Thank you for this little guide to Italy. As an Italian, I appreciate the respect you show for our country, its people and their ways. Those who will follow your advice will enjoy being respected and very welcome tourists. I agree with most of what you say, but I would like you to observe better people who are queuing up for whatever it may be... they do, sometimes, have a small conversation with a stranger, or exchange a smile or an "uffa" expression referred to the waiting ; it isn't considered bad manners, and most people don't mind being spoken to. Have a nice day!
I am Italian (Veneto Region) and I can basically confirm everything you have said. I would only add one thing: we Italians are generally well-disposed (is that how you say it?) towards everyone, but we can't stand rude people. The "cafone" n Italy almost always gets an equal and opposite reaction. Be polite and respectful (even with monuments) and everyone will be friendly to you.
i have been living in Italy for more than 30 years now and most of what you said is correct, however I see the younger generations are more 'informal' let's say so they are saying 'ciao' to everyone, even the younger shop attendants I think its a good idea to learn a few words in Italian, they will appeciate it and will go out of their way to help you and understand you. If you only speak Englsih and don't even say 'buongiorno' the Italians tend to not be as helpful to tourists.
Se un italiano va nei paesi di lingua inglese, loro si aspettano che tu parli inglese, lo stesso fanno quando vengono in Italia.😮 Si aspettano che tu parli inglese. If an Italian goes to English speaking countries, they expect you to speak English, they do the same when they come to Italy.😮 They expect you to speak English.
@@alfredodallalibera5091 Tempo fa, davanti al banco di un fruttivendolo al "mercato contadino", una signora Inglese diceva a una sua amica "these people - ( si riferiva ai venditori del mercato) - don't speak English." 😲 Gli Inglesi non ricordano più quali Paesi facessero parte del British Empire e quali no, in realtà non ricordano di non avere più il loro Impero e, tanto meno di essere stati sudditi dell'impero Romano 😂. The Brits don't seem to know that Italy was never under British rule, whereas They were part of the Roman Empire 😊😂.
Exactly the same goes for the Spanish and Spanish habits. El ultimo is what you ask when joining a line waiting at post office or pharmacy etc. Smiling at strangers in the street is looked at as odd too, I'm English and do it with women my age, but they don't normally smile back. Love it when I go back to England where I get a smile and a greeting.
Thanks for sharing. I can see how there could be some similarities among customs in Spain. I agree, while being away is wonderful, there’s something special about coming home.
Quite accurate, but on working days lunch is between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and is dedicated to your meal. Aperitivo will take place from 7.00 pm onwards.
I’m in Italy now in Abruzzo and I see lots of Italians wearing shorts and even sports wear. Also, many people are saying ciao in shops etc. I think some concepts of this video need updating.
I'd rather stay with the video tips. As an Italian, I do get upset when someone I don't know greets me with "ciao". Ciao is for friends and treating you as a friend is considered a breach of boundaries. Try not to do it by imitating bad mannered Italians!!
Saying "ciao" in a shop where you know no-one is bad manners, as well as it is bad manner with people you don't know. You should say "buongiorno" or "buonasera" to be polite and proper. And wearing shorts is just for young people or certain places. In cities is not exactly proper, unless you are a tourist or a young one.
@@AthelstanEngland Salve is neutral, not too formal not too unformal. My preference is to use Salve when I do not know a person but that it seems we can switch to an informal "tu" or "ciao" shortly. I use buongiorno/buonasera when formality is required. However, quite often I say "buongiorno" rather than "ciao" (which would be perfectly ok) when I meet a friend who I see quite often and I want to wish a good day or happy "morning wake up" !! I agree, Italian can be a very trick language, but don't worry, we are very forgiving with foreigners 🙂
Italians view being hungry as a minor medical emergency. In an Italian eating establishment, you will be served very quickly, but in a ristorante for example, no one will try to turn the table. It’s yours.
Mindset is so true. I lived in Florence and I have lived in Sicily...sooooo different! They will talk about each other with a slight nose-up air, at times. LOL I loved both places, but Sicily stole my heart more. They were just so much more open. One golden rule to getting in is to be respectful. Always, speak when you make eye contact or walk into a business and bring patience. Do not rush Italians. Also, at least learn the pleasantries if nothing else before going to any part of Italy.
Great tips! DO learn a few words, but just as important, do your best to pronounce them correctly! Making the effort to properly say Grazie (not "gratzee"), Buon giorno (not "bon") etc. will go a long way towards your having a great experience.
9. DRIVING - a disproportionate number of male drivers secretly harbour a belief that they could/should have made it in Formula 1. You and your car, therefore, are merely an obstacle to their continual obsession with passing at all costs. As they disregard most laws and common courtesies (lines, what lines; speed limits, HaHa) and linger inches from your rear bumper at highway speeds, just take a deep breath, give them room and cheer them on (or flip them the bird on their way by) - but let it stress you not!
When you enter you should say buongiorno or, in late afternoon, buonasera. When leaving you cam say arrivederci, (to when we'll see again), corresponding to see you later.
As a young child I was frequently ill. My parents did not imbibe. When my Dad would take me to visit my Italian grandparents they would send him on an errand and present me with a small glass of my grandfather's red wine. They'd say, "Drink, it's good for the blood" in their Italian accents. They wanted me to be healthy! My dad figured it out and told my grand parents to stop.
In the EU, over 59 million tones of food waste (132 kg/inhabitant) are generated annually (Eurostat, 2024). So think twice about leaving food to be tossed out in a restaurant the next time you go out and eat. Take it with you or ask for half the portion!
The Pimsleur audio course of Italian that I am listening to now clearly says "mUlto", not "mOlto". This is confusing. Also, most videos on UA-cam about Italy feature this phrase: "Parla Inglese?" The Pimsleur course instructs that "Inglese" is just an adjective, while "L'Inglese" is the English language. Confusing again.
MOLTO is the correct word. "Parla inglese?" is also correct because the term "inglese" is both an adjective and a noun. It refers to English language and to English citizens. Contact me for any further question.
I'm in Rome rn, there's 38 degree celsius with 90% humidity, no way I'm gonna wear long pants. I don't have a single friend regardless of social class, that wear anything other than shorts during the daytime and possibly at night too. Maybe only if you are invited to a fancy restaurant or a night at the opera. In the south (i'm from sicily) we pride ourselves in being able to wear short for three quarter of the year. The entire idea of italian being obsessed with fashion is one of the most stereotypical BS I see spouted on YT. It really stops to No naked torso in city centers, possibly no pajama out of your house. That's it. Kids gonna be kids and dress exactly like kids in the UK or Germany, we have all the subcultures you can expect coming with their looks, you'll come to Rome you'll see punks, bboy with baggy pants, emo with fishnets and what not. I'd avoid blanket statement, hell I literally only wear short and vans, my favorite brand is Volcom or a dixxon flannel, F*ck Armani and all that crap
OMG! 😂 I'm here in Vicenza in northern Italy the dress code here is more like a damn religion (everybody must be dressed in black, grey or white, like at a funeral or something, otherwise your seen as oddball or homosexual or lesbian), it's like their gonna die if they even go outside of their own house door in the countryside without dress clothes and elegant shoes on because their scared their neighbor might see them. Then for conversations wow another point to make, most Italians here act like conversations with strangers even in a mall is flirting or most are just outright terrified about being seen in a public space talking to someone they don't know like their significant other or the palpac**zzi is watching their every move and interaction, maybe it's because I'm black IDK? 😂😅 I personally haven't been further down then Rome but already in Emiglia Romagna or Rimini people are way more friendly and chatty even towards foreigners colored or not.
In Vicenza, they are accustomed to people of color: since the end of World War II, there has been an American base in the city center, and on the outskirts, there is a village for American military personnel. People don't want to be bothered by strangers or foreigners, especially if they are dressed in a dirty and shabby manner.
As a young woman, I was put off Italy for life by the attitude of men - who felt free to touch and pinch my bottom. There seemed to be men on the street and women nowhere to be seen. I still feel sick thinking about them.
@@alfredodallalibera5091 Questo commento è indegno di una persona civile. Sorridere non è affatto il via libera a ricevere le mani addosso. Colpevolizzare lei invece di chi tocca senza permesso peggiora solo il problema. Rivolta la risposta: non si tocca qualcuno che ti sorride. MAI. Piantiamola con queste idee da medioevo.
Just returned from my 5th and probably last trip to Rome. I know a little Italian, We are respectful, dress appropriately. We are not loud. Only eat dinner after 8:00 pm. And then after all that, restaurants serve garbage food, ask if we want coffee in the evening, have extra Parmesan cheese on the table , are rude to us. Breaking all of the supposed rules, not to mention if we want full American breakfast! . Mi scusi , I will take my vacations elsewhere. You can have the day cruise ship people spitting on the ground and eating frozen pizza on a paper plate. Restaurants we used to frequent, and were very nice have changed noticeably in the last year, and not for the better. Tired of all of the rules that only apply to tourists while Italians prostitute themselves for a buck.
You don't know Italian well and before defining junk food, tell me where you are from and what you usually eat. then I thank you because it will be the last time, we already have too many haters. Frozen pizza in Italy can only be found in the supermarket and it doesn't do much. I don't understand the part about the passenger who spits, but it's okay, goodbye and never again
Dear sir, spell the name of the restaurant that served you garbage and Frozen food for dinner. If you leave such of feedback, witch Is in your right to do so, you must take your own duty . Furter more , I never heard someone saying that people were so rude to spit on tourists. I am Sorry , but as italian this bothers me very much. I am 54 years old and i Guess i should be considered a globe trotter, since my job gave the chance to visit 92 countries already among four of the five continents. I Guess i can sentence to have a certain experience in travelling , but the respect for different colture and habit It s a must . I can stand a list of inconvenient and un confortable situation ,those happened to me world Wide, in airports...hotels....restaurants...drunk taxi drivers...terrorists attacks and consecutive restrictions, but i never generalized. Maybe because i am lucky to speak several languages , and this helping me a lot . Thank you for the five times you decided to visit my beloved country. It means to me that you have been enjoying at least the previous four. I Hope you finally matured the decision do not come back again, and i Wish you to find elsewhere in the lovely polite sweet world , the great kindness and services that your person deserves. Kind Regards Michele Corazza
I'm afraid those inconveniences that you complain about are the result of overtourism. I was born and raised in Venice, and I can assure you that we the natives hate those inconveniences as much as you do and even more. May be some of us - living and working in the most overcrowded tourist destinations - sell ourselves for a buck, but mostly we are given away for free. You are wise to stay away from Rome ever after.
@@caterinazanetti4320 may I take this moments to thank you and your wonderful city for the lovely and inspiring visits I have enjoyed. I understand your difficulties and can only wish you have better times ahead
Thank you for this little guide to Italy. As an Italian, I appreciate the respect you show for our country, its people and their ways. Those who will follow your advice will enjoy being respected and very welcome tourists. I agree with most of what you say, but I would like you to observe better people who are queuing up for whatever it may be... they do, sometimes, have a small conversation with a stranger, or exchange a smile or an "uffa" expression referred to the waiting ; it isn't considered bad manners, and most people don't mind being spoken to.
Have a nice day!
I agree! Grazie and thanks for the comment 😊
I am Italian (Veneto Region) and I can basically confirm everything you have said. I would only add one thing: we Italians are generally well-disposed (is that how you say it?) towards everyone, but we can't stand rude people. The "cafone" n Italy almost always gets an equal and opposite reaction. Be polite and respectful (even with monuments) and everyone will be friendly to you.
Grazie! It’s wonderful to hear an Italian perspective 😀
i have been living in Italy for more than 30 years now and most of what you said is correct, however I see the younger generations are more 'informal' let's say so they are saying 'ciao' to everyone, even the younger shop attendants I think its a good idea to learn a few words in Italian, they will appeciate it and will go out of their way to help you and understand you. If you only speak Englsih and don't even say 'buongiorno' the Italians tend to not be as helpful to tourists.
Grazie! I appreciate your input. I agree that leaning a few words makes a good impression. 😊
Se un italiano va nei paesi di lingua inglese, loro si aspettano che tu parli inglese, lo stesso fanno quando vengono in Italia.😮 Si aspettano che tu parli inglese.
If an Italian goes to English speaking countries, they expect you to speak English, they do the same when they come to Italy.😮 They expect you to speak English.
Hi frkm commie canada 🇨🇦... What area are u in? Need to leave asap trying to source expat areas xo ❤❤
@@alfredodallalibera5091 Tempo fa, davanti al banco di un fruttivendolo al "mercato contadino", una signora Inglese diceva a una sua amica "these people - ( si riferiva ai venditori del mercato) - don't speak English." 😲 Gli Inglesi non ricordano più quali Paesi facessero parte del British Empire e quali no, in realtà non ricordano di non avere più il loro Impero e, tanto meno di essere stati sudditi dell'impero Romano 😂.
The Brits don't seem to know that Italy was never under British rule, whereas They were part of the Roman Empire 😊😂.
Absolutely! Basic manners are what you are noting and that applies to anywhere you travel to.
SOOO TRUE. LOVE ITALY(10 VISITS AND 5 YEARS RESIDENT) RESPECT AND ENJOY!!!!!
Mindset, Dress, Paseggiata, Italian Traditions, Socializing, Waiting!Greetings, Bongiorno, Buona Sera, Grazie Mille, Smiling☺
Grazie, very useful info, I am going to Italy soon to visit my Italian partner's family and it is good to remember these basic rules
Grazie mille! I hope you have a wonderful visit 😄
Italy sounds lovely.❤😊 Greetings from South Africa.🙂
All correct. Good job, dude.
Exactly the same goes for the Spanish and Spanish habits. El ultimo is what you ask when joining a line waiting at post office or pharmacy etc. Smiling at strangers in the street is looked at as odd too, I'm English and do it with women my age, but they don't normally smile back. Love it when I go back to England where I get a smile and a greeting.
Thanks for sharing. I can see how there could be some similarities among customs in Spain. I agree, while being away is wonderful, there’s something special about coming home.
same for Greeks …
Quite accurate, but on working days lunch is between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and is dedicated to your meal.
Aperitivo will take place from 7.00 pm onwards.
Buon giorno is the greeting, buona giornata is the "goodbye "
Italians know how to enjoy life!
The lifestyle resonates with me!
True they're happy
😊
Not so true.
Great advice from a vet from Napoli
Grazie! Thanks for watching
Well done, I hope lots of Americans watch this!
Grazie mille ☺️
Being a tourist in Italy is stunning. Being a resident of Italy is a nightmare for many reasons, 1st of all because is a lawless country.
quite the contrary. It is a country where you have so many laws and regulations that drive you nuts, starting with italians.
@@yeshetsogyalling lawless with the meaning that rules are not enforced
@@naveconterosso it depends on who you are!!!
Italian men really know how to dress well. I can't say the same for the Americans.
They often wear baseball caps at breakfast whilst dining indoors in 5 * hotels.
I’m in Italy now in Abruzzo and I see lots of Italians wearing shorts and even sports wear. Also, many people are saying ciao in shops etc. I think some concepts of this video need updating.
I'd rather stay with the video tips. As an Italian, I do get upset when someone I don't know greets me with "ciao". Ciao is for friends and treating you as a friend is considered a breach of boundaries. Try not to do it by imitating bad mannered Italians!!
@@yeshetsogyalling I totally agree. And the wearing shorts in town is not viewed, by most of us, as proper.
Saying "ciao" in a shop where you know no-one is bad manners, as well as it is bad manner with people you don't know. You should say "buongiorno" or "buonasera" to be polite and proper.
And wearing shorts is just for young people or certain places. In cities is not exactly proper, unless you are a tourist or a young one.
@@yeshetsogyallingis Salve ok seems a little less formal than buongiorno?
@@AthelstanEngland Salve is neutral, not too formal not too unformal. My preference is to use Salve when I do not know a person but that it seems we can switch to an informal "tu" or "ciao" shortly.
I use buongiorno/buonasera when formality is required. However, quite often I say "buongiorno" rather than "ciao" (which would be perfectly ok) when I meet a friend who I see quite often and I want to wish a good day or happy "morning wake up" !!
I agree, Italian can be a very trick language, but don't worry, we are very forgiving with foreigners 🙂
Very useful information. Thank you. Greetings from a Melanesian living in Holland.🌞
Grazie a te! 😊
Italians view being hungry as a minor medical emergency. In an Italian eating establishment, you will be served very quickly, but in a ristorante for example, no one will try to turn the table. It’s yours.
Mindset is so true. I lived in Florence and I have lived in Sicily...sooooo different! They will talk about each other with a slight nose-up air, at times. LOL I loved both places, but Sicily stole my heart more. They were just so much more open. One golden rule to getting in is to be respectful. Always, speak when you make eye contact or walk into a business and bring patience. Do not rush Italians. Also, at least learn the pleasantries if nothing else before going to any part of Italy.
Grazie mille! Thanks for sharing your insights. I agree patience is so important!
Italians are awash in excellent wine however they seem to drink less than other European nationalities. Good for them!
Grazie! Excellent summary 😊
Grazie a te!
Good video. Well done.
Thank you very much!
When leaving "arrivederci" is always a good way to greet people
not always. The most respectful and correct is arrivederla. Arrivederci is for plural or for single people you would say ciao as well
Well done!
Grazie 😊
Great tips! DO learn a few words, but just as important, do your best to pronounce them correctly! Making the effort to properly say Grazie (not "gratzee"), Buon giorno (not "bon") etc. will go a long way towards your having a great experience.
Grazie mille! I appreciate hearing from you 😊
9. DRIVING - a disproportionate number of male drivers secretly harbour a belief that they could/should have made it in Formula 1. You and your car, therefore, are merely an obstacle to their continual obsession with passing at all costs. As they disregard most laws and common courtesies (lines, what lines; speed limits, HaHa) and linger inches from your rear bumper at highway speeds, just take a deep breath, give them room and cheer them on (or flip them the bird on their way by) - but let it stress you not!
This is particular true in centre and south Italy, where laws (any law!) are an optional
When you enter you should say buongiorno or, in late afternoon, buonasera.
When leaving you cam say arrivederci, (to when we'll see again), corresponding to see you later.
Agree!!!! Thank you! :0)
Graze a te! I’m glad it’s helpful.
As a young child I was frequently ill. My parents did not imbibe. When my Dad would take me to visit my Italian grandparents they would send him on an errand and present me with a small glass of my grandfather's red wine. They'd say, "Drink, it's good for the blood" in their Italian accents. They wanted me to be healthy! My dad figured it out and told my grand parents to stop.
Di sicuro eri in Veneto😅
They might have been right!
He was wrong in doing so.
In the EU, over 59 million tones of food waste (132 kg/inhabitant) are generated annually (Eurostat, 2024). So think twice about leaving food to be tossed out in a restaurant the next time you go out and eat. Take it with you or ask for half the portion!
Ben fatto.
Grazie
Grazie mille! It’s my pleasure.
brazil = italy = lovely mediterranean mess
The Pimsleur audio course of Italian that I am listening to now clearly says "mUlto", not "mOlto". This is confusing.
Also, most videos on UA-cam about Italy feature this phrase: "Parla Inglese?" The Pimsleur course instructs that "Inglese" is just an adjective, while "L'Inglese" is the English language. Confusing again.
"Parla Inglese" is perfectly ok. "Parla l'Inglese" is correct but sort of old-fashioned.
MOLTO is the correct word. "Parla inglese?" is also correct because the term "inglese" is both an adjective and a noun. It refers to English language and to English citizens. Contact me for any further question.
buonasera's used for good afternoon as well, after 12 noon...
Don’t wear short. #5. Everyone wearing shorts. 😆
I'm in Rome rn, there's 38 degree celsius with 90% humidity, no way I'm gonna wear long pants. I don't have a single friend regardless of social class, that wear anything other than shorts during the daytime and possibly at night too. Maybe only if you are invited to a fancy restaurant or a night at the opera. In the south (i'm from sicily) we pride ourselves in being able to wear short for three quarter of the year. The entire idea of italian being obsessed with fashion is one of the most stereotypical BS I see spouted on YT. It really stops to No naked torso in city centers, possibly no pajama out of your house. That's it. Kids gonna be kids and dress exactly like kids in the UK or Germany, we have all the subcultures you can expect coming with their looks, you'll come to Rome you'll see punks, bboy with baggy pants, emo with fishnets and what not. I'd avoid blanket statement, hell I literally only wear short and vans, my favorite brand is Volcom or a dixxon flannel, F*ck Armani and all that crap
OMG! 😂 I'm here in Vicenza in northern Italy the dress code here is more like a damn religion (everybody must be dressed in black, grey or white, like at a funeral or something, otherwise your seen as oddball or homosexual or lesbian), it's like their gonna die if they even go outside of their own house door in the countryside without dress clothes and elegant shoes on because their scared their neighbor might see them.
Then for conversations wow another point to make, most Italians here act like conversations with strangers even in a mall is flirting or most are just outright terrified about being seen in a public space talking to someone they don't know like their significant other or the palpac**zzi is watching their every move and interaction, maybe it's because I'm black IDK? 😂😅
I personally haven't been further down then Rome but already in Emiglia Romagna or Rimini people are way more friendly and chatty even towards foreigners colored or not.
Colored? There are many colors other than black
Interesting
In Vicenza, they are accustomed to people of color: since the end of World War II, there has been an American base in the city center, and on the outskirts, there is a village for American military personnel. People don't want to be bothered by strangers or foreigners, especially if they are dressed in a dirty and shabby manner.
POC
It's cos you're black buddy. If you're offended for gawd sake don't go to Eastern Europe. 😅
As a young woman, I was put off Italy for life by the attitude of men - who felt free to touch and pinch my bottom. There seemed to be men on the street and women nowhere to be seen. I still feel sick thinking about them.
Ma dove sei stata? Io vivo al nord e non mi e' capitato
I live in North Italy and this sounds very strange.
Forse prima gli avevi sorriso e tanti anni fa era un segnale di disponibilità; non si sorride agli estranei per strada o in qualsiasi altro posto.
@@alfredodallalibera5091 Questo commento è indegno di una persona civile. Sorridere non è affatto il via libera a ricevere le mani addosso. Colpevolizzare lei invece di chi tocca senza permesso peggiora solo il problema. Rivolta la risposta: non si tocca qualcuno che ti sorride. MAI.
Piantiamola con queste idee da medioevo.
What happened to you is not normal in Italy. You were unlucky and I'm sorry it happened to you.
Just returned from my 5th and probably last trip to Rome. I know a little Italian, We are respectful, dress appropriately. We are not loud. Only eat dinner after 8:00 pm. And then after all that, restaurants serve garbage food, ask if we want coffee in the evening, have extra Parmesan cheese on the table , are rude to us. Breaking all of the supposed rules, not to mention if we want full American breakfast! . Mi scusi , I will take my vacations elsewhere. You can have the day cruise ship people spitting on the ground and eating frozen pizza on a paper plate. Restaurants we used to frequent, and were very nice have changed noticeably in the last year, and not for the better. Tired of all of the rules that only apply to tourists while Italians prostitute themselves for a buck.
You don't know Italian well and before defining junk food, tell me where you are from and what you usually eat. then I thank you because it will be the last time, we already have too many haters. Frozen pizza in Italy can only be found in the supermarket and it doesn't do much. I don't understand the part about the passenger who spits, but it's okay, goodbye and never again
Dear sir, spell the name of the restaurant that served you garbage and Frozen food for dinner. If you leave such of feedback, witch Is in your right to do so, you must take your own duty . Furter more , I never heard someone saying that people were so rude to spit on tourists. I am Sorry , but as italian this bothers me very much. I am 54 years old and i Guess i should be considered a globe trotter, since my job gave the chance to visit 92 countries already among four of the five continents. I Guess i can sentence to have a certain experience in travelling , but the respect for different colture and habit It s a must . I can stand a list of inconvenient and un confortable situation ,those happened to me world Wide, in airports...hotels....restaurants...drunk taxi drivers...terrorists attacks and consecutive restrictions, but i never generalized. Maybe because i am lucky to speak several languages , and this helping me a lot . Thank you for the five times you decided to visit my beloved country. It means to me that you have been enjoying at least the previous four. I Hope you finally matured the decision do not come back again, and i Wish you to find elsewhere in the lovely polite sweet world , the great kindness and services that your person deserves.
Kind Regards
Michele Corazza
Ti mancano: il burro di arachidi, le ciambelle fritte, i distributori di ghiaccio gratis, le bibite zuccherose, vero?
I'm afraid those inconveniences that you complain about are the result of overtourism. I was born and raised in Venice, and I can assure you that we the natives hate those inconveniences as much as you do and even more. May be some of us - living and working in the most overcrowded tourist destinations - sell ourselves for a buck, but mostly we are given away for free. You are wise to stay away from Rome ever after.
@@caterinazanetti4320 may I take this moments to thank you and your wonderful city for the lovely and inspiring visits I have enjoyed. I understand your difficulties and can only wish you have better times ahead