50 Things I've Learned Living in Italy

by Ashley in Italy /

Mar 03, 2009 / 1 comments

After one crazy year in Italy - my how things have changed! We can decidedly say we feel at home. 2008 has flown by with a new adventure everyday - it is hard to believe that 14 short months ago we were sitting in the Consulate General's office in NYC begging for our visa's. And now we have our Permesso di Soggiorno to live in Italy for another year!

We never could have done this on our own & the lis is long for those we owe thanks! It is surreal that we live in this country, live on our beautiful land and get to live our dream...see we're sounding like Italians already!

Here are 50 Things we’ve learned, little observations & funny tidbits (in no particular order)

1. Ashley learned to drive stick
2. According to the Italians - Ashley looks Italian, Jason looks German
3. Italians are very superstitious
4. Caribineri jokes in Italy are like blonde jokes in America
5. Finally how to curse properly!!
6. Wet wood doesn’t burn
7. How to be a neighbor
8. Soccer is life
9. Pancetta & porchetta are the best things on earth
Porchetta in Le Marche
10. Swimming pools are a gigantic pain in the ass
11. Water is not to be taken for granted
12. Problems with the house only occur when there are guests here
13. Stone houses are very cold in the winter, but perfect for the summer
14. It takes 3 days to properly mow the lawn!
15. Spare parts for ANYTHING take 2 weeks
16. Time is flexible...
17. Telecom italia are bastards!
18. Don’t drive through the center of Urbino or you will surely get a ticket
19. Latte crudo is the best milk ever

20. How to drive like an Italian - using both lanes & passing like crazy
21. How to cope without college football & the NFL
22. Cook in a forno legna - wood burning oven
23. Mid-day naps are great!
24. The weather report is never right
25. The obvious ... tons of recipes
26. Running an agriturismo is a lot of work
27. People actually read our blog
28. Italian tv is hysterical and full of collagen & botox
29. Awaking to the sounds of gun shots from hunters is now normal
30. Italians love festivals! And they do it right! They celebrate EVERYTHING!
Festival in Sant'Angelo in Vado
31. Italian coffee is the best on earth
32. Getting your oil changed for the car is ridiculously expensive
33. Red wine is a remedy for many ailments
34. Everyone knows about gardening, plants & wild edibles
35. Energy in all forms is crazy expensive
36. On any given day, any given town may be closed to honor a saint
37. Posted business hours are just a suggestion
38. How to make sausages from scratch
39. Italians have not forgotten about WWII
40. Just because it is a nice restaurant don’t be surprised if the bathroom consists of just a hole in the floor

41. Being wet or having a fever can kill you
42. Everything has its own season - from the fruits & veg to the bugs & birds
Fresh tomatoes
43. I love living here
44. There is a proper outfit for everything - motorcycling, biking, hiking, shopping, soccer games, hunting & yard work
45. They report on the pope’s health everyday in the paper
46. Prices are negotiable
47. Always have coffee & something sweet for unexpected drop-ins
48. State-run health care is great!
49. There must have been a town meeting upon our arrival - everyone seems to know who we are before we meet them “ohhh the americans”
50. We will never move back to the States