SHITALIA - worst place on earth!! (and still going down) - Page 2 - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**aliz** · 08-05-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raoulduke

Ouch....That'll be controversial.

you're such a wise prophet adam.

hmm, can't be bothered to add much to this except that
-I wasn't much of a fan of rome
-I have been to venice twice in winter and LOVED it. some cities are just better in different seasons
-throughout my whole life I have noticed that you get great customer service if you are a polite and patient customer. places such as restaurants and supermarkets, which may seem very familiar to us at home, work slightly differently all over the world and I think this is the cause of a lot of people thinking that other cultures have bad customer service. for example in australia, in most restaurants the staff are trained to greet customers at the door and seat them at a table. If the staff are busy, you wait to be seated rather than just picking a table. This doesnt seem to happen much at all in europe and so we had several awkward moments with staff wondering why we were hovering around near the door watching them! it's just little things like that which can sometimes turn into big incidents if people aren't understanding of different ways.

**mish99** · 08-09-2008, 09:29 AM

Wow this sucks, especially since I just booked my flight to Rome!!! Wahoo!! Haha.

This is the first time ive heard such bad reviews about Italy. Dont let those things get you down and ruin your trip....try enjoy everything, even the bad things. Maybe im just a 'glass half full' kinda gal.

**travelpunk** · 08-09-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mish99

Wow this sucks, especially since I just booked my flight to Rome!!! Wahoo!! Haha.

This is the first time ive heard such bad reviews about Italy. Dont let those things get you down and ruin your trip....try enjoy everything, even the bad things. Maybe im just a 'glass half full' kinda gal.

'zaaaaaactly...

I thought Rome was great. "In Roman times, Rome was the center of the universe." That's what I kept re-playing over and over in my head when I was there and looking at the world famous sites and ruins.

Trevi fountain= mind blowing

.

**kiwichick** · 08-10-2008, 12:35 AM

I had a rough time in italy, recovering from a drink spiking and then having a friend and my grandad both die back home, but i still wouldn't shit on italy. Wasnt that bigger fan of venice but went for a bike ride where we were staying on the coast and was touched by the beauty and simplicity of tyhe countryside. I don't really remember florence cos i was in quite a shocked state i guess, but rome i still managed to enjoy. I had a lovely hostel owner watching over me and letting stay on computers after hours to write a eulogy to send home and generally just trying to get a smile out of me, we had some lovely meals, looooovvved the trevi fountain, and i think in better circumstances i would've loved rome.
haha sorry thats my hungover ramble over. I am sorry you didn't enjoy italy though

**MolsonGirl** · 08-10-2008, 02:34 AM

I wasn't a fan of Venice either, but again I wouldn't shit on a country as a whole because of a bad experience. Hope the rest of your travels go well.

**expatben** · 08-10-2008, 02:58 AM

I like this thread because it just goes to show how different people are. I'll be honest and perhaps contraversial when I say for instance that I do not really like the Netherlands. I have been to ADam, Delfy Breda and a few others and just never really clicked with it. That being said if I think someone else would I would still totally reccomend it. Its just a matter of different tastes I suppose.

**joe7f** · 08-10-2008, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonGirl

I wasn't a fan of Venice either, but again I wouldn't shit on a country as a whole because of a bad experience. Hope the rest of your travels go well.

Actually I usually do my country shitting precisely because of bad experiences. Doing it over good experiences is just silly

I was very meh on Venice my first time around despite/because it being/was Carnival but when I came back it was great.

I liked Rome more when I saw it during the winter than when I saw it during the summer. Although, I am not sure if it was seasonal or if the surprise factor was just knocked down a bit. It still impresses but the first time it took my breath away! I guess I overlooked it being dirty (or maybe they cleaned it up for the Olympics?)

Oh btw, Flo, I can't believe I forgot about the major benefit of increasing your vocab! Heck just with Spanish alone Mendigo/Mendicant, Alacridad/Alacrity, Quijote/Quixotic, Pedagogico/Pedagogy etc.

--Joey

**worldwidemike** · 08-11-2008, 07:30 AM

Joe hit the nail on the head! It is very helpful when native English speakers slow down their pace of talking, speak in relatively complete sentences, avoid contractions (like he said), and the myriad of other things you can do to help the other person out.

I can't count the times overseas I've been told by people who aren't fluent in English how easy it is to understand me. You do have to concentrate on it a bit. Then again, you don't want to speak slow baby-talk to them. Just a relaxed pace and good grammar can do wonders.

Good advice, Joe!

worldwidemike

**MolsonGirl** · 08-13-2008, 02:09 AM

Having said that Mike... it's Italy... they speak Italian.. there's nothing that says they have to speak English. And maybe an Italian phrasebook would increase the chances of the locals appreciating you trying to speak their language.. and not just a langauge that's similar (Ie Spanish).

I absolutely can't stand when people assume everyone should speak English... you're travelling.. expand your frame of reference.

**mish99** · 08-13-2008, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonGirl

I absolutely can't stand when people assume everyone should speak English... you're travelling.. expand your frame of reference.

I agree!! Youre in Itlaly, you must know that people are going to speak Italian!!! And why not take the opportunity to learn a bit yourself.

**worldwidemike** · 08-13-2008, 04:40 PM

Oh, I speak Italian...I was actually referring to when you run into other travelers and you're using English to communicate. Heck, anytime you're using English to communicate with a non-native speaker.

I agree that you should always learn to say the basic in the language of the place you're going to. I never learned a lot of Arabic, but I think what I did learn was greatly appreciated by folks in Syria...

worldwidemike

**joe7f** · 08-13-2008, 05:20 PM

^Plus there are times you simply can't learn a lot of a language. On my most recent trip I would have had to learn German, Polish, Czech, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, and Portuguese.

So I triaged them and learned an extra 50 words in German and Italian (where I spent more time) then just the basics in Polish, Czech and Serbocroatian. With apologies to the Portuguese, I just spoke Spanish (at times they responded in English

). Their languages are too similar to complain much. If a non native can read their language borderline fluently, I think they should be able to help me even if it just means them writing everything down.

Without being too demanding, I expect someone at tourist information, international travel bureaus and working at a hostel/hotel to be able to speak at least some English.

--Joey

**florencia9699** · 08-14-2008, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldwidemike

I never learned a lot of Arabic, but I think what I did learn was greatly appreciated by folks in Syria...

worldwidemike

Marhaba habbibi! :D

**d_fresh** · 08-14-2008, 09:43 AM

My wife and I would like to retire in Rome, we love it so much. Venice was dirty and we both got sick from the diesel fumes. It is beautiful though.
Complaining about then not speaking English is just....well, honestly, it's very "ugly American". Italians speak Italian. Learn a few words and you'll get far. I had an amazing time there, the people were great and more than happy to help me out, especially if I made the effort in my mangled Italian.
Good luck with the rest of your trip....hopefully you can read this thread and drop the attitude long enough to enjoy yourself.

**roxy1277** · 08-15-2008, 08:30 PM

Once apon a time, there was a man named Dan. Dan worked in an office located in a big city. Everyday on the elevator, going from the 15th floor to the lobby, he would consistently hear folks chattering about the view of the sky when you walk out the front of the building. After some time, Dan started to get very discouraged. For weeks now, he had taken the elevator down in route to this so called most amazing shot of the horizon. Each time, he got out front looked straight up and saw nothing but another office building. Finally Dan had had enough... one more person brought up this extraordinary view on the elevator. He stamped his feet, and looked with a stern, confused, yet eager to know face.... "I have been going out in front of this building staring at the sky, only to look completly ridiculous in search of something everyone seems to THINK is there." Why can't I see it?
A gentiman along side him whispers in Dan's ear as the elevator has hit the lobby.... "Take a step to the left when you walk out, and look up." "Tomorrow, take a step to the right and look up when you walk out."

Is the view a little different when you take the opportunity to see your situation from a different prespective?
Keep your hands in the boat and enjoy your ride down the river....
remember, a smile is universal!

Best Wishes

**Dig** · 08-23-2008, 03:07 PM

I had an okay time while I was in Italy. It so far ranks last on my list of countries that I have been too. It is a very dirty, hot, and cramped country. There are highlights to Italia however. I had the best lasagna of my life there. I actually walked on an aquaduct. I slept in a hostel/farmhouse older then the city I was living in twice over.

I will not reschedule a trip to Italia however due to many the many difficulties and let-downs that I had while in country. Well, I may go to the northern part of Italy, but to heck with anything south of Balzono. The northern, and still culturally Austrian area, is still inviting, but not much else I found was. Just my 2 cents.

I also did NOT expect the Italians to speak English, which of course very few did. They also do not speak any Spanish to my suprise. I did arrive in the country with an open mind. I have not seen the entire country. I am sure there are great things to still see there. I just will put that at the bottom of my list.

**marc873** · 08-24-2008, 03:45 PM

Umm...... I loved every moment of my times in Italy, and will be returning throughout my life. The craziness of places like Napoli, and the beauty of the Almalfi coast, etc.... Can't go wrong. Open up to the culture and embrace it for what it is....

**florencia9699** · 08-25-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dig

They also do not speak any Spanish to my suprise.

Well... Italy doesn't even border with Spain... so that's not all THAT surprising....

Actually, Argentina being a country that owes A LOT of its traditioins to Italy (names, food, accent-in Buenos Aires-, reckless driving, men hitting on women on the streets, gelatto, big catholic families and whatnot) almost NO ONE speaks Italian here... well, I do, but that's perche io amo l'Italia molto!!!!:D

(Note: "that's because I love Italy a lot", in Italian)

Skoey · 08-26-2008, 03:33 AM

i left italy (well rome and florence) a couple of weeks ago and only had good times, when (if) i go back home i am planning on learning italian and hopefully going back to spend more time there, i only spent 4 days in Rome but would of liked more

the only thing that really annoyed me were the drivers, red light means stop ffs

**worldwidemike** · 08-31-2008, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by florencia9699

perche io amo l'Italia molto!!!!

Anche io, la mia amica! I've been meaning to tell you, Florencia, there is a lady in one of my classes, this semester, that looks almost exactly like you!

worldwidemike