One thing I miss about home is making lists all the time. I love having everything organized onto post it notes and scrap paper. I can't really do that in Italy because I don't have many responsibilities besides grocery shopping and homework... so I decided to make a list of my favorite things in Italy so far!
1. Walking everywhere- Sure, I have a few blisters. But walking everywhere makes the city of Rome feel much smaller and manageable. The 20 minute walk to class everyday is something I have grown to enjoy. Sometimes I take the metro, but it's actually a far walk to the nearest metro stop, so it's not usually worth it. Walking everywhere ensures that I will catch sight of everything I pass and take a moment to appreciate it, whether it's a delicious smelling bakery or a monument.
2. Gelato (duh)- Hunting down the best gelato places has become a hobby for my program. We even had a gelato contest this past week after class and tried two cones of gelato from two different places and decided which one we liked better. I am not a huge ice cream person, but gelato is completely different. I love the texture, the creaminess, and the insane variety of flavors.
3. Nice weather- State College has nothing on Rome's sunshine. There have been a few rainy days, but I have actually enjoyed those for the most part. The sun is constantly shining and good weather motivates me to go out and explore the city. It also makes for lovely afternoons spent sitting out on our balcony.
4. Pasta carbonara- Yummm. I have only had it a few times, but someone always orders it when we go out to dinner. I'm growing to love al dente pasta and obviously already love the fact that this dish has bacon and egg in it!
5. Pizza- Some of the pizza I've had has been microwaved or reheated in the oven. In America, this would turn me away. In Italy, I'm usually too hungry to care. Although the freshly made pizza is often better, the reheated pizza is faster and cheaper. I'm most impressed by the variety of toppings and love trying different specialities.
6. Crunchy clothing- Oh Italians and their clotheslines. I have a washer in the apartment but no dryer. After my clothes dry on the drying rack, they are nice and crunchy. I don't actually like this that much, but it is funny. I will absolutely appreciate dryers more when I am back in America. For now, I will continue to enjoy having crunchy clothing.
7. Never feeling like you've seen it all- I've seen so much of Rome, but I haven't even come close to seeing it all! This feeling is exhilarating. There are countless things to do in this city and in Italy, I never feel like I'm "used to" something to the point that it bores me. I am always finding new things I want to see, like museums, monuments, and parks.
8. The market- I love going to the market to buy fresh vegetables, fruit, and bread. The atmosphere is intense but fun. I like looking around for the best prices and watching Italians buy their fresh fish and meat. Everything from the market is delicious, nothing like the produce you sometimes get in America that looks great and tastes bland.
9. Non-touristy restaurants- My program also loves finding places that "aren't for tourists." All of the restaurants in close vicinity to the popular tourist destinations have a host out front who tries to convince you to dine at the restaurant by showing you what's on the menu. Usually these places are overpriced and under satisfying. Thus, we love walking down small alleys and finding restaurants away from tourist attractions and without the annoying host out front. Also, if the menu is only printed in English, then they probably only serve tourists. We love to find somewhere that feels like Italian people dine there regularly.
10. Stumbling upon historical landmarks accidentally- When living in a city such as Rome, I pass a piece of history every few steps. I'm not much of a history person, but living among the rich history in this city is completely different. It's a little bit overwhelming to know how much has happened in this city throughout history, but it's also exciting. Unintentionally finding a beautiful structure and then finding out what you're looking at is like a real life version of treasure hunting :)
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