Here in Florence, the culture is very different than in the United States. Something as simple as lunchtime is vastly different here. Individuals take two hours to eat lunch every day. They eat large lunches and have a glass of wine. Breakfast and dinner are much smaller meals. The first day I had my first four-course meal for lunch, and I was not prepared for that amount of food. Usually in the US, I have a small sandwich or salad for lunch.

If an individual makes a reservation for dinner, they have the table reserved for hours! The idea is to sit and enjoy the food and company. It is a priority to spend quality time with family during these meals. Prior to coming to Italy, I knew this country had a more collectivist family and community structure rather in the US which has an individualistic mindset.

Family is a priority in Italy and dinner time is cherished as quality family time. Growing up I always had dinner with my family, but the majority of my friends did not. A lot of the other students I am here with aren’t used to family dinners and are very surprised by this cultural difference. Simple things, too, such as the door handles are different, people are more physically affectionate (I don’t think PDA is ever viewed as negative here), and the sidewalks are so small. Overall people barely use sidewalks. It is a walking city, so everyone is walking all through the roads. I am from New York, so I am comfortable with the busyness of cars going fast and J-walking, that comes with being in a city. But in Italy, it is more J-walking than I am even used to.

It’s only been a few days in Italy, but I love it and am learning so much. I am starting to get more comfortable with these differences, learning how to open doors, eat smaller meals for breakfast and dinner, walking in the road, and I am even learning the city and how to get around. I am sure as the trip goes on, I will learn more of this beautiful culture, who knows I might never want to leave!