Summer means many things, more or less pleasant: the scorching heat, the outdoor dinners, the ice cream, the mosquitoes, the days spent on books in view of the exams or in the office cursing in front of the computer, and finally, if you are lucky enough *, the long-awaited,
longed for holidays.
Summer, for the out-of-home, also means another thing: going home to the people you love. On paper, there is no better feeling than hugging your parents again, going for an aperitif with your lifelong friends, going back to sleep in the bedroom you used to when you were little, the one that has posters still attached to the wardrobe doors. In reality, after a first moment made of enthusiasm, celebrations, kisses and hugs, the return of an off-site to his native land is not all roses and flowers, but hides dangerous pitfalls: inappropriate questions.
In all these years halfway between the Sicily and the Veneto, I have learned to recognize the questions that off-site workers receive promptly when they return to their region of origin. Here are some of them:
WHEN ARE YOU ARRIVING *?
Every time I go back to Sicily, anyone (relatives, friends, acquaintances whom I haven’t seen since 1996 whom I bump into at the bar) asks me when I arrived. The reason behind this curiosity I have never understood, and by now I have resigned myself to the idea that I will never find out. So I just smile and answer, fully aware that the next question will be …
WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING?
Well yes: after having inquired about my arrival, everyone always wants to know when I will get off the caz again … here, yes, in short, when I will return to Verona. Generally, their response fluctuates between “Ah, so you’re only staying for a weekend? It has now become impossible to spend time with you “and” Two weeks? Of course you never work, eh ». Either way, the only possible reaction is a powerful, very powerful eye-roll.
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BUT DO YOU EAT?
This question is another great classic for all out-of-towners who return home, especially if they are, just like in my case, southerners transplanted to the north. Perhaps my family members do not place the slightest trust in me and believe that I will not be able to cook even an egg in a pan; perhaps they think that, from Rome upwards, there are no supermarkets or restaurants; perhaps they are convinced that, after crossing the Po, the typical dish is soufflé of fog seasoned with tears and a sprinkling of bitterness. The fact is that, every time I go back to Sicily, they first ask me if I eat, then they gorge me. Not that I’m complaining, huh.
HOW IS UNIVERSITY / WORK GOING?
When I moved to another city to study, coming home meant answering questions after questions on the subject. How are your exams going? Are you writing the thesis? How soon will you graduate? When I finally donned the laurel wreath, I naively convinced myself that the worst was over. Well, I was wrong: now the real challenge is to make my family understand what work I do.
via GIPHY
WHAT ABOUT THE BOYFRIEND / GIRLFRIEND?
If there was a competition for the Worst Questions To Receive, those relating to one’s sentimental situation would certainly win the first prize. The only possible answer? An invitation (more or less kind) to mind their own business. Even if it never works in the end.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
