Just a Friendly Hello?

Americans are well known for their innate friendliness. However, one of the primary pieces of advice I received prior to my trip overseas was be on guard and watch out for my wallet. While this was a very valid recommendation, I often found that people just wanting to talk. Sometime they used our conversation to practice English, or as a chance to learn about my culture and life and to tell me about their own. Once I learned how to strike a balance between being reasonably cautious and open at the same time I learned so much. My subsequent interactions really enriched my overall travel experience.


As Ted Nelson of Traveling Ted TV puts it, "As a foreigner in another country you are as exotic to them as they are to you. Many people will approach you just to say hello and talk to you. Many just want to practice English. Although scams abound, not everyone who approaches is out to separate you from your money. Be wary, but not so much where you have a closed attitude."

Read Ted's entire post here.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Locals strolling around the Piazza del Duomo after a snow storm

Advice from the Wayward Traveler

Thinking of quitting the rat race and jetting off to some far away destination?

Annie Bettis, my friend and author of the blog Wayward Traveler has a few great tips for you. Annie is an American currently living in Florence, Italy.

Click here to read her guest post, "Tips on Life in Italy From an Expat Traveler" which was recently featured on Y Travel Blog.

Picture by Tourist: Hollie (Scotland), Georgette (USA), Annie (USA and author of Wayward Traveller) and Me at Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy.

Ciao e Grazia Firenze!

I leave Florence on Thursday morning. It's hard to believe that I have been here for almost three months. It's truly a beautiful city and I have really enjoyed my time here. Here are a few things that I learned while I was a temporary, wannabe Florentine:

• Bad pizza and bad wine do not exist in Italy.
• Dogs are well dressed and allowed just about everywhere.
• Long knit sweaters, leggings and boots are the general outfit of choice for fashionable Italian women.
• Bisteca Florentine is a speciality in Florence – a huge hunk of meat that’s charred on the outside and virtually raw on the inside.
• Italians have individual gestures to communicate just about everything.
• Apertivo is way better than Happy Hour --- buy one drink and an all you can eat buffet of hot and cold food is included.
• Coffee Bars are the best. The best espresso, cappuccino and pastries are served to you by well dressed Italian men. A great place for a snack and people watching.
• Paninis and wine on the go – love it!
• Italian trains (non Eurorail) go everywhere: however, they are incredibly slow and run only if there is not a strike.
• Italian politicians give American Tea Partiers, hippies and anarchists a run for their money – at least in the insanity and scandal department.
• Italians seem a little disappointed when you clarify that you are from New York State not New York City (Then again, I think this may be true everywhere).
• The statue of David is not a disappointment and leaves even those who may not be that interested in art absolutely awestruck.
• Italians take pride in their appearance. Their version of “dressing down” is still pretty darn nice. Heck,I didn’t feel comfortable wearing a sweatshirt to class.
• "Bo" means “I don’t know.”
• Many dance clubs have drink cards. Bartenders stamp your card with every drink and you pay the bouncer on your way out.
• I wish we had more piazzas in America (just a thought).
• Tips are included in restaurants (sometimes a service fee or "coperto" is added on) and for taxis.
• “Vai in la boca di lupo” directly translated means "Go in the mouth of the wolf." The expression is used to wish someone good luck.
• Italians take their time with dinner but barely spend a minute on breakfast.

This is certainly not an exhaustible list but aptly consolidates a lot of the memories and experiences that I have had while in Florence. I have really loved my time in Italy and hope to return some day. Ciao Bella Italia!

Picture One by Jaya Bird: Scuderi, one of my favorite coffee bars.

Definitely not Chef Boyardee

Over Christmas break I went to a small resort/farmhouse in San Miniato --- located just outside of Florence.

At the Assia Holiday House I went horseback riding for the first time in many years. My lesson reminded me that first, I absolutely love riding and second, I really need to get into shape. My legs were shaky at best when I dismounted my horse. Not to mention, I had to sit down very delciately for the next three days. However, I definitely missed the little adrenalin rush you get as the two ton beast you're perched upon charges forward.

During my time in San Miniato, I was also was treated to a 4 hour cooking class with Chef Marco. On the menu:
Antipasti
Verdure Fritte - cipolle, salvia, carciofi (Vegatables - onions, sage, artichokes, friend in a light batter)

Primi Piatti
Tagliatelle fatte a mano con salsa di carciofi
(Hand-made tagliatelle with artichokes)

Secondo Piatti
Pollo in umido all caccitora
(Chicken in vegetable sauce with olives)

Dessert
Crostata di frutta (Pie with custard and fruit decoration)


Hopefully, when I get back to the States I can recreate these dishes. Still, it's worth noting that back in college Ramen Noodles and meat sauce was the height of my culinary expertise.... I've definitely come a long way!

Photo One by Arianna: Chef Marco and I in the Kitchen
Photo Two by Jaya Bird: Pollo in umido alla cacciatora
Photo Three by Jaya Bird Crostata di frutta

Snowboarding in Firenze

Check out this cool video of locals having some fun around Firenze after this month's snow storm:

Snowboarding in Firenze. Epic. from Fernando Biagioni on Vimeo.

Buon Natale!

Photo by Jaya Bird: Firenze Street Art depicting Babbo Natale a.k.a Santa Claus

Snow Storm in Florence

On Friday, between 4-6 inches of snow fell in Firenze. Snow itself is a rare occurrence in this town. However, so much snow at once, according to a local, happens MAYBE once in five years. It was clear given the Florentines' shared excitement, lack of clean up equipment and sudden inability to drive --- that heavy snowfall was indeed rare treat. Whatever, the case may be it made the already beautiful city of Firenze even more gorgeous and truly Christmas-y (Click on the picture below to see a few pictures of the snow covered city):

Firenze in Snow

Mi Amica Italiana

This is my friend, Ilaria. We met through Languagetandem.net. The site pairs Italians who are looking to improve their Engish with English speakers who want to speak better Italian.

Ilaria have been getting together at the Bibloteca delle Oblate for coffee and/or lunch for a couple of hours each week to practice English and Italian. Ilaria’s English is much better than my Italian but I feel myself getting more comfortable with the language each time we meet.

We discuss our different cultures, our family and friends, Italian and American politics, and what we are doing right now -- including my classes and her job search. Ilaria is a writer and is looking for work in Florence or nearby. Currently, she is taking a social media and website building class at the Casa della Creativa . She has been in the city for about a year but is originally from Elba Island which is located right off the Tuscan Coast.

I am really enjoying getting to know Ilaria. It's during our conversations I feel that I am learning the most about Italy.

The Italian Version of Choking on a Pretzel

After just a few weeks here, I've learned that Italians' reaction to the name Silvio Berlusconi is almost always the same --- a sad shake of their heads. They are generally quick to distance themselves from the nation's Prime Minister. It seems that the 76 year-old leader's string of gaffes rival those of former President George W. Bush and current Vice President Joe Biden.

Most recently, the Berlusconi government decided to severely slashed the nation's arts funding down to its lowest level in 20 years. The dramatic cuts set off a series of protests in the form of strikes, opera and play cancellations and museum closings. The arts and enterainment community are up in arms.

However, I guess Mr. Berlusconi decided that these cuts did not apply to him. The Prime Minister reportedly used public funds to make improvements to the art that adorns his personal office --- the classic statue of Venus and Mars. Venus was given a new hand and Mars was given back his, um, manhood.....

Picture by Jaya Bird: Poster at a Berlusconi campaign office down the street from my apartment.

Class Field Trip

My conversation teacher Lucia, ended our week with a field trip to Mama's Bakery (admittedly an American chain) on the other side of the Arno River. She had never tried a bagel (she liked them!) - and I was happy to enjoy a taste of home (a plain bagel with cream cheese and sun dried tomatoes).

Picture by Random Tourist: Left to Right - Jacob (Nantucket, USA), Me, Lucia (Firenze), Simone (Switzerland) at Ponte Vecchio.

David on the Move

On Friday, I was heading home after enjoying apertivi with Katherine (from California, she is now living in Florence with her husband) and Erika (Mexico) when I saw a crowd gathered near the side of the Duomo. They were standing in the middle of the street staring up at the famous cathedral and furiously snapping pictures. The statue of David was on top of the Duomo.

You read that right. Check it out:

When I walked back to the piazza the next day, it had been covered with grass and David had been moved to the front of the Duomo.

After a stint in front of the Duomo, the copy of the David was moved to Piazza della Signoria and will continue to appear at other significant spots in Florence. Each location represents a spot where city officials had considered placing the famous statue back in 1504.

The real David was originally commissioned to be placed on top of the Duomo but can now be viewed at the Galleria Accademia.

This virtual "Where's Waldo" with David is a part of the Florens 2010 Festival. Running from November 12th-20th, Florens 2010 is a biannual celebration that includes over 150 events that promote art and culture.

Picture One by Covegni Florens 2010: Florens 2010 logo
Picture Two by Jason Fuller: Replica of David on top of the Duomo
Picture Three by Jaya Bird: Replica of David in front of the Duomo

One of my Favorites in any Language

I bought this yesterday --- hopefully I will be able to read it someday soon. I bet Mr. Darcy sounds even more romantic in Italian!

Troppo Pioggia

It's been a quiet week here in Florence. It has been raining since Sunday. Last night I attended an Appertivo (kind of like Happy Hour but with free food) Language Tandem last night at Casa Creativa off or Piazza Del Duomo. These kind of events bring together local Florentines and expats around the world, and allows them to practice their English and Italian - respectively - in a relaxed enviornment. It was definitely an unique experience -- I not only met some Florentines but also a few Americans, an Iranian and a Brazilian. I've only been studying Italian for three weeks so I was mostly listening but I was encouraged by the fact that I understood about 90%.

I had my final art class today. One again we sketch it the Pitti Palace. It was was relaxing and surreal to just hang out for several hours in such a grandiose setting.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Pitti Palace (unfortunately I was unable to take pictures inside)

Fast Food...Italian Style!

After another week of my intensive Italian class my head was spinning. I decided to reward myself with lunch at Il Due Fratellini -- The Two Brothers (Thanks to Mari Wright and Panini Girl for the recommendation!).

Located near the Duomo and my school, Il Due Fratellini serves fresh paninis and wine. Customers can order their lunch to go (portare via) or enjoy it while standing on the nearby sidewalk and cobblestone street. The good folks at Il Due Fratellini also provide these shelves to hold your wine --- so you can use both hands to wolf down their insanely good paninis:

My lunch consisted of a panini with prosciutto, goat cheese and arugula --- and a glass of red wine. All for a total of 3.80 Euros - how's THAT for a value meal! I'd take this version of fast food over Mickey D's or Burger King any day.

The Florence Flood

At the Accademia di Europea di Firenze I have grammar class from 9am-10:30am and then conversation class from 11am-12:30pm. During the 30 minute break between classes I usually venture out with some classmates to the nearby bar for much needed cappuccino or espresso and sometimes a cornetto (croissaint). Today, we were heading towards Gilli to get our morning snack when we heard marching band music on the nearby Piazza della Republica.

Dozens of well-dressed (seriously, I wonder if they get their outfits from Gucci or Armani) Italian army officers were standing at attention while one shouted orders.

After returning to class I asked our conversation teacher (l'insegnante), Lucia about the scene. She said that on November 4, 1966 there was a great flood in Florence. The Arno River overflowed --- about 11 meters ---- killing many people, damaging the town center and flooding the surrounding fields for many days after.
The ceremony at the Piazza della Republica was done to mark the anniversary of the horrific flood of 1966.


Picture One, Two and Three by Jaya Bird: March on Piazza Republica in commemoration of the Florence Flood of 1966.

Back to School

Today I started my Italian and Art classes at the Accademia di Europea di Firenze. I woke up to a thunderstorm but jumped puddles to make it to my first Italian lesson just past the Duomo. After a short wait I met my language teacher, Lucia. My first class was a solo one. I will be joined by others tomorrow. We went over basic grammar and vocabulary and I have a decent amount of homework! A lot of it was similar to Spanish, but it's clear I have my work cut out for me.

At four I met my art teacher, Christina. Again, the other people in the class were not able to attend the first session so I had a private lesson. Not a bad deal. We walked over to the Palazzo Vecchio originally called the Palazzo della Signoria. I spent two hours sketching one of the statues at the "Loggia dei Lanzi." When you are taking the time to think about proportion and symmetry it really does take that long. Exhausting, but fun.

A good day!

Picture by Jaya Bird: Loggia dei Lanzi

Locks of Love

Stephanie left on Wednesday for London. Since then I have been taking the time to get to know my new city --- until my classes start on Monday.

I was about to cross the Arno River via the Ponte Vecchio when I came upon a line of padlocks known as the "Locks Of Love." Couples come to this point, put their names and date on the lock and add it to the others on the string. Then they then throw the key into the Arno to "seal their love."

Back in the 1960's this spot was reportedly where soldiers from the nearby military barracks came after they finished serving. Here, they left the padlocks to their military wardrobe -- a gesture to say that they were DONE.

How the padlocks then took on a romantic connotation remains a mystery.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Locks of Love near Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy.

The Original Drive Thru?

This small window once served as one of Florence's oldest wine bars. Back in the Middle Ages, war was rampant as was disease. So, in an effort to prevent violence and the further spread of disease, very little physical contact was encouraged.

To use this window you walked up to the little door, knocked, ordered your wine, gave the barkeep your money and, presto your wine was given to you through the little portal.

Perhaps one of the world's first Drive (by horse?) Thrus.

Home Away from Home

It's been a busy week. Steph and I spent a short weekend in Rome. Saw a few of the sites - the Mouth of Truth, the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain (etc.). It was as amazing as I remembered, but I will definitely have to take a train back down to take in more of the history.

At the beginning of this week, Steph and I arrived in Florence --- my new home away from home for the next several weeks. I moved into my room/apartment, which I am sharing with two to three other people. However, my actual room has a separate entrance to the hallway and a shower which consists of a faucet/showerhead on on a wall - ahhh, Italy (pics to come).

Our first full day began with our now traditional free walking tour (really the best way to get a lay of the land). We were joined by several people from Stephanie's hostel including Bryan (San Francisco, USA). We toured several churches such as the Maria di Novella, Ponte Vecchio and the palaces of the once powerful Medici family.

Our tour guide also took us to the Gelataria di Santa Trinita. It's one of the few shops who make their own gelato and don't have it shipped in. It was the best gelato I had - seriously, it's the kind of treat where you have to quietly sit back, close your eyes and revel in every delicious flavor.

Oh, and in case you are wondering I am definitely going back there - perhaps after a good run along the Arno. :)

Picture by Jaya Bird: A great view of Florence, Italy.