1 YEAR IN ITALY!

(Blog by Travis)
It's now July of 2011. We've survived over a year in Italy. It sure has gone by quickly.
I recently took a short 2 week trip back to the United States partially for business and partially to visit family. The excitement leading up to the trip was partially visiting family I hadn't seen in a while but also, to compare in my mind, how differently I perceived American culture after being completely immersed in Italian culture for a year. In true blog fashion, I'll share some of these thoughts.
1. I heard somewhere, probably in driving safety class or something, that you can tell a lot about someone by the way they drive. I find this to be true culturally as well. Italians are pretty selfish when they drive, which translates to about any other activity as well. They expect that everyone will move right out of the way for them. They don't stand in line for anything. If you give an inch, they'll be 20 more people standing in front of you. At first I was amazed, then after a while I was just annoyed. Most Americans extend a certain level of hospitality to just about anyone they meet. I was utterly shocked while I was home when some stranger I didn't know at all passed me while driving and gave me a wave. Generally, Italians ignore everyone around them until addressed first. To put it in perspective, Rylan and I were out riding our bikes this afternoon and passed another cyclist. The guy looked right past us. Didn't even acknowledge our existence as fellow particles of mass in front of him. Rylan said Caio as he passed and still not even a glance. This same scenario is something we continually encounter. I'm well aware that this is just how they are, but it still really wears on us.
2. My pallet will never be the same. Italians have mastered the art of using food in its natural state to add flavor to meals. When we eat out here, I frequently enjoy how simple food is, while at the same time, how good it tastes. Nothing is processed. While at home I ate out the majority of the time. It became quite clear to me that the measure of good food wasn't exactly the quality of it but the quantity of it when compared to price. A good example was a trip to a Mexican restaurant with my grandparents. I ordered a standard meal and when it came out, it was so big, it could have probably fed an entire Italian family here. All for under $12. Unbelievable! Here in Italy, a single meal, a quarter of the size mentioned above, will cost you about $20 with a drink. Oh, and the drink isn't a free refill either. They'll charge you each time you ask for another.
3. I'll never give up my truck but, several times while driving it at home, I thought to myself "is this thing really necessary?" Necessary or not it's almost paid for so I'm keeping it but hopefully you see my point. Italians are forced to live with less and do quite well. Cars are small here because fuel is twice as much as in the states. Parking is nearly impossible almost everywhere you go. Walking or riding a bicycle is still the preferred method of transportation if you're staying in town. We're definitely living with less here. It was a bit painful at first but we're making due. I've often compare it to listening to MP3's then moving somewhere where only 8 tracks were allowed.

So the million dollar question is this; thus far, do we like it enough to stay here longer than our scheduled tour? The answer is no. I always tell people that living here isn't like vacationing here. When the fantasy of being in Italy wears off, you're sort of left with the same feeling as if you were living anywhere else. You don't speak the language, you had to get rid of your 10 gallon washer and dryer to come here and everything is at least a third more expensive. Sure, we'll have stories to tell and we'll have the "I lived in Italy" badge to show off but trust me, America is better.