Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The great AC debate

The following is based on real life scenarios that took place at the office the other day:

English co-worker arrives at work drenched in sweat because, thanks to the sciopero, he had to walk to work and was wearing a black synthetic shirt. Female Italian co-worker walks into our office (which is the coldest room in the entire place because we're foreigners and we like AC) and says to him: You'd better shut off the AC immediately or go outside and wait until you dry off or you'll catch your death!
He and I exchange glances and chuckle saying "No, don't worry, we're foreign... we're immune to AC induced illnesses".

Later that day I walk into the secretary's windowless office and it literally feels like a sauna. I look at the AC unit and it's off so I ask why. Her reply: "Yesterday after leaving work my stomach didn't feel well from all the AC, so I decided I'd rather not use it anymore". 
Uh, ok...

9 comments:

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

haha!! I'm telling you this reminds me of conversations with my family. They live in Caribbean. It's hot there...they still hesitant to put on the AC. I grew up hearing that it's bad for you. I would be in the car dying and my dad would barely turn it on.

You know how hot and humid it gets in the Northeast during the summer. No AC....not fun. :)

red said...

Ah, the Italians and their illnesses. Colpa di strega anyone?

Emmina said...

ooooddddiiiooooo I could provide my own examples of these little situations to last a lifetime! "AC gives you a headache / backache / neckache / joint pain / muscle problems..." Someone once tried to convince me that they had 'kidney pain' as a result of the AC!! GET OVER IT PEOPLE!!!!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

I am lucky enough to have air conditioning in my flat but bel ragazzo prefers to sit sweating then turn it on. It is always me who has to do it and often when I am not looking he turns it off. He thinks (like most Italians) too much air con is not good...but I tell him sweating like a pig when there is no need is not good!

Anonymous said...

This is such a funny thing. I am originally Polish and Poles have an uncanny fear of catching a cold from an open window in a car. When you get a chance read my blog titled 'if the Italian scooters don't kill you, the cold weather is sure to'. It's in the March archive, i think you'll relate!!

Romerican said...

Today a new ailment was listed under "The evils of AC"... one of the girls at the office was rubbing her eyes ferociously so I asked if she had allergies. She said it wasn't allergies, but rather the AC makes her eyes itch.
Next thing you know they'll be blaming world hunger on AC too ;)

Stephanie said...

OMG, I thought it was just something my parents said to me, to get roll up the windows or turn off the AC. They really do hate it. It's taken me years to rid myself of this Italian phobia, but I'm finally sleeping with the fan on in 100 degree weather and drive with the AC on all the time. for my hubby it's been like cracking the secret code. Finally, I see where this came from!!

Romerican said...

Welcome Fury! Yep, my old school Italian parents used to be very wary of AC too, but they adapted to the American way, also thanks to us (me & my siblings) and our nagging "It's too hot!"

Nancy - Girl in Giro said...

SO SO SO TRUE! I just laugh. I have tried to argue that people get sick from germs, not temperatures, but there is no sense to this AC madness. I work in Real Estate and my colleagues will not go into apartments where the AC is on. I have a friend who said his neck hurt because 3 days prior he had been sitting near a fan and the draft had stiffened his neck. Another friend claims that if she sleeps with the heat on she wakes up with nosebleeds....