More to Know About Florence!
Marisol works at FLY Fashion Loves You in Florence, Italy and has taken my class on a couple walking tours throughout our stay. Dani and I were interested in interviewing her because of her extensive knowledge of the city. We centered our discussion around Italian tradition, food, cultural norms, and ideologies.
Tradition
San Giovanni takes place on June 24th in Florence, Italy. This celebration includes fireworks, parties, and dinner at a friends house. Marisol shared with us that people often gather to enjoy each others company and their food. Salami, bread, macaroni, spaghetti, and wine are common festivity foods that are high quality and are meant to be enjoyed. Never eat just to eat!
Calcio Fiorentino is a game played in Renaissance costumes involving a mix of soccer, American football, and boxing. Marisol does not like this tradition because of the aggression and blood involved! We even heard that sometimes players rip off each others ears. Yikes!
Religion and Gender Roles
Despite what tourists may think, Italy is not a very religious place. Most churches are empty throughout the country. The Pope is a huge pressure on the people, but not religiously. Italians follow Catholic philosophies and believe in God, but they don’t attend church much.
Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world. It is expensive to start a family here and have more than one child. Therefore, Italy is very much stuck in the American ways of the 1950’s. Women are housewives. To avoid paying for sitters and schooling, mothers stay home with their kid(s) and assure the household is in shape. Men work to support their wife and children.
Differences with Americans
Marisol instantly mentioned the difference in food culture. Italians laugh when Americans visit and eat large breakfasts, put cheese on fish or mushroom pasta dishes, and drink coffee with a meal. She described Americans as naive. This is not a negative, she loves how eager tourists are to learn everything about the culture. Italians are much more expressive with their arms, hands, and tone than Americans. They also shake hands when first meeting and then give two kisses to greet each other every time after that.
Meeting with Marisol gave Dani and I the chance to learn more about the Italian culture. It was very helpful and she taught us a lot within forty five minutes! Thank you for your time, Marisol!
Around the World Fashion
Near the Duomo in Florence I was able to stop some people to capture their outfits. Some refused, most were hesitant, and few were eager. Here is what we were able to find!
These six young guys asked for me to take a photo of them in front of the Duomo. In return, I asked for a picture of their outfits. They were all from around Rome, Italy. Their style leaned more towards streetwear than the common casual American outfit for this age group. Compared to their outfits, I think Americans’ dress preppier in general.
These two girls turned out to also be studying abroad in Florence! The girl on the left is from Texas and her Golden Goose sneakers are what first caught my eye. Her outfit was basic which suited the sparkly sneakers. I also thought her bag was cute with the bandana accent. The other girl is from Mississippi. Her white Tory Burch crossbody was really cute especially because it had gold hardware. The sandals and top were not my style, but resembled a lot of what I see girls our age wearing back home in the summer.
This woman told us she is from Italy. She did not understand us as well, so it was more difficult to ask for specifics. Her outfit stood out from the others we took pictures of. The mix of cheetah print vans with a girly blouse was interesting. Her style could be described as tom boy or edgy. I love wearing sneakers with girly outfits, so this look was my favorite. Her hair and makeup was done really well and she looked chic while riding her bike.
Lastly, we met a woman from Hong Kong. Her look leaned more towards the preppy side of fashion with the scalloped shorts, white collar, and bright pink bag. I personally did not like this outfit that much, but I do think she paired everything together well. Wearing white sneakers was a smart choice since there was already a print present as well as the bright colored bag.
This challenge showed off the many different styles that people can have. I don’t think there was a clear division between the way Americans dress and the way people in other countries dress. In this day and age, I believe all styles have been spread worldwide and each one is present everywhere.
Discovering Florence
There are countless interesting places to visit in Florence, Italy. On June 7, I got to discover some of these places including a lucky bronze pig, the oldest gelateria, and an open-air museum. I enjoyed this challenge because it made me aware of things I did not know before. I went with 6 other girls and we had a lot of fun exploring the city together and grabbing gelato. We found all of the places on the list except for the second replica of David. My favorite stop was Vivoli and my least favorite was the trippa after learning what it actually was!
Porcellino
Fontana del Porcellino is the bronze boar in Florence. Visitors will be granted good luck if they put a coin in Porcellino’s mouth, let it fall to the bottom, and rub its nose.
Trippaio Dish
We learned that trippa is the edible portion of a cow’s stomach. It is usually served on a bun with a spicy sauce.
David Replica
This is a copy of Michelangelo’s statue in Piazza della Signoria. The original is inside of the Galleria dell’Accademia.
Florence Student Library
The Oblate Library is popular among students in Florence.
Wine Holes
On our hunt, we learned that wine holes are small openings that used to have a small wooden door. Wine used to directly be sold into the street through these holes.
Gelateria Vivoli
Vivoli is the oldest gelateria in Florence, Italy. I got coconut rum and dark chocolate flavors. It was my favorite gelato I have had on the trip!
Gilli
Gilli is the oldest cafe in Florence, Italy. It has been around for 270 years! Dani and I had wine there one afternoon and they brought out appetizers with our drinks. The salmon and cream cheese bites and gougeres were so tasty.
Piazza della Signoria
This is the main square of Florence where there are many statues including the replica of David and the Fountain of Neptune. Behind the square is Italy’s top art museum.
Coffee Conversations
On June 5, I went to Don Nino to order a cannoli and ask a few questions about their coffee menu. On June 5, I went to Don Nino to order a cannoli and ask a few questions about their coffee menu. I prepared by learning how to pronounce cannoli and my coffee choices in Italian with girls in my apartment. When I arrived at Don Nino, I was able to successfully greet the bartender and order a cannoli. The hardest part when it came to asking about coffees was not knowing question words. It was difficult to ask which of two drinks she would prefer or what drink is the most popular. I sometimes mix up my Spanish with the new Italian I am learning, as well. My victories also included knowing all the coffee names they offered and being able to say my total prices in Italian.
My multiple visits to coffee shops around Florence have given me better insight into the Italian culture. One of the first differences I noticed in the coffee shops was the alcohol. I was unaware that coffee shops would have alcoholic beverages and not just coffee, tea, and bakery goods. The coffee in Italy is not nearly as sweet as coffee offered in the U.S. and are also smaller in size. The choices are more limited to basic coffees unlike somewhere like Starbucks that has hundreds of sweet, sugary choices. I prefer the way Italians drink their coffee, so I have been happy with all my orders. Lastly, I noticed how the shops only have 2-3 tables. In the U.S. we typically have a lot of seating because coffee shops are typical hangout or study spots. Finding these differences has given me a better look into Italian culture.
Experiences as simple as speaking to an Italian at a coffee shop gives me a better understanding of the world and all its cultures, teaches me how to effectively communicate with people that don’t speak my language, and shows me the values different cultures have and the respect everyone deserves. Every new experience and interaction has led me to becoming more culturally educated and prepared to travel to Europe again.
HANNAH IN ITALY 