Outsider looking in...

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be an foreigner in another country? Sure you can travel and mingle with the locals, laugh at the fact that you can barely speak the language, make a fool of yourself and not worry about leaving a lasting impression, and make a few passing remarks about the strange country without ever immersing yourself into the culture. But what if everything you ever knew was no longer there? What if the comforts of home were gone and now you are the person in a foreign land, not just someone in your country who irritates you because they don't know the customs or mores, but because now the tables are turned, you notice just how that same foreigner you've made fun of a thousand times now feel? I have lived in the United States my whole life. I travelled once to Canada and once to Bermuda, where the people spoke my language, perhaps with a little accent, and wanted my money, so they made me feel good about being there. But now, here I am, this southern girl has landed in another country with no familiarities or comforts of home, bound and determined to make it in this country and assimiliate to the culture to the best of my ability. However, this comes with several challenges and now, after being here for 5 months, I see myself evolving, changing into a different person.

I see myself as an outsider looking into the country I once knew and loved. I still do love the US for everything it offers, but in the same regard, I am beginning to understand why and how the world thinks we are the most selfish and convenient oriented society there is. Let's take fast food or restaurants for example. Here, if you want to eat out, there are certain times of the day that can occur. Don't expect your favorite restaurant to be opened at 2pm because that's when you decided to take lunch. And don't expect to drive up to a drive thru and order your favorite chicken nuggets with waffle fries (and yes I miss Chick Fil A) because guess what, there aren't drive thrus here. We have one on post and then one near the mall, both Burger King,  but other than that, nope, they aren't here. Why? Essentially it is illegal to drink or eat while you are driving. Go figure! guess you can't say you missed the stop sign because you spilled ketchup in your lap. Admit that and you will get a fine. As for that restaurant at 2pm, let's just say, lunchtime is from 12-2, and after that, the place closes its doors until 7pm when it will open again for dinner, unless of course it's a Monday and then you better find a grocery store that is opened so you can get cooking. Most of the restaurants are closed on Mondays. so you see, eating out isn't convenient, it's a well planned, well timed meal choice you need to make, rather than an on the fly motion. I will say this though, once you get used to it, you admire the fact that the shopkeepers and chefs don't feel the need or pressure to remain open all day. Money is not the bottom line.

Another point i see is that America is the most accomodating place I've ever seen. If you don't like the shirt you purchased you can return it without any hassle and sometimes without a receipt. If you don't like the way something is done you can lobby to get it changed. If you don't like the fact that your favorite restaurant has decided to be closed on Sundays you can complain to everyone who will listen and then, opt to head to another place. If you forget something you need, let's say sugar for that late night snack you plan on baking, you can run down to the corner Walmart, open 24 hours or the big chain store open 24 hours and grab that item. But here now, Italy is set in their ways. If you don't like something, tough. If you don't like the fact that the stores are closed for reposo every day from 1145-330, get over it. It happens. If you plan on buying something, you better really like and now that it will fit, otherwise, you better find someone else to give it to. Returns are frowned upon here. And do not, under any circumstances, TOUCH anything. Do not touch the fruit with your bare hands, use a glove. Do not touch the fabric of the dress in a little boutique, because you know we Americans LOVE to feel and touch everything, or you will get thrown out or fined. Don't expect your Italian dryer to handle those American made towels or to even dry them with actual heat. Line drying is the way to go. Garbage disposals, non existent. Instead, you get to sort the trash, everyday. Lastly, do not expect your favorite restauarnt to accomodate you at 2pm, no they are closing up and heading home. And do not expect to find your corner grocer open at 10pm at night, they closed 3 hours prior. In Italy, they are set in their ways. It's not a bad thing really. You have to admire a group of people who understand the needs of their culture and just give their culture what they want. It's a sense of peacefulness I have never had nor understood.

Another thing about Italy I admire is the simple laid back way of life here. Italians walk, every day, rain or shine. I see them at 0530 with their umbrellas, walking in the rain. I see them at 10pm at night, walking off their dinner. I see them walking to the town center or riding their bikes, everywhere because this is what Italians do. They are an active people, and i love that. I love seeing the older couples out on nature hikes with their walking sticks. I love seeing families out for a nighttime stroll, enjoying some gelato.I love that the Italians don't think twice about riding their bike to the store, even though they could take their car. They aren't bound to the car like we are in the states, and I think it's great.

Sure, Italy has it's quirks, like the farmers that are out early in the morning or late in the afternoon, walking in the fields with their dog, and shooting at the pigeons so they can make a mean pigeon pie for dinner. But if you think about it, we all have our quirks, America too. So the next time you find yourself in another country, living day in and day out with the locals, yearning for a little taste of home like your friendly Target or Walmart, try, just try to adjust to the life you've been given. Try to assimilate yourself, try to learn the language, try to soak in the culture. And when you're missing home, there's always the big red target on line if you really feel the need to shop. They ship, it's usually free, and you've saved yourself some gas in the process. I know now what it's like to be the outsider looking in and while at first it felt awkward, scary and daunting, once I got past all that, I think I might just like it here (but please don't tell my husband that quite yet).

Florence

The architecture alone and streets lined with gold and designer stores is enough to send any woman into a tailspin of spending and photography, but visiting Florence as a family takes quite another spin. I knew that taking the children, ages 6 & 9, might prove to be difficult as what child would want to walk aimlessly around looking at building after building, fresco after fresco, and statue after statue? Heck, all I heard from my children all day was, "Can we go back to the room? Can we have gelato" and my favorite, "These statues all need underwear mom!" From the eyes of a child, this is probably the most boring place in the world, unless of course your child absolutely loves art and all things about art and has a wealth of knowledge regarding painters, sculptors and the ilk. But for my two, no, they had none of that going for them. They were bored but they were troopers and tried to enjoy themselves.

We drove to Florence on a rainy Saturday morning. I should have known that was just the beginning of the rain because all weekend long, the rain persisted. Despite it though, Florence still turned out to be a great city, full of life, happiness and atmosphere. We rented a little one bedroom flat which I highly recommend. Our weekend landlord, Luca, had a fabulous place minutes away from the Duomo and Baptistery and as they say in the real estate business, location is everything. This flat was literally in the center of town. http://www.housetrip.com/en/rentals/5787 . The only downside was the 8-10 minute walk complete with luggage in tow that we lugged through the town from the train station, and in the rain. We met up with Luca's girlfriend and thankfully, she spoke very good English. Once we exchanged keys, the family set out to explore our surroundings. We found the Hard Rock Cafe right at our corner. Next to that and all around us was a shopping extravaganza, complete with stores like Valentino's, Miu Miu, Gucci, Coco Chanel, and Lush. Yes it was a shopper's heaven, but since my 9yr old tells me I shop too much, I mean really what girl doesn't like to shop, I did my best not to shop. And since most Italians are not as broad shouldered and as thick in the middle as I, shopping wasn't much of a concern. More importantly, as we rounded the other corner, the Baptistery was right there and the Duomo, right behind it. We were center stage for the main attraction.

The baptistery, named for John the Baptist was an octagon structure with bronze inlaid doors, also known as the Gate of Paradise, that depicted ten stories from the bible. In the Middle Ages, it was believed to be a Roman pagan temple dedicated to Mars. The first panel on the door represents the creation of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from Eden. The second panel is the story of Cain and Abel. The remaining panels are in this order, from left to right, Noah & the Ark, Abraham, Isaac and sons Esau and Jacob, the stories of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David and lastly, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.On the other side of the Baptistery, another set of doors sits and depicts scenes from the new Testament. My daughter and i got a sneak peak inside and saw the phenomenal mosaic ceiling, the tomb of the anitpope (who knew?) and the mosaic scene of Hell in the Last Judgment, a strange looking picture of a devilish looking figure which I did not even think I would see in a place of worship. Here's some more information on the Baptistery which I found rather informative. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/florence-baptistery.

We also visited the Duomo, which is a must! The outside architecture alone takes your breath away, and the inside is even more magnificent. As we approached the pulpit area I stopped dead in my tracks as my gaze led upwards towards the ceiling. The fresco on the ceiling was painted in such a way that is appeared as if the subjects were popping out of the picture. Truly an amazing feat since it was all painted in one dimension. My husband visited the tombs and told me there wasn't much to them, so at least I know I didn't miss much. You can climb to the top of the Duomo and, from what my husband described, have an excellent view of the city and the surrounding areas. I will warn you, there are about 436 steps to the top and not every step is carved equally. Our next stop included the Piazza della Signoria. It's located near the Palazzo Vechio and is a piazza full of statues each with their own story. In this piazza was where the original David, by Michaelangelo, was located, but it has since been moved to the Galleria Academia. However, you can see the David by Donatello. It is still a wonderful piece. My favorite statue though was definitely the one of Perseus holding Medusa's head while standing atop her dead body. Much detail went in to the making of that statue.

In the same area, you can visit the Palazzo Vecchio and view the art and several pieces of the time when the family ruled. There is also a secret passages tour which was recommended to me by a friend. Unfortunately on the day we tried to tour the palace, they did not have that tour available. Dinner that night was the Hard Rock Cafe where I enjoyed a good old American salad and hamburger. After living in italy for awhile, you need a taste of home. The waitress even gave us free refills on our drinks which is totally unheard of in Italy. I was so happy to be eating in an American restaurant. After dinner we walked around the corner and ended up at a local open air market that was open for the weekend. They had assorted cheeses, meats, sauces and pastas. My husband's favorite was the meat being sliced off a roasted pig leg. I enjoyed the chestnuts roasting over an open fire (now just don't go breaking out into song. I know, the temptation is hard!)

The next day we spent exploring the city and all the culture it had to offer us. We visited the science museum where the kids went on a scavenger hunt to locate Galileo's finger, thumb and tooth! (They did find it and were very pleased with themselves, even though they rest of the time they were bored with mom's show and tell education time.) We visited the Ponte Vecchio, the covered bridge in the city. Once you crossed the bridge, you came upon what I call "The street lined with gold." Literally, all along the street on both sides, there was goldsmith after goldsmith. At least here my oldest permitted me to browse the earrings, charms, and bracelets. We continued on our way to the Palazzo Pitti, not very exciting but it was a large palace. And finally we visited the Galleria Academia where Michaelangelo's David stood, front and center, in all it's masculine beauty. The detail and form used to create this masterpiece is mesmerizing, and i think, even my husband began to feel a little taken aback by David's in your face genitalia, but it's art, so it's all good. 

Florence is a beautiful city, steep in culture, religion and fashion. My one qualm with the place is the cost of everything if you are not an EU citizen. Each large touristy city has a pass that allows you to visit all the museums for one set price. For a family of four, it would have 200 euros and frankly, when you cost out the individual places you want to see, you pay much less. Also, if you want to grab a bite to eat, eat where they locals go, you will find the best food there rather than what a book tells you is the best gelato in the whole world. (Sadly, it was not)

 


 

Olive harvesting

The Italians lead a simple yet hard life here. Simple in that the modern conveniences we consider essential, i.e. a drive through for lunch or a prepackaged mixed salad bought from the local store, are not so here. If you want a salad, you make it. You cut the lettuce, or field greens, you chop the tomato, and you grate the cheese. If you want lunch, there is a certain time to head to the restaurant for lunch and then after a certain time, it is closed. Lunch, or pranzo, is from 1200- 1430. Do not try to enter the establishment earlier, they are not ready for you and do not enter after a certain time because then they are looking to go home until they open again at 7pm. Your other option is to make your lunch, whether that means you slice the meat and cheese on your own in home slicer or you make a small pasta dish, you put it all together. The Italians are also set in traditions here. Values and work ethics that are passed down from generation to generation. Family run businesses passed from father to son or father to daughter. The "old way" of life is still alive and well in Italy.

During this time of year, an important event event occurs all throughout Italy and lasts approximately 60ish days. It is the olive harvest time. It's a time when fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, family and friends come out for a cherished tradition of harvesting the olive tree. There are no machines to do the work for you, it is all done by hand, from sunrise to sunset, and often into the night. My family and a few friends had the chance to help out a local family and medium sized business this weekend harvest the olives off their trees. When we arrived, the nets were already laying in place, on the ground, clamped together and around the trunk of the tree. The hand rakes were laid out and the olive bins were ready for collection. She gave us brief instructions and set us on our way. The kids started off first, hitting all the branches near the bottom of their trees, carefully raking off each and every olive and trying hard not to step on them as they fell to the ground. Then the grownups got an opportunity to help out while the kids helped to put the olives in a basket. After a little while, the owner had us undo the clamps and start to roll up the sides of the netting so that the olives settled in the middle of the netting. It was after that, when the challenging part began. The nets were strewn from the last tree in the row to the olive catching bin near the first tree in the row. Once the sides were rolled and the olives in the net, the person at the end of the net had to start pushing all the olives towards the front, whilst gathering the net at the same time. Once we arrived at the front, the olives and leaves were dumped into the bin, ready to be cleaned and processed. We collected one more batch of olives and headed to the processing room.

It was here the owner showed us where the olives landed once they were dumped into the machine. The olives were cleaned and separated from the leaves and then transferred to another machine to be crushed and pulverized.  Once the water and oil were extracted from the olive, it was drained into a vat for storage. The olive oil itself could be stored for up to a year in a large vat, but she prefers to process it as soon as she can.The owner also told us that during a harvesting season, she can make well over 750,000 bottles of extra virgin olive oil, enough to sustain her business for a whole year. That is pretty impressive seeing how she and her family truly work at harvesting only 2 months out of the year. In addition to the family olive grove, she also collects olives from the surrounding farmers to help in the production of the oil.

So you can see, the old way of life still exists here. Yes, they do have some modern machines to aid in the production of some goods, but for the most part, the items in Italy are either handmade or homegrown. I am beginning to see the importance of this way of life and frankly, I think I like it. But, having been born and raised in America, I can also see the valued added side of modern conveniences. While not wanting to give up my dollar bin shopping in Target or enjoy a little chicken from the drive thru at Chick-fil-a, there is a peacefulness in doing things simple. Perhaps I am beginning to enjoy what Italy has to offer, or perhaps I am succumbing to my surroundings, but whichever it is, I have a greater appreciation for all things simple. It's a shame not all of us do.