Day 13: Last Day in Italy, Reflections

Last day in Italy! But unfortunately for me, I couldn't go to the company visit with the group because my condition was still not the best. Luca told me that a dermatologist would see me sometime today, but I had to stay in the hotel and wait for them. So I spent the whole day in my hotel room, mostly sleeping and packing to go back home. I guess the upside of doing nothing was that I wasn't straining my hands and feet, which began to feel a lot better halfway through the day. My feet ended up getting well enough that I was able to venture out of the hotel room once to get lunch at a nearby cafe. My lunch was risotto, a signature dish of Milan, which I really liked. The cafe I went to had MTV playing on the TV, and it was a little funny to me because I recognized some of the foreign songs, because I had heard them before in the clubs.

Not much happened after I got lunch. I went back to my hotel room, where I slept more and packed more. Around 7pm, the dermatologist finally arrived. She wasn't exactly sure what I had, but she suspected that it was hand, foot, and mouth disease. This seemed a little off to me, since I had never exhibited any symptoms in my mouth, but oh well. She assured me that the redness and pain in my hands and feet would go away on their own, I didn't need to do anything, and I was clear to get on the plane to go back home tomorrow, which was all I needed to hear. Wasn't the ideal last day in Italy, but I'm thankful my medical condition wasn't serious.

I'm so thankful for this time I got to spend in Italy. This trip has definitely allowed me to gain a new outlook on life and opened my eyes to new perspectives. I have learned so much in just 2 weeks, and I would definitely come back if the opportunity presented itself again. To conclude these daily blogs, please enjoy this list of cultural practices and conventions that I have taken note of while in Italy, not because they're bad, but because they are different than how things are in the US.

• One of the first things I noticed when I got to Italy is that all their cars are small. In these two weeks, I never saw one truck or SUV. There are a lot more smart cars than in the US. Also, the variety in car brands is not as diverse.
• There are dogs everywhere, because it seems like every place is dog friendly. There were dogs in the clothing stores I went to and our hotel in Milan allowed dogs to be kept in the rooms. Like the cars, Italians seem to lean towards small dogs. Also, a great number of dogs I saw weren't on leashes, yet the still walked alongside their owner. I loved seeing that, because it gave off the vibe that the dog and human are buds, not just a pet and its owner. And the dogs are a lot more well behaved.
• Food service at restaurants is exceptional. The waiters I had were always really nice to us, even though it actually doesn't matter to them how their service is, since they don't work for tips. This just makes their hospitality all the more admirable.
• I love that Italians take the time to appreciate their food and their company. In the US, I feel like everyone always rushes through things and never slows down. But in Italy, they sit down, enjoy dinner together, and talk for hours, which is really nice.
• Every window has a balcony, and usually that balcony is covered in plants.
• There are so many ways to flush a toilet. Sometimes you push a button on top of the toilet, sometimes it's a switch on the side, sometimes the button is on the wall, and sometimes you have to press on a button on the floor with your foot. It was so confusing sometimes that I was in the bathroom for 5 extra minutes just trying to figure out how to flush the toilet. Why doesn't Italy standardize their toilets? 
• Aperitivo is great and it should definitely be a thing in the US.
• Water is not free and that confuses me. I can't wait to be back in the US specifically because I can't wait to not pay for water.