I'll call it, "Carbohydrates and Conjugations"! - "Eat, Pray, Love"
Haha...perhaps I should have named my blog "Carbohydrates and Conjugations". Nah, my title was perfect, because this is MY life and was MY life in Italy! What a beautiful life it is and was. I've been back for a few days now and it was good to come home.
I started making a list of final thoughts and impressions on my last day of art history...yes to the bitter end I needed something to distract me/fill my time in that class. So, here are some of my final thoughts/feelings/impressions about Italy!
School Experience:
- Would have been better off in Rebecca's class (first level)
-Cristiana (private lesson teacher) was my FAVORITE and Marco was the funniest. Maria could play a witch and her teaching style doesn't fit my learning style. The other Maria loves art and bores me...but I guess it isn't her fault!
-All "Marias" are NOT created equally
-Me and teachers that are harsh do not mesh, and I have a hard time learning from them
-Learning Italian IN Italian is difficult; much more difficult than learning it in English
-When I left, my brain was thinking in about 1/4 Italian and 3/4 English, making all of my thoughts in two broken languages...
-It was difficult for me, and I had times of wanting to give up, but I didn't; therefore, I did not fail at it!
The Family/Italian people:
-They eat a lot; the women eat a lot, but the men eat more! They also expect others to eat a lot!
-The family dynamics are different! I learned this in NYC, but this was different still. The "children" have a hard time finding jobs (it's a countrywide issue) and therefore they live at home longer. THis creates different dynamics between parent and child. Also, it is part of the Italian culture to keep your children close to you (and therefore less independent than American children) and this too creates different dynamics between parent/child adn then grandparent/child/grandchild
-The family did not seem to understand shyness
-The older men really do make comments to women...I experienced it many times, but they did not actually touch or make me fear them for any reason
-The beggar women are MUCH more comfortable walking up to you than I would like. Many times they would get RIGHT in my face!
-They really do appreciate you trying to speak their language
-WIth the family, it was easier for me to speak Italian to Signora Gabriella because she couldn't correct me.; this speaks to my need for perfection/fear of failure
-Italian dress funny! :) Some of it I LOVE and want to replicate...but sometimes it's just funny
-THEY SMOKE WAAAAYYY TOOOOOO MUCH...I'm surprised they dont all have lung/breathing/heart issues
-Italians understand the pedestrians right away
-They eat very fast...I'm surprised they dont have a consistent stomach ache
-They do not mind wearing the same outfit every day of the week! Some of them wore the EXACT outfit everyday, others wore pieces of their outfits every day.
Italia:
-A lot of Italy revolves around art and those who know and appreciate art history
-It is important to know some Italian
-The streets are HARD to navigate, but most have something interesting on them (though not at all like NYC); it's sometimes hard to figure out which street you are on because the names are on the corners of the buildings and not always on every corner... difficult
-The maps are hard to navigate as well...they dont make the situation of the crazy streets any easier
-They LOVE their sweets and "coffee"; first, they often end lunch and dinner with "un caffe"...which is like starbucks on crack...if you can imagine that! I felt like every other store or shop was a "bar" or pastecceria (bakery) where you could get coffees and sweets. Also, a "bar" to them is just a place to get coffee, pastries, sandwiches, snacks, etc.
-Pasta is NOT a meal; Pasta is a first course
-They have NEVER seen anything like my knee things (I know this from their staring and Cristiana told me she'd never seen anything). You think i get weird looks here in America??; they are NOTHING compared to the looks I got in Italy! THey were often very harsh and rude.
-Italy is NOT like the movies, but it is still amazingly beautiful! I suppose Italy could be like the movies...
-Italy is still not truly unified...they show loyalty to their cities and regions first...but it's only natural I suppose!
-They dont have central heating...and radiators do not always do it!
-I didn't run into too much of the superstitions that I know exist in the Italian culture
-Traveling within Italy is much simpler than America!
-They dont like toilet seats...yuck...
Gracie's list of questions/others questions answered:
1. Favorite thing(s) about Italy:
-Riding the bike around the wall of Lucca
-Seeing many things that I had been reading about and looking at for years
-My favorite food was the pasta that I had in Sienna and the Tiramisu at that same restaurant
2. Thing I missed the most about home:
- Hugs/familiar faces
-Oatmeal for breakfast
3. Thing I now miss most about Italy:
-Walking
-Being able to eat some chocolate and gelato without guilt because I'd be walking
4. 3 things I learned about the Italian culture:
-They truly enjoy eating
-The family dynamics are much different
-Life is just much different in general! The food, the dynamics, the day to day living, the heating systems, etc. etc.
5. 4 things I learned about life:
-Eating healthy foods (veggies/fruits) TRULY is the most important
-Letting go of everything that is familiar and comfortable will push you to the edge of your comfort zone, but that is good! Everyone should try it
-Life can be fun/adventurous/exciting even without someone by your side
-God provides a peace that surpasses all understanding (already knew/experienced this before). When I was flying to Italy and I was so terrified of being terrified...I had been praying for days...and when I took off on that plane, I knew that so many people were praying for me! God provided me with such a sense of peace, that I did not have ANY anxiety! He is good, He is SO good in so many ways!
6. 4 things I learned about myself:
-I can be alone...truly alone, and still have a good time and still experience all that an experience has to offer
-There is something therapeutic about traveling...for me at least
-People that made you who you are are invaluable...and while it's okay to be alone, we do need those people in our life...in some way (whether through phone, skype, email, facebook, etc.). Life is more fun with these people by your side.
-I can fly over the ocean...without ANY anxiety!!
7. Did I learn more of the language:
-Yes and No. However, I still left with a love for the language. I just need to learn it in a different environment.
8. Favorite foods:
-Signora Gabriella's Ribollita and Spezzatino
-La Taverna Guiseppe's pasta and tiramisu (Siena)
-The bread at the restaurant in Lucca
-The pesto that Signora Gabriella used on her pasta
After I got home, I watched "Eat, Pray, Love" again...these are some thoughts that stand out! I'm sure that I will continue to learn from my trip to Italy! It was amazing! I am so grateful to those who supported me and helped me get there. It was life changing and such a dream come true!
"You have to learn to select your thoughts the same way you select your clothes every day. Now that 's a power you can cultivate." - Richard; "Eat, Pray, Love"
"I know you feel awful, but you're life's changing; That's not a bad thing and you're in a perfect place for it, surrounded by grace."-Richard
"I thought I was over him, but...I love him." -Liz
"Big deal, so you fell in love with someone!"-Richard
"I really miss him." -Liz
"So miss him; send him some light and love every time you think of him, then drop it! You know if you could clear out all that space in your mind that you are using to obsess over this guy and your failed marriage, you'd have a vacuum, with a door way. You know what the universe would do with that door way? Rush in, God would rush in; fill you with more love than you ever dreamed of!" - Richard
"Eat, Pray, Love"
"Waiting for him to forgive you is a waste of time. Forgive yourself." -Richard; "Eat, Pray, Love"
"It's okay, to have broken heart means you have tried for something." -Ketut; "Eat, Pray, Love"
-I'll add to this blog as I discover things I've learned or thoughts I have about the trip!
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