I wrote this post as I was en route to Milan for my flight, but am just now posting it, so it's a bit outdated I suppose. Since I've been home, a lot of people have asked if I prefer Italy or America.. the answer is a combination of both. I've learned things from every place I've lived, so that goes along with what I wrote in this post.. I'll do an updated post when I have time; the blog isn't over just because I'm no longer an immigrant!
Well, the time is finally here. As I write, I’m in route to Milan to be ready for my flight tomorrow morning. We’re coming home!! And there are a lot of things that need to go well in the next 24 hours, so if you have a chance, say a little prayer for us!
Step one was the packing, and that was quite difficult. I thought it wouldn’t be too bad since I got to have one more carry-on than when I came for Ale, but it seems I’ve acquired far more than I realized. Or rather, Alessandro has acquired far more than I realized. So with some sneaky packing, including putting three sets of sheets on the bassinet (which is supposed to be included in his baggage allowance), and putting all the heavy things in my carry-on (which they don’t weigh), hopefully we’ll make it back with everything intact (we did!). Step Two is making it to Milan, which we are doing a day early, and I have no doubt that Paolo’s parents will make us get to the airport hours before the flight even thinks of taking off (they did not). So we can check that off. Step three will be surviving the flight, and maintaining Alessandro’s happiness. I really hate to be that person on the plane with the baby, I know that no one likes that person or wants to sit next to them. But given the circumstances, baby’s gotta travel. I have far more sympathy now for those poor parents I despised in the past (he was an angel). Anyways, if we can do all that, we’re good, and customs and all shouldn’t be a problem. (Haha, we actually missed our connecting flight because of customs issues!)
I’ve been thinking back on my time here in Italy, and I have to say that overall, Italy is a nice country. It was a stressful time of life to move and learn a new language and such, but it was an experience that I’ll always remember. It was much different than my time in France, mostly because I was a carefree student then, surrounded by international students, and this time I was really living amongst the Italians. I learned a lot in my six months here, and there a few parts of Italian culture I will really miss.
First, the most obvious if you know me, is the food. I mean, the food here is incomparable to the food in the US. I will miss the freshness and creativity of food so very much. My waistline will not miss the countless sweets, but I already do.
Second, I admire the way Italians deal with body image. Rather than being so consumed with dieting and the endless pursuit to be thin, many Italians just live a healthy lifestyle, and don’t seem to worry about what they look like, which in general, is thin. Also, when you go to the beach and whatnot, people don’t really care what you wear. It’s not so much of a contest as in the US. As in, almost all women wear bikinis, regardless of age or shape. I’ll admit that at first I was a bit shocked by this, but as I was pregnant at the time, I soon embraced the non-chalence of it. It’s nice not to feel like you’re being judged for your body.
Next, on a related note, lately I’ve come to appreciate Italy’s attitude towards breastfeeding. No one blinks here if you’re feeding your baby. And really, that’s all it is: feeding your baby. It’s not a sexual thing, it’s nothing to be embarrassed of; it’s just a meal. I’m not saying that women here just “whip it out”, but you don’t see those ridiculous nursing covers, or people with blankets over them. In my opinion, all of those things are far more obvious than just nursing with a little discretion. And I also think breastfeeding is done a lot more here. It’s gaining popularity in America too, but there’s still so many formula-fed babies. Not that formula is a wrong choice, but there are so many health benefits to both mom and baby with nursing. Also,while I’m on my soapbox, it’s not “gross”. It’s what nature intended for your ta-tas. There is literally no other purpose for them; all mammals produce milk to feed their young. But alas, I’m returning to America, so I guess I’ll have to seek cover.
Another thing I really appreciate here is the attitude towards mealtime. As I’ve said before, Italians care a lot about food, but more than that, they use mealtimes as a time to be together. My family has also always eaten together, but I think a lot of Americans have gotten away from that tradition. And here it’s not just families; it’s roommates, friends, etc. We ate at least once a week with a couple of Paolo’s friends. It didn’t have to be a big, pretentious dinner; it was more about the company. And it was really nice.
The final thing I’ll miss is the abundance of true friends. I’ve found that in the US, it can be hard to come by true friends, the ones who will stick by you through everything, and keep up with you. From my experiences both in France and Italy, it seems like other countries really have friendship down. Paolo’s friends are really great guys. I mean, they came by to check on me, and were there all the time playing with Ale. They were great friends to me, and I only met them by association. I’m not saying there’s no friendship in America; I have some great friends. But there’s a different sense of camaraderie here that I haven’t seen much at home.
So, in all, I’ve learned a lot, and am glad for my experience here. I am simultaneously really glad to be coming home, but not because I didn’t like Italy. I just miss my family and friends, and really want everyone to meet Alessandro. I won’t lie, I also really want to be able to just get in my car and drive somewhere (I’m American, after all). So this is the end of this leg my journey through life, and now I’m flying on to the next one!
Ciao for now,
Kathleen
