Feminists be warned, the biggest culture shock in Italy for me has been adapting to what I can only call a patriarchal society that is stuck in the 1960s and that makes Mad Men look progressive. And the worst part is, I actually don’t think it’s going to be changing anytime soon. You hear the horror stories, the anecdotes, about Italian mothers and housewives, but you never believe that they could be true. If you don’t want to have nightmares little ones, put on your earmuffs. Gender roles are alive and well in Italy and I live in the more non-conventional North of Italy, it all gets worse down South. I should have paid more attention to these things when I was visiting Italy and seeing my MIL at work preparing dinner and cleaning up afterwards but it didn’t really dawn on me until my very first dinner party with Italians. When we arrived, the boys essentially put up their feet while the girlfriends headed straight to the kitchen to start food prep. The girls set the table, made the food, served the food, and cleaned up after. To make matters even more unbelievable, I remember like it was yesterday that I was asked (read: told) that I had to bring a HOMEMADE dessert, a torta fatta in casa. Each girlfriend showed up with a homemade something because this is just how it is and what is expected, apparently so all the other men can pat each other on the back for their great luck in finding such exceptional future mothers. I shouldn’t be so awful to the Italian men here, some might say that women shouldn’t complain because what you get in return is the other side of gender roles, so they still carry your bags, open doors, do gallant gentlemanly shit and it’s true, I don’t complain. My husband does all his “man” stuff with no issues. He takes care of the garden and the yard, takes out the garbage, opens jars and lifts heavy things for me. I guess the biggest shock is that women are now expected to work full-time AND carry on with their traditional gender roles while men are still doing what they were doing in 1960. For me, it would be fine and dandy to do all the grocery shopping, housekeeping, ironing, and starching if I were at home with my cocktail every day of the week when our job used to be NO JOB (if you got that Ali Wong reference there, let's be BFFs).  The fact is, it’s no longer like that and women are working out of the home and men are still expecting their homemade meal at the end of the day by a wife that looks like Monica Bellucci in an apron and heels even though we might get home later than them and from a more exhausting day at that! As an expat and having grown up in a very woman-run world (Asian families you know), I’ve had a hard run at it trying to come to terms with these issues. I’ve more or less learned to adapt and my husband does help me with household chores (luckily this post is in English so my mother-in-law can’t read it because if she did, I would be in deep shit- yes, the gender roles are upheld even by women themselves, albeit of older generations but this is why I’m telling you they won’t go away anytime soon!). Oh and don't get me started on the "news" programs (yes, that's you Striscia La Notizia) which feature two male presenters conducting the show while girls half their age prance around half-naked and grind to English songs in some grotesque attempt to be useful. I'll leave an episode here (same as embedded video) so you can watch it but you've been warned. It makes your toes curl and if you can read and understand the comments left by all the men underneath the video, God help us. I used to watch in shock with my mouth gaping open. So that went off on a bit of a rant but there you have it, traditional gender roles is what was and continues to be the biggest culture shock for me about life in Italy. 

CHEERS August Dolce Vita Bloggers, see you at the next one!  Please leave a comment and then go and check out the other amazing posts. Have a lovely summer everyone and see you in September.

This is part of the #DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #9 August 2018 - Culture Shock. 

Past #DolceVitaBlogger Link-Ups:
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #8 July 2018 - La Dolce Vita
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #7 June 2018 - Hidden Gems in Italy
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #6 May 2018 - Five Italian Words
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #5 April 2018 - The Perfect Day in Italy
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #4 March 2018 - International Women's Day
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #3 February 2018 - A Love Letter to Italy
#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #2 January 2018 - Favourite Italian City
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #1 December 2017 - 'The Italian Connection

August: Culture Shock
Whether you’re a tourist, an expat, or a native, what has shocked you the most about Italy? (For Italians: what shocked you about a different region or city in Italy?). We want to hear the good, the bad, the really, really ugly. I'd personally love to hear some culture shock moments that don't involve bureaucracy, let's go beyond the ordinary. Your hosts of the #DolceVitaBloggers link up, Kelly, Kristie, and I, invite you to share your moments of culture shock in Italy. 
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HOW TO JOIN OUR LINK-UP:
For instructions on how to join, click here.
For an instructive video on how to join, click here.
​
The link up will be open from August 7th to 14th. You’ll be able to add your blog post or vlog below as always by clicking the BLUE BUTTON. ​

July: La Dolce Vita

We all know that stereotype. But what’s your definition of “la dolce vita”? In other words, what makes life sweet for you? What does your ideal life look like? Your hosts of the #DolceVitaBloggers link up, Kelly, Kristie, and I, invite you to define your dolce vita.  
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HOW TO JOIN OUR LINK-UP:
For instructions on how to join, click here.
For an instructive video on how to join, click here.
​
The link up will be open from July 7th to 14th. You’ll be able to add your blog post or vlog below as always by clicking the BLUE BUTTON. ​

I am in full-on VACATION MODE. I know, it's only June but I leave for Canada on Sunday for my best friend's wedding and so I have a good reason. This month's #DolceVitaBloggers topic was "Hidden Gems of Italy". I have to admit, I'm always wary of doing this type of post because I'm greedy and I don't want anyone else to find out all my secret spots. However, I've realized over the years that Italy is just full of gorgeous hideaways and towns that it would be impossible to give away all her secrets, there's always going to be somethng beautiful and undiscovered just around the corner.

I chose Sestri Levante because it was freshest in my head, we were just here two weekends ago and had our second swim of the summer season. I'm calling it a hidden gem, although maybe to Italians it isn't. It's quite popular with local tourists, the locals from Milan and area who make the two hour drive to catch some rays on its quaint beach. In Italy, you can either go to either coastline but I prefer Liguria for the water, it's crystal clear and clean in contrast to the Adriatic on the other side. It's not as well known to foreign tourists, likely because of proximity to the more famous Cinque Terre or Portofino. That's fine though, it just means more Sestri Levante for me! The most fabulous part about this little town in Liguria is that it actually is itself a mini-peninsula, the old town sits on a strip of land and on either side of it is water, two bays that are named La Baia delle Favole (The Bay of Fairytales) and La Baia del Silenzio (The Bay of Silence); the latter is the one you see pictured above. For lovers of long stretches of sand beach, this is not the place for you- the beach itself is rather small and you have to get there early to claim a spot. You'll be packed like sardines, common on Italian beaches in summer. This was not a huge issue for me because I love swimming and frolicking in the water.

You need to be a good swimmer to have fun in the Bay of Silence- this is because the bottom of the sea is dotted sporadically with ricci (sea urchins) so it's much better (and safer) to swim or float on the surface, even in the shallow areas. A little known fact about sea urchins is that in addition to their spikes, they can actually sting you as well...fiesty little buggers they are, but delicious with spaghetti. We were tempted to cut one open and eat it as you should- raw- but we didn't have a knife on us. Have you guys eaten ricci in Italy before? Sorry, as usual this post has gone off-topic because the only thing I think about all day is food! 

Happy June Dolce Vita Bloggers, see you at the next one!  Please leave a comment and then go and check out the other amazing posts. 

This is part of the June 2018 #DolceVitaBloggers Linkup. 

Past #DolceVitaBlogger Link-Ups:
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #6 May 2018 - Five Italian Words
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #5 April 2018 - The Perfect Day in Italy
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #4 March 2018 - International Women's Day
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #3 February 2018 - A Love Letter to Italy
#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #2 January 2018 - Favourite Italian City
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #1 December 2017 - 'The Italian Connection

June: Hidden Gems

It's finally summer here in Italy and we are in the #VACATIONMOOD. Your hosts of the #DolceVitaBloggers link up, Kelly, Kristie, and I, invite you to share your favorite hidden gem(s) in Italy. Let's get off the beaten path and armchair travel together through il bel paese. We can't wait to hear about your secret places! 
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HOW TO JOIN OUR LINK-UP:
For instructions on how to join, click here.
For an instructive video on how to join, click here.
​
The link up will be open from June 7th to 14th. You’ll be able to add your blog post or vlog below as always by clicking the BLUE BUTTON. ​

I just realized that today is both Love Story Lunedì AND May 7th which means I had to make the very heart-wrenching choice between sharing a love story and sharing my #DolceVitaBloggers contribution! Just kidding, I came up with a brilliant compromise that incorporates some of the Monday romance you're all used to and this month's linkup topic which was: FIVE ITALIAN WORDS OR PHRASES (and why you love them). Italian has always been considered the language of romance, and for good reason, the way it rolls off the lips of a sexy Italian is second to none. Sorry if this is TMI but I find Italian to be a HUGE TURN ON. Before studying the language, I might have said that the Italian accent in English was hot but now I just want to hear the language in all its full glory. Sometimes I just lie in dark and listen to Italian songs and just get completely lost in the words. Nerd alert. You know what is also extremely sexy? THE CONGIUNTIVO. Oh man, when I hear an Italian boy use the congiuntivo come se FOSSE niente, my pants just dissolve. I mean, technically there's no reason why Italians shouldn't be using the congiuntivo correctly but I think I love it because it's such a hard concept for English-speakers to grasp. Getting back on topic, here's FIVE romantic, sexy phrases in Italian that I just adore the socks off: 

May: Five Italian Words

Your hosts of the #DolceVitaBloggers link up, Kelly, Kristie, and I, invite you to share FIVE of your favorite Italians words, phrases, or expressions. You can choose to elaborate on them however you please, but we'd love to know why you chose to share particular words or phrases and if they have some special meaning to you or if you simply like the way they sound! 
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HOW TO JOIN OUR LINK-UP:
For instructions on how to join, click here.
For an instructive video on how to join, click here.
​
The link up will be open from May 7th to 14th. You’ll be able to add your blog post or vlog below as always by clicking the BLUE BUTTON. ​

Your hosts of the #DolceVitaBloggers link up, Kelly, Kristie, and I, invite you to dream big and share your perfect day in Italy for the April 2018 link up topic!
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Perhaps you’d like to share a memory of a blissful day you’ve already experienced, or perhaps you’d like to share a hypothetical perfect day that you’d like to experience if money were no object.
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• Who are you with?
• What would you do?
• Where would you go?
• What would you eat?

Dream big and inspire us with your perfect day in Italy! It’s a perfect opportunity to inspire others visiting Italy this summer with a dreamy itinerary for a perfect day in the bel paese.

HOW TO JOIN OUR LINK-UP:
For instructions on how to join, click here.
For an instructive video on how to join, click here.
​
The link up will be open from April 7th to 14th. You’ll be able to add your blog post or vlog below as always by clicking the BLUE BUTTON. 

Past #DolceVitaBlogger Link-Ups:
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #4 March 2018 - International Women's Day
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #3 February 2018 - A Love Letter to Italy
#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #2 January 2018 - Favourite Italian City
​#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup - #1 December 2017 - 'The Italian Connection'