So I'm going to try out this new thing. Every Sunday, I am going to post 5 things that stood out to me throughout that week. Sounds good? Here we go!
1) The Italians don't change clothes as often as others, so my host parents are always suprised by the amount of laundry I bring down each week. They often wear the same shirt 2-3 days in a row, and rarely do they change their pants (at least when they are at home). I would understand if the weather was not always scorching. I'm here changing twice a day because of the amount of sweat, and they are fine with it.
2) Everything here in terms of space is small! The roads are narrow, the celings are low, and the shops are compact. That's all good. But the shower stall is incredibly tiny!!! I stand inside and I am basically stuck there. People here tend to be shorter and smaller, so I guess it makes sense?
3) Shops here close from 1 to 4 PM in the middle of the day. And trust me when I say that I am a big fan of siestas. (Sleep is important!!) But man, that is the only time I have during the day to go buy supplies, snacks, etc. But on weekends, the rules are more flexible - shops are open throughout the day, but they close earlier.
4) If you stay for more than 15-20 minutes at a cafe, you are considered strange. People will even give you looks. So sorry my fellow students, you may not do homework at a cafe. It seems like the Italians generally just drink coffee and immediately leave. Cafes (otherwise known as bars) are not "a hangout place" like they are in the States and Korea. This strangely is one of the most annoying things I have encountered here because I get work done very well at a cafe.
5) You will find that many fountains are not running, and often times, they just look abandoned. Someone explained to me that this phenomenon is due to recession that Italy has been facing for many years. To see the economic crisis affect an everyday public space/piazza was quite thought-provoking.
Hope you guys enjoyed Observations Sunday #1. I rather enjoyed writing this, so I think I will continue to do this weekly. Until next time -- a presto!