Lovelyish

Two weeks? Please, barely more than a tourist. The real lessons in living abroad come after a few months of being there.

I stuck out like a sore thumb when I lived in Rome because I dressed like an American college student. Oh well… I studied art history, not fashion. Ahh, Firenze, how I love thee. I am surprised that you have a microwave in your apartment! 

I guarantee you they have big pizzas in Florence. Having been there at least ten times (for at least three months total) I can tell you that.

I visited Florence for just a few days back in high school! It was such a beautiful city and I would love to go back someday! 

4. There are no big pizzas.  Everything is individual or can be shared between two people. - I could not believe this! I felt guilty devouring an entire pizza every night, but they were so small I couldn’t help it!10. Drivers do not obey traffic laws or yield to pedestrians- I have traveled to a lot of cities but Florence and Rome had by far the worst drivers! (And I’m from Jersey, a stereotypical terrible driving state). Hope you enjoy the rest of your time there! And hopefully you don’t have to deal with the hottest sun in the world

A friend of mine is in Florence right now, and my cousin was there last semester. They’re obsessed with it there!

It sounds like Florence and London are pretty similar in fashion: everyone here looks like they stepped out of a magazine.

@darci - lol that definitely depends which part of London you’re in, believe me!

I’m sorry, but staying somewhere for two weeks – or even three months, doesn’t translate to me as living there. 

@emptyabyss@xanga - So if you moved to a new city and were going to be staying there permanently or for more than simply a vacation, you’d not considering yourself as living there unless you’d been there for months and months?

As for the post, I’d LOVE to go Italy. I want to be an art history major, so I’d love to travel abroad to look at different forms of art in person! For some reason I really want to go to Scotland to see what the culture there is like. 

I would love to live/study/travel abroad in Italy for any length of time one day!!

I love seeing what fashion trends and style people wear in other countries! Looking forward to your future posts! 

@ashleynicole - It’s not the same thing being there for a few weeks. I’ve moved abroad many times…. I think it all sets in two-three months after arrival.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - Your perception of your surroundings can change regardless of how long you are there. Stating that being somewhere for just a few weeks doesn’t qualify as living there simply because you haven’t met the allotted time requirement is a bit silly imo. I mean, you are physically living there. How else are you supposed to describe it when you are not visiting a city for vacation purposes? “I am currently physically occupying an apartment/house and spending my life in ____”?

@ashleynicole - I’ve been in that situation and no, I did not consider it “living” there. I think it’s different though if you are just in another city or if you’re in a different country entirely. Three months isn’t really enough time to begin to understand a new culture, get a grasp of the language or even have to register anywhere. For an American citizen in Europe, you’re considered a tourist if you’re staying three months or less and don’t need any sort of permits. This lack of a cultural understanding is pretty well demonstrated on the above list, where the writer claims to have learned while living somewhere. It’s all incredibly shallow knowledge, most of which are either huge assumptions or things you could look up on the internet. 

Maybe vacation is understating it, at least if you’re working in the country (if you’re not, then it’s def. a vacation) but I still wouldn’t call it living. I spent three months in Egypt and I always say I “stayed there”. 

Personally I’m very glad to hear about your MOVE to Italy and I call it a move because you packed up and are living there. Please disregard the people who didn’t actual bother to post on what you actual talked about but rather your “shallow” understandings of a culture or if you should consider yourself living there. I’m happy for you, and I hope your short lived move there is pleasant. 

This post is just supposed to be about fun things she’s learned during her stay so far. Lighten up, people, and stop being so particular.

No coffee to go? GAH. I might have to live in the coffeehouse then.

1. Making eye contact with Italian men in Florence says you are interested in them, and is like giving them an invitation to come talk to you. - Its the latin blood! Have fun with it! BUT be firm, anything will be taken as encrouagement!
2. There is no Starbucks or people walking around with their coffees.  Very few places will let you get an espresso or cappuccino to go. – Its their culture, most coffee bars have no seats, you order your coffee, drink it there and then and go, its not a social thing, but something you do without having to devote much time to it, like when your on the way to work.
3. People do not politely move to the side when walking past another person on the street, they will walk right into you. - No one is polite in europe regarding thigns like this! There are a few, but its just their way!
4. There are no big pizzas.  Everything is individual or can be shared between two people. - its Italy, not America, they may be small, but made with the best and freshest toppings, much better than a huge greasy sharefest! Enjoy the food, its a pleasure and should be savoured!
5. Our apartment has a washer but no dryer; many Italians do not use dryers.
6. We have shutters outside our windows that we close to block the sunlight instead of shades. – Everyone should have this! One thing Europeans get right!
7. They have two different kinds of plugs; one that you need to get an adapter for.  It is on the microwave, straighteners and blow dryers. – pain the the bum hey?
8. You need a key to lock and open each door. We have gotten locked in our apartment before.
9. Walls are paper thin.
10. Drivers do not obey traffic laws or yield to pedestrians – OMG they are the moist crazy people ever! All that passion and cars dont mix! You have to run!

Haha a lot of those can be applied to Boston…well just the traffic laws and the moving on the sidewalk thing. One of my friends is in Italy right now.

Nothing you said counts because you don’t REALLY live there. You won’t notice any cultural differences until you’ve met an unspecified but definitely much later length of time.

Okay, end of sarcasm. I would like to travel to Italy at some point, but not until much, much later in life. We also lived abroad (Germany, 3 years for those of you who care) and I noticed most major differences in the first month. We aren’t ready to face Europe again yet though, so won’t be planning a trip anytime soon.

Post pictures of this simple elegant style!

Just wanted to reiterate that this is an introduction to what I will be working on during my stay in Florence.  I just wanted to tell people things that I’ve noticed since I’ve been here that are different than what I am use to.  Its suppose to be a fun informative post on my personal experiences.  Yes I do live here, I am on my own in an apartment dealing with everything from electricity and water bills to the heat not working, the power going off and everything in between.  This is definitely a positive cultural experience and it is very interesting to notice the differences in my daily life.  Everything I mentioned in this post are things I did not expect and I was pleasantly surprised by.  It is not meant to be offensive or negative, I’m not complaining about any of these difference because I am lucky to have this opportunity to experience them.

hahahaha #1 and #3

I loved Florence when I visited, and a lot of these things are very true from my own experiences. I’m sure there are places you can get big pizzas, though, but you’d have to probably be well known with the area to find one. Where I went, however, the pizzas were, like you said, small. I loved Italy when I went though. It’s a gorgeous country. Absolutely breathtaking.

@emilyluppino - are you planning on visiting anywhere else in Italy? ’cause I guarantee if you go to Rome, the streets of Florence will look tame, lol.

You are so lucky! I would love to go Italy someday. I have an Italian friend (he was born in the US though) who travels to Firenze or Florence periodically. I would love to travel with him on his journeys.

I am envious you live there, have an apartment, and am enjoying your time there. I appreciate your post about how you felt about Florence. Such a beautiful place.

Thank you and I hope you continue to post more about Italy.

Take care and have fun!

post some pics of the well dressed hot italian men

@daydreams_nightmares@xanga - I absolutely want to go to Rome I’ve heard its so much different than Florence especially because of how big it is.  I was in Venice today for Carnivale which is a huge festival that they have there and everyone wears masks.  It was one of the most incredible experiences. 

@emilyluppino - Ah that’s cool I was there for Carnivale a few years ago and it was really impressive – I’ve still got a mask that I bought there, lol. Hope you have a great trip!