First, a quick update. Teresa and I are in the very final stages of creating our new website for Time of Your Life Tours, including all the details for our "maiden voyage", An Artful Tour of Florence and Venice, October 7-20, 2007.By the first of April I'll be posting links to our new site, where you'll find complete information with the full itinerary, prices, and sign-up form.
Recently my dear friends Martha and her Italian sweetheart, Piero, returned from a trip to the States. They live in a charming but small (by American standards) home in a tiny Tuscan village, and visiting Washington D.C. and other eastern cities was a bit of culture shock. Here are their impressions of some of the differences between life in Italy and in the U.S.
Piero writes:
Martha and I finally took our much anticipated trip to the New World, and I must say that it was really interesting. You must take into account the fact that the last time I was in the States was about 37 years ago! I guess that quite a few things have changed since then. I was only 23 years old then, and not really looking at too many things. At that age you have other things on your mind... The thing I remember the most was going to a big store and seeing the parking lot. It was bigger than a soccer field, and almost every car had something hanging from the antenna--one a piece of cloth, one a bow, one a puppet, etc. I asked why and was told that the purpose of these "decorations" was to make it easier for people to locate their cars. This was fairly astonishing to me. You must remember that in that time, we did not have many cars in Italy because money was very tight, and so it was hard for me to imagine cars being so common. My first impression on this trip was how smartly dressed people were--not like the ones I see on holiday in Italy.
We stayed with a friend of Martha's in Washington and visited many of the sights. I saw the Lincoln Memorial, the Pentagon, the National Gallery of Art, the Kennedy Center, and many other places.
We went shopping at a supermarket and I was appalled to see the variety of food available. I counted 35 freezers full of different ice-creams and a whole aisle of soft drinks--with gas, no gas, light, etc. This huge array of choices was something unexpected.
They also took me to see the salad dressings. Americans traveling in Italy are always asking what kind of dressings there are for their salads when they come to restaurants here. Well, I don't know who invented the many different kinds, but I suppose somebody must buy them. It seemed odd to me. In Italy salads are dressed with olive oil, salt, and vinegar, and that's it.
The pizza freezers were packed as well with every kind of what you call "pizza." To me, they only have the pizza shape, and and nothing else in common with what I call pizza. They had so many ingredients one would never find on pizza in Italy.
Another thing that puzzled me was the variety of liquid laundry soaps. There was one which smelled like High Mountain Air according to the label. I don't understand how people can fall for it. When I wash my socks, I don't care whether the soap is scented like strawberries or something. All I want is to wash them--no one is going to smell them! I am just joking, of course, but what I want to say is that I don't see any point in showing all this wealth. Don't people realize that all these extra things make prices go up terribly? Just think of the firms making all these different products that do the same thing and how much space they take up on the retailer's shelves...
Then there was Starbucks. Good thing I was with Martha, otherwise it would have taken me all morning to figure out how to order a cup of coffee. I think it is much easier in Italy; you order an espresso or a cappuccino.
We ate in restaurants and fast food places a few times and I must say I enjoyed American food. I even had my first barbecued ribs, and they were delicious! We stopped on the highway and I had a Roy Rogers cheeseburger, and it was better than one I had in a real restaurant. One day I ordered some chicken fingers, not knowing what to expect. I thought perhaps American chickens might have fingers. I'm not sure what they were, but I did enjoy eating them.
While I was here, I was put to work. I planted garlic and fava beans and I cemented some ceramic tiles that Martha's friend had purchased in Italy. Naturally, she needed an Italian to do the job the right way!
It was a good trip and an interesting one for me, but I am glad I live in Italy.
And now Martha:
Two years ago at this time my bags were packed and I was counting down the hours until I would board a plane to take me to my new life in Italy. Now I have just returned from my first trip back to the States. I knew this trip would prompt all kinds of comparisons between my two "homes," and I wondered which was truly home to me.The day we got back to Italy I was busy unpacking, doing laundry, and hoping the weather would hold so that I could hang it on the line to dry--no fancy clothes dryer here. The whole time I was performing these mundane chores, I heard a tune in my head. It was Paul Simon singing, "Gee, it's good to be back home. Home is where I want to beeee." I guess that answered my question!
I don't think life in the States has changed much in two years, but I know that I have. Like Piero, I was a bit stunned in American supermarkets with the sheer number of things available in their endless variety. But I love all the choices of detergents and their fragrances. I love the scent of what Piero called "High Mountain Air." I understand exactly what is meant and what it smells like.
And, it was wonderful to see the produce departments overflowing with brightly polished fruits and vegetables that are used in Asian, South American and other cuisines. In Italy most of the vegetables I cook with come from our garden. It takes a little more time and effort to plant and water them, but I don't mind just putting on shoes and running out to the garden when I make a salad. That's true freshness! It's also great that I can drink a cup of Starbucks coffee while I shop, but nothing can replace the ambiance of the little coffee bars I love so much in Italy.
I enjoy the convenience of things when I was in America. I really wanted to treat myself to a pedicure, and so I walked across the street and got one. Easy! There's no place for something like that in our village.
When in Italy I had missed watching old movies and the Food Network on TV. I kept trying to explain to Piero how there could be food shows on all day in the U.S. I noticed him glancing up from his book from time to time, while I watched cooking shows nearly every day during our visit. After a couple of days he got up and pronounced, "Too much food!" How could he say that? Italy IS the Food Network 24/7!
While we were on vacation I tried to experience as many different taste sensations that I could that were different from the Tuscan favorites we usually prepare in Italy. I thought I would lose my traveling buddy one day when I ordered a pizza with jalapeno peppers, jack cheese, green onion, chicken, and andouille sausage! God, it was good! But Piero did not think it should be called pizza.
It's good to be "home" in Italy now, but my feelings when I visited the massive statue of Lincoln in D.C., made it clear that really I have two homes now. Basta! (enough) Piero is nella cantina chopping firewood and he's taking me out tonight. For pizza!
Thank you, Piero and Martha. I am looking forward to seeing you both next fall.
parsley, marjoram (watercress or arugula would work too) OR 1/2 tablespoon mixed dried herbs
