Selma Muratovic
June 8, 2017
2d reflection

The last few days have felt like we have been gone for weeks with the quick changes of cities. I really appreciate being able to see different parts of Italy however because now I have a much more well-rounded perspective on it. For example, if we had only visited Venice then I probably wouldn’t have liked Italy as much since the atmosphere was extremely different. When we’re in Grado I don’t feel judged by the locals and I know that they actively want to help me but in Venice I felt on edge because the city itself was full of tourists and it became obvious during the day that we were not wanted. I heard a couple people comment in disgust, “oh tourists”, a man call out our group as a high school group, and another man film me and a few of the girls as we were out shopping. I also think I was almost pickpocketed because a buckle on my purse was undone. It helped me see that I enjoyed a lot greatly the other areas we had visited such as wine country and Lake Como. 

I’m still having a relatively difficult time speaking Italian but the words grazie and ciao come naturally almost immediately. I have noticed though that some of our group’s American mannerisms have gotten us a few looks and I always feel like I have to remind everyone that we’re not in the United States or DePauw where we talk loudly whenever. People come to Italy for relaxation and I can’t help but cringe when I see other people around giving us a glare because of loud laughter or inappropriate comments. However, it’s all a learning experience and it makes you appreciate more the lifestyle you live at home. I have been feeling that food wise. The food we eat at our meals have been amazing for sure but I can’t help but miss certain foods from the United States or even the food my mom traditionally makes at home. I also have noticed how there is typically not a lot of sauces or seasonings around the table which I appreciate because everything tastes fresher and is lighter on the stomach. Not to mention all the walking that is done in a day helps you work up an appetite and not retain too much body fat since you burn off a lot of calories. 

It was interesting for a few of us who tried the McDonald’s in Verona because we saw how condiments such as ketchup are charged, whereas in the US ketchup is pretty much unlimited at McDonald’s and their cup sizes are significantly smaller than the ones we use. It really showcased how Americans eat so hefty with extra sodium and sugars in every meal. People here are much more appreciative of a healthy lifestyles and I don’t think they even are aware of the choices they make, it more so comes naturally to them meanwhile as Americans we would prefer to put sauces and seasonings on everything. I’m interested to see if these habits will follow me back to the United States or if I will conform back into the American lifestyle of heavy food with less exercise.

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