Sto imparando l'Italiano.
That means I am learning Italian. I really am, and a few other languages all at the same time. I have a thing about not knowing something. I don't like going to countries and not understanding the basics. When I do go and don't know a lot(Czech) I immerse myself. I become a local. I do what they do and eat what they eat. I look up basic phrases so I don't stick out. I learn what not to do very quick. The first time I had culture shock was when I came back to Canada after my tour of South Africa. We went to Toronto for 2 days upon coming back, drove to New York city where I continued to walk in the streets weaving between cars like we had done in Cape Town. It actually took a few days to readjust to our street laws. My only dangerous experience was in that same New York visit. Stopped at a McDonalds to use the washroom in Brooklyn. A lot of them require you to make a purchase to use their services. At the entrance I was looking for the sign that said so and found it. As I was turning to my brother to say "there's the sign", about 12 dudes who were previously sitting down, all stood up at once and started walking towards us with an air of aggression. So we bolted pretty quick. Jumped in the car and actually sped off as best as we could as they flooded out to the street. No idea what would have happened but I don't think we were going to braid each others hair.
Second time I had culture shock was also coming back to Canada, from Czech Republic. I did a TEFL course there and had a little apartment. I went for a couple weeks before it started to get a feel for the place and I stayed a week after the course. Us students had the greetings drilled into us so hard that we would greet each other in Czech and carry on our conversation in English. When Facetiming with my mom, I'd drop random Czech words that we were taught in our language learning classes we used all the time. Little known fact, Prague is a big tourist area. But outside of the main square, no one really speaks English and they will refuse to serve you if you walk into their shop with English even if you switch to Czech. So we got good at the phrases we needed. We didn't live in the square. We were in some old Prague. When I got back to Edmonton, I had a girlfriend pick me up from the airport. I stayed in her guest room and she drove me home the next day. Before that though we went to the mall. It was so incredibly weird to hear English that I couldn't focus on her talking to me. I was listening to everyone's conversations because I could actually understand people. We went to a restaurant and the waitress was POLITE. She greeted us like she actually cared. I just stared at her for a moment. Grocery shopping. Oh boy. They are so aggressive as tellers. You don't do your whole two weeks of shopping in one day. They will yell and swear at you until you leave. You speed pack your groceries and then go to the table outside of the store to fix your bags. We would shop in groups so one person could help you pack and then haul your stuff away while you paid. You did not want to buy more then a few items at once or hold up the line. It took me almost a year to break my speed shopping habit. Now this all sounds insane but I legit didn't want to leave and returned a year later for a visit. Loved it. We have plans for another trip back one day.
So back to the original reason for this post. Italian Espresso Romano. Take a shot of espresso, rub the rim with lemon and put a little peel in it. You'd be surprised what citrus does to a coffee. One day I will have one in Italy. All over Italy maybe. And I will order it in well spoken Italian.
