I once read that PEOPLE are what really make a PLACE, and this is absolutely true in Italy. Italy is a wonderful place because of the people who live there - they make amazing food, they keep it a great tourism location with their pleasant personalities, and they even make it visually beautiful because of their beauty as a people.
By the end of our stay, you, too, will have become an Italian, if only for a short time. Here are some things to expect in this transformation:
1. You'll have a more discerning taste for Italian food, which is a good thing. Too many Americans tolerate their pasta being drowned in a mediocre sauce (more is better, right?) and overpaying for greasy pizza (ewwwwww).
2. You'll pay more attention to how you seem to others. It is a civic duty, as an Italian, to make sure you're respectable when you're out in public, both in your habits/behavior, and in your dress (see Homestay entry).
3. You'll complain far less about things you can't control. Complaining about the weather is inane to Italians. It's common conversation for Americans. Worrying isn't really part of Italian culture (except by parents, for their children), and people seem more willing to find contentment in their lives, rather than wanting to continually claw up the ladder.
4. You'll appreciate the slower things in life. Sure, I'll MAKE you do journaling time at least once a week, but, by the end of the trip, you'll be asking for more days at the Fortezza, sitting, watching. A favorite pasttime of an Italian is watching others, who are probably watching you. What is better than to immerse yourself in humanity for a while?
Just a few things to anticipate as we move closer to our departure date! Can you believe we're just 2.5 months away??? Tell me you have your passport . . . anything else can be bought there.
un' abbracio,
Laura
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