The subject of the third and final meeting with Enrico is our relation towards the nature.

In Western countries, like Belgium and Italy, we could state we’re quite similar: we both sort our garbage; general garbage, cans, paper, all in a different bag or box. Enrico pointed out that there is a difference between north-Italy and south-Italy. Because of the migration of ethnic groups in Southern Italy, some of these groups didn’t have the education to sort their garbage. So it’s certain that the south of Italy is a little less cleaner than the north, where Enrico lives.

Italian people are more outer-directed, this means they would go along with the laws and forces of the nature. Although they are outer-directed, they would try to control everything possible to reach their goal. Belgian people are similar to this, we are flexible towards nature, but can be dominating towards our tasks which needs to be finished as soon as possible.

If Enrico would walk down a street with a ice cream cup but there isn’t a trash bin nearby, he would throw it in a bin, when he sees one. In the south of Italy, the chances they would throw it on the ground, are bigger than in the north.  I, maybe as many others, would do the same, or hold it until you get home.

If we compare the green zones in both our countries, Enrico is sure that we’ve got more green zones next to our highway. Not the ring around Leuven, but the highway like E40, E314,... Apparently, in Italy, you have to pay a ticket before you can enter the highway. You have to indicate how many kilometers you want to drive on the highway and you pay it immediately. I reckon that’s also a way of retarding the pollution.

The green zones in Italy are the most important factor for economic growth. The tourists come for the nice weather, the green, the sea and the history of certain places.

If they would cut all the green away, there would be serious unemployment in Italy.

After a while, Enrico and I started talking about the polluted world. Like every nation in the world, Belgium and Italy are aware of the pollution. Every nation contributes to this enormous problem. But what do we do about it? Belgian people try to sort, recycle and buy long-lasting bags in supermarkets. Italians sort their rubbish and recycle too. Of course, there are also the new hybrid cars, but really few in Italy, because it’s too expensive for Italians because of the economy.

Here in Belgium, I think we’ve got more hybrid cars, which got lots to do with the bonus we receive if we buy one.

Maybe another transportation is the train, here in Belgium, its quite popular. But in Italy they’ve got 3 kinds of train: the Red Arrow, a high speed train, like our HST, really expensive, because it’s all business class. the second option is the regional train, they are cheap, but also dirty. As Enrico said: “they use it as transportation but they forget to clean it afterwards” . The third option is an intercity train, more expensive than the previous one, but luckily better quality and cleaner.

Hearing this, I don’t think I would take the regional train, I’d rather pay more for a cab or a bus

Italians know more about Belgium, and we have more information about the people,  the county and their culture!

26-05-2010 om 21:33 geschreven door HeleneStorms  

On our second meeting, Enrico and I met in the centre of Leuven. We had some relaxing time talking, enjoying our time. Was about time, indeed.
Well, starting with this topic, let's begin with trying to evaluate the fact which can help us find a conclusion. Then let's try to make some kind of conclusion, avoiding to make generalizations.

Our meeting took a flying start!

The reputation of Italian people is not so good in foreign countries when it comes to time, because we think that Italians are always late and that they are too indifferent to take care of an appointment.
But this is not true. I really appreciated talking with Enrico. Even though he was 5 minutes late, he informed me that it was due to our ‘punctual’ buses. Belgian people already got used to this, so we know we should try to take an earlier bus.

Some Italians, like Enrico, think about time as a goldmine. They think of the concept of time as money, especially in business terms. Time is money, literally.

Are Italians punctual? Are Belgians punctual?
Most of the time Italians aren’t punctual. At least according to Enrico. This is the same in Belgium, because our society isn’t as punctual as we wish it would be. We tend to be punctual, making others promises to be on time, but we often don’t accomplish this.

As Enrico said: "Well the first things our coordinator said to the foreign students was to be on time, because here in Belgium they are on time every time". Enrico experienced the opposite: every teacher arrived late, at least 5 minutes. I have to admit, the teachers aren’t always on time.

A great difference between our cultures is the meaning of the verb: “ENJOY”, in every way!

In Italy, that I visited as a tourist, I noticed they enjoy their spare time at the most, but they also enjoy their time while working. When they start their working day, they start several things at once but they still do their best.

Here in Belgium, we want to finish what we start, so we don’t take too much work for one day, just to be sure that we can finish it in the best possible way. If we have time left, we would start a new task, obviously.

Of course, everyone aims to be appreciated for his punctuality. That’s why my mother taught us that arriving too late is a way of disrespect towards the other person. If you’re going to arrive later than planned and you don’t notify the person you are supposed to meet, you show them their time isn’t as important as yours is. For us, Belgians, I think it’s quite the same as in Italy. We want to achieve being punctual. It is a value we learned from our education background. We tend to be punctual, although it doesn’t work all the time.

“Time is money” is as important in Italy as in Belgium. Being punctual for one thing, but also to get started on a new assignment.

A lesson for us all: Carpe Diem! Because life is too short to waste your time

29-04-2010 om 22:03 geschreven door HeleneStorms  

The First Meeting:

The first time I met Enrico 2 other Erasmus-students and 2 students of my class joined. The six of us took the challenge!

16^th March 2010: Enrico and I got to know each other a little bit, before applying our course material to our different societies.

The first thing I was curious about, was his reason for coming to Belgium. Surprisingly the answer was: “There were no other possibilities anymore. Either, the amount of students allowed, was already reached or the language of the country wasn’t a language I can speak, like French, German. So that’s why I chose Belgium.”

When I, like many other Belgians, think of Italy, I immediately think of the beautiful climate. This is probably due to my touristic image, which might be quite different from the image of a student or someone who works in heavenly Italy. When I ask Enrico his thoughts on Belgium, he surprised me by saying: the Parliament… Let that be the one thing I would not think of…I would have suggested our Belgian beers, Manneke Pis and our famous chocolate. Which apparently isn’t that famous.. Enrico didn’t even know we had some fine chocolate.

The climate differences intrigued me too, was Enrico prepared for our colder climate and our grey days over here.. ? Also regarding this aspect, he surprised me.. he owned a warm coat, a scarf and gloves and remembered to bring those attributes here. The difference between Italy and Belgium isn’t that big anyway, in his city of origin, it had also been snowing: over 1 meter of snow! Hearing that I feld very lucky! :D

Enrico and I talked about our countries, our habits and our societies. We started comparing the impression we had of each other’s country. Italians seem to be generous people, who show their feelings quite fast and who would welcome someone new to their group of friends seemly fast.  When I asked Enrico about his image of the Belgian people, before coming to Belgium, he answered: “To be honest, I didn’t think of Belgian people before I came here… but I reckon, you’re all serious people, in whatever you do. But you also like to enjoy life, maybe a little less than us. Maybe the weather has something to do with that. ;-)

I asked Enrico: ‘what was the first thing you noticed arriving in Belgium, and what is different in Italy?’ He answered: “Mrs. Saelen said to me, we had to arrive on time.  ‘cus Belgian people are very punctual, but I still didn’t notice that. Nearly all teachers arrive later then the hour stated in the course schedule. Furthermore, the busses are rarely on time, and when they are on time, it’s a coincidence.”

But Enrico doesn’t take the bus that often, he usually uses his bicycle, faster, healthier, and less air pollution.

Now, you already know some more about Enrico and Italy, but the subject we’re going to talk about now, is our cultures:

What’s the relation between Italians and other people, and what’s our relation and other people?

Italians tend to go on their feelings more often, they care less about following the rules. Unlike us, Belgian people, who are more strict, maybe we think more black and white, more than Italians do anyway. When we look at ourselves and how we behave ourselves in a group, we came to the conclusion that both cultures are loyal to their groups, which doesn’t mean we would hide our own opinions or that we  wouldn’t pursue our own interests.

Emotion-wise my assumption was correct, Italians will show their emotions a lot faster. ‘Not every emotion,’ Enrico clarified, ‘only the positive emotions.’ When it comes to the negative emotions, we are more similar. Those feelings and emotions are only revealed to our relatives and close friends.

Italians are more affective  than Belgians, they will communicate more often verbally than non-verbally, which is surprising since only one quarter of our communications happen through words.

While comparing countries , other subjects came up too, like the local specialties.  Italy to us means Pizza and Pasta, but that’s just because those products are commercialised. The same goes for our beers.

If I ask him about a typical product , produced  in his area, it appears to be a T-bone steak. To me that seems more American than Italian.

Enrico ensures me that the T-bone steak, the way they prepare it over there, is the best way to eat it.

Back to the cultures, how fast do we confide in people and what’s the difference between friends and acquaintances.

Enrico clarifies the Italian culture: “We, Italians, have lots of acquaintances. besides that, we also have good friends, they know us a little bit better. And then, there are the real close friends, but my family is also part of that group.” While most of the people I know are acquaintances, and a small group are my truly closest friends. But that differs from person to person I guess.

I wouldn’t call my family a part of my closest friends, although I know that they will always be there for me and nobody would ever know me as well as they do. The category ‘closest friends’ is just friends only, my family deserves a place of its own.

Here in Belgium, we mainly focus on what you have achieved in life. Your friends and family focus more on what you have become through life. In Italy, they focus on the person who you are, which doesn’t imply that what you have achieved isn’t important.

Next week I learn a little bit more of Enrico’s and Italy’s culture.  Not so much about the Italians themselves anymore, but more specifically about their relation with time.

31-03-2010 om 15:45 geschreven door HeleneStorms