Venetian headache
On my first trip abroad, I picked Venice. After a few days in this wonderful city I had run out of painkillers for a blinding headache. Inside a shop that seemed to sell everything I discovered that the owner spoke no word of English. As I spoke not one word of Italian, I realised that getting some aspirin would need all my skills of mime. In front of the bemused Italian I gripped my head and made noises imitating pain. The shopkeeper said ahh, and rushed off and swiftly returned with shampoo. I have since learnt that the word aspirin is universal. I have learnt a lot of Italian since then but then again the Italians have learnt a lot of English.
Sent by: Ray
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I had a similar situation, but I found Aspro worked - Ah the power of the multinationals!
Whilst chatting after lessons to Italian students of mine in Taranto about Scottish home cooking, I boasted to them, in my very poor Italian, that my mother made delicious preservativa di fragola. There was a sharp intake of breath and stiffled giggles all around. I later found out why. I had told my class my mother was an expert in making strawberry condoms - not jam as I had intended to say!
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