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From Abroad

Just thought I’d share some random thing’s I’ve learned . . .

Daylight savings time for us doesn’t happen until next Sunday- when the US had their’s last sunday! Craaazzzyyy. Now I’m only 5 hours ahead of you guys!!

Italians take the month of August off… like the whole country shuts down and people go on vacation. If you ask them where they are going they will either say- to the montains or to the sea. They usually don’t specify the location unless you follow up with another question of where in the mountains, or which sea?

Italians really believe in family-run businesses so that’s why most of them have weird hours. They usually take a day off and then a half of a day sometime else throughout the week. My Business Law teacher’s husband put it perfectly… “The story of my life in Italy is arriving somwhere and finding it closed”

Trust is a big issue and Italian’s don’t think that hiring people to be on their staff will help their business. They think that the customers won’t be treated with the same care and enjoy the experience as much if there were other people running their business. That is why most places are run by the mom, dad, and kids.

Random- but. In Kansas the brand Northface is HUGE. Everyone loves and wears it. Also fannypacks are big- but they don’t wear them around their waist they wear them around their torso… It’s a little weird. They said they like them because the fannypacks are Northface. I’ve never met anybody from Kansas and since this program is sponsored by the Kansas University half of the students here are from Kansas.

British people call chalk board erasers rubbers

The paper that we use in the US is a different size than the paper they use over here. We use 8 1/2 by 11 and they use paper called A4. It was really strange at first because its about an inch or two longer than ours- but I’ve gotten so used to it now that I don’t even notice a difference!

To Go is called Take Away over here. And don’t think that you’re going to be able to go into a cafe and get a cup of coffee to go. NOPE! First off- what you’ll get is about a shot of coffee. If you want a cup you’ll have to say cafe americano. and second off- they don’t usually do “take away” coffees here. People down them and then are out the door. Also, the hot chocolate here is SOOOOOOOO GOOD. It’s usually just a bar of melted chocolate with a little bit of cream in it to make it drinkable.

Fast food doesn’t exist other than the major touristy areas that really don’t portray the real Europe.

The US should get low cost airline carriers like Europe does so that people can travel about the US for as little as $25 round trip! (I’m definitely going to miss that when I go home!)

When it starts to get nice out normally in the US girls break out their flip flops and people don’t usually wear jackets. Not here in Italy! It’s been close to 70 everyday for about a week now and the italians are still bundling up and wearing their winter coats and scarves. When we were in Barcelona and it was like 75 people were still wearing winter coats and scarves. The italians look at us as though we are nuts… one man even asked Von how she bares it with her “naked feet”- in reference to her flip flops. Honestly. It’s been hot. I don’t understand it?

Cell phone plans are pay as you go… they don’t buy plans here. And texting is HUGE in Europe! They love it!

When you go to a store to buy fruit you’re usually not allowed to touch it. You much get someone who works there to get the fruit for you.

If you go to a resturant and they tell you they are out of paninos (sandwhiches) they probably just mean they’re out of rolls and if you ask for them to put some meat or veggies on a piece of bread for you they’ll do that… they just don’t think of a sandwhich as a piece of bread with stuff on it- they think of it as a roll with stuff on it. A Tramazzini is a sandwhich that is made out of little piece of white bread and Tost is toasted bread with ham and cheese.

Italians usually don’t eat breakfast- they eat a big lunch- and don’t even think about trying to go somewhere to order dinner before 7:30… cause you won’t find anywhere.

Hey- if anybody has any questions about life in Italy or Europe post comments and I’ll answer them!!!

Ciao <3 Julie!