It feels like I haven't been on my blog in forever and a half now.
Super sorry about that, but Italia keeps me busy.
Anyhow, this will be a fun post about how I know I'm not a tourist in Italia anymore.
Living, working, & going to school in Italy definitely makes you feel like you actually do live here. You feel 'one' with the inhabitants of the city, and you enjoy every conscious second of the city. The air, the walkways, the people, the sights, the sounds; all of it is intoxicating and the connection is irrefutable. Whilst inhabiting this country, I've realized ways that make me more like the Fiorentine population than the tourists that come by here, day after day - and this is my list. Enjoy.
- When the open-air market salesman don't bother you, because they're actually friends with you.
- If you've ever been to an open-air market, you know the feeling of every stand owner staring you down, and badgering you until you give in to buying something. Now, they don't even look at me like I'm a potential buyer, they say hi, or wave to me.
- When tourists groups will be the DEATH of you.
- This one is big one for me. Tourist. Groups. Are. Absolutely. Everywhere. Every street; every piazza; every place that contains oxygen - there are spans of tour groups as far as the eye can see. Why is it that they are ALWAYS here. There isn't one day, when they aren't around. Blocking the streets, making you walk slower than a turtle in a snow storm, and always pointing somewhere with their little umbrellas. GTFO of my city.
- The fact that you don't take pictures of the popular "city attractions", and chuckling when you see people doing it.
- There comes a certain point and time when you no longer think that the city's attractions.. well, attract you anymore. I mean, don't get me wrong, they're glorious in all of their European greatness, but now you just admire it from a far, and it's your casual meeting place for things. You also get a certain pleasure when you see people taking pictures with it, like, it's the greatest thing you've seen. Now, I just walk by and give a good smirk, when I see people getting a million pictures with the Duomo or the fake statue of David.
- When walking 3 miles, round-trip, is normal for going to work.
- Before this, if you would have told me to walk 3 miles to work, I would have looked around, because you definitely weren't talking to this guy. At that point, I would have grabbed my keys, and rode off. But now, it's normal life, and I think nothing of it. After all, it's really not that long..
- When having 6 flies consistently in your apartment is "normal".
- Okay, I rarely say that Europe has downfalls, but having no screens on their windows is just inconvenient. If you make the mistake of closing your windows during the night, you might as well accept that you now have 30 mosquitos as roommates, as well as the common housefly. Don't be surprised if you wake up looking like you have the chickenpox the next morning...
- When people say that you should get paid to be a tour guide.
- One of the greatest feelings in the world is being able to show people you know, or the common lost American or tourist, where to go find their destination. At that moment you realize how well you're conversed with the city streets, and it's absolutely wonderful. You almost feel like you should be saying "Ohhh, I remember when I would get lost back in my day..", like an elderly veteran of the city.
- The instant reflex of correcting people on their pronunciation.
- Back home, most people that know me, know how much of a grammar nazi I am. Here, I'm a pronunciation inquisitor. When you say Santa Croce; it's Santa Crow-Shay, not Crosh! This grinds my mental gears and crushes my patience almost as fast as bad grammar. It's p-ah-so ahv-air-ay, not pa-so A-var-A. If you're going to communicate and visit the culture, at least try and give it some effort! Don't dare do this around me, because I WILL correct you.
- When Americans AND Italians alike, think you're a native Italian from the city.
- This one is my favorite. There is nothing that makes me more happy, than when not only Americans AND Italians think you're Italian and from the city. It not only makes laugh a little, but makes me feel I belong here, more and more. I can't tell you how many times Italians have come up to me thinking I'm Italian too, and speaking Italian with me, without even hesitating to think I'm American. This is when you know, you're #doingliferight.
- When you tell a local shopkeeper that you're American, and they bring in another employee to verify that I'm indeed American.
- This one is more personal to myself, but it's great all the same. When I went to look at pendants for a necklace, I was speaking Italian to the shop owner, and I eventually said that I was American, and he was shocked beyond belief. So much so, that he had the person he was working with to come in and verify my bold statement. #oneofthem
- When you have your "own" bridge.
- The more and more that you "live" here, and feel like you're one of the townspeople, the more you feel like the most common places you walk by are yours. I indeed have a favorite bridge, and I have proclaimed it to be mine. Be aware.
- When you have a favorite piazza (town square).
- Once you're around Florence long enough, you will notice in the piazzas, there are always people sitting in the same spots, enjoying every moment of their night. Like, it's their favorite hangout to be with their friends on a warm summer night. We all have these favorite spots. I have three piazzas that are my absolute favorite. They are: Piazza de Signori, Piazza de Duomo, & Piazza de Santa Croce. Every time I go through these piazzas, I feel as if new life is flowing through me, happiness is exuding in the air, and tranquility is ever streaming.
- When you're okay with staying in, because the touristy spots people want to go to, aren't anything anymore.
- You know when you're home, and you don't feel like doing anything, because you've already gone to the places and done the same things a million times already? After a while, that's what it's like here too. It feels like home here, so you don't feel like going to the touristy pizza place or the same common restaurant everyone goes to, because it's not a big deal anymore.
- Knowing the exact distances and times it takes to get places.
- When you know it takes 12 minutes to get to the Ponte Vecchio, and 16 minutes to walk to your internship across town, that's when you know you the city pretty well. Also, it's really convenient for when you have to plan for trips and things.
- When you know your way around the city without having to use the landmarks.
- You know when you tell someone how to get somewhere by saying there's a hotel here, or a bridge there? (Usually it's food marks with me...) Well, when you first get here, you use the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio, or "Golden Bridge", the Doumo, the train station, and Signoria tower, to navigate around. Now, it's nothing, to go around the city without having to think twice to where the river is to your location. Again, convenient.
- When people come up to you, ask you for directions, and you can successfully tell them where they need to go without thinking.
- There have been numerous times when all sorts of people have come up to me and asked me where to go, and I have successfully told them where to go. These people are easy to point out - they are usually the lost souls that are frantically turning maps inside-out to find the right path. This was one of the biggest notches in my belt.
- Knowing the difference between Region Specific wine, and non-authentic wine.
- It's one thing to know how to navigate without help, but it's another to actually learn authentic knowledge about the city. Knowing how to spot authentic wine is huge step in becoming less of a wandering tourist. You will know the Chianti wine by spotting the black rooster label on their bottles. The wine will also be specific to Tuscany if it comes from a nearby vineyard, such as Montalcino, and Montepulciano.
- When shop owners know you by name, and are happy to see when you drop by.
- These were mostly gelato shops for me, and one bakery, but regardless this was when I felt like I've been here for a long time. Just another local chattin' with the shop owners, asking me where I've been and what I've been doing. Yeah... you could say we're close.
- When food places know you're order without telling them.
- This could either tell you, I eat way too much, or that I just don't like change, I guess. Anywhozer, this is mainly the bakery next door to my internship. When they see me come in, that's all it takes. Every single morning, a cappuccino and a cream croissant. #orderup
- When the city tour guide agency guides know your name, and wonders why you haven't come out in a while.
- There is an awesome Tour Agency called Bus2Alps in Florence, and I've taken, literally, almost all their trips that they offer, and thus, I've got to know most of them. They always invite us places, and keep us in the know about things now. When we tour with our guide friends, it's that much better, because it's not like they're our guide anymore, it's just like going with a best friend. My friends and I have met probably every one of them now. It's always a good time with them. #WerebasicallyBFFs
- When your job manager, chef, and coworkers, all ask you for your social media accounts.
-It's one thing if you ask your job for their social accounts, but when they ask you, that's a whole new level. Now each one of them have my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Boom. No longer am I working with people, I'm working with friends.
- Knowing who is (and isn't) from the country, by looking at their clothing style.
- If it's one thing you can tell from being around a culture for so long, it's recognizing their common style of clothing. Now, it's beyond easy prey for me to find out who's from Italy, and who's from elsewhere. The clue for men, is looking at their suits - they're usually navy blue jackets and pants, with a light blue undershirt. For women, it's very flowy clothing, and simple styles, along with not wearing a bra most of the time. When you realize this, you can't help but notice it EVERYWHERE.
- Walking the street like you own it.
- In the beginning, you may have walked around like a lost puppy looking for your home, with a crumbled up map in your pocket that you got from the airport. But now... you can navigate without hesitation, and have confidence in everything you do, and people watch as the Italians do. You know where to go, eat at the best places regular people don't know about, and feel comfortable in the city. Now, you walk the streets like you named half of them.
- Knowing the best gelaterie & ristorante in town.
- At first, you only knew of the most touristy places. Now, that you have made connections and been around for so long, you start to get in the know of where the best places for gelato and food are. It's even got to the point where I have a "top 3" now.
- Knowing train & bus prices, like it's your job.
- Nope, I'm not a train conductor or a bus driver, but I can sure tell you the prices for a train to Bologna, Pisa, or Cinque Terre; and a bus ride to Siena, or the airports. When the main transportation to different cities are trains and buses, you tend to learn this skill fairly quickly.
- Taking daily runs around the city, and taking different routes.
- When you get comfortable enough with the city, you tend do every day things, like jogging. I've got in the habit of jogging to the gym, and then jogging back. Eventually, your normal route will become boring, so you take a different route. When you have this ability, you'll definitely feel like towny.
- When haggling is your first language.
- The open-air markets are not only one of the most popular places in town, but also one of the best places to get cheap, otherwise expensive, items. In order to get it cheap, you have to know how to lower the price with the owner, or haggling with them. When you fail a few (thousand) times, you quickly learn how to lower the price and get what you want!
- When you walk slowly through the town because you love every bit of it, and you're enjoying the night.
- In general, I'm a fast walker, and it's my norm. However, when you love a place so much, it makes you feel eternally tranquil, even I tend to walk slow now. I used to walk fast, just so I could get to my destination, but after a while, you tend to just enjoy the streets, and your mentality about the city matures.
- Drinking 2 cappuccinos a day is normal.
- Let me tell you, I've never, ever liked coffee. Whatsoever. I guess Italy has changed me, because I have 2 cappuccinos daily, and think nothing of it - like, I've always done that. This is also one of the things that I don't have to say anything to order, because they already know I want one...
- Having gelato 14 or more times a week.
- Alright, maybe Italians don't have it 14 times a week, but they do love their gelato. I'm a special kind of Italian, when it comes to the incredible creation of gelato. There have easily been weeks where I've had two-a-days with this wonderful greatness. It's simply just wonderful.
- Having tried all the different types of croissants.
- As Italians love their gelato, they also love their croissants. There are tons of different types of croissants, and my fat self can proudly say, I've tried them all. Cream, pistachio, apricot, plain, apple cinnamon, chocolate, Nutella, peach... you name it, I've probably tried it.
- Knowing the exact conversion price of items.
- Everyone knows how brutally frugal I am with money. Which translates into me converting every amount of euros to US dollars. Which can sometimes be the worst gift possible... It can come in handy when you're on a strict budget though, and for knowing how much money you are able to spend.
- When you can weave through people, like you're a ninja straight out of a movie.
- Since there are tourist groups never-ending, and people visiting in general; walkways can be hostile and dangerous. But seriously, people crowd places like they were born to do it. Especially, when I'm on my run, my eyes instantly find pathways before my brain does. Weave in, weave out, it's a skill that's crucial if you want to get somewhere. #cantstop #wontstop - Acting like traffic is nothing to you. They obey you.
- The traffic here can be the most frightening life task, if you're foreign to the city; you better be good at Frogger. Cars and vespas make their own lanes, and stop lights don't always matter. Tail-gating is a must, and horns will go off if others stop. It used to be mentally exhausting crossing streets. I really don't give a damn now. I cross, when I see a big enough gap, and street lights don't matter to me. traffic obeys me!
- Not flinching a muscle, when birds fly centimeters from your head.
- At least in this city, the birds here are NOT. SCARED. OF. ANYTHING. They will fly straight at you, and if you don't move, will hit you. They walk next to traffic, and will stare at you like you walked in the wrong neighborhood. People will freak out when a bird flies centimeters from their head, and run away from them. Be confident, because they can smell your fear.
- Preferring gas water, to natural water.
- Another downfall here, is you have to buy water. Yeah, I said BUY. It's a horrible shock if you're from a country where you don't normally have to buy it, since it's 3 euros ($4) for a liter bottle. Anyways, most Italians will get gas water, or carbonated, rather than smooth natural. As do I now. It's like drinking pop, except without all the bad sugar and calories. What's not to love??
- When your normal is arriving to work late.
- Now I don't want to bash their work ethic here, because I'm sure people work hard here; but all Italians are okay with arriving late. I used to arrive at work at 9:45, to "start" at 10 - just to wait 34 minutes for people to show up. Now I wake up at 10, arrive at 10:45-10:52, eat breakfast (yes, in my normal cafe), and start at 11:13. When you're so used to being to work early in the US, this is just pure amazing, when you can be okay with coming to work early, and be so casual about it. It's literally the perfect life to live.
I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did.
These were definitely some things that made me feel one with the city and an inhabitant in general.
Live free. Be kind.
Stay loyal. Smile often.
#Always
