I write today to let my poor suffering friends back home in on yet another stroke of Italian Genius…

…they call it Settimana Bianca. White week.

It’s virtually a national holiday, or at least it appears to be. Simply put, it is a scheduled week in late February or Early March to take a week off school and work to go skiing. I’m talking the whole of Northern Italy does this. It is a mass migration to the Dolomites, Val D’Aosta, Switzerland, or really any place with an occasional steep incline.

Hashtag rough life. (Did I do that right?)

Talking to a friend back in the States, I was trying to explain. Summarizing, she said, “Oh, so it’s just like Spring Break, just earlier?”

Yes. Exactly.

Except we have a Spring Break too. In early April.

This is another in a growing list of reasons why Italy is not topping the charts, economically speaking. ‘Yeah, we could work, but wouldn’t it be more fun to ski?’ Why, yes it would. ‘Okay let’s clock out. Lo faró domani.’

I wonder if the Greeks had a Settimana Bianca before their collapse. Of course, they would call it ‘Λευκό εβδομάδα’, but the spirit would be the same, I’d imagine.

I love this.

So friends back home, if you are able, let’s all be Italian. You have my permission to take the week off. If asked why, say it’s Settimana Bianca. I’m sure your employers will understand.

Lo faró domani.