Firenze, Famiglia è Food

February 27, 2017

From the moment I stepped foot in Florence (Firenze), I felt as if locals handed me a plate of food (cibo) filled to the edge that somehow seemed to never empty. I encountered pasta—I alone have tried nearly 20 unique kinds, pizza—the toppings of which I lost count, chicken, beef, veal, ham (prosciutto), cheese (formaggio), bruschetta (properly pronounced with a “k” sound), bread (pane), bread and olive oil (olio), bread and balsamic vinegar, and some more bread.


During my first week abroad, I was in awe. Not only were we eating enough cibo to fill us for days, but we were also spending from an hour to an hour and a half at the dining table. At the heart of Italian culture is the concept of sitting and conversing during dinner. We fulfilled this by chatting away about new Italian words, navigating the bus system, and balancing classes. We were in no rush, enjoying each other’s company, whether with our professors, our peers, or the staff of our program.

Here, we do not feel the pressure to eat a quick meal in order to squeeze 27 hours of work into a 24-hour day. Much like the Florentine locals, as well as Italians in general, not only do we value the meal before us, but also the opportunities that the meal provides us. Italians value their tempo libero con famiglia (free time with family), during which meals play the role of gathering loved ones around the table to share in an array of dishes. It is at the table where families recount their daily activities and receive a much needed break from the city (citta) life outside their window. Whether catching up on a popular Italian game show or discussing the process of making the cibo being eaten, life beyond the walls of each casa di famiglia (family home) is placed on the back burner.

Thus, I have had to adjust to the city life of shops closing at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. so that storeowners can make it home in time for 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. dinner (cena) with la loro famiglia. Additionally, apart from the tourists that fill the streets of Firenze on Sundays, the rest of the citta is often silent, as Italians spend their day with their families, at church, and/or enjoying a long, multi-course lunch (pranzo). There is no pressure to open in order to maintain business, or to ensure that services are continuously provided. Quite simply, Italian culture demands that family and food be greatly honored. Additionally, if a shop owner does not close on Sunday, then, the chances are that he or she will be closed on Monday in order to ensure much needed tempo libero.

My time in Florence thus far has given me a much needed reprieve from the often hectic lifestyle that Georgetown students lead—whether running to class, extracurricular activities, jobs, or internships, with short amounts of time allotted for meals. I look forward to the 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. bell announcing meals, not only because of the incredible food that is prepared, but also for the incredible people and conversations that I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by. Because of the daily meals we share, my nine fellow classmates have become like my own siblings, and the staff and the professors, my extended famiglia, are leading me further into the local lifestyle of native Florentines–Firenze, famiglia, è food.
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