I Learn Something New Everyday

• By Johanna Nuding+
• Posted in Change, Italy, Life, Travel
• On January 19, 2013
• 1 Comment.

With one week back in Bologna under my belt, I thought I’d check in with some lessons learned.

1. Italy is like a woman – beautiful and complicated.

I was in the middle of cooking dinner a few nights ago when my electricity went out.  It was about 8:30p.  I checked the breaker box in my unit with the keychain size flashlight Evan sent with me.  All appeared fine.  I checked the main breaker box in the building foyer.  All was well.  I could hear my neighbor’s TV blaring and the corridor lighting was on so I knew it wasn’t a building-wide problem.  I called and left a voicemail and also texted my landlord.  No response.  I lit the candles I’d purchased the day before at IKEA and sat down in the chair (that folds out into a single bed when you’re ready to come visit me – picture below) that I’d put together a few hours before and tried to figure out my next move.  At 9:30p I gave up and put the barely cooked food away and had a bowl of cereal for dinner feeling a bit sorry for myself and read until I fell asleep.  I awoke at eight o’clock the next morning and called the landlord again. Marco was over by 8:30a trying to figure out what the problem was.  After listening to Marco have what sounded like a heated conversation with the electrician (although all conversations sound a bit heated in Italian…they speak with such passion!), we finally discovered that they had installed a second breaker box for my unit in the lobby.  The two boxes both appeared to be working, but the mystery box had been tripped. One flip of a switch and all was well.  I was happy, but could’ve screamed. I was scolded by Marco for only calling and texting one time.  From now on, I’m supposed to blow up his phone and raise hell if there’s a problem.  He prefers it that way…

2. My cheeks are magical – (both pair, but I’m talking about the ones attached to my face).

I’d forgotten what happens when I ask for things with a smile here.  The smile is always returned, and if I’m dealing with a man he can’t help but reach out and gently pinch my cheeks with the backs of his fingers.  It’s such a sweet, affectionate, very Italian gesture.  I love it.  It happened three times in one day…and I even got a free haircut.

3. I’m part bear.

It’s been snowing and raining a lot here.  Aside from visiting the mountains, I’ve never seen huge snowflakes fall so consistently in my entire life.   The 30 degree temps and precipitation make me want to snuggle up in the bed.  Living in a studio apartment my bed is always in sight, teasing me.  Once I give in and crawl inside, it’s near impossible to get out.  I get nice and cozy under a pile of yummy blankets and hibernate.  I’m sleeping more than ten hours every night and taking a 30-45 minute nap every afternoon.  As I type this, I’m yawning.  I just ordered a second caffe.  I will not go home and get back in bed.  I will not go home and get back in bed.  I will not go home and get back in bed!

4. Kindness is a universal language, but I still need to learn Italian.

I’m much more comfortable this go around being a foreigner not speaking the native language.  I am taking steps to learn Italian, though.  My Aunt Lyn bought me Rosetta Stone for Christmas and I begin private tutoring lessons next week, but in the meantime I’m getting by on my limited knowledge of the Italian language and nonverbal communication.  As long as I make an attempt, apologize for my limited use of the language, and explain that I’m from Texas, the natives are happy to assist.  Simple things like setting up home-delivery at IKEA, meeting with the gas company to make sure the gas lines were safe in my apartment and trying to troubleshoot my cell phone issues at the Wind store all required a much more dynamic understanding of the language than I have.  Thanks to my “Georgia peach” guardian angel and translator, Kristi, all has worked out.  She told me to stop thanking her and do my best to learn Italian!  I’m on it.

5. Just eat it.

I think it’s a big deal to be an adventurous person and try new things when presented with the opportunity.  Each time we push ourselves just beyond our comfort zone we give ourselves the chance to expand our minds and grow as a person.  I was taught as a child to try something before I determine that I don’t like it.  A few nights ago at a dinner party I was presented with lychee, a tropical fruit native to China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.  Many of you are likely familiar with this interesting little fruit, but I’m from west Texas, USA, and I was not.  I asked my dinner mates to show me what to do and began peeling the thin rind off of the lychee.  I was a little grossed out at what I found on the other side of the rough exterior.  It took everything I had to eat this thing with flesh that resembled an eyeball.  It tasted sweet and perfumey…almost like soap.  I later googled it and found the lychee is in the “soapberry” family – the fruit’s pulp is actually used to make soap.

Parental Suggestion: Instead of washing your kids’ mouths out with soap for back talking or dropping the f-bomb, just give them a peeled lychee.  I’d even throw in a story about it being the eyeball from the last kid that stepped out of line.  (Just an idea…trying to be helpful.)

6. I’ve got “white people problems”.

I finally feel situated in my apartment so it’s time to get back to business.  Being in Italy slows me down tremendously (in a good way), but I have the tendency to take advantage of the tranquillo lifestyle.  Getting my ass out of bed at a decent hour, meditating, cooking, working, working out, writing, learning Italian, socializing with the locals and planning side adventures…I’ve got a lot of things to squeeze into a day if I want to make the most of my time here.

It’s a tough life, but somebody’s got to do it.