So far, I have absolutely fallen in love with the city of Genova. The city is not only beautiful, but is filled with lots of interesting culture that is specific to this area.

My absolute favorite aspect of Genovese culture is the food. I was surprised by the amount of variety that exists in the food here. I certainly expected there to be pasta (and was not disappointed in the least), but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the seafood dishes. Genova is a port city, and as a result, fresh seafood is a popular meal choice. However, my favorite dish so far is called “pansotti al sugo di noce”. Pansotti are similar to ravioli, but are filled with cheese and herbs. Sugo di noce translates to “walnut sauce”, which sounds somewhat odd but is very tasty. Other typical Genovese foods are pesto, focaccia (which is similar to garlic bread), and cima (pieces of veil stuffed with bread crumbs, vegetables, and cheese).

Another reason that I’m falling in love with Genova is the dialect. Although Italian is the official language, many of the adults here speak partially in a dialect. In school, we learn what’s known as “Italian standard”, which is what you would read in a textbook or hear if you turned on the news in TV. However, there are over 100 dialects that exist in Italy. I find it incredibly interesting to learn new words and phrases that I’ve never heard before. Also, it’s pretty neat to feel like you’re talking like one of the locals!

There’s so many things about this city that I love, I’m not sure I’ll ever want to leave!