“To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere, without moving anything but your heart.”

— Phyllis Grissim Theroux

It was a sunny day and the postman was stepping down the cramped walkway to his small vehicle. Suddenly, from five floors up on the balcony of the apartment building a man yelled down. “Postino! “Postino! Postino!” (Postman)

Having just descended from the bus and following the same pathway as the postman, we both looked up. However, he responded as if it was an everyday occurence to have someone yelling at you from above. “Sì? “ Yes? he asked the white haired man peering over his balcony from five floors up. “Did you deliver mail to me?” he shouted in Italian. “No. Not today!” the postman shouted back.

All the while, the bus passed, cars drove by, and street pedestrians kept walking, no eyes except mine ever looking up to hear the italian ruckus of the busy little moment of the small little town life.

The man above now content to not have to walk the many floors down to check the mail roared out a “Grazie” (thank you) to the postman and went back inside. The postman entered his small vehicle and continued on to his route.

From my point of view, the American gal walking down the street it was quite the random encounter but here it is what you do everyday. After all, who wants to walk down flights of stairs to get the mail if you don’t have any? I wouldn’t and neither did the man it seemed.

Another random small town Italian adventure.

- Ciao from Italy

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”

— Unknown

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

By Cain, Susan

Buy on Amazon

Afternoon espresso the ultimate introverts necessity

I have arrived in the land of dreamy landscape, meals of length and gregarious people. Yes, my little Italian life is starting. After two weeks of quarantine, escaping outside to see nature and take in the landscape was a must, as was the need to be with people.

And yet now, I find myself back in my introverted shell. Being with others, and the constant sounds of voices, the decreased amount of time spent alone all of this is more profound here in this beautiful country than anywhere else I have ever lived. Explaining to someone that you need to be alone is for some living here a foreign concept.

Perhaps you are tired and need a siesta is what I am told. The siesta that is something understood, but the recharging of the brain from the over stimulus of others is a much more difficult concept to explain. Add to this concept learning a new language, and my brain is on overdrive. With the amount of people, the noise from cars, the outdoor conversations, and the music from the windows it is clear why an introvert like myself must work hard to find the right balance.

Learning to balance my introversion with my extroversion starts at the dinner table. Italians love food. They love to discuss it, to eat it, and to be knowledgeable of its history. All of this is very important and meant to be shared. For example, the glass of white frizzante wine must be drunk cold, the pasta fresh from the boiling water must be eaten hot, and then, and only then, can the speaking cease.

However, the sounds and gestures of communication, never stop. The mmm’s and the occasional “Buona” is reiterated until the bowl of pasta is done and then the laughter, the questions, and maybe even singing can start again. I am an introvert living in an extroverts world here in Italy. It will take time to adapt. That is what living abroad is all about I think. Adapting, changing, and still marveling at who you are inside.

Introverts don’t stop being introverts, but, learning to take time to find the moments of internal silence amongst a world of cacophony now that to me is a truly skilled wallflower.

I am looking forward to learning how to acclimate my internal solitude with the external love of the Italian people. I will let you know how it goes…

Until next time..Eat well, drink well, and love your life. Ciao from Italy.