Two weeks in and it still feels like a dream. I’m not sure if it will ever feel real. With every place I visit and ever new corner I turn, I fall more and more in love with this country (as cheesy as it sounds).
My first weekend in Italy set high expectations for the following weekends during my time here. My Aunt Ali, who lives just a couple of towns over, came into Castiglion Fiorentino to spend time with me. After spending the afternoon exploring Old town, we shared family stories over one of the greatest meals I have had so far. The next morning we drove to Pienza, a neighboring town, and spent an hour walking the streets. She treated my roommates and I to lunch and stocked me up with delicious cheese, honey and fresh bread before she left. I am so thankful for my family and feel so loved by them, even being miles and miles away from home.
On Wednesday, we returned to Florence for another class field trip. Although we had visited the week before, this visit only confirmed that I will never get over the beauty that Florence has to offer. The view from the top of the Duomo was unlike anything else. Understanding the history and mystery that lies beneath every brick placed and every detail drawn, my appreciation for the art here continues to flourish.
For a class assignment I had to observe situations that give me anxiety and uncertainty, something that is not so foreign to me even being in a foreign country. The language barrier, obviously, has caused plenty of anxiety and uncertainty. When ordering food or asking a question about the train, you’re never quite sure if you’re going to get what you had in mind or if you’re going to make it back home the right way. Of course I could have written my observation essay on this, but instead I decided to dissect my fear of public restrooms here in Italy. I broke my anxiety down through the four axioms, motivation, categorizing strangers, assessing the situation, and ethical imperative. Through this, I was able to determine why I lack effective communication in this particular situation, however, I’ll leave the details about my anxious restroom experiences in the paper before I expose myself any more.
For Valentine’s weekend, a big group of us traveled north to Verona, Italy, home of Romeo and Giulietta. It was such a lovely weekend, quite literally. There were heart decorations dangling on every lamppost, couples intertwined on park benches and on the streets, and, of course, the home and balcony of Giulietta. Love was everywhere. This was a perfect weekend to observe proxemics and chronemics in Italian culture. Proxemics can be defined as the space between you and people around you. This space is categorized into four different sections; personal space, familiar space, romantic space, and public space. Chronemics involves the time table on which people operate and function. This is is divided into two types of time, monochronic and polychronic, or M-Time and P-Time. These two topics are a great example of what sets American culture and Italian culture apart from each other. Observing public and romantic space in Verona on Valentine’s weekend may have been the easiest thing to do. Everyone seemed so happy and willing to share their personal space whether they were holding hands, linking arms, or exchanging a kiss. Meanwhile, if you know me you know I am standing at least arms length from the person next to me. I will continue to observe proxemics here in Italy and everywhere else I plant to visit for it is something so easy, yet so fascinating to observe.
And that is what happened Today in Tuscany! I am so thankful for this opportunity to learn and grow here in Italy. With each mistake made and every train missed, I will only grow stronger as an individual. Thanks for checking in, arrivederci!