Life in Firenze

I've now been in Italy for just over a month and it is crazy how fast my time here is going! Adjusting to the Italian way of life in Florence hasn't been difficult but there are certainly differences in day to day normalities.

Grocery shopping was stressful the first time or two. But it has gotten easier and easier until I decide I want to try and make something entirely new and I go on a long hunt to find the correct ingredients! All of the cheese, meat, and bread is incredibly fresh and there is not as many preservatives in most things like the USA counterparts. Other grocery-related differences:

• You wear a glove when picking out produce.

• You have to weight your fruit and vegetables and sticker them with the price while in the produce section, they will send you away from the cash register if you haven't done so.

• Eggs do not come refrigerated.

• Etc.

More on the topic of food: Italians eat dinner much later than most families in the US. You will see restaurants beginning to fill around 8 or 9, if there are people in a restaurant before 8 they are either doing aperitivo or they are a tourist.

aperitivo = before dinner drink, often accompanied by appetizers

Other Florence things:

• Drivers seem to park anywhere they want, I cannot conceptualize the rules of the road in this city!

• People walk everywhere, there is limited public transportation as the city is comparatively small and very historic with small cobblestone streets everywhere.

• Alfredo sauce is not Italian and basically doesn't exist here. Also chicken is never prepared in pasta dishes. Olive Garden has bamboozled us all.

• Many museums are free on the first Sunday of every month.

• Everything you think you know about ordering coffee is not the same. Everything.

• Night life starts at 1:00 am.

• Even the cheap wine is good.

• A lot more people smoke cigarettes.

• No one is on their phones in public (exception: sometimes transit).

• Dogs are allowed everywhere! They are in the clothing stores, restaurants, and sometimes even the grocery store.

• Athleisure wear is not as popular.

The list goes on but it is great! There are really so many different experiences to have and I love learning to naviaged through life here!