TRIESTE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

While Italy is seeing the globe’s second worse outbreak of the Coronavirus after China, the Italians’ ability to conform and follow national directives to observe a near total lockdown have surprised many both in Italy and abroad.

I have to say that I am grateful and proud to live in Trieste and to have the neighbors I have. We are all friendly and in this especially difficult time, we have come together as a “team”. A little over a year ago, we established a chat group on WhatsApp and since the lockdown, we have used it to check on each other, share information, let each other know when one goes to the store or pharmacy so that if someone needs something we can ask them to get it for us, or if someone needs something we can lend it to them. Besides this practical support we also say “good morning” and “good night” and we share tongue in cheek coronavirus jokes and memes. It’s a small extended family and it’s nice to know we are not alone. We deliver cakes, cookies, beers and wine bottles to one another (left outside the door). Last night my neighbor delivered handmade re-useable face masks with changeable gauze “filters” she made for me and my family!!

This kind of collaborative behavior is also reflected throughout the city and tbh throughout Italy. The shortages and locust like behavior don’t exist here and surprisingly, Italians are being orderly, waiting in line, respecting social distancing directives. When it really gets down to it, people are good, kind and generous.
I just wanted to share this little ray of sunshine in the middle of the second week of the national lockdown … it gives me hope that together (but apart) we are strong!

Needless to say, Italians are a very social lot so to pass the time and keep their spirits high, they have created thousands of memes, videos and calls to actions which circulate 24/7 on Facebook pages, WhatsApp, TicToc and other social media.

Some are near professional grade, others pieced together at home as projects to pass the time.

The “Calls to Action” called here “flashmobs”, are events organized through the same social media sites to have people all throughout the city and Italy do the same thing at the same time like “Everybody clap in appreciation of the First Responders” or “Turn of all your lights and shine your cellphones to the sky so the satellite will see us” or “Everbody sing the National Anthem”, “Everybody play an instrument”.

Then there are the photo contests; In Trieste there is one to recreate an “Osmiza” on your deck or in your house, complete with the typical red indicator arrow, a “frasca” (bunch of tree greens) and a nice spread of cheese, charcuterie and wine.

There is no lack of good humor, national pride or resilience in Italy.

Here below is a sampling of what the first week of confinement has produced, in Italian of course, but you’ll get the gist:

This grandma from CasaSurace is my favorite!

This is a spoof on a popular TV series about the mafia

One doesn’t necessarily lose their mind while in isolation at home, and the fridge agrees with me!

A play on words Barricato means stored in a wooden wine cask but it also means barricaded.

“Tomorrow there will be a guided tour of the Living room. Departure at 7:30 from the bathroom. We will stop for breakfast in the kitchen. After breakfast we will visit the rooms. 1:00pm lunch in the kitchen. In the Afternoon we will gather in the Living Room for high tea with snacks. Return is forseen by evening.”