1. The food!!! Yea, if you live in Italy your in food heaven! These women know how to cook, and they cook a lot! My host mother seems to come home from work - cook lunch, clean, then cook dinner and clean again! Her cooking is amazing, it is unlike my American Moms cooking in many ways. She cooks as if we are all about to pass out with hunger. Olive oil and salt are used here alot too! Potatos are used in about everything, same with cheese and bread! In Italy, you have courses: pasta first! Then meat, next comes veges that cover your plate! The next course is cheese and fruit.... lastly dessert! When you are a guest and not used to the amount they eat, THIS IS ALOT! I have had to say "No grazie" about a thousand times these few days in Italy!
2. The price of food here is much cheaper! You can buy everything you need much cheaper here, even with the exchange rate of money! They only thing I have noticed that is expensive is soda. . . Wonder why ;-)
3.Family life! Yea, its different too! We all gather to eat lunch together, and dinner! Your work day practically ends at 1. You eat together always, it is rude to leave the table early too! You also sit and watch TV after your 10 O' clock meal too!
4.TIME! yea, it is not the american time zone I am used to and it is in military time to top it off! You eat lunch at like 1 and wait till about or 10 to eat dinner. By this time I am falling over I am so tired! Why eat soooo late???
5. American stuff! It is everywhere, I am not kidding! People wear things with our sayings, and with our money on it, our flag...I do not know why they would want too? Also people just love talking in english to me, where ever I go!... Hello, I am here to learn Italian! I think they just want to use their english skills, and not let them go to waste!
6. America is held very highly! People speak our language, they listen to mainly american songs, yea I know they dont understand them, but they like them none-the-less! They also watch american shows, all the time! (The shows are translated into italian thou...) My host brother wants to move to America so badly to become a banker, so I am helping him learn American TXT language! I have also met another guy who is excitingly waiting till march! Why? Because he goes to America for 15 days, so now he has a real american girl to help him improve his speaking skills! Oh goody! Someone please help me speak Italian now?!? :) Guess I will wait!
7.The driving is crazy! Italians have no idea how to drive! If my host brother goes to America, he will have to start at level one again! They do not listen to signs. Signs are more of a suggestion! They really just go when ever they want! Parking spots. . . They make their own where ever there is room! Stop lights are so rare and circles are so common! It is sooo scary, I cried my first day :) yea I know lame, but I am already terrified of driving! To top it off, backseats have seatbelts but in Italy you do not need to wear them! I always go to put mine on, then remember I dont have too! My host mom yelled at me when I went to put mine on one day.... Scary! Also the speeds they go, well I have not seen one speed limit sign anywhere! So they go what they feel like going. 60 in a town, ok! 100 on a highway, why not! No harm in going fast! WRONG! I should also say that they drive so close too other cars! You can stick your hand out of the window and touch another car easily! So bumps and scratches on cars are very common! You do not buy a nice car in Italy! It will be ruined by you, or someone else! ...Lanes.... Yea they have them in Italy, but yet again they are a suggestion. If you want to drive on the curb, go ahead! If you want to drive in the middle, there is no promblem with that! Crazy italian drivers!
8. You knew it was coming, bathrooms! they are so weird here! The showers are smaller, (well at least mine is) so if your a girl and need to shave your legs, rethink that! It is so difficult but I refuse to give up my razior! No matter what! That also brings me to a side note: Shaving here is a no..... for girls at least! Just go hairy! Anyway back to bathrooms! The watts are different so no american hair dryers ! Buy them here! Also the toilets are different! There are 2! One for the norm, and one I have yet to even turn on! The butt washer, it is how italians go without showers for a few days! (Thank goodness my family takes showers more oftenly!) The shape is also very different then americans! The flusher is also on the wall, it is a button!
9. Dress codes! Around the home you must have dry hair!! Or you will get sick! Also must, must, must have house shoes! Or you will get sick! So, socks do not count as shoes like they do in my american home! Also you have to wear PJS around the house! Now there is also going out clothes, which means fancy! Heels, jewlary, just fancy clothes in general! But do not wear these to school! No heels no matter what! Also no shorts or dresses or skirts that show your legs! You can wear stocking with dresses, so if you know me, that is exactly what I will be doing! If you show your legs, teachers will yell at you....loudly!
10. The money is beautiful! They have such colorful money here, I am going to frame some when I get back to america! Everything is also very expensive here! I bought 6 shirts (the were counted as cheaper then others) and it was 52 euros. In american dollers that is like 70 dollers! I am having mini-heart-attacks here! I never want to spend money again! You also either go to the mall and shop, or go street shopping! Both are expensive! So if you go anywhere in europe, check the exchange rate!!!!
11. Washing and drying clothes! In my family we have a washing machine, thank you heaven! But no dryer! Everything is put on lines so that your neighbors can see what you wear! People really do look to see what you wear too.....
12. The trees and wildlife! Both are different, I have not seen any PA animals around. Have not really seen animals around at all either... But the trees!! Gorgous! Amazing! Bellissimo! Seriously they are so not American trees, you just have to see them for yourself!
13. The water! Drinking water is fine! Not what I wanted to talk about thou...... Ocean water is so crystal clear, blue-green! I swimmed in the Mediterraneo sea and I felt like I was on a cloud! Even the sand was soft! Salty though! For me this is so cool, because I have learned about these waters and now I got to be in them! The beach is also much cleaner, and less crouded then the Jersey Shore!
14. The ice cream! Here is it called Gelato! Wow do they spend time and love on their gelato! It is so tasty! I have had so much here, and I want to know how to make it! Gelato is thicker then ice cream btw!
Now I have many other things that are different but I got bored! So next time the list will be long again! I also wish I could show you pictures, but my phone broke the day before I was about to go to Italy, so my lovely father is fixing it for me! (Also please ignore all grammer/spelling mistakes, still not used to this computer!)
Till next time readers |§| XOXO Brystal |§|
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| Look at the trees in the backround. That is what I am talking about! |
Wow that was interesting, the insider's viewpoint. nicely put out there :)
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