Not only am I settled into my life in Florence, but I have now even made a few Italian friendships (one of my major goals of this trip!) In theory, making friends as a foreigner sounds great and like something every avid traveler should and can do. The reality is that it is a lot more uncomfortable and even more difficult than you may think. However, it has been incredibly rewarding and the absolute best way for me to learn not only about their culture and language, but it has also prompted a lot of self-reflection.
In my previous blog, I had mentioned that CEA CAPA matched me with a local family where I spend time with them every week to learn from each other’s cultures. I have now grown a lot more comfortable around them and vice versa. Last night, we celebrated Father’s Day (in Italy it is on March 19) by making pizza and chatting. During this visit, we got so caught up in conversation and time flew, which is not how it felt the first time I met them. I attribute this development to how we have adjusted our communication styles. I have learned how to speak English at a pace and with a structure they can understand, and they are not afraid to ask me to clarify. We also love to Google words and dissect how our two languages express ideas differently. I have learned that the Italian language has many more verbs than English. As a result, many Italians will second-guess themselves when speaking English because they will be searching for a word that doesn’t exist. It really inspires me to learn Italian because understanding the different ways they express themselves gives their culture an entirely new meaning.
I was also given the opportunity to spend last weekend at a “podere,” which is a family farmstead in the countryside. About two hours southeast of Florence, a young couple lives at Podere Fatucchio and makes craft beer. In theory, an escape to the peaceful countryside to learn about beer sounds amazing! It truly was an amazing experience but not in the way I expected. The nearest village barely had restaurants or grocery stores, with a population of about 70-100. They don’t normally have visitors, and though they were so kind and hospitable, there were stretches where not a single word of English was spoken between the host and the family friends who brought me there. I have never been in an environment where I felt so clueless (the 4-year-old was able to participate in conversations more than me). I still wanted to be involved though, so I stuck around and followed what I could, and my Italian skills definitely improved by the end. Overall, I could not have had a more authentic Italian experience; it was a breath of fresh air. The way they balance a strong work ethic and quality production with a stress-free, quality-time lifestyle was so admirable. I found myself anxious and stressed multiple times thinking that I should be filling time doing something “more productive” than watching the farm animals and playing with the dogs. One sunny day, we had a beautiful picnic outside and afterwards sat in silence doing things separately (reading, drawing, etc.) yet still enjoying each other’s company.
Additionally, the podere has a small pub above the brewery where locals will come to have a few drinks. Since it was St. Patrick’s Day, the pub was a little busier than normal but was a playground for a foreigner wanting to meet and chat with true locals. I made some true friends and had both lighthearted and deep conversations about everything from bee farming, international policy, and what it means to be a global citizen. All in all, I walked away thinking about how people are truly not that different. If you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort, you can find friends anywhere.
Arrivederci!
Brooke