another transformation external to mark the less defined internal ones...and a few extra thoughts about Italian culture

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* It is customary to call your mother-in-law “Signora”, keeping it formal and respectful.
* Fur coats are VERY popular among woman (older than 30), and make them look even more elegant than they already are! Also, red, orange, gold, blue and burgundy hair color does not apply just to the young, hip crowd. In fact, I’ve seen more older, mature women with these colors and bold highlights than I see with the younger trendy crowd! Fur coat, heels and all!
* Honey and cheese-miele e formaggio (pecorino o ricotta) a popular sweet treat.
* When you leave one of any of the bakeries in Italy, you are carrying with you a carefully wrapped package of biscotti, cakes, panini, paste. It the white-paper wrapped packaged that are so tempting and drive me insane with curiosity! No dozen Dunkin Donuts around here!
* Cenci-powder sugar dusted sweet, crunchy, thin dough. Frittele-sweet rice fritters.
* Italians speak their mind and do so loudly and with determination. Whether I hear their cell phone conversation in the street or on the bus (no this isn't eaves dropping, this is surround sound public entertainment ) i find Italians to be direct. If you look strange, they will stare at you, full on in close in proximity. If you enter a store they make certain you know that they know you are there-with a greeting of some sort. If someone is late, or didn't call back in time, they extend a 2 second reprimand into a full throttle argument. They dress with confidence, speak with confidence, eat with confidence. Sometimes manners lack. But at least there is no circling around the point.
* I'm dark-haired again. Back to my roots.

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Comments

[anonymous]

awsome
your blog is great I love it!, keep up the good work, your a GREAT writer. I love italian culture, your wonderful at discribing it! - Brad

[anonymous]

italia
Cristina, Just wanted to tell you how much i have enjoyed reading your blogs, its a bit strange peering into a stranger's life, but very interesting. I relate to so many of your comments as i too studied and lived in italia for a year, 5 years ago. I lived in perugia. Thanks for bringing back those memories! - Karina