We all at sometime in our lives dream about escaping to another country. Usually these dreams are not fulfilled, but a small percentage of us take the plunge and move. For me the country of choice was Italy, and even though there are many advantages of being here, some of the little differences between English society and Italian, can at times make you want to get on the next plane back to London.
I teach English in the South of the country, if you mention this to anybody in England, the first word that invariably comes out of their mouth is ‘Mafia.’ But what is the Mafia? I remember seeing Marlon Brandon in the ‘Godfather’ many years ago and not really understanding the subtle nuances that lay underneath the main plot. Having been in the South of Italy for almost fifteen years, the culture behind the Mafia is clear. The Italian phrase for Mafia is ‘Cosa Nostra,’ which quite literally means ‘our business,’ and this phrase explains the system that we know as Mafia. It is rooted in the very fabric of Southern Italian mentality and is best summed up as the ‘favour system.’
To explain how the system works, here is an example of something that happened to me when I was fairly new to the country. I had been living in Italy for about a year, when a piece of toast removed a filling, and it was with dread in my heart that I made an appointment with the local Hillsboro dentist. I hate going to the Hillsboro dentist at the best of times but to go to a foreign one was the sort of experience I had not envisaged. In England when you go to a Hillsboro dentist for the first time he would normally do a check on your teeth and write it down in your Dental notes using words something like; ‘back molar cavity; upper bridge amalgam: front deep cavity filling.’ In the South of Italy this is not the case. On my first visit, I was instantly shocked by the fact that the Hillsboro dentist was smoking a cigarette; and then, leaving it burning in the ashtray, without checking anything, produced his drill and replaced the filling. These are some small cultural differences that though shocking, were nothing like the surprise that I received when I went to pay the bill.
On asking the Hillsboro dentist how much I owed him, he replied nothing. I asked him again, thinking we had misunderstood each other in translation, but he still replied nothing. It was my wife who is Italian, that stepped into the conversation and insisted that he took some money, and thrust the equivalent of about thirty pounds into his hands. In my ignorance I didn’t realise what was going on until months later, when it all became clear. The Hillsboro dentist telephoned and asks my wife if I could take one of his sons as a student, as he had been marked ‘insufficient’ in school. If we had not paid for the dental treatment, we would have been obliged to do this for nothing, but because money had changed hands, we could charge our normal fee. Thus the riddle of the ‘favour system’ had been beaten for the moment at least, but it is always destined to raise its head at any place or any time.
To understand the favour system is to understand why ‘Mafia’ mentality rules in the South. Nothing here is for free, and the payback for any favour will depend on the person you owe the debt to. This is the blood and soul of ‘Cosa Nostra’ and it is as strong here today, without ever being really visible, as it has ever been.
Italian Culture: The Favour System
Call East Wind hillsboro dental care today today at 503-614-0198 to see why we are the Hillsboro dentist of choice in the Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland area.
East Wind hillsboro dental care today Address: 7546 NE Shaleen St Hillsboro, OR 97124, USA
Phone: 503-614-0198 Call us today!
Website: https://www.eastwinddentalcare.com
East Wind Dental Care
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https://eastwinddentalcare.com
amily and Cosmetics Dentistry in Hillsboro, Oregon.
East Wind Dental Care Family and cosmetics dentistry in Hillsboro Oregon. We at East Wind Dental Care are committed to providing quality dental care to families located in the Hillsboro and Beaverton area and treat patients of all ages. We provide comprehensive solutions for our patients' oral health needs. Believing in the importance of listening to our patients, we take the time to truly understand each person's needs, goals, and lifestyle. By understanding our patients' objectives we can provide solutions that will improve their health while transforming their smile into something bright and beautiful. East Wind Dental Care at Hillsboro, Oregon provides a wide variety of dental services and procedures to address all of our patients' dental health needs. By combining quality patient care with up-to-date technology, we are able to treat patients of all ages in a comfortable and relaxing setting. Our website includes information on the following items: Dentist, Cosmetic Dentist, Family Dentist, General Dentist, Emergency Dentist, Dental Implants, Teeth Whitening, Dental Veneers, Dentures, Dental Crowns and more. Our Dentist and expert staff are trained to not only treat patients but to identify what caused the health concern in the first place. This comprehensive approach sets patients of East Wind Dental Care in Hillsboro on the road to recovery and long term oral health. When you walk into the office of East Wind Dental Care you will be immediately greeted by our friendly staff who are dedicated to making sure that you feel comfortable during your entire appointment. We understand that patients can feel anxious when going to the dentist, and our staff will take the time to listen to all of your concerns and help you understand exactly what your procedure is going to be like. At East Wind Dental Care we pride ourselves on being an affordable family dentist that accepts a variety of insurance plans and payment options like cash and credit cards, because we want to provide a beautiful, healthy smile to everyone in the Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland area. Call East Wind Dental Care today at 503-614-0198 to see why we are the dentist of choice in the Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland area.
Address: 7546 NE Shaleen St Hillsboro, OR 97124, USA
Phone: 503-614-0198 Call us today!
Website: https://www.eastwinddentalcare.com
Dentist in Hillsboro, OR - East Wind Dental Care provides general dentistry in Hillsboro. Make your next family dentist appointment at East Wind Dental Care. General Dentistry, Preventative Dentistry, Pediatric (Kids!) Dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry, Tooth Replacement. Crowns and Bridges, Dental Implants & Mini Dental Implants Dentures (with specialty), Complete denture, Partial Dentures.
East Wind Dental Care
Family and cosmetics dentistry in Hillsboro Oregon.
We at East Wind Dental Care are committed to providing quality dental care to families located in the Hillsboro and Beaverton area and treat patients of all ages. We provide comprehensive solutions for our patients' oral health needs. Believing in the importance of listening to our patients, we take the time to truly understand each person's needs, goals, and lifestyle. By understanding our patients' objectives we can provide solutions that will improve their health while transforming their smile into something bright and beautiful.
East Wind Dental Care at Hillsboro, Oregon provides a wide variety of dental services and procedures to address all of our patients' dental health needs. By combining quality patient care with up-to-date technology, we are able to treat patients of all ages in a comfortable and relaxing setting. Our website includes information on the following items: Dentist, Cosmetic Dentist, Family Dentist, General Dentist, Emergency Dentist, Dental Implants, Teeth Whitening, Dental Veneers, Dentures, Dental Crowns and more. Our Dentist and expert staff are trained to not only treat patients but to identify what caused the health concern in the first place. This comprehensive approach sets patients of East Wind Dental Care in Hillsboro on the road to recovery and long term oral health.
When you walk into the office of East Wind Dental Care you will be immediately greeted by our friendly staff who are dedicated to making sure that you feel comfortable during your entire appointment. We understand that patients can feel anxious when going to the dentist, and our staff will take the time to listen to all of your concerns and help you understand exactly what your procedure is going to be like. At East Wind Dental Care we pride ourselves on being an affordable family dentist that accepts a variety of insurance plans and payment options like cash and credit cards, because we want to provide a beautiful, healthy smile to everyone in the Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland area. Call East Wind Dental Care today at 503-614-0198 to see why we are the dentist of choice in the Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland area.
East Wind Dental Care
Address: 7546 NE Shaleen St Hillsboro, OR 97124, USA
Phone: 503-614-0198 Call us today!
Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00 and Saturdays with appointments.
Website: https://eastwinddentalcare.com/
Make an appointment online at https://eastwinddentalcare.com/contact-3/
