Scroll down to see My experience in italy!

Tory McNeish

E-PORTFOLIO

Italy 2023

prior stereotypes

I had a few prior stereotypes before coming to Italy. I thought that the pickpocketing would be much worse than it was. Many family and friends had warned me about pickpocketing, so I was very nervous. However, I did not have a problem with pickpocketing on my trip. I believe the most important thing is to always be aware of your surroundings. As long as you keep all of your valuable items close to you and within your sight, you should be fine. I also thought that Italians drank a lot more alcohol. They are known for having great wine and being big wine drinkers. However, Italians are not into the binge drinking culture like many Americans are. They prefer to go slowly and enjoy the alcohol instead of chugging.

02

Department stores

Department stores in Italy are very different from the department stores in America. For one, the prices in Italy’s department stores are much higher. The brands are also higher end in Italy. In America, the department stores always have a variety of sizes and a large supply of items. In contrast, Italy usually only carries sizes 0 to about 4 and doesn’t have many items on the floor. Italian department stores put much more effort into their displays as well.

SUPERMARKETS

Visiting supermarkets in Italy was a different experience from what I am used to. I am used to American brand foods such as Doritos, Cheezits, and Goldfish. Europeans don't use preservatives in their food so none of these American brands are in supermarkets in Italy. The supermarkets had completely different brands that I had not seen before. Of course, there was a large assortment of bread, cheese and wine. They had plenty of fresh produce as well. The prices were pretty similar or even cheaper than those in the U.S.

Fast food

I was honestly surprised by how many McDonald's there were in Italy. I expected maybe one in each big city, but there were several. The prices looked to me to be pretty similar to prices in the U.S. The menu items, however, were very different from the U.S. While they still had many of the American food options, they also had food that was more local to Italy, For example, they had tomato and mozzarella panzerotti. The inside of the McDonalds were also different. Yes, American McDonalds are modern, but the ones in Italy felt very fancy as well. I've even heard that in a McDonalds in Rome, there is part of a 2,500-year-old wall inside. In a Burger King I noticed they had far more veggie options than American Burger Kings.

The specialty stores in Italy are very different from those in America. In a women's clothing store, the design, colors, and clothes themselves were very different. Everyone dresses up in Italy for any occasion. In these specialty stores the clothes are much nicer and more stylish. The prices tend to be lower overall. The displays are more put together, modern and stylish in Italy. Another specialty store I went in was a candy store called Candy Lisa. The displays in this store looked similar to Mass General Stores candy section. The candy was in large wooden barrels. The prices in this store still looked to be cheaper than in the U.S. though.

Specialty stores

Dine In restaurants in Italy are very different from what I am used to back home. The prices are much lower in Italy and you don't have to tip. They usually bring out a basket of bread without you requesting it. They charge for water, which I am not used to. It's much more common to have a glass of wine with lunch and dinner. The servers seem more enthusiastic and tentative in Italy. They will usually pour your water and wine for you. You usually have to ask for the check and they don't rush you. In America I feel like they want to get their dining customers in and out quickly.

DINE IN RESTAURANTS

VEHICLES

Cars in Italy are very small for the most part. The roads are so small in the cities we visited, so the cars have to be small too. There were many smart cars, mini coopers and mopeds. While I did see a couple larger cars like SUVs they were very rare. I was surprised to see that some police officers drove Range Rovers. Range Rovers are such expensive luxury cars that I wondered how the city could pay for them. The cars were smaller in Rome then in Florence I noticed. The driving style is very different from America. In Italy, they drive very quickly and only brake at the very last minute. They will often get very close to the car in front of them too.

OBSERVATIONS

There are differences and similarities in how people dress and interact in America and how they do so in Italy. For example in both Rome and Florence everyone was dressed in high end clothes. If they weren't in high end clothes, they at least dressed up for all and any outings. Italians work outfits varied based on their job. At the leather school we visited, some of the workers were more dressed up and others had a uniform or were dressed more casually. The women working the checkout were dressed professionally and had expensive jewelry on. In America we often just go out in a t-shirt and shorts. Americans do still have to dress up for work though, similarly to Italians. Italians also interact differently from Americans. Italians are more enthusiastic when greeting each other. They are also more blunt when speaking with each other. They are not necessarily rude, but very blunt. Similarly to Americans though, they enjoy interacting with friends and family the most.

PERSONAL CHANGES

I believe I have had several personal changes throughout the trip. Firstly, I have more respect for different cultures now. I feel that I have gained more of an understanding that not everyone does things the way we do in America, and theres no right or wrong way. I attribute this change to all of the experiences we had in museums, classes and interactions with the local people. I gained better social skills as well. I thought it might be difficult to come into this trip not knowing any of the other students. However, I instantly was able to get along with several of the students on the trip. Many of them I would even love to hang out with after returning home. This change I would attribute to becoming more open to socializing and getting along with everyone.

COMPARING CITIES

Florence and Rome are similar to American cities like Chicago in that they are busy cities and have many buildings all shoved and crowded together. Unlike a big American city though, Rome and Florence have no skyscrapers. This keeps the historic architecture of these buildings in tact. Yes American cities do have a rich history, but these Italian cities have so much more. They have walls in these cities that have been there for thousands of years and are still standing. The architecture is grandiose. Another difference in Italy was the upkeep in the city. Whereas in New York or Chicago you will likely see plenty of trash littering the ground, Rome and Florence have barely any. The biggest commonality between large American cities and large Italian cities is that they attract an abundance of creative, adventurous and diverse people.