Reflection 3

Selma Muratovic
Reflection 3
June 12, 2017

Italy has been what I expected it to be in some ways and different in other ways. Just in the town of Grado I’ve noticed how active the people are in town. They walk everywhere or take a short bike ride and I really wish we had a similar system in the United States so that people would be healthier in their lifestyles. Reilly made a good observation to me the other day that we haven’t really seen any gyms or workout areas in the cities we’ve been to. I par that up to the fact that people do not need to go to the gym to exercise since their daily lives are active and healthy. Not just their daily movement but also the food they consume is healthier since it all seems to be grown from local sources and they follow the seasons for their fruit and vegetables choices.

We also have only seen traditional fast food places in the big cities such as Verona and Venice but in the United States even the smallest of towns, such as Greencastle, have multiple fast food places. I think the smaller exposure to fast food shows the emphasis that Italians put on home cooked meals and well made lunches and dinners. But I would also par that up to the slower lifestyles Italians tend to lead. Americans feel on the go constantly and feel the need to only go through drive throughs and pickup the quickest meal. It’s sad that the lifestyle here feels more like a vacation to me than something I could do everyday. I miss the quickness of Chicago because it somehow makes me feel more productive with my day, even if I haven’t done much in that day. Overall Italy has been amazing with its rich culture and its helped me experience a different side to life and the world. I know that I will always hold these memories close to me and I hope to come back one day and bring my family.

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