Moving on, moving home…
So my european adventures are winding to a close, and in a lot of ways, I’ve begun the adjustment back already… By that I mean, I’ve started treating this trip as a vacation finally, playing the part of a homebody… sleeping in, leaving the apartment for only a few hours per day, etc.
I’ve been here for a month, seen some amazing print shops, landmarks, artifacts, people, and places.
The interesting thing about being taken out of your usual routine is that you learn a little more about yourself. You learn what your comfort zones are. You also learn the little extras in life you were never introduced to before. Italy has introduced and/or confirmed a few new things to me…
In almost no particular order:
-Lambretta Scooters: (the intellectual predecessor and physical follow-up to Vespa) they were faster, sleeker, and seemingly rarer (at least stateside). And I want one. Bad.
-Roof Decks: Infinitely usable, personal space.
& related:
-Minimum living space coupled with maximum outdoor space: A small house seems much larger if you have ample surrounding private area.
-Front Loading Washing Machines: Small, efficient, need I say more?
-Clotheslines: Energy efficiency to the max. I wish mine at home was as usable as the one at my friend’s house here in Rome. I should make that a goal upon returning home.
-Espresso, lots of it: These Italians got another thing right. Move over Starbucks Grande…
-Fine, hand-crafted glassware: I’ll associate this with the category of fine print work, fine food, and good furniture. There are things in life you should spend money on. Things that are important, will last a while, have been touched by a craftsman who knows his trade, and doesn’t cost $.99. I’ve decided glassware is one of these things. Yes, it will break. Until then it will be fabulous.
-Daily food markets: (coupled with gardens and small refrigerators)… Reinforcing the ‘only what you need’ mentality.
-Trains: Efficient trains (and/or trams and subways) that are cheap, clean, and still profitable for the city/state.
-City Parks: Preferably between wherever you live and wherever you need to go regularly.
Conversely: other Italian things I can’t quite get behind:
-the whole afternoon ’siesta’ time, where nothing useful is open from 1-3:30…
-lack of any-and-all decent beer
-the very un-american attitude of ‘getting around to it’…
There will be more to both sides of this list I’m sure, as I re-acclimate to the US of A.
Until then… arrivederci!