi Cherrye
Thanks for pointing people in the direction of our tips. And great to read some of your own. The suggestion about books set in Italy is spot on – there are some great travel guides out there (and each has its role to play), but nothing puts you inside the skin of a native quite like reading a good novel; a story that allows you to see the country through their eyes, whether it’s tough reality (like Levi’s ‘Christ Stopped at Eboli’) or romantic escapism (Antony Capella’s ‘The Wedding Officer’).

Thanks for stopping by, Andrew. Books are also a great way (for me) to do a little armchair travelin’ for those stretches when I’m stuck in Italy! :-)

.-= andrew´s last blog ..Sample chapter download =-.

]]> By: Cecil Lee http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12144 Cecil Lee Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:13:24 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12144 Great tips Cherrye! Though I do the same for most of my travel but it's nice to have them listed out so to remind me or take it as a checklist to do them before my travel to Italy. thanks for sharing. :) <strong><em>Thanks, Cecil! I hope you enjoy planning your trip!</em></strong> .-= Cecil Lee´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/travelfeeder/~3/zw7gEku1to0/free-stockphoto-downloads-high-key-portrait" rel="nofollow">Free Stockphoto Downloads – High Key Portrait</a> =-. Great tips Cherrye! Though I do the same for most of my travel but it’s nice to have them listed out so to remind me or take it as a checklist to do them before my travel to Italy. thanks for sharing. :)

Thanks, Cecil! I hope you enjoy planning your trip!

.-= Cecil Lee´s last blog ..Free Stockphoto Downloads – High Key Portrait =-.

]]> By: Michael Kovnick http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12141 Michael Kovnick Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:04:40 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12141 I agree with Judith... If you are going short term, half the fun is diving in without having too many expectations. That said, I read some of your culture-shock for expats posts, and yeah... that 'anger' stage can get rough. Luckily nowadays the Internet helps quite a bit. When I first moved to Italy, there was no Internet, no satellite tv, etc. That was rough when I was dying for a little mother tongue :-) <strong><em>Ooooh, I bet, Michael. I've actually been writing (in my mind) a post about different it was being an expat before we had the Internet, Skype, etc. etc.</em></strong> .-= Michael Kovnick´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingTouringInItaly/~3/JYCUENhvcSc/" rel="nofollow">In Search of the Perfect Espresso</a> =-. I agree with Judith… If you are going short term, half the fun is diving in without having too many expectations. That said, I read some of your culture-shock for expats posts, and yeah… that ‘anger’ stage can get rough. Luckily nowadays the Internet helps quite a bit. When I first moved to Italy, there was no Internet, no satellite tv, etc. That was rough when I was dying for a little mother tongue :-)

Ooooh, I bet, Michael. I’ve actually been writing (in my mind) a post about different it was being an expat before we had the Internet, Skype, etc. etc.

.-= Michael Kovnick´s last blog ..In Search of the Perfect Espresso =-.

]]> By: Judith in Umbria http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12140 Judith in Umbria Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:41:09 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12140 Half the reason for my trips all my life has been to experience cultural shock, awe, flavor and savor! I think travelers should just relax and let it wash over them. Isn't a vacation about getting out? Vacating? Living differently for a while? <strong><em>Totally!</em></strong> Half the reason for my trips all my life has been to experience cultural shock, awe, flavor and savor! I think travelers should just relax and let it wash over them. Isn’t a vacation about getting out? Vacating? Living differently for a while?

Totally!

]]> By: carol http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12134 carol Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:43:06 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12134 Hey Cherrye, I totally agree about the books, blogs and Facebook. They've sure worked for us :) <strong><em>Yea! So glad to hear it!</em></strong> Hey Cherrye, I totally agree about the books, blogs and Facebook. They’ve sure worked for us :)

Yea! So glad to hear it!

]]> By: Michelle @ Italian Mama Chef http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12132 Michelle @ Italian Mama Chef Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:53:51 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12132 My father traveled to Italy in 1998 and I am in possession of his journal. He kept very detailed accounts of his trip along with a great number of pictures. I would really like to transcribe his journal to the computer but his writing is tiny and in pencil so it's going to be a tedious job. I need a good light and magnifier. But I did notice that he must have been told some of these tips because he did take time to settle in and adjust to the climate and culture before beginning the real purpose of his trip-visiting his parents' hometown and relatives. Thanks for writing so many great tips. <strong><em>Prego, Michelle. I think you will be happy in the end if you take the time to work on those notes!</em></strong> .-= Michelle @ Italian Mama Chef´s last blog ..<a href="http://italianmamachef.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/pizza-pizza-and-more-pizza/" rel="nofollow">Pizza, pizza and more pizza!</a> =-. My father traveled to Italy in 1998 and I am in possession of his journal. He kept very detailed accounts of his trip along with a great number of pictures. I would really like to transcribe his journal to the computer but his writing is tiny and in pencil so it’s going to be a tedious job. I need a good light and magnifier. But I did notice that he must have been told some of these tips because he did take time to settle in and adjust to the climate and culture before beginning the real purpose of his trip-visiting his parents’ hometown and relatives.
Thanks for writing so many great tips.

Prego, Michelle. I think you will be happy in the end if you take the time to work on those notes!

.-= Michelle @ Italian Mama Chef´s last blog ..Pizza, pizza and more pizza! =-.

]]> By: Katja http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/02/avoid-italy-culture-shock-when-traveling/comment-page-1/#comment-12130 Katja Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:15:50 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3682#comment-12130 How interesting. I'd never really thought about it from the point of view of a short-term holidayer. I suppose it depends on what you want to get out of your holiday: if, as most holidaymakers do, all you want is to get away from routine and normal life for a week or two, then I'm not sure it's all that important to necessarily become *part* of the culture. However, if you want to get that bit deeper into the country's psyche, then it adds to the holiday, no doubt. <strong><em>I agree it isn't necessary to be part of the culture if you are just passing through, but understanding the culture and being less apprehensive would definitely help you feel more comfortable and thus, enjoy your vacation more easily.</em></strong> .-= Katja´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.katebailward.com/drivinglikeamaniac/?p=194" rel="nofollow">Eating the Italian way</a> =-. How interesting. I’d never really thought about it from the point of view of a short-term holidayer. I suppose it depends on what you want to get out of your holiday: if, as most holidaymakers do, all you want is to get away from routine and normal life for a week or two, then I’m not sure it’s all that important to necessarily become *part* of the culture. However, if you want to get that bit deeper into the country’s psyche, then it adds to the holiday, no doubt.

I agree it isn’t necessary to be part of the culture if you are just passing through, but understanding the culture and being less apprehensive would definitely help you feel more comfortable and thus, enjoy your vacation more easily.

.-= Katja´s last blog ..Eating the Italian way =-.

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