So I've been here for a little over a month now and still can barely speak Italian, only just a found a teaching position, have visited two other countries besides Italy, have only been in class for 2.5 weeks and use the currency convertor online everyday. I'm trying to diversify my diet but my cooking skills are mainly limited to pasta, cheese and pesto sandwiches, eggs, and veggie burgers. Ryanair is my new best friend. I miss my true, long-term friends desperately. I can barely interact with Italians due to my severely and disabling limited Italian. I've learned to really dislike the discothecas a.k.a. the clubs. I've been really inspired to write character sketches, poems, etc. I miss Shabbat dinner and the convenience of a college campus. I miss blues dancing so much. I miss real conversation and my professors. My professors here are just so-so. I miss not having to buy water when you go out to eat (which I almost never do anyways).
I love being around so much history all the time. I love the Alps. I love gelato. I love the field studies in my Leonardo da Vinci art history classes. Every Wednesday we have class on some site of historical importance. Last Wednesday we went to the church where the Last Supper is housed, Santa Maria della Gracia, and talked about the dome designed by Bramante. Today we are going to Castello Sforza and looking at a fresco by da Vinci. This kind of art history class is the main reason I chose to study in Italy. I love the freedom of traveling around Europe, even just around Italy and the Lombardia province.
They say traveling abroad is like U. You begin elated, amazed, and in awe of the culture you are exploring. Then you start to sink a little bit, missing the comforts of home and familiar cultural norms. What I miss are the people I trust and feel connected to and unfortunately they are all back in the States. By December, the theory says, I'll have fallen in love with Italy and will be resistant to leaving. So we shall see.
Quirks I've noticed about Italy thus far:
1. Parking. Cars will often park half on the street and half on the sidewalk. If you're lucky. I have definately seen some cars parked entirely on the sidewalk. Makes for a weaving walk to class many mornings!
2. When you go out to eat in America, water is complimentary with just sitting down. Not here. You have to order it and its bottled water and then you have to pay for it.
3. The elevators. They have a door on the floor, doors in the elevator, and its all manual. Often you can see the floors as you pass up and down because the walls of the elevator are glass or even mere screens.
4. Pineapple and avocados are really expensive.
5. Vespas. Everywhere. More than just a stereotype.
6. Speaking of stereotypes, gestures are definately part of the Italian language. Confirmation was learning particular ones and their meanings in my Italian language class.
7. McDonalds is everywhere.
8. Coffee culture. But I've already written about that extensively.
9. Wine is really cheap at the grocery store. And I'm definately developing a strong affinity for wine, red and white.
10. There are no dryers. The washing machine in my apartment takes about two hours and then you have to hang up your clothes on a drying rack to dry. Makes me appreciate the poor dryers at UPS that barely dried your clothes...but at least you could get your clothes to shrink back again.
There are definately more I just can't think of them right now.
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