Halfway!

I really cannot believe it… I am 56 days into my semester here in Italy. Which translates into “I AM HALFWAY DONE”!!! It is very crazy to think that I have been here for that long. And I am kind of sad. It feels like I just got here and parts of me really do not want to go home. So what should this blog be about…. Hmmm what about another list of what I have learned these past 56 days (you know by now that I love my lists!)

1. I am a lot more flexible than I give myself credit for… I usually go into a situation with a plan, especially when I want to maximize my time. In Italy, I have been really relaxed and let things happen as they happen (okay, I still try to make a plan, but do not freak out when something changes or it is decided to do something else).

2. I am becoming more adventurous with food. As many of you know, cheese really grosses me out. I have actually begun to eat fresh mozzarella (which is not melted). It may seem really trivial, but for me, it is a really big deal.

3. I have learned to laugh at myself. If I got lost, I would freak out a little and then profusely apologize to the people I was with. Now, I just laugh and say that we are always going to remember this adventure when we got lost in (insert destination here).

4. I am more self-confident. I used to be really embarrassed to use my very, very poor Italian skills, but now I try to chatter as much as possible. Even if I am saying something incorrectly, the Italians really appreciate the effort I made to talk to them in Italian (and they are willing to help me out).

5. I know that I can live by myself, prepare my own meals, and take care of my place to live. I was a little apprehensive at first about living in an apartment with just roommates. It turned out to be a great living arrangement. I love living in an apartment and all the freedom that comes with it.

6. City living might actually be for me. I love being able to walk to wherever I need to go. So maybe I will be relocating to a city after college….

7. I apparently look like a Florentine, because tourists ask me for directions. It is a confidence booster! I look like I know where I am going (which is true most of the time) and I look Italian (sort of… it’s the brown hair and olive-ish skin tone). It is fun to freak out the tourists – one came up to me and asked if I spoke English. It was funny to see their faces when I gave them directions – it was a mix of amazement, shock, and appreciation. I am an American in “Florentine clothing”!

I have learned so much about myself this trip (and probably more to come!) but I have also learned so much by just observing the Italians and the tourists, learning in class, and talking with my friends and peers. So here are some things I have noticed during October:

1. The minute the thermometer reads 60°F, the Italians pull out the winter jackets, the scarves, and hats. Meanwhile, the tourists are running around in t-shirts and shorts (okay, maybe not all of the tourists, just some of them).

2. The Italians have the most beautiful jackets I have ever seen and always accessorize with the best scarves… it makes you feel like the biggest slob in the whole-wide world – even if you are dressed in your Sunday best.

3. We have horse and carriage rides around the city center and the horses are really cute. But when the horse has a sign on his bridle that says, “Horse Bites”, you really shouldn’t touch it…

4. Do not eat off the special “tourist menus”… they may be cheaper but they are modified to the Western palate (aka they are bland and boring). Get food from the normal menu – it is loads better.

5. If you want cheap, good food, find a college kid (same advice works in the United States….)

6. Read about the museums ahead of time – websites and guidebooks will tell you what not to miss, cool fun facts, and descriptions of the important pieces. Most of the museums that I have visited have only had Italian description signs. I have not been to the two huge museums (Academia and the Uffizi) yet, so I am not sure about their description signs. But for smaller museums, this is a great idea.

7. Pharmacies are your friend… They are so much cheaper than going to the doctor and they give you what you need to be on your way.

8. Fashion changes so quickly here. The moment you have the perfect trendy wardrobe, it goes out of style. Sadly, the only thing not going out of style is the harem pant, which is much different than the harem pant found in the United States.

9. It is never too cold for gelato!

10. The weather might be getting colder, but the people are still just as warm and friendly.

It has been a fun-filled first half of the semester. I hope it is just as wonderful for my second half!

Ciao!