As my third extended stay in this beautiful country winds down, it seems fitting to toss out an entry or two in the blog that was born of these adventures. It is funny to go back and read some of the posts from my first 3-month stint, the observations that seemed so fresh and unique. At the time they were, not only to me but to my family and friends back home who expressed an interest in living vicariously through my Italian escapades.
I have come realize that I am certainly not the first, nor will I be the last, person to marvel at the differences between Italian life and what we’re used to in the US, to comment on the way coffee is consumed here or all the stores close for several hours in the middle of the day.
After being here for almost 2 years in total, though, the more obvious things recede into the background of everyday life and it’s the subtler differences that become more endearing. It is these things that hit me when I'm out and about, or when I realize that soon I won't be here and therefore I need to appreciate them while I can.
Most of them, that is...
Most of them, that is...
There's that law of motion that says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, you may remember it from high school physics? So while I will miss many things about this incredible place, there are also those things that I most definitely will not miss. I started to ponder the yin/yang of this and came up a few manifestations that I thought worth sharing.
* * *
Will miss: Being in a city full of bikes and tiny cars
Will not: Being in a city full of tour groups and American students
Will miss: Hearing the dull chime of church bells in the distance
Will not: Hearing the shrill scream of ambulances passing in front of my house
Will miss: Having all my friends live within a mile of me
Will miss: Strolling down cobblestone streets where surprise art installations pop up where you least expect it
Will not: Strolling down cobblestone streets where surprise doggie “offerings” pop up where you least expect it
Will miss: Having windows covered with shutters on the inside, ensuring the perfect pitch-dark sleeping experience
Will not: Having windows not covered with screens, ensuring that the perfect sleep experience is shattered by the regular whine of mosquitoes
Will miss: Gazing out over terracotta rooftops as I work
Will not: Gazing out at pigeons who are getting lucky on those rooftops
Will miss: Basking in the culture of a country that knows how to enjoy “la bella vita”
Will not: Basking in the second-hand smoke of… well… everyone
* * *
Of course I will miss the obvious things, too... the ever-present view of the Duomo, sunsets over the river, cheap and delicious red wine, the intoxicating aroma of espresso spilling out of the cafes on every block, spending time with my wonderful, amazing friends.
Yes, my third extended stay is winding down. Who knows, perhaps at some point there will be a fourth? But I am content in the knowledge that I have gained much from my time(s) here. I am not the same person I was that first fall, nervous and intimidated by a country I knew almost nothing about. I would not even begin to say that I know so much about it now, but the important thing is that I know more about myself, which is largely what this journey was about from the beginning.
* * *
Of course I will miss the obvious things, too... the ever-present view of the Duomo, sunsets over the river, cheap and delicious red wine, the intoxicating aroma of espresso spilling out of the cafes on every block, spending time with my wonderful, amazing friends.
Yes, my third extended stay is winding down. Who knows, perhaps at some point there will be a fourth? But I am content in the knowledge that I have gained much from my time(s) here. I am not the same person I was that first fall, nervous and intimidated by a country I knew almost nothing about. I would not even begin to say that I know so much about it now, but the important thing is that I know more about myself, which is largely what this journey was about from the beginning.
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