Spending time overseas definitely makes you pause and think about all of the extra "clutter" that we have in our everyday American lives: wi-fi everywhere, big cars, big houses (with big closets and big bathrooms), kids in a dozen after-school activities, multi-grain, grain-free, grainy pictures, keeping up with "Mad Men"
and the Joneses... It's all so exhausting. So it was really nice to get away from all this commotion for awhile and enjoy a stimuli-and-American-culture detox in Italy. Our long week allowed us to take a deep breath and really slow down. As a result, we appreciated the little things more and laughed a lot. Here are some examples of how we kept things light!!
As I mentioned in my
last post, it seemed like everyone--even folks in small apartments--had some outdoor space to relax and dine in. It was absolutely glorious to be outside more and appreciating a slower pace--especially over a good meal and some great wine! "Are there bad mosquitos in Italy?" you ask. Yes. But until mosquito season, eating like this is divine.
We did have a rental car, but it was nice to get out and walk more. We do this a fair amount at home, but not out of necessity. Convenient parking (particularly for a rental van) is rare in Italy, so we took advantage of walking to the park from our villa, and to stores from Bisnonno's apartment. It's good exercise and a great way to people watch, too!
We ate breakfast at home each morning--usually yogurt, toast, panettone or some pastry, coffee and juice--but
lunch and
dinner are often bigger meals in Italy. (Here's my seafood risotto from one restaurant dinner.) While I wouldn't call any of our meals "light," it was fabulous to eat tons of fresh foods, especially seafood, during the week. I never miss the processed, over-packaged and often
not special foods that we consume (despite our best efforts not to) each day in the States. The variety in Italy reminds me of why I was so happy eating in Japan.
Like at home, the kids took a nap each afternoon, which left the adults time to relax and read: yay! Then we usually went out for ice cream or something cold to drink. It's not a bad way to spend the afternoon.
Our evenings were very relaxed, too...dinner at home or out at a restaurant, though we usually arrived with the waitstaff since our kids are used to eating a bit earlier than the Italians. They did remarkably well with the later schedule, though, and even adjusted to going to bed well past nine! If you throw in seeing relatives on a daily basis, this was our week...relaxation and quality time with family. It was a wonderful change of pace.
What else qualifies as "keeping things light (Italian Style)," you ask? Well, if you need a good laugh, simply walk or drive around an Italian town and things will make you smile. Take this store, for example. Want to pimp out your restaurant (with commercial appliances and industrial-strength fixtures)? You can find it all at Pimpinella!
Feeling homesick while you're overseas? Splurge on a few comforts from home...they're everywhere you look...like your favorite Pixar characters and Multi(grain) Cheerios!
This also gave us a chuckle: Tony's grandfather gave the kids a pack of Peanuts playing cards. Would you believe they were made in Cincinnati, Ohio?! So I guess they immigrated to Italy and we brought them back to their birthplace...haha.
Don't forget that rebellious teens are everywhere!
You can find your name in surprising places!
And you don't always need shoes (or a helmet) to drive a motorcycle!
Great food is everywhere...
and dessert is plentiful.
Now I'm not necessarily advocating that Americans should drop everything to be like the Italians in every way. There's something to be said for working an 8 to 5 workday (without a siesta thrown in there) and having dinner before 8 or 9 p.m. But like all places, Italy offers us some good perspective on lightening up a bit...taking things a bit less seriously...and appreciating what's truly important. Easy to do when you're watching two little ones have a blast at the beach each morning!
C'è mólto di amare ed imparare in Italia! There's a lot to love and learn in Italy!
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