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Yes, I am always surprised how parochial most of Europe still is. Just came back from vacation in Italy - even in Milan, very few people speak English. Mostly r
by jazzyk 10y ago
Yes, I am always surprised how parochial most of Europe still is. Just came back from vacation in Italy - even in Milan, very few people speak English. Mostly regional wine and food, hard to find Sicilian wine in northern Italy (outside of major cities/big supermarkets). The same applies to France.
With the exception of London, Amsterdam, etc. most people in Europe like their local customs, feasts, food.
And you know what? I hope they never change - I'd hate for them to become like the US with Starbucks on every corner.
- DasIch 10y agoThe EU has a ton of regulation on foods to protect that. Regional products generally have to made in a specific way in that specific region. Through the EU such products are better protected than any single country could on its own. Pooling these interests within the EU also means enforcing these things through free trade agreements on a larger scale still, so that nobody in Canada (CETA) or the US (TTIP) can produce Champagne for example.
- jazzyk 10y agoI was talking about people in a local town not being interested in consuming, not producing items from other regions/countries.
- atmosx 10y ago> I am always surprised how parochial most of Europe still is. Do the same standards apply to English-speaking nations like US, UK and Australia? Because if they do, these countries are the most parochial of them all. By the way, you could turn Europe a little less parochial by learning Italian. It's a rather easy language to learn.
- jazzyk 10y agoSo if I travel to Italy, France and then Germany, I have to learn three different languages, just so that I can find my way around? What if I want to see all the 40+ countries in Europe? In many northern European countries (and now even in Central/Eastern Europe), most people speaking at least basic English is the norm, not the exception. For the record, I am US-based, but I speak 4 European languages (some better than others), and I always try to use them where applicable.