Adapting in Italy

I want to share some of the things I had to adapt to while living in Italy. Transportation was a main one, walking everywhere is the normal and traveling to further places, the train is the main method of transportation. One of the difficulties with the trains is trying to find the platform and not missing the train since the door closes one minute before departure. I recommend avoiding stops in your trip because it is hassled to get on time to your other train due to those conditions. However, Italians are very helpful when you ask for directions.

Another aspect of living in Florence is how important recycling is to Italians. For example, Italy has a trash law policy that consists of 4 different trash categories: residual waste, organic, paper, and multi-material items. This concept made me respect the effort of the country to improve the sustainability of the country and making greener. Also, one of the things that I will add to my lifestyle back home is using tote bags more often for my purchases to help reduce the use of plastic. In Italy, most people bring their own bag to the grocery store, and to encourage this behavior the stores usually charge for plastic bags.

The last concept that I will be sharing is getting used to riposo which it’s a break or a siesta for Italians. The time can vary but it is normally during lunchtime, around 1 to 4 pm. This affects the hours of shops, and sometimes even restaurants. At the beginning of my stay, there were a few times when I arrived at stores, and it turned out to be closed for riposo. However, I have gotten used to remembering the time period and also take this time to rest or do homework. Using google before visiting a store is helpful since most stores have their times posted along with their breaks there.