La Terza Fase

Well I am totally copying the title of my friend Kristen's last blog, but it is well intentioned and fitting. She wrote about going through the third phase of culture shock in France, and I am in the middle of it here, I have decided. I have been since Thursday or somewhere around there.

So right, the phases are apparently 1) when everything is new and exciting; 2) when you start to notice cultural differences; 3) when those differences start getting on your nerves and 4) acceptance.

Okay so what has happened to make me feel that I am squarely in phase 3? This is all going to sound so negative but I promise overall I am happy here... I will add some positive things at the end.

On Thursday, when I went to a class and no one was there despite it being the correct room, I about hit my peak in terms of being frustrated with the process of signing up for classes here. On Friday I received an e-mail reply from the professor saying that the course won't start until this week, not last week, on Wednesday Sept 24. At least I didn't try to go Friday, and at least I can start with everyone else but still...

On Friday, I went shopping in the afternoon, which was successful, but it was a rainy day. The custom seemed to be leaving one's umbrella at the front of the store so as not to get the whole store wet. That was fine at the first couple stores, but the last one was bigger and when I returned from making a purchase, my umbrella was nowhere to be found. I stood there for a couple minutes just trying to be sure I wasn't missing something. But yeah, I am pretty sure my umbrella was stolen. I am just as annoyed at myself as at the person who did it, because you would think I would know that in a foreign country I should keep my belongings with me at all times, but no, I was trying to do the more courteous thing... not the best in hindsight. But, if that is the worst harm that comes to me and my belongings, not so bad. Maybe it was some kind of rite of passage? I don't know...

On Saturday, I went to the supermarket to pick up things such as toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner. The checkout lines were similar to in the US but I couldn't find an express lane, so I just picked a line and waited. First thing was that there was an empty basket sitting in the line, claimed by no one, until this lady came back with more things to add to the basket, moved it up into the position ahead of me, and proceeded to leave to go find some more items. As tolerant as I tried to be, in my head I was thinking, "That's not how it works lady! You have to pick out all your items and THEN get in line!" But of course I didn't do anything and just decided to deal with it. Then right as I was getting toward the front this man asks if he can go ahead of me, because he only has one item. Being too nice as I am, I said fine. Then I also realized he was almost certainly inebriated, and I think he was buying some variety of boxed wine. Super. Then he kept motioning to me to put my stuff on the conveyer belt and I just didn't want to look at him and wanted him to leave me alone. OH and then, when it finally WAS my turn, the toothpaste didn't scan correctly so the cashier had to do a price check, which took a couple minutes. She said she thought the price was 1,49 and I said I thought I saw 1,52. Another woman came and asked about it, asking where I got it (answer being... right next to all the other toothpaste). So she goes to look, comes back, and what was the price? You guessed it, 1,52. Go figure. It's as if I had looked at the price or something and remembered it. Anyway the main reason that annoyed me was because I was holding up a line that was already so long, and I was only buying 5 things. By the time I got out of there I was beyond ready to get out of there.

Yesterday, I had to find a place to eat lunch before returning home, and most places were closed since it was Sunday. I eventually found a place where there was barely anyone, tried to tell the guy that I spoke Italian, and he just kept speaking to me in English. Then the pizza wasn't even good. I do have to say though that he was nice - I failed to be sure I had enough coins/cash to pay for it (well I had enough for the items but not the cover charge), and they didn't take credit, and when he became aware of this situation he just said, give me all the coins you have and that's fine. I said, should I go to an ATM and come back? Like a couple times, just to be sure. And he said no it's fine. Even that, his generosity and forgiveness for my lack of cash, was off-putting!

And then this morning. I had class at 10 am so I got to the bus stop in plenty of time for the 9:25 am bus which would get me to school around 9:45. I remember I may have raved about buses here. And how they are always on time. Well, they are always on time... except when they're not. I waited with an ever-growing crowd of students until the 9:25 bus arrived at 9:50, 25 minutes late. You can do the math on whether I was late to class or not I am sure... Luckily they were awaiting a guest lecturer who arrived just after me but I could have done without showing up late and without the stress. Positives though - I got a seat on the bus since I got on at the first stop (it was SO full by the time we reached the school) and I got to practice my inner peace/zen skills, you know, practicing staying calm when you can't change a situation. Semi-successful, I would say.

So that brings us up to date. Part of me feels silly for blogging about all these things but it's what I am going through, and venting is therapeutic. It is comforting that it is normal, up to the point where it is a named phase of the phenomenon of culture shock. Also it's comforting that there is this hypothetical acceptance stage that I will reach, hopefully soon.

On the positive side of things:

I managed to get my textbook today for the class I have already started, only on the second try checking the bookstore!

I bought a cute shirt, a dress for fancier occasions, and jeans that fit me well, all at reasonable prices, on Friday. I am especially happy about the jeans since the one pair I brought with me are too loose. They also are much more like the style that my Italian contemporaries seem to favor.

On Saturday I went to an exhibit on Impressionism at Palazzo Strozzi with Mairi, the Scottish girl from my orientation class.

On Sunday I returned to the two places Lucia brought me when I was fresh off the plane, Piazzale Michelangiolo (beautiful view of the city) and a church called San Miniato del Monte. I also took a new bus there, which turned out to be a great way to see a bit more of the city. That particular route is a circuit, so I took part of the circuit there and then just completed the circuit to return home.

Also yesterday as I was headed to the lunch I talked about earlier, I saw crowds of Florentines headed to the Fiorentina game (soccer) all decked out in their purple Fiorentina gear. Motorinos, cars, all just flowing in the direction of the stadium. It made me happy that I could tell there was a game just from traffic. They really do love their calcio/soccer/football over here.

Tonight I am going out to dinner with Mairi and some others that she knows for her birthday (23rd I believe). Should be nice to enjoy an evening out.

And, next weekend my friend Deneb from my summer internship is coming to see me! She is Italian and finishing up her degree in Genova, and then heading back to the US in November. At the very least, we plan to see each other. Not sure yet if it will be in Florence or Genova.

Okay this post is plenty long, I am sure. Hopefully managed to balance out the venting with some positives! I am trying to give myself a break and some time and space to adjust, as even as I go through it I realize it's normal.

Alright, more later on!

Love, Kate