Submitted by Alyssa Wronski on the 2024 Winter ITAL/LLCU program in Siena …
Un cappuccino per favore
As an avid coffee drinker I was very excited to experience coffee in Italy. Coffee culture here in Italy is truly like no other. Coffee is not simply a caffeinated drink, it is a way of life. I have noticed so many differences between the coffee culture in Italy and in the United States.
To start, ordering a ‘coffee’ (caffè) in Italy will get you a shot of espresso. There is no such thing as the typical hot coffee we have in the United States, all coffee drinks are based from espresso. You will not walk into a coffee shop (or in Italy known as a bar) and order a large cup of coffee. Another popular drink is a cappuccino, but beware, there are rules to drinking the cappuccino. This coffee drink is considered to be a breakfast drink and is expected to only be enjoyed in the morning. If you order a cappuccino after 11 am you will likely be judged and be clearly giving away that you are American. Italians believe that having that much milk any time of the day other than breakfast is too heavy. So, for the rest of the day, they solely drink espresso. Something that is probably shocking for most people is the discrepancy between ‘Italian’ coffee drinks in America and what Italian coffee drinks really are. Everyone knows and loves a latte in the United States; it is something you can find pretty much anywhere. While you may expect the same when coming to Italy, do not order a latte unless you want a glass of milk! In Italian, the word ‘latte’ translates to ‘milk’, so here it is actually not a coffee drink at all. It is also not customary to get iced coffee here; definitely not in the winter at least but even year-round it is not as common as it is at home.
Aside from the differences in what the coffee drinks entail, they are also consumed and enjoyed in a different way. Life in the United States is always very fast paced and so a to-go coffee is the most popular way to order one’s caffeinated beverage. But in Italy, no one really orders coffee to-go, they drink their coffee standing right at the bar. This also fosters the building of community here as people often strike up conversations with the baristas or others around them, and enjoy this small part of their day.
Every coffee I have had here has been astronomically better than in the United States. I am usually one to add some syrups to my coffee at home, but here, I usually don’t even add any sugar. The espresso is absolutely incredible. I also really love how coffee is enjoyed here with others and not just another step in the daily rushed routine. About a three minute walk from our school, we have a lovely little coffee bar with the most kind barista in the world. Seeing him every morning just brightens my day and he always makes such a beautiful design on my cappuccino. My daily cappuccino from barista Mattia will be missed. (Submitted on January 24, 2024)
Italy is definitely the place to enjoy your next coffee.
Taking life a little slower
It is now my last full day in Italy. As I neared the end of this program, I reflected a lot on my experience here in Italy. I have learned so much about myself and how I want to live my life. It may sound crazy, but this has genuinely been life changing for me and the best decision I could have ever made for myself.
It would be a lot to talk about everything I’ve learned so I’m just going to focus on one value in Italian culture that I really want to practice in my daily life at home; and that is just taking life slowly. Everything in the United States is constantly go-go-go and everyone is always onto the next thing. But here in Italy, everyone really takes the time to enjoy the moment that they are in. I really loved that about being here. People take the time to have meaningful conversations with others at the coffee bar or at the store, they really enjoy just sitting out and living in the moment. At home I often get quickly overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities and my to-do list. This makes me worry more about the next thing to do or tasks in the future in general, rather than enjoying the present moment.
By taking things slower in Italy, I have been the most calm that I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve really been appreciating all the little, wonderful things that life has to offer. And while I did appreciate all of this in the past, this experience in Italy has really amplified that feeling.
In this short life we have I think it’s really important to say yes to every opportunity and enjoy absolutely every second of it. It flies by in a second and there shouldn’t be time wasted worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Just enjoy the moment you’re in before it’s gone. While I am extremely sad to be leaving Italy (I seriously could just stay and live here and I would be completely content), it would be a shame to dwell in the sadness. Instead, I will be extremely grateful to have been able to experience something so beautiful and I will hold all of the memories from this past month dearly in my heart. This was a monumental period of time in my life that I will reminisce fondly on forever. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)
