11 months have gone by...

It is hard to believe that I have been in Turin (Italy) for 11 months. This has been a great learning experience for me. There good times, which involved mostly travelling and eating all of the delicious things Italians have to offer. There were also the bad times, like when I had a hard time relating to the local Italians. Many of whom do not speak English, have never been to North America and are not interested in any other cultures because, as said to me by a local Torinese: “ Italians find it all in Italy: Culture, mountains, beach and food. We don’t need to go anywhere”. Granted, these are the people from Turin, which are known for being distant and closed minded. Not all Italians are like this.
15 days in the office. 32 days in Europe. But who is counting? Definetely not me! There are many things that I will miss once I leave. I will miss the walks around the city center. I was always amazed at the beauty of the old apartment buildings. Specially their baroque balconies, which are all the same within one building unit, but still every single one has aged differently causing not one balcony to look exactly the same. I will also miss the food. Italians take such proud on defending the traditional way food needs to be made (and consumed, with long lasting lunches and dinners). I will miss the bustling markets where rows and rows of stalls would offer handmade pasta, cheeses, salami, pickled olives and amazing produce. I think I will cry when I have to visit my favorite focacceria for the last time (focaccia is a traditional bread from Genova, which comes in many forms: with cheese, prosciutto, vegetables, etc..)
I eat when I am stressed. The biggest source of my stress in Italy and probably the biggest learning experience for me was about individualism and uniqueness. Canada, the US and to lesser degree even Mexico, are countries that are based on the ideals of inclusiveness. A land where people can settle and keep their old tradition. US and Canada are immigrant nations. Italy is not. People stare when they hear someone speaking English. Everyone acts, dresses and does everything in a fairly even fashion. So people are not used to others who do not do, or act the same way. There is also a feeling of discontent against immigrants, which is fueled largely by the huge illegal immigration problem that Italy faces. With illegal aliens entering from Africa with the hope of entering the EU. Anyhow, I had never lived in a country where I felt I did not belong there. So this has been an eye opening experience; which was made a hell of a lot easier to deal with by having endless gelaterias, pizzerias, bars (Italian coffee shops) and markets.
Next up for me are: a visit by Monseiur Manager Jess, our crazy fellow UBC aiesecer living in Paris. A couple of hiking trips to Sacra di Saint Michele and Superga , a weekend getaway to a beach in Tuscany, coffee shops in the Netherlands and a roadtrip to Germany and Poland. Life is good. I hope all of you are doing well too!