ZING

Three delightful guests attended our informal Zonta Informational Network Gathering (ZING) on December 4, 2007.

We did a round of introductions, the members of Peconic Bay talking about why we joined Zonta, the club’s history, upcoming activities, and long-term plans. Our guests, who are experienced in college counseling, community relations and energy technology, shared their thoughts about women’s issues. We spent the evening in lively discussion, nibbling on a selection of Greek, Italian, Japanese and Spanish hors d’oeuvres, all to reflect the international nature of Zonta.

In keeping with Peconic Bay’s tradition, we had done some online research and gathered the following factoids on our countries for the evening:

GREECE
In Greece, women take home about three-quarters what men earn at the same job. Reports published by the Statistical Office of the EU (Eurostar) show that the greatest pay inequalities are found in the higher income groups, the older age groups and among the highest educated.

ITALY
A Google search on “women Italy” yields as the first (most viewed) entry: “Sexy Italian Women.”

JAPAN
Arranged marriage is still a form of spouse selection in Japan, about 15% of all marriage in 1987-1992 were arranged. The higher the age of a husband or wife at first marriage, the more likely it is that the marriage is arranged. Love marriage is more frequently occurred in urban area than rural area.

SPAIN
Cristina Sánchez, who in 1996 became the first female Spanish bullfighter in modern history, said that she was still fighting the same battles as women in the boardroom. Sánchez, who retired in 1999 after suffering discrimination from her male colleagues, returned to the bullring last month. “Let's not deceive ourselves, things haven't changed that much,” she said, referring to the macho attitudes in bullfighting.