Take a moment to enjoy the view!

Fiesole and its subtle charm!

I feel as though I am at a cultural advantage over some of my American counterparts. Having been raised in a rather large Mexican family, many cultural stereotypes tend to overlap with those said about Italians. For example, the volume levels of normal conversation, the wild hand gestures, and lack of personal space are things that my background suggest to be normal. In truth, I have been told a time or two that I am as bad as the Italians in these areas; to which I just smile. I really do enjoy the familiarity of this similarity to my family.

Experiences are better with friends!

Street art can be remarkable!

I know it seems silly to point out the obvious, but I believe that even the most obvious differences should be recognized. I live in a city that was built up during Roman rule, then added onto during medieval and renaissance times- an all too often remarked on fact. So what makes that special? For a California girl raised with ocean views, these historic buildings constructed out of marble with the most minuscule detail have become food for thought. I find myself wondering about what inspired the visionary of the Duomo? Who were the individuals that labored to bring it to life? Did they somehow mold a template that was then used to ensure uniformity? How on earth did they get that high up? Did people die trying to execute this project? Were they proud to be apart of this architectural masterpiece or were they forced? For people passing through Florence for a day or even a week, their job is to ‘ooo and ahh’ over these buildings; a month in, I have to remind myself to look at these great works and to take in new details because I am privileged to be able to.

There is more to Pisa than the Leaning Tower…

The Duomo in Milano makes a fab runway!

These men…oh these men! I would like to preface this by saying that not ALL Italian men are forward and verging on creepy. I have, in fact, met a few great guys during my time here. However, some of these men are just out of control. So what is their big crime? They are outspoken about their positive opinions of you and are persistent. A girl here for a week might swoon or blush at this occurrence, but I, who has been here a month, have had enough of this nonsense. It’s not that I care that they find me attractive; I mean what girl doesn’t want to be noticed? It is that oftentimes their comments or gestures come across as demeaning or womanizing. I mean are the kissy noises flattering or do they make me instantly peeved? The latter, I assure you. It would be much more appreciated if they were to just smile or kindly compliment us girls. I think I will be very grateful to return to my American men and to fly a bit more under the radar upon my return home. Trust me, these men are by no means making me want to rush on home…in reality, they are insignificant when compared to my entire experience here.

An item off my bucket list!

Gelato while you can!

On a more positive note…I have come to truly enjoy the whole midday break that Italians are accustomed to taking. It took a bit to get used to all of the shops closing down from 1-3pm every day, and I will admit that I still forget every now and again. This one difference has made me realize that I really do come from a culture that relies on instant gratification and that patience is not my God-given virtue. I now appreciate the simple pleasure of walking through Florence with no destination in mind and a sandwich in hand. The ability to sit in a piazza of my choice and to take in my surroundings: the covers of popular songs done by a street musician, the little girl with gelato all over her face, the tourists trying to determine how genuine the leather at the leather market is, and the fabulous woman trying to carry an arm load of shopping bags while balancing in stilettos on cobblestone.

Beauty is everywhere and you don’t always have to look for it!

There is so much to be appreciated about Italian culture and I look forward to discovering the things I have yet to pick up on. Yet, there are still things I am beginning to miss about home and that I look forward to returning to.

Cinque Terre in all its colorful beauty!

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Brittany is a current student at Point Loma Nazarene University studying at Florence University of the Arts in Italy during the Fall 2014 term.