A rose by any other name...

What does peperoni (and in this case olive) pizza look like in Italy?

That's right, here peperoni does not equal spicey, sliced meat but are bell peppers! I always feel funny saying the word (usually when ordering a pizza or shopping at the fruit and vegetable market) because it always makes me think of my favorite meaty topping from childhood but I know what I will receive (on my pizza or from the fruit and vegetable guy) is a vegetable.

Too Hard

I promise by the end of this post the swimming pool picture will make sense

I started this blog as a way to share my experience of living in Italy. My intention was to provide an honest portrayal of my life here as a way to give people insight into what it is actually like to live here. I wanted to include the positives and the negatives as a way to perhaps deflate the general stereotype people tend to have of Italy; that everything is beautiful, everyday is wonderful, and that every meal is the best of my life. So far, I have failed. So far this blog has been entirely slanted towards the beautiful and the postive. From today on, I would like to try and give a rounder, fuller picture of my life. So here it goes...

After living here for over a year, I feel confident to make the following conclusion (of course this is based solely on my own experiences and I fully trust that others will conclude the exact opposite or at least something different - but this is mine): life, in general, in the US is much easier, less complicated and more convenient than it is here. In fact, often times here it seems like they have sought out the most difficult way to do something and decided that is how the thing shall be done.

Today I went to the local pool to find out information about the possibility of going there to swim laps. I found out the times and the price (89 euros for 1 month or for 10 times - a little steep, I think, but I can live with it) - everything was going fine UNTIL I was told that I would need a doctor's certificate to swim there unless, of course, I would like to pay 13 euros (by today's conversion that is $18.50) per time. What? I could accept the need for a physical when I was playing junior high school basketball but I am a grown adult! I think I can swim at my own risk. A doctor's visit would probably cost around 120 euros! Plus I don't even have a general doctor so I would have to find one, make an appointment and take time off of work to go to the appointment.

And there is no hope of gaining any sympathy from an Italian upon sharing this story because for them it is totally normal. It is just the way it is.

Needless to say I do not think I will be swimming anytime soon. In fact, now I am drinking a glass of wine to console myself and later I might just have to make some brownies. In total, the complete opposite of my original intentions of getting some exercise.


(the picture is originally from this website)

Chocolate is back!

Yummy hazelnut chocolates at one of our favorite bars

One afternoon this last August, after finishing lunch with Andrea, I felt like a bite or two of chocolate would be the perfect way to end my lunch hour before heading back to the office. Andrea and I headed into the nearest bar and he asked the bar men if they had any chocolate. This seemingly innocent question was first met with confusion, then a look to me at which point they quickly realized I was (a crazy) American, then looks of clarity came over their faces as all the pieces fell into place. They began to crack up and explain that of course they did not have any chocolate because it was the height of summer. "Well yes", I thought, "I know it is summertime but I did not realize that summer and chocolates are mutually exclusive". We went to three other bars and tabaccherie and were met with similar reactions. That day, in August, I learned that when the weather gets warm the chocolates go away because how would they ever keep chocolates with the heat of summer.

As we are enjoying the very last days of summer here in Bologna and the temperatures have plummeted from the high 30s down to the low 20s, I have been slowly watching chocolates pop up around town. A small sign of the changing seasons.