My observations from a conversation with my driver from FCO to Roma
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
I am on the 4.5-hour train ride to Calabria, where one of my sisters will pick me up and then we have an hour drive up the mountain to San Giovanni in Fiore. While traveling, I like to write about observations as I travel. My visit to Rome and then down to a place rarely traveled to by Americans, Calabria.
I had an interesting conversation with my driver on the way in from FCO to Roma. The individual immigrated to the United States when he was 8. He lived his childhood years in Hartford and then in the Bronx. He carries a US and Italia citizenship and was very fluent in English.
We talked about covid and the impact it had on the taxi business. He told me that basically 40% of the businesses had to close. Not surprising, since there was no travel. Even once the restrictions started to come down, Italy had the Green Pass rule in place, requiring vaccinations. So, many travelers from the US and other countries never traveled to Italia.
When I state lock down, it was nothing like we experience in Florida or even other more restrictive states like New York. They were essentially in complete lock down for six months in Italia. I remember in areas where my family lives, they had to get permission from the local government to walk their dogs. For the permission they had to detail the route they would take and there could not be a variance. So, they basically had very draconian Covid restrictions in place. Restrictions that crippled many businesses.
The lockdowns were not alone destructive. After the restrictions lifted, they thought it was time to get back to business, but then the Ukraine war drove up gas prices, pricing many of taxi drivers that survived Covid out of business.
I was surprised to hear the cost of a license. To operate a taxi or I would refer to my driver as a private chauffer, you need a license. The license cost $150,000 each. My driver owns his company and has seven licenses. He was at risk of losing all of it, but managed to survive off his savings and help with companies like Mercedes who waived his monthly car payments for a couple years. He said the government did nothing, except push out draconian restrictions. One thing that was really interesting about him is that he was actually a successful attorney. He gave it up because the stress and hours were to much. He realized that the values he had instilled upon him as an American, made him a work-a-holic. He was seeing life pass him by and decided to take the steps necessary to turn it around.
Then we started to discuss politics. He was excited that Italia had their first female Prime Minister. He believes that the country was creating a work force that was not interested in actually working, rather staying home and having the state pay them. The new PM wants to put an end to this and force people to get back to work. He brought this up because Italia is having the same issue as the US when it comes to issue with finding employees. I can see this abuse happening and I understand both sides of this debate. One of my brother-in-law’s is in the same boat. He is being paid “x” amount from the state, as he stays home and does not work. If he works as a pizza maker, the payout is a few more dollars, but it comes to the same amount of money that the state is providing, when you factor in the cost of gas to travel. Also, with that job he will have to work 60 hours a week. So, he stays home. Unfortunately for him, this may be ending soon and he may find himself back in the working world.
My driver brought up the immigration issue, noting that the new PM is against the mass unchecked immigration into Italia from African’s. He noted that she plans on trying to introduce measures that will try to regain control of their borders. Sound familiar? Yes, they have a lot of the same struggles as we do in the US with our border. I asked if they still hung out at the Termini train station. He said they are there, but over the last couple years the Chinese have been moving in and taking over that area. He said that the word is that the Chinese mafia is giving individuals money to open the shops in their business names, but in reality, the Chinese mafia controls the businesses. He said there has been an explosion in Chinese owned businesses opening up.
Then he started up about the transgender question. This one caught me by surprise because I didn’t even know this was an issue in Italia. Basically, they are facing many of the same issues as we are in the US. He feels that transgenderism acceptance is being pushed on the Italian people. Also, that they are often given special treatment over the average Italian citizen. He said the new PM plans on putting an end to this global initiative.
So, as you can see, just a basic ride from FCO to Roma can be interesting and one can gather a lot of information. This driver expressed the same concern as my family when it comes to the EU. Every since Italian’s were forced to be part of the EU, life has become more difficult and not better. I state forced because their politicians voted to become a part of the EU and the vote was never put before the residents. However, with how elections are run, I am not sure the people having a vote would have matter. I know my family misses the Lira and the cost of goods have gone through the roof with the Euro.
Thoughts?
