Today, I am going to jump straight into this. Here we go!
1) The Italians nail the dessert game every time. Gelato, biscotti, cannoli, you name it. But today, I got to try the best one yet, called "sfogliatelle napoletane," and it was the best thing I have ever tried (I used the word best twice in one sentence; it is that good). Inside the folded pastry is this sweet, cheesy filling that melts in your mouth. Here is a photo for you guys.
2) The Italians (at least the Viterbesi) seem to generally trust one another. That's to say, they do not check your monthly bus pass when you get on the bus. They do not check your ID when they offer wine (of course, I say I am underage). They do not lock their cars when they are just going into a bar or a negozio. So I find that very nice!
3) People here love McDonald's haha. Similar to how we crave Italian food after days of American food, they crave McDonald's! So my family, knowing that I do not dig American fast food, goes to McDonald's when I go out with my friends to grab pizza or pasta in Viterbo. But like why would they eat McDonald's when they can eat amazing pasta or pizza?? Just sayin'...
4) As I said before, the Italian culture is not as fast-paced as others, and I really appreciate it. For example, this morning, my host family looked at me funnily because I was doing homework on my laptop as I ate breakfast (I try to multitask while eating so I do not "wasting time"). So when I realized this, I shut off my laptop and just ate, and this slow-paced start of the day really cheered me up. I thank this little incident for teaching me that not doing something constantly is okay, and is in fact good for my wellbeing.
5) Because we speak English, people "target" us for being foreign. I have never encountered any dangerous situations, but many awkward ones when I am hanging out with my friends in the evening. For example, people come up to us way too close or try to make small talks in heavy-accented English. But "target" is not always bad and hear me out. Viterbese are generally curious about us and therefore ask a bunch of questions, like why we decided to come to Italy or how much we like Italy or how Americans thnk of Italians, etc. So for now, I appreciate being "foreign." It is a feeling I have not felt for a long time, since I first moved to the United States a while back.
So there it is! Today's observations felt more like observations of myself rather than of Italians, but introspecting myself is always good, right?