Daily living.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that food takes a central role in day-to-day life in Italy. It’s always amusing to hear friends making fun of each other for the way they cook pasta - “you put onion in your carbonara?!” - and slightly less amusing when they make fun of me for eating dinner at 8pm - “you’re going to eat at 8 like a nonna*?!”. I’ve sat through hours of unbelievably in-depth discussions of meals, ingredients, cooking methods and restaurant comparisons: making sure to learn as much as I can while also trying very very hard to not say anything that would be met with a similar comment. I, of course, would never dream of putting onion in my carbonara. 

I’m slowly learning the tricks to a perfect plate of pasta, although the one time I was left unsupervised to cook dinner, I could barely eat from the pressure and stress I felt for the fear of an Italian person critiquing my Italian dish. I can count the days on one hand that I haven’t seen pasta since I’ve been here and the question on everyone’s lips is - how on earth do Italians not gain weight?? I think I’ve cracked it. Italians spend a disproportionate amount of time standing up. Coffee and a croissant, aka breakfast, are often taken standing up at the bar. A lunchtime slice of pizza or an afternoon tramezzino** (a triangular sandwich normally white bread with crusts cut off) are often consumed standing up. And meeting friends for drinks in the evening normally involves grabbing a drink in a cheap bar and standing in the piazza or surrounding area to chat, joke and have the odd in-depth discussion - probably food-related. It is not uncommon to be “standing around” for a few hours before going off to squeeze in a couple hours of dancing. So, I have come to the conclusion that all this standing must counterbalance the daily pizza and pasta. Surely. Or the hourly espresso - burning off all the calories from the constant caffeine buzz.

Apart from the ordering at the bar and consuming your drink there or outside, another aspect of Italian life that might take getting used to is getting your scontrino (receipt/proof of payment) at the cashier separately from where you order your drink. In busy or touristic places you are normally asked to pay first, but in the majority of places you pay just before you leave and, as my brother remarked on his recent trip with me to Rome, “it’s absolutely genius” as it saves time with baristas trying to take payments as well as take orders and make drinks. Not that I brought this up to remark on this “revolutionary” payment system - I understand that restaurants work like this all over the world, but I’m talking café’s and bars. The thing that strikes me here is the amount of TRUST this system requires - I cannot imagine so much trust in any other place I have lived. [Well, perhaps apart from Hornby Island.***] One wonderful Italian characteristic. Trust. Italians speak their mind and are sincere. There’s no games, reading between the lines or trying to second guess. Candour - accompanied by a flourish of gestures and dramatic expressions, which should generally be taken with a pinch of salt. But don’t put too much on your pasta, or you will be the next joke at the dinner table. 

Alla prossima,

A xx  

*grandma

**the word is composed of tra-mezz-ino: tra - meaning between, mezzo - meaning middle, ino - the suffix used to denote something small in size. So all the signs pointing to something small to be consumed between meals in the middle of the afternoon.

***i will leave you to google this one

roof top cacio e pepe con carciofi  

the eastern boarder

1st may bbq vibes 

1st may fresh mozzarella vibes

Time.

This is now my 3rd winter in Russia (I have stayed much longer than I originally planned), yet I still get excited as ever when heavy snow starts to fall and cover the city in a glistening blanket of white, transforming it into a magical wonderland before your eyes. I still look on in astonishment as hoards of workers in head-to-toe bright orange arctic gear appear as if from nowhere within minutes, like ants after a storm, snow shovels in hand - they have been waiting and this is their moment. I feel like a child as a I get a kick from hearing the roar of the 20-long line of industrial-sized snow ploughs, tearing through the main roads of central Moscow leaving a wall of snow in their wake, and as they pass I look on with a huge grin on my face. Within days, courtyards, pavements and roads are cleared, huge piles of snow on street corners are loaded into dump trucks and taken out of sight, and life in Moscow ploughs steadily on without even batting an eyelid.

A couple days later, white snow clouds lighten the night sky and you know you're in for a treat.

Although, that's not to say that I'm a big fan of cold climates. I once again took advantage of having January off to get as far south as my bank account would allow and I ended up spending a couple weeks in Italy. Five years after I first fell in love, my heart is never far from the wonderful country. I had only been to Rome twice before for short, touristy trips and I was intrigued to see how "living" there would compare with Bologna. Admittedly, after so much time in Russia, it took me a few days to adjust to the pace of life - very relaxed - and to afternoon closing times between lunch and dinner. When expressing my surprise that a local store that had clearly said "open all hours" was closed when I stopped by in the evening, my friend explained that that simply meant it was open during napping hours in the afternoon... I soon had the main stops on the two metro lines memorised and I learnt to not trust "arrival times" at metro stations or bus stops - Italian minutes seem to have a funny way of being able to last anything between 50 and 150 seconds.

Joking aside, I was reminded of two important messages I had long forgotten since moving away. Family and Time.

The people I met working at the recording studio next door to where I was practising every day were shocked to hear I was planning to come in on Sundays. "What about family day?" they asked. "You shouldn't be practising on a Sunday...it's a day of rest and for spending time at home with your family." With a family that travels and works constantly and living in a city that never sleeps and where working days can easily be 12 hours long, I had to take a minute to let it sink in and then quickly try to explain myself... "in Russia, blah blah blah". Not surprisingly, my explanations were met with looks of amusement and disbelief.

A common and popular conversation topic between people from different countries is often stereotypes. During the first of a few magical al fresco lunches in the magnificent Roman winter sun I was treated to while I was there, this topic came up and I was asked if it was generally assumed that Italians never do any work. A smile in response answered the question for them, but I was quick to add, that with weather and food like they have, who's to blame them? Later that afternoon, I took a quick break from playing and walked into the next room to find everyone (six or so men) standing around chatting without a care in the world - I did a coffee round and joined in, trying to catch on to their Roman lingo. As one of the them was about to leave, I joked as kindly as possible: "and they say that Italians never do any work..". Putting his helmet on, he smiled, looked me in the eyes and said, "I don't live to work, I work to live."

The general concept of Time is that we have lots of it, but it is also precious and every minute should be enjoyed. Whether that be having an espresso with friends, relaxed lunch breaks in the winter sun, making that effort to pick some fresh chilli's from the garden for lunch, taking that detour to stop by the best place for pistachio croissants, working half-days to spend time with your family or taking time out of your busy teaching day to introduce a newcomer to fellows colleagues and musicians, it is about really respecting the time we are given. When I tell people my age at academy in Moscow, they frown and and give me a look of concern, commenting that I'm quite late on in the game and instilling in me a great sense of urgency to press on. In Italy, people smile with hope and anticipation, telling me how I'm young and I have so much time ahead of me. This concept of using every moment, relishing it and appreciating it whether it be work- or play-related is a message I was grateful to have been reminded of.

Back in Russia, I am more appreciative than ever of reliable public transport and 24h shops, however, I'm also doing what I can to keep those pieces of Italy with me.

(This may or may not include cooking pasta on an almost daily basis and constantly bugging my friends to send me pistachio croissants* and gelato).

More frequents posts to come from now on (I promise)...and a website and some music in the making.

Ciao for now,

A-M xxx 


*though croissants are technically french, a 'cornetto' is Italian and a 'cornetto a pistachio' even more so. 

This ceiling fresco in Villa Borghese took my breath away (and get me sever neck pain) and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

The best lunch 5€ will buy you - a regional 'mini-pizza' called a pinsa. 

0 km farm produce at your service.

Start your day the right way.

River and canal walking in St. P - the perks of cold winters. 

Secondary Thoughts.

I meant to do a weekly update every sunday - always ambitious in my case to try to keep something going on a regular basis - but of course I got distracted doing other stuff. I will now endeavour to do an update every couple weeks without a specific day in mind - hopefully that will help.

Last Thursday I went to a special ceremony for the signing of the Magna Charta Universitatum which is  a document of fundamental university values and rights, and was first signed in Bologna in 1988 by 388 rectors of main worldwide universities. It was actually a great ceremony because different heads of universities were there wearing their finest, and not least because Umberto Eco showed up to give a speech (he's very important in the world of literature and academia) and the first thing he did was to say "pardon the pun but there is a loud echo in the room" - everyone laughed. Anyway, he went on to explain how amazing universities are (as a body of people wanting to learn and share their learning with each other) in terms of developing thinking and bringing people together. A university is a place where everyone has come to learn. They have come to share ideas, develop current ones and be exposed to knew ways of viewing and understanding things. Bologna University - the oldest university in the western world, founded in 1088 - started with a small group of academics who came together to learn and research honestly and independently from any other establishment. I never really considered before how lucky we all are to have the opportunity to also go to such an establishment with completely liberal access to such an amazing amount of knowledge.

I was lucky enough to spend two days (one night) in Verona which is a mere 9€ train ride away. I was blown away. It is unbelievably beautiful, like a fairytale in fact! No wonder Shakespeare set his story of Romeo and Juilet in this very place. I did indeed go to visit 'Juliet's house' and I did have a picture taken on the balcony. It has to be done of course, however I have to say I was much more impressed by the beautiful churches the city had to offer. One dating back to 1117 A.D., they were absolutely stunning inside and though when I returned and showed pictures to my friends the reply I got was that 'they all look the same', personally my breath was blown away every time I stepped inside one of the churches. Chiesa San Fermo even had an underground church which had been preserved from the Roman times! Unbelievable. The amphitheatre was, of course, also very impressive and I'm already planning to return next summer to watch an opera there. I was with a family friend and with stayed with a women who was so kind and generous and typically italian, giving us an unbelievably big meal including the starter, pasta as a primo, meat as a secondo, and dessert. Waking up in the morning, I walked into the kitchen to find the table laden with a grand spread of food for breakfast. It would have been enough to feed at least ten! The only downside to the city was the amount of tourists. I saw about five or six groups of german school kids alone which seems to suggest that german schools are having a few days off...? After two days of trying to fit in seeing as many sights as possible and taking close to 200 pictures (75% are probably of churches), I was ready to return to Bologna where I'm already starting to feel at home.

A few last little things:

Contrary to popular belief that one will only find 'eurotrash' music in the clubs of european cities, I managed to find a couple places with some great house music (I'm not trying to be 'edgy', I just like the music) and I have been promised there are many more to be found. I met a girl who's in her fourth year of studying at the university and has lived near Bologna all her life and she has promised to show me all the secrets Bologna has to offer - I'm so excited. She also warned me about learning italian from southern Italians... I'd better beware.

The blond thing seems to be a big thing here. The majority of my italian friends are calling me 'bionda' (blond one) and I have benefited from a sufficient number of free drinks because of it. I'm not complaining but it is bizarre!

I've taken to trying to watch some Italian TV everyday in the hope that it will improve my listening skills and it is very very bizarre to watch Dr. Who, The Big Bang Theory, and Desperate Housewives (all favourites over here) dubbed over in Italian.

I got into the orchestra which is good news! Although I'm slightly worried as the rehearsals will be in italian and I've recently realised that they have different name for all the keys and some instruments so I might struggle to keep up! 

I have met an unbelievable amount of spanish people (there are probably 3 spanish people to every other erasmus student), and italian is so similar to spanish that they speak in spanish and we reply in italian and everyone is understand no problem. In fact, I seem to be slowly learning spanish without even trying - wish that could happen with the others languages!

Thank you for reading :-) 

baci e abbracci from a russian abroad xxx

Umberto Eco - no need for a gown/cape

Beautiful church at night

Excessively large train ticket

Main Piazza in Verona

Verona is beautiful

Apparently it's good luck to touch the hump of a hunchback

View from La Torre dei Lamberti

Duomo

Beautifully ornate organ

Underground Roman church

Enjoying a brightly coloured Spritz Aperol

Back home in Bologna with italians

Initial thoughts.

After much deliberation I have decided to cave in, follow the trend and start a year abroad blog. I am now sat at the desk of my freshly set-up room after having spent a week living in the living room of my flat waiting for the previous girl to move out of the room. My room is great, nice size with plenty of spare space for visitors and in the centre of the city, and my flatmate is a girl who speaks French and Italian which is perfect for me...  I finally feel settled and yesterday I made my first few italian friends... so things aren't looking too bad.

I have learnt that Italians are the kindest, most generous and open people who always have time to chat and to help you. They are also unbelievably relaxed. Lunch lasts at least an hour, preferably two, and everything closes during that period, as well as on a Sunday - so Sunday really is a day of rest.

Surprisingly I have understood much more italian than I thought I would but I have found it difficult to speak as it doesn't come as easily to me as french and english do but hopefully that will come with time. I've spoken a lot of french with my flatmates which is good, however, I now have a mix of three languages in my head so I can't seem to form a proper sentence in any of them without a struggle!

I have learnt that mosquitos here seem to attack all foreign girls the minute they arrive. None of the Italians have a problem with them and they don't seem to really affect the guys but somehow I managed to get ten bites on one leg alone by the end of my second day.

Setting up a bank account was difficult because as a 'non-residenza' most of the banks essentially have no interest in setting up an account for you which you will use for just a few months and probably not put very much money into it and which, as a student, you want for free (most seem to charge about 20€ a month) but after some to-ing and fro-ing I managed to find one - n.b. UniCredit for those coming to Italy in the near future.

Also, for anyone planning to getting a sim card abroad - get your phone unlocked before you go!

I have chosen my courses to study at university - all music/theatre related of course - and have discovered a completely foreign system of attending university. Lectures are essentially open to the public and being a student merely means that you can register for the exams. It's up to you to register your modules online and then proceed to find out when the lectures are scheduled or email the teachers to try and find out. I emailed one professor to confirm that he would be teaching this semester (as it said that he would be online) and he proceeded to reply that he thought he was teaching in the second semester, but he wasn't sure so he said he would double check and that I was more than welcome to take the exam either way! I have also been told that if I leave my flat (which is a good 15 mins walk from the university area) at the time that my lesson actually starts, I will still arrive in good time. No wonder all the lectures are scheduled to be 2-3 hours long - half of that time is taken up with people waiting for the lecturers to arrive!

I have learnt that it is completely unacceptable to order a cappuccino after 9:30am in the morning - 8 am is the more acceptable time, with your breakfast and that is all.

I have been baffled by menus. Faced with twenty to thirty different pizza toppings I realise I should have focused more on learning food vocabulary back in Bristol instead of the many tenses which would get better grades in exams. It's embarrassing having to ask what the many different options are!

I have found the best ice cream I have ever tasted - that's one reason alone to come and visit.

All in all, Bologna is an absolutely amazing city. There is so much history in every building and it's absolutely beautiful, and very very red. I decided I was allowed to be very touristy during my first week so my mum and I took a ride on the red tourist bus around the city - it was worth every penny. I have decided I'm going to visit a different museum/historical point of interest every week; I can then treat you lovely readers to a story about each place I go to! The food stays true to the Italian stereotype. There are pizzerias absolutely everywhere, at least two every block and I have had pizza at least once a day since I've been here. I also had the famous bolognese the first evening I came (as it comes from Bologna) and it was absolutely delicious. The wine is cheap and in the evenings and the majority of bars around the city, you pay slightly more for a glass of wine or beer - about 5-8€ depending on the place - and then you help yourself to a buffet of aperitivi and often resulting in not needing to have dinner as you simply sit and have some and help yourself to the buffet.

Drinking in the street also seems to be the common done thing. Yesterday Strada Maggiore, one of the main streets right near where I live, was closed for a street party. When it finished the people seeped into streets running into Piazza Verdi which was packed full of people in their 20's drinking with police walking by without a second glance. Apparently the Piazza being so packed full of young drinkers is a daily occurrence and there are never any problems.

I do feel very safe here. I have noticed that there are few blond people here and the majority of people are shorter than me so I have got a few stares here and there, however I do feel a lot safer than I do in any other major european city. All the Italians seem far to relaxed to feel the need to start any trouble!

Anyway, enough from me. I hope you enjoyed reading my first post and I congratulate you for making it to the end. Alla settimana prossima, Ciao!

View of Bologna from afar.

View from the taller of Le due torri - La torre degli Asinelli

The most delicious ice cream I have ever tasted.