La crisi siamo NOI!

Incontri qualcuno per strada, cosa ti dice? C’e’ crisi! Ormai non è un discorso Italiano, è un discorso Europeo forse mondiale, tutti ti parlano di crisi. La reazione è diversa di nazione in nazione e allo stesso modo sono le preoccupazioni delle persone: l’Italiano ne parla e si lamenta con tutti, l’ Irlandese compra la birra al supermercato, lo Slovacco si fa un mutuo per la seconda casa e lo Spagnolo? Lo Spagnolo continua a fare ciò che ha sempre fatto non pensa la cosa lo coinvolga. Una frase che accomuna più o  meno tutti: colpa dei politici!!!  Tutti dicono è colpa dei politici – ed è vero- è colpa dei parotiti e forse della democrazia che è giusta ma poco efficienti, ma ne avessi visto uno che dice ora basta mi candido io, creo un movimento unisco la forza di queste lamentele per risolvere il problema? Ben pochi capiscono esattamente quali sono le differenze, la percezione della crisi per l’uomo comune è data dall’aumento generale dei prezzi non accompagnato dall’aumento dei salari, una cosa che dagli economisti viene definite come la legge dei salari vischiosi, ossia che l’adattamento dei salari è sempre più lento rispetto all’aumento dei prezzi. Ma tutta la letteratura economica che ho letto fin ora non ha mai giustificato alcune cose ed è di questo che vorrei parlarvi. Ci sono alcune incongruenze nel mercato che dimostrano la totale irrazionalità del sistema economico europeo, alcune cose sono completamente ingiustificate, anche io come voi voglio dare la colpa ai politici, ma spesso mi accorgo che la più grande incongruenza è fatta dai singoli dai privati, che nel loro piccolo anzi che agire razionalmente e per il proprio interesse creando quella mano invisibile che porta all’equilibrio del sistema continuano a fare come se niente fosse. Per esempio, a Bratislava la benzina costa 1,70 € al litro e un pacco di caffè intorno a 4,80€. Niente male direte voi, qui la benzina è a 2€ e il caffè costa più o meno uguale. Questo  è perché voi non considerate il fatto che il Salario medio in Slovacchia nel 2011 era di 700€ al mese con minimi di 300€ nelle zone interne e massimi di 1000€ a Bratislava. Un dentista o un medico private costano sempre oltre i 50€ per meno di un ora di lavoro. Ma stiamo in Italia. Prendiamo Orroli: vuoi comprare le kinder colazione più? 10 brioche costano 32 centesimi l’una!!! Vai al mercato a comprare dei fagiolini Verdi? 1 kg è tuo per soli 3,50€ mentre lo stipendio medio è inferiore alle 500€ al mese di telefonini ultimo grido abbonda il paese, e tra gli svaghi più economici ha preso piede l’equitazione, e le macchine sportive anche di vecchia data purché di assicurazione paghino oltre le 700€ all’anno. Il prezzo delle case è lievitato oltre i 1000€ al mq, più o meno come a Barcellona,(vedi Nuraghe Arrubiu = Sagrada Familia con qualche milione di visitatori in meno) se non bastasse una giornata di lavoro di un  muratore qualificato costa quasi 150€ e non include l’aiutante. Diventa quindi impossibile per una famiglia con un redditto di 1500€ mensili, comprare casa. Se non bastasse nel versante dell’educazione è un completo fallimento della classe che doveva diplomarsi quest’anno c’è stato un solo diplomato di sesso maschile in regola con gli studi, mentre i bambini di eta’ inferiore ai 10 anni non stanno fermi neanche davanti al circo. Niente di preoccupante, in Italia dove il debito pubblico ha fatto andare di matto il differenziale fra il tasso di interesse sui Buoni Ordinari del Tesoro Tedeschi e Italiani, dove i politici finora non hanno offerto nessuna alternative valida, dove i ragazzi che non hanno voglia di studiare ora hanno sempre più difficoltà anche ad imparare un mestiere (vedi tariffe orarie di muratori), dove la banca ti da un mutuo per la casa solo se già possiedi il 10% del valore dell’imobile e hai un posto a tempo indeterminate, dove ogni azienda con più di 12 dipendenti non può licenziare nessuno se non per giusta causa, dove lavorare per una o due ore senza assicurazione e un reato, dove ci vogliono mesi per aprire un’attivita e almeno due settimane per poter essere assunto in regola, la ricchezza private delle famiglie è la nostra salvezza. Tutte le famiglie in Italia, specie qua ad Orroli, pur non avendo in conto in Banca pieno possiedono dei terreni – dove spesso e volentieri pascolano degli economici animali domestici - o delle case o hanno un familiare a carico che presto gli lascierá un po di eredita. Niente di preoccupate se questa ricchezza fosse realmente capace di produrre reddito, pensate al nostro paese, quante case quante abitazioni quanti terreni ma cosa rendono? Un definizione strettamente finanziaria ci impone di considerare un buon investimento nel momento in cui Compriamo il bene A a 1000€ e possiamo venderlo dopo un determinato tempo T ad un prezzo maggiore di 1000€ al netto del costo del denaro, cioè se prima con 1000€ ci compravo una casa ora devo riuscire a comprare una casa con gli stessi soldi. Gli immobili in realtà perdono spesso questo valore, pensate ai terreni o alle case sfitte, un domani si potranno vendere ad un prezzo più alto di quello che sono costate? E se anche fosse e con quei soldi prima si comprava cosi tanta terra oggi è davvero possibile fare altrettanto?  L’ideale sarebbe la possibilità di coordinare le forze di un piccolo paese come il nostro per un beneficio comune magari sfruttando al meglio queste risorse come le proprieta’ per esempio se tutte le terre di una determinate zona fossero messe assieme e coltivate in maniera estensiva, con vigne o ulivi, oppure se le case sfitte fossero vendute ad un prezzo adatto agli stipendi che ci sono in paese, il tenore di vita della popolazione potrebbe migliorare, la crisi potrebbe essere sconfitta! E’ in dubbio che il paese sia ricco, di beni immobili e materiali, che pero rappresentano una ricchezza che genera facilmente diseguaglianze e senza dubbio differenze tra chi sta troppo bene e chi sta troppo male. Non è solo colpa dei politici, se ci fosse un modo per metterci d' accordo la nostra forza sarebbe quello che abbiamo, ma te li vedi i sardi, te li vedi “is arrollesusu” dicendo questo io lo metto a disposizione di tutti senza guardare chi guadagna di più chi di meno? Impossibile, la crisi è la crisi della società sempre più egoista e sempre più avida, in cui ognuno di noi vuole semplicemente ciò che gli altri non possono avere. 

Go raibh maith agat!

It must have been May or June in 2005. I remember it coz it was very warm, International Economy classes are never too busy, however budget cuts allow only one air conditioner per room, and the only place left was very far away from it. Still the lesson was quite interesting and everybody stared at Prof. Pigliaru listing countries examples of economy growth: >.

It is weird now recalling that moment so well as if back than I had already draw my future in here, however the truth is , back than I had no idea. I was fascinated, I am not going to lie to you, I was fascinated by the growth, so high and flourish compared to the desperate 0.01 % of Italy and when you are young you kind of want that worriless future rather than: >

Time goes by and we kind of forget things, so after college, London was the elected place. However London is famous, expensive, there is too many foreigners (Italians), and City people don’t really have time to talk to you . I needed a place that is not all these things? So, here I am studying until I am able to upload my brand new updated English CV online. The recruitment agency called me 20 minutes after the upload : God, that was some good 7% Growth! Pigliaru was right! Delighted, as I would say now, Very happy, as I said back then. But life wasn’t always easy. Fitting into my Irish life implied things like: In the morning face wash is a choice between cold or hot water there is no mix, coffee it always too long and watery, there is no plugs to bring the radio in the bathroom, translate an Italian joke will not make anybody laugh (not for the joke), and your conversation with people will always start with: Where are you from? followed by Oh! Don’t you miss the sun? On the other hand tea is really tasty, and the bus driver will always say: Hi! How are you? Brown bread and milk is fresh and delicious and In any house you go when people will offer you something the first answer must be: No, Thanks. They’ll ask you again. There are four national sports games and the Irish follow all of them with extreme passion, victory and loss will always turn into a party. Weekends are a break from daily boring life and “Enjoy yourself” is the motif. It is plenty of parks and natural beauties and walking or jogging are very common especially in suburbia. Going for one year to Australia it is something like a military service but unlikeMilitary Service everybody enjoys it. When the sun is out foreign people don’t feel like wearing summer clothes (because Ireland is known as a cold country), Irish instead will have an instantaneous BBQ and dress like if they live in the Hawaii. Personally I didn’t mind the weather that much and I was too excited about the job to get worried about what cultural limits I could have. I wanted to fit in at any cost.

COOK IRL was at my eyes something like “the White house” for any president of US the first time they walk in; and it is not just because of the shape of the building also it was my future, a great opportunity but also a challenge:” to stay in I had to prove I am good enough”. I think I managed quite well withthis part and I am very thankful to this company for everything I have learned and I really, really hope I was able to give something back. Still as you probably know the 27th will be my last day in COOK IRL and I personally think after 4 years the real important part of my experience in Ireland is not about the job itself but about the people I have met in this company. It is about the tag rugby team where they couldn’t understand a word of what I said the first year, and they made me Capitan in the third. It is about the same people bonding together and creating a group of friends to hang out with, it is about who gave out to me when I couldn’t say a word properly and forced me to learn, it is about who advised me what to do when my car was broken, it is about 21 invitation for Christmas dinner when my flight was cancelled. It is about who is driving me everywhere lately, who showed me how to pass a rugby ball, who wouldn’t mind waiting for me, who invited me to her wedding who gave me a room to stay, who invited me for Irish stew, who came with me on holidays, who came and visit me when I was sick, who always asks me if I need anything. It is about who was able to trust my abilities and gave me opportunities, it is about managers dancing with me at our Christmas dinner, it is about that rough soccer (don’t go for the ball get the man) that you play in Ireland: So much fun! It is also about the silence you create when O’Gara is kicking, or the devotion you have for the National anthem. It is about who helped me to work on my future and the agreement I get when I give out about Cork!It is about all these people that sometimes I don’t even think, and they don’t even think they touched me so much, but they are the thing that am going miss the most!! To all of you: go raibh maith agat!

Mexiland...

Dear Diary,
here is my first day back home: I had to give out a little bit about the weather:"oh oh holy crap is it hot in here?? I said Like Chandler (just to keep FRIENDS around). One of the first things I noticed about Italy is that Italians are so damn loud, however I was looking for the hands movement, I didn't see any. Could be Irish are making that out? Well one thing I liked was coming down the plane and smell the sea, you can really fill it in here.Too bad at 9 o clock was already too dark to see, coz the drive home was all by the coast with the sea on one side and luvely olive trees on the other. We stopped for pizza first. A Meter for 4 people was 26 €, however it was so light and thin I could have eat it on my own! Exactly the opposite of DOMINOES! What surprised me was the menu':in English, and the possibility of having a Pineapple Pizza???Jeeez, dont tell me is taking over!? No. They are both effect of RYANAIR flights to Alghero. The fockers! changing my country,after changing my flight price (extra 70€ for luggage weight). However this is not the only thing I have found different back home. Different from what I remember it used to be. For example TV Reality shows are in any channel at any time. From people getting smaller boobs,cooking competitions, awful car crashes and Jersey Shore with subtitles! A lot of my coeval are having kids and my cousin told me about a game they play in School which is very similar to tag. Also my mom is not able to cook anymore, the weather is crap and we dont have bidet....only joking! My mom is great at cooking, there is about 26 degrees during the day and I luv the bidet!(yes finally I can wash my arse after taking a crap!). Other things didnt change: Italy is constantly in recession, it is hard to find a job,if u have a job it is hard to have enough money until the end of the month, government people are all thief, there is too many foreigners, and based on what people say Chinese shops are made with illegal money and it is all Euro fault!! How is this possible? Italians should really stop whining and start doing something about it. Should I help?Naaaaaa is better be a coward and simply leave;) But then again life in here is pretty easy: fresh cheap food, sunny weather.. what else would I need? Well having Italy got's Talent with a guy that farts on tune any song gives me definitely more reasons to leave!! However holding my cousin daughter, watching my nephew smiling and mom joy when she saw the present my mom got her for her birthday push on the otherside. So far I just brought her myself, but she is (so far) very happy with it. What I didnt like myself was the two massive spots I got in my forehead after I got here, and the fact I am not used to the heating anymore. I swear I sweat sitting. However I showed my mom the Gypsy wedding DVD and she luved it! But I dont think she'll allow me to marry one. Too bad, but what can I say overall a nice first day in Mexiland.

A freaking easy world...

I wake up and I had to pay my rent. In nowadays technology is unreal the things you can do simply sitting on your couch. You imagined after 5 years of living on my own (it was not the first time) it should have been very easy: go on open 24, log on, and do all the operations using the IBAN and the BIC code I previously asked to my landlord. So I did, I log in twice as the internet page is not very user friendly, if you made a mistake it immediately logs you out,  and then I finally was able get to the last page. Click. A flashing message on the page said something like:” you will shortly receive a code on your phone”, enter this code and your transfer will be done instantly. Bip Bip! I check the phone, nothing. What the hell!?! Do all the procedure again. Same issue, my phone rings but there is no message. I decided to call meteor my phone company. About 5 minutes of talks with a machine, push 2, push 3… thanks for holding, one of our operator will answer soon, I finally get  a guy, hello I am a meteor customer blablabla I am having this issue. Ah you are a meteor customer? Well did you get the letter?  you are now an eircom customer! I was like, am I? You must have sent it to my house, but then I have moved abroad….tu tu tu… Drops the line and put me trough eircom. This time is 10 mins talks with a machine. This machine doesn’t ask for number actually asks for proper replays. I am an Italian living in Spain talking to a machine in Ireland. I said yes, no, Home, mobile, repeat pleas, mobile, repeat pleas! M O B I L E!  Finally another guy (he is very direct and efficient): Hello, could you please tell me your phone number? 0 8… blab la bla I am meteor but the guy told me I am suppose to talk to you. Ah so you are eircom mobile? Hold o…tututu…  Drops the line again.  And then.. Tuuuuu… tuuuuu. A girl. Hello. Hi. my name is Chris, and I am sick of this!!! All I need is to check if I am receiving messages from my bank. Your bank? Yeah, I am a meteor customer but I am not receiving your code by phone. It is not the first time I have already sent a letter a couple of month ago to my … aaaaaaawh but  then you need to talk to meteor not to eircom. This is eircom mobile. I know but the other guys.. I will put you trough. She drops the line back to meteor. As you can imagine I am getting a little nervous in here, but I am not going to give up, I want to solve this issues, I want to solve them both and I want to do it within today. Back to the machine. Back to another guy. This time seems like a declared idiot. I cannot understand  what he says, and by the way he talks he has definitely not being trained in Oxford nor in Dublin. He is a proper knacker that is doing the job simply to going party at the week end, and he really wants  me know that. For him if I drop the line now is better. Should I? No. I have wasted already too much time on this, why should I stop now. He just takes about 10 minutes to explain the issue, even if I tried to avoid any mention of previous issues or previous talking and phone calls.  Surrender by my not letting it go he gave me the following answers: I can’t check your messages, I can only check your calls, there must be something wrong with your phone. What phone is it? NGM.  We don’t have that phone in Ireland. It is something  wrong with it. Try to send “setting” at 50047 if doesn’t work try to ask people to send you messages. Forget the setting, I ask my girlfriend to send me a message, which she did from her Slovakian Number, 2 sec later I got the message and I could also read it. IT IS NOT THE PHONE! Talking to meteor, wasted time.  Lets call my bank! Same awful service and here I am also paying for the call. Machine, select 2, bla bla bla, select 4. Thank s for waiting, we’ll answer to your phone your phone is important, we can’t wait to talk to you … 2 or 3 times the same thing again. Finally a guy. Hello here is the issue. No problem a few security questions: he asked me 4 of them, no problem! I kept telling myself, this is a 99.9 % free service bank you must pay somehow right?  you are paying with time, awful time, and a 5 euro phone call!! Ok, all good. I ask him can you check my phone number? Yes 085…. I say : See, that could be the issue, if you register 085 and don’t put +353 In front of it, there is a chance when I am abroad I may not be able to get the messages. I think you should replace 0 with +353..

His comment: Silence. I can’t do that. Silence. I need to ask someone to change it for me. Silence.

Me: Ok no problem!

But they will call you back in 2 hours.

Here I split:

1.   My thoughts:  Grrrrrrrrrr…. How long is going to take me to pay my rent. I need to simply move some money from my account to another? I have been about 2 hours on the phone already and I have not even set my phone correctly!!!!!

2.   What I said: Grand, I will be waiting for your call!

2 hours later…

A girl, nice voice, don’t remember her name, I wish I asked her now! And I wish I asked for the name of everybody else… hello Chris, you call for... Yes I did. See the problem is… ( I save you this part again) … no problem here. I Changed the number and here you go. What should I have asked her more than:

1.   Does this action have an instant effect?

2.   Do you want me to wait until I try the transaction?

3.   What is your name and how can I contact you directly if I have an issue( which I didn’t because of her answer to the first two questions)

She said: This is an instant change, there should absolutely be no problem you should be able to do your operations very easily.  Smiley face. (I couldn’t see it but I know it was there)

So I said. Lovely, thanks very much. Went upstairs and thought. Now that everything is solved I am just going to cook myself a nice meal and then do the transaction. =) (mine this time)

I finished the food and I went on Opern 24 again. Log on, click for sending money to other account and this is what I have got:

The question for you is, what did I do after?

a)      I killed myself, this story is not actually written in first person

b)      I smashed my phone on the ground thinking it is all your fault

c)       I tried to call again permanent tsb but not receiving any answer I decided to write  my story and I sent it to them as a formal complain.