If you follow me on social media, I'm sure you're aware of my current location: la citta' eterna. That's right, I've been in the great city of Rome for the past 3 weeks for "school."But really, I've been having awesome experiences with awesome people while eating awesome food.
I went into this journey not giving much thought to blogging about it-- perhaps I was too overwhelmed with preparing for the trip in general. Then, once my time here began I decided I would simply journal once a week, so as to make my thoughts more personal and also to refrain from focusing my energy on social media whilst living a dream.
And now, I've decided to at least blog a mid-trip synopsis. But not of every ancient ruin and famous building I've beheld.
Instead, I want to fill you in on what it really feels like being worlds away from home in a completely different continent, country, and culture.
Things I've found worthwhile to talk about:
1) Massimo
My coffee man. Coffee in general is a topic in itself.
A bar in America brings to mind beer, ESPN, and perhaps voluptuous women.
A bar in Italy, however, is a coffee shop, usually located along the sidewalk of a lively piazza, complete with umbrella'd tables and accustomed locals.
Massimo is a slightly-older-than-middle-aged man with curly locks and a warm smile. I know his name only through observation of his business' morning traffic-- he doesn't speak a lick of English. And I like that.
I find our language barrier to be enjoyable--our smiles do all the talking.
And his croissants are out of this world. Cornetto con crema (sigh): a blessed buttery croissant, filled with Italian custard and lightly showered with powdered sugar-- I never dreamt I would ever have to make such a bold statement, but literally, these things are better than Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
2) The Italian Mindset
I came here expecting every Italian to be out-of-their-way nice, warm and kind. I have no idea what gave me that expectation but, nonetheless, that was the standard I had set.
Not so much.
The grocery lady gets mad that I don't immediately know I'm supposed to bag my own groceries, the more popular coffee shop bartender gets agitated when I'm standing in the wrong place, and an Italian elderly woman cusses me in the middle of the street.
What can I say? Can I blame them? I am, after all, a stupid American.
But something I have noticed that I admire about the Italians is their view on life. You don't have to speak to them for their values to be noticed. They take two hours off in the middle of the day to eat a multi-course lunch with their family. Most businesses are closed on Sunday. Dinner doesn't begin until 8 or 9. They're playing harmonicas outside my window at 2:30 A.M. on a Wednesday.
Everything that an American couldn't ever imagine being relaxed and acceptable is, in fact, relaxed and acceptable.
3) Conservatives & Preservatives
If you ever want to feel like a hoochy mama, wear a typical "I'm a Floridian" summer outfit in Rome.
I have been here 21 days, not one day has been by any stretch of the imagination "cool," and yet all the locals are dressed astonishingly layered and covered. There is no cleavage, no knees, no curves. All clothing is flowy, layered, and long.
I have mad respect for this.
Whereas conservatism is a way of live, preservatives are unheard of here. A concept I can't decide if I like or hate.
Pros: you know the food you get at restaurants is almost always the real deal, you don't have to scrub your apple before you eat it, you feel more wholesome about what you're consuming
Cons: the spaghetti you made last night WILL spoil within 48 hours, refrigerator and all.
It's been a great experience thus far.
My biggest piece of advice? Stop living life looking forward to something so much that you have these vivid expectations. Rome -- Italy in general--is nothing like I imagined, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
Ciao, ragazzi
- Rambo
