7/11 Goodbye Italy

This time tomorrow I’ll be on a plane home.  On my walk to the university today I tried to take everything in.  Course, as luck would have it Claire caught up with me and I walked a different way!  That’s ok.  As I’ve really discovered during this trip, it’s so much more fun to experience life with someone.  We had a great morning talking about Italian boys and how they fit their stereotypes so perfectly!  I don’t have much to report in the way of what I did today.  Lexy and I finished the last four samples, I made sure my notes were all clean and correct in the notebook, we all had lunch together for the last time, and then it rained.  That was certainly new.  I’m not familiar with rain, and after that I’m thinking I’ve never seen real rain before! Rachelle was awesome enough to give us a lift home, very grateful for that.  The rain has let up, so I hope the group has a chance to enjoy one last gelato together tonight.

There is so much I’ve really enjoyed about Viterbo.  When I first learned that I was coming here, I read so many blogs
about everything.  How to act in a clothing store, how to pick out produce, about the pick pockets...  If I could go back in time I’d probably do the same thing even knowing what I know now, but I have realized that people’s perspectives vary greatly.  And not to mention those things may be true in Rome, but not so in Viterbo.  I read that when you go into a clothing store you will be followed by the attendant, you won’t be able to just look, and that if you are over a size 4 prepared to be considered overweight.  I’ve been in just about every store along the boutique street and I haven’t had that issue once.  At the Hanger where I picked up two dresses the lady did follow me a bit, but in a super sweet way.  I’d pick up a dress, she’d pick it up in a different color and offer it to me.  When I tried them on, she was quick to compliment the look.  I tried one on that was too tight, she just grinned and told me it’s sexy!  Never felt “fat,” never felt pushed.  Most of the other stores I was in they were plenty happy to let me just look, and almost always said bye to me on my way out.  Course shopping for cloths is a bit tricky here.  They have one or two of each item, and you are lucky if you can find a size!  I purchased one dress without trying it on, it’s a bit big.  I guess that’s better than too small!

Produce picking out isn’t that bad either.  I had read that you aren’t supposed to handle the produce, to just point and they will pick it out.  There are about three produce stores that I’ve been frequenting, and they have no problem letting me grab what I’d like.  Love all the produce here, it’s all pulled right off the farm.  Several of the apples and peaches even still have the leaves attached to them.  They aren’t waxed, sometimes they aren’t even rinsed off.  And it’s all so much more delicious than anything I’ve purchased at home, all that imported stuff.  At home I would purchase cherry tomatoes and much on those, not sure how I’ll be able to go back to those tomatoes.  These ones are so much better.  At one of the stores the little Asian guy is hilarious.  He speaks some really bad English, just enough for him to help me out.  I handed him a little watermelon one day and he pretended to drop it.  I jumped so high!  He spent the last five minutes laughing, and I got my watermelon for free.  I’m going to miss that guy.

I’m sure the crime in Rome isn’t that great, however I haven’t once felt unsafe here in Viterbo.  I’ve never thought twice about having my little wristlet in hand after just stuffing it from the ATM.  I’ve walked around at 2:am by myself and never questioned if walking down this street was a good idea or not.  The only time I was ever alarmed was when I was walking down the “Kissing” street, a very narrow street barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.  As I was leaving it, I heard a huge splash behind me.  The lady on the top floor was watering her plants.  Gotta be careful for that stuff!

I’m going to miss my honey man.  I’ve told you about him.  He runs the shop right below Claire’s apartment.  I went in there the other day to get some honey, and he spent another 20 minutes telling me something...  He pointed to the cheese a few times and mimed eating so I think he was asking how my cheese was that I had bought from him the time before.  Some people when they realize I don’t speak much Italian past survival Italian don’t even talk to me.  He would slow down his words and speak very clearly.  I appreciated that so much, even if I had no clue it was very nice to hear the language.  Now if only I’d stop instantly speaking French back...

On the first half of my walk I got to say hi to my bum again.  Ok, he may not be a bum, but he’s always hanging out by the ATM.  The first few days he’d say “Ciao,” but after I responded with a hello he’s switched over.  He gets the biggest dopiest grin on his face and waves.  Oh these Italian men!  Said bye to the baristas at the bar we go to at the University.  Actually got three cafes from them today.  I’ll miss the atmosphere in those little bars, everyone crowded around the bar drinking their espresso standing up chatting with each other.  I very much enjoy the social nature here.  Whenever the shops are vacant the workers are outside in the street talking to each other. They will follow someone in when they enter, but other than that they are all together.  As for the people walking around I’ve hardly seen anyone walk down the street texting, in fact I’ve hardly seen any smart phones at all.  When I first came here I was told Italy was made for me, simply because of their social nature.  I couldn’t agree more!

Yesterday I went out to grab some stuff at the shops.  I’m going to miss that.  Viterbo is like one big household.  If you need something, you just walk down that hall and go to the pantry and get your bread, or cheese, or whatever.  You don't need a car, you don’t need to make a big production of it.  I no longer wonder why the fridge is so small, with food this fresh you don’t stock up on it.  You buy it as you need it.  Wastes so much less.  I love how they all live so close to each other.  I haven’t heard a thing about a curfew or noise ordinance, and I also haven’t heard anyone complain about the noise.  People live right on the piazzas where all the action is happening, but instead of grumbling they just seem to be part of it.  I never lived in the dorms at college, but I imagine this is kind of what it would be like.  It really feels like being part of a community, not just someone who goes home and closes their door to the world. 

This time tomorrow I’ll probably be over the Atlantic Ocean.  Maybe...  These time differences are tweaking my brain in funny ways.  It’s 4:pm here, but 7:am at home.  Either way, as happy as I am here I am looking forward to going home.  I’ve met so many incredible people here, it will be sad to leave them, but it will be so good to see the people at home that I’ve built relationships with.  Oddly I’m looking forward to curling up on the couch...  The couch here is so uncomfortable!  I miss my pillow, miss my fancy thread count sheets.  I can’t wait to take a shower standing up, or to be able to make phone calls.  Before I left someone told me that I’m not the type of person to come back from something like this unchanged.  I hope I’m able to keep some of this culture with me, maybe the laid back approach to life.  I’ve certainly grown in confidence since I’ve been here.  Walking home last night I smiled to myself because I wasn’t avoiding certain situations out of fear.  Taking a bus that I’ve never taken to a city I’ve never been to by myself didn’t scare me.  It was something I wanted to do, and nothing was going to stand in my way.  No one was here telling me I couldn’t do it, or to be careful because all these bad things were going to happen.  That is something I want to be sure to bring back with me.  I don’t want people doubting me, cause that only makes me doubt myself.  We all deserve better than that.

Well, the rain has let up, and the shopkeepers should be opening their stores again.  I have one more gift to pick up for my niece, then I think I’ve covered gifts for all the kids.  They are so much fun to buy for!  Course my bag is probably severely overweight now...  I’ll deal with that tomorrow I guess!  Tomorrow is my flight.  I should have plenty of time to reflect more on this experience during my thousand hour flight from Zurich to San Francisco!  Oh joy!