When I first arrived in Rome, Italy, I did not what these 5 months would have in store for me. I of course did my research and comprised a general idea of what my time abroad would be like, but I could not truly visualize it until I began my stay there. Adjusting to the way Italians live was a huge shift for me. It allowed me to fully immerse myself in their culture. In America, eating and sitting at a restaurant was typically under a constraint time frame. You eat quickly and then leave, so you can free up a table for the next guest. In Italy, eating and chatting with your family and friends for hours at a restaurant is engrained in their culture. Italians believe that you should take your time and enjoy the food and your quality time with your family and friends. I prefer this way of restaurant etiquette. I do wish that American culture would do the same, and transition to a more relaxed and polychronic view when doing leisure activities like eating. Since in America, everyone is constantly on a time crunch, eating at a restaurant should be a task not taken for granted.
Another adjustment I had to make was getting used to most businesses being closed on Sundays. I’m so used to going to different stores and preparing for the week to come, but in Italy they view Sundays as a day of rest. Italians also view Sundays as a day to honor God. Most of them go to church on Sundays, which is a practice I already do at home. On Easter, I finally got to experience going to a Catholic church in a primarily Catholicism country like Italy. It was truly an amazing experience. The church was breathtaking, with their beautiful god-like iconography, and gold-platted frames. It was an experience I will never forget. Anyway, my time in Italy, I did find myself truly slowing down and resting on Sundays. I also would love to incorporate this more back home and have family dinners on Sundays.
After interacting with numerous Italians frequently, I feel as though they would agree with my experience. In their culture, they know that many Italians really enjoy their time simply doing nothing. Italians take pride in slowing down and enjoying little endeavors like eating, taking a walk, and valuing family time. They would also agree with viewing Sundays as a day of rest. I’ve noticed that many Italians take Sunday as a day of going to church (which I do back home), and spending time with family. Overall, this reflection helps me to understand that every culture has its own unique and intriguing traits. Every culture has their own identity. What a culture values will greatly differ from other cultures. It is important to understand that some cultures may have some similarities, but never the same because they are unique in their own way. In Europe, I had the great opportunity to experience different cultures by traveling to countries like, Spain, France, and of course, Italy.