This
week’s talk, at the Rotary Club of St Andrews “Surviving the Italian
experience, a litany of personal and business challenges”, by Rotarian
Ed Ryan, provided a humorous glimpse into the daily life of a newcomer
in a foreign country.
Some basic challenges included
overcoming the language barrier, dealing with bureaucratic officialdom
and adapting to a different set of cultural norms, all while trying to
manage a new business assignment successfully.
Escaping from an
amorous landlady, watching your belongings dangle on thin cable enroute
to an 8th floor balcony and living through several burglaries provided
an unexpected measure of excitement.
In addition to the delicious
cuisine and selections of fine wine, keys to survival included the
fortuitous finding of a resident “Guardian Angel”, managing to “listen”
in Italian and grasp multiple simultaneous conversations, and finally,
learning to “behave” as an Italian.
The “puzzle” finally solved, Ed and his family gratefully returned to the Cheshire countryside.