a list of things i’m homesick for #HogsAbroad in Italy

five weeks is a long time to be in a place so incredibly different than your home. it’s especially difficult because your setup is temporary and you’ve only packed what you could fit. you go without items you’re accustomed to having unlimited access to. adapting to this has been a really valuable experience and has taught me how to lessen my dependency on the material. i still miss my american things, though, and have kept a list of things i felt random longings for.

things i miss about america:

• ice. it’s virtually nonexistent in italy and no matter how hard i try, i can’t get behind lukewarm water. i also miss iced coffee, but italy makes up for that in unmatched hot espresso.
• air conditioning. another rarity due to a more limited access to electricity. we had days as hot as 99 degrees with no way to cool off. when a texan complains about the heat, you know it’s bad.
• walmart. we’re spoiled brats thanks to the convenience of this establishment. an employee whose sole job is to bag our groceries for us? a one-stop shop for all of life’s necessities? italians don’t roll that way.
• instant rice. the pace of life is very different here when it comes to food. it’s all about relaxing and connecting with people. that means that the markets here aren’t stocked in pre-cooked foods. as a college student, i’m having a bit of an identity crisis.
• the ability to look up the menu before meals. i’m absolutely the type of person who already knows what she’s going to order before i even leave the house. most restaurants don’t have websites here, though, because they’re tiny, family owned joints. most don’t even have their hours of operation listed.
• petting dogs. i learned the hard way that it’s not quite normal to pet other people’s dogs here. my theory is that they don’t treat their dogs like children, as we do in america. i actually catch myself pouting and reaching out toward cute dogs i know i can’t touch. it’s hard, okay?

of course, none of the things i miss are necessities and going without it is half the point of traveling and immersing yourself in a new culture. i’m breaking habits in order to step outside myself and gain appreciation for other ways of life. the italian way of life has tons of things they can boast over america, too.

things i’ll miss about italy when i’m home:

• cheap coffee and pastries. most mornings, it costs me 2 euros or less for a coffee beverage. the drinks are smaller here but american coffees have more milk in them so really, you’re getting the same amount of espresso. and 6 chocolate-filled croissants for 1.80 euros? can’t wait to go back to paying $7 for a latte.
• the emphasis on relationships. it’s so fulfilling to create meaningful connections with italians. i truly feel seen and valued by most people i interact with, especially when i wander around alone. italians are predisposed to help you when you’re not walking around with I’M A TOURIST stamped on your forehead.
• pure foods. no gmos, no fake sugars, real fruit. i watched a waiter make my strawberry daiquiri with a handful of real berries and not a trace of syrup. it’s nice not having to worry about what’s hidden in the food i’m consuming.
• the scenery. the weighty history of the buildings i walk past every day on my way to class will never be lost on me. there’s nothing in frisco, texas, as cool as the pantheon.
• not having to tip my waiter. this sounds stingy, but the wait staff actually gets paid at or above minimum wage and so tips aren’t necessary to make sure they earn what they deserve. it’s nice knowing people aren’t solely dependent on other people’s generosity to make a living.

i could make each list go on forever, but you probably get the idea. there are so many things that i appreciate about my homeland and many other things that i’ve learned to love in my new culture. going back to america this weekend will require another adjustment on my part. i’m probably going straight to chipotle after deplaning, and i have a strange urge to sit and watch a load of laundry go through the dryer (we hang our clothes to dry here). it has been pretty cool, though, to see all the ways i’ve grown accustomed to living a different way.

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Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center.

Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/

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