[Culturechat] The Mediterranean Mindset Theory...

Thu, 08 Nov 2001 15:06:37 -0500

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In a nutshell, I find life in Italy wonderful.  I visit at least once per 
year and fall very easily into the Italian way of life.  Long, lingering 
lunches, Sunday visits with "nonna", passeggiate (strolls) after dinner and 
the way Italians arrive fashionably late for everything.  Even the fact 
that the trains are rarely on time doesn't frustrate me.

Not that I haven't loved my visits to Switzerland and Germany, the 
efficiency and punctuality are wonderful, but I feel more at ease, more 
myself in Italy.  And, I felt much the same when I visited Spain and 
southern France.  I like that laid-back way of life the  Mediterranean 
countries share.

Is there such a thing as a Mediterranean Mindset and a Northern European 
Mindset?  Do you believe there could be such a thing in Americans or any 
citizens of the planet for that matter?

Does your personality predict which countries you are drawn to (yearn to 
spend time in)?
Do you feel more comfortable, more "at home" in Italy or Spain as opposed 
to Switzerland or Austria?
Or does it have more to do with accessing a coastline versus climbing a 
mountain?
Or, is your destination determined by your personality type?
Why is it that some travelers return to the same European location year 
after year?

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In a nutshell, I find life in Italy wonderful.&nbsp; I visit at least
once per year and fall very easily into the Italian way of life.&nbsp;
Long, lingering lunches, Sunday visits with “nonna”, passeggiate
(strolls) after dinner and the way Italians arrive fashionably late
for everything.&nbsp; Even the fact that the trains are rarely on
time doesn't frustrate me. 
 
Not that I haven't loved my visits to Switzerland and Germany, the
efficiency and punctuality are wonderful, but I feel more at ease, more
myself in Italy.&nbsp; And, I felt much the same when I visited Spain and
southern France.&nbsp; I like that laid-back way of life the&nbsp;
Mediterranean countries share.&nbsp; 
 
Is there such a thing as a Mediterranean Mindset and a Northern European
Mindset?&nbsp; Do you believe there could be such a thing in Americans or
any citizens of the planet for that matter? 
 
Does your personality predict which countries you are drawn to (yearn to
spend time in)? 
Do you feel more comfortable, more “at home” in Italy or Spain as opposed
to Switzerland or Austria? 
Or does it have more to do with accessing a coastline versus climbing a
mountain?&nbsp; 
Or, is your destination determined by your personality type? 
Why is it that some travelers return to the same European location year
after year?&nbsp; 
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