A Few of My Favorite Things
Today I got called "Frau", responded "Excuse me?" and had a lady step on my foot saying "Scusi". It was the moment to start a blog. Summer time here in Rivoltella, Italy is in full swing. The winter is grey, with fog thick enough to cut with a knife, and rainy. The streets are empty like a ghost town. Small street stores are closed for the winter.
July 1 rolls around with cars driving down from the Alps like a holy pilgrimage. Suddenly: shops open bursting with post cards, ceramics, straw hats, sunglasses and shoes. All, made in China, of course. Shop keepers that during the winter insisted on only speaking dialect are now language experts giving directions in surprisingly good German, English and French.
So I realized that my little corner of Italy is an extremist: freezing fog and blazing sun, conservative locals in the winter and topless beach bums in the summer, small town in the winter and tourist destination in the summer. Somewhere in between these two extremes I have managed to get a grasp on my my funny and changing life.
One year ago I was still walking to work in Baltimore city. Putting a mean face on when I passed sketchy people. I was afraid to be robbed or killed, went to school every day after work till 9 pm (for my masters) and was making plans to come to Italy. In Rivoltella I have never been afraid of walking alone but am an outsider, local people who never went to college talk to me like an idiot since I am foreign, but the cheese, wine and scenery are good. Since I have been here for 9 months it is fair to have complied a small list of my favorite things in Northern Italy along with my lows here:
Ten Favorite:
1. My fiancè: He is good.
2. Gelato: I eat it almost every day. So far, pistacchio is my favorite
3. Bread: the bread here is made fresh every day. The best baker is retired and opens when he feels like it.
4. The bidet: a refreshing contraption in the summer and warming in the winter. It is a delight.
5. The architecture: every church is amazing and I can't believe how people made them so long ago.
6 . March: the carnival in Venice is worth the 4 hours in the sardine packed train to get there
7. Handcrafts: the older ladies are like 5 star generals for making intricate lace and embroideries.
8. Paintings of cherubs in churches: these little naked dudes always have funny expressions and are up to no good.
9. Bicycles: Everyone rides one, including the local nuns (adorable)
10. Flat boots: I am so thankful flat boots (called stivali here) are popular
Ten lows:
1. Being treated with skepticism for looking different.
2. The immigration office. The people that work there scream at immigrants to speak Italian.
3. The priest: he can be hysterically rude, delayed my wedding with paperwork and is a constant grouch. He needs to chill.
4. The long walk to the bus. I am in the country, on the edge of town, and the nearest bus is in town, a good 15 minute walk
5. No ethnic food. No Mexican, Ethiopian, Indian or American. McDonalds is here but junk, not worthy of being the symbol of American food.
6. The fog. It is heavily foggy every day starting in September when the Germanic pilgrims go back north and ends in June.
7. Job: getting a real job requires having political connections, not a degree.
8. Connections: It rules the local mentality. Dropping a name will open or close a door.
9. "Friendliness" of the gentlemen: they hoot, shout, honk, and take your hand (but should watch out for a fist...I did live in Baltimore for 10 years and getting grabbed means its fight or flight)
10. Shoes: if you wear the wrong shoes (not in season, wrong color or material) be ready to get snubbed
July 1 rolls around with cars driving down from the Alps like a holy pilgrimage. Suddenly: shops open bursting with post cards, ceramics, straw hats, sunglasses and shoes. All, made in China, of course. Shop keepers that during the winter insisted on only speaking dialect are now language experts giving directions in surprisingly good German, English and French.
So I realized that my little corner of Italy is an extremist: freezing fog and blazing sun, conservative locals in the winter and topless beach bums in the summer, small town in the winter and tourist destination in the summer. Somewhere in between these two extremes I have managed to get a grasp on my my funny and changing life.
One year ago I was still walking to work in Baltimore city. Putting a mean face on when I passed sketchy people. I was afraid to be robbed or killed, went to school every day after work till 9 pm (for my masters) and was making plans to come to Italy. In Rivoltella I have never been afraid of walking alone but am an outsider, local people who never went to college talk to me like an idiot since I am foreign, but the cheese, wine and scenery are good. Since I have been here for 9 months it is fair to have complied a small list of my favorite things in Northern Italy along with my lows here:
Ten Favorite:
1. My fiancè: He is good.
2. Gelato: I eat it almost every day. So far, pistacchio is my favorite
3. Bread: the bread here is made fresh every day. The best baker is retired and opens when he feels like it.
4. The bidet: a refreshing contraption in the summer and warming in the winter. It is a delight.
5. The architecture: every church is amazing and I can't believe how people made them so long ago.
6 . March: the carnival in Venice is worth the 4 hours in the sardine packed train to get there
7. Handcrafts: the older ladies are like 5 star generals for making intricate lace and embroideries.
8. Paintings of cherubs in churches: these little naked dudes always have funny expressions and are up to no good.
9. Bicycles: Everyone rides one, including the local nuns (adorable)
10. Flat boots: I am so thankful flat boots (called stivali here) are popular
Ten lows:
1. Being treated with skepticism for looking different.
2. The immigration office. The people that work there scream at immigrants to speak Italian.
3. The priest: he can be hysterically rude, delayed my wedding with paperwork and is a constant grouch. He needs to chill.
4. The long walk to the bus. I am in the country, on the edge of town, and the nearest bus is in town, a good 15 minute walk
5. No ethnic food. No Mexican, Ethiopian, Indian or American. McDonalds is here but junk, not worthy of being the symbol of American food.
6. The fog. It is heavily foggy every day starting in September when the Germanic pilgrims go back north and ends in June.
7. Job: getting a real job requires having political connections, not a degree.
8. Connections: It rules the local mentality. Dropping a name will open or close a door.
9. "Friendliness" of the gentlemen: they hoot, shout, honk, and take your hand (but should watch out for a fist...I did live in Baltimore for 10 years and getting grabbed means its fight or flight)
10. Shoes: if you wear the wrong shoes (not in season, wrong color or material) be ready to get snubbed
Wow, good for you to explore the world and make your own way. It all sounds very exciting and cultural. I would be in trouble since I live in flip-flops.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your wedding. You will post pictures right?
Hey Maleen :) you know, flip flops are making their way in. Only havaninas and leather flip flops are approved. All others are considered shower shoes. I'm hoping that Angelina Jolie or some other famous person starts wearing clogs so they make it in the approved list.
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