Must-Dos In Italy... Or Wherever You Are!

Ciao signori e signore!

I don’t want to make you jealous, but I just spent the summer in Italy, and Mamma Mia! It was a dream.

I had never been to Europe before this trip, and usually I would spend my summer and winter breaks watching people more sophisticated than me posting on social media about their time holidaying in chalets and drinking Aperols. Actually, a more accurate description would be that I would quickly swipe past their stories so as not to indulge my melancholy tendencies. But, this was my summer, and guys, I had the GREATEST time.

My January consisted of museum tours in Florence, a bucket-list of pastas to try, cobblestone streets wandered for hours, and Italian friends greeting me with kisses. I will spare you most of the details of my trip because I don’t want to be *that* person, but there are a few things that you simply must hear - for inspiration, of course.

Now for the main meal…

The Italian Lifestyle

I’m not going to pretend that I know any nuances of the Italian lifestyle besides what I observed whilst in Europe. The first is Siestas. This concept was so foreign to me that I had to have locals explain it to me. In Europe, it is common practice to go home from school or work to share a meal and rest (I may need to explain the meaning of that word to a few of you as well- hello busy creatives). After their post-lunch rejuvenation, folks head back out to continue on with their day, with enough energy to take them late into the night. Even after a month, I could not wrap my head around this obscure scheduling. They take a break in the middle of the day and actually break?! Like, stop???

Not only is the idea of resting admirable, but so is the spending time with loved ones during the day. Since returning to Australia, I have been inspired to take breaks more often; live in the moment without an emphasis on my demanding schedule; call my friends and family during the day and try not to multitask while having a chat; why not go the whole hog - take a nap! It’s revolutionary. A mentor said to me recently, “I’m a marathon runner Caitlin, not a sprinter.” I would like to become a marathon runner too (no really, I’m training for one…). I’d like to replenish my energy more often than only after burn-out.

The second thing I noticed about the Italian lifestyle was the balance in their diet. Mediterranean food is arguably fresher than the packaged food we find in our supermarket ‘health-food’ aisles. I ate with the locals in Italy, and we ate everything! The trick is moderation. Bread was fine, dairy was fine, alcohol was fine - these are all things we too often hear are ‘bad’ for us in Australia. Moderation was the key for the locals I spoke to. Enjoy your 5pm gelato, but don’t do it every day. Enjoy your panino with prosciutto and mozzarella, but maybe sit down with friends while eating it. Again, it’s about lifestyle.

I’m aware of appearing as though I’m romanticising the Italian culture, but I’m also aware that I’m a romantic…. So that settles it… I can’t help it!

How to Travel Actively

Something I kept in mind whilst on my way to Italy was that I needed to ensure I was listening to my body during my travels. Here are some actions I took to ensure that my body was not being neglected:

Stretching on the flight

When I had opportunities to get up, I would go for a walk up and down the aircraft aisles to stretch my legs and get the blood flowing. I would also go to the back of the plane and take a few minutes to do some deep-stretching so that I wasn’t so stiff. It doesn’t matter what people think of you!

Listen to your thirst signals

Don’t be afraid to continually ask the flight attendants for water. I know it’s a pain, but your health is priority.

Walk around the airport during layovers

With so much time spent sitting on the plane, walking around the airport was a privilege during my layovers! It kept my body and brain active. It’s also interesting to see different airports and what’s around.

Reading may help you sleep better

As opposed to watching Netflix for 14 consecutive hours (yikes), I found reading to be helpful when the cabin crew dimmed the lights. This prepared my body for sleep more than the tempting blue light from my devices.

Now for a humble brag…

Opera

Okay, I couldn’t not touch on the fact that I attended not one, but two operas whilst in Italy!!! And an opera class! Allow me a moment to fill you in:

One of the operas was La Fanciulla del West at Teatro Comunale Nouveau in Bologna. Aside from the questionable storyline and the fact that the lead soprano had laryngitis (yes, you read that correctly), the experience was incredible. The same goes for La Triviata, which I saw at St. Pauls Within The Walls (a cathedral) in Rome. These operas were so memorable and left me feeling greatly inspired. Don’t underestimate the power of theatre, friends! Be it dancing, singing, acting or underscoring. Even the lighting operators and the side of stage hands! Live performance can touch people in ways that words can’t. I can say that first-hand. Emotions that haven’t been uncovered in a long time can be dug up; distant memories restored; dreams can dare to be dreamt through the rebellious independence of one’s imagination. Here is my encouragement to you, StretchiFlexors: Your work and your art is invaluable! Keep creating and inspiring people.

As for the opera class, let’s just say that I have a new appreciation for those who take classical lessons. I think I’ll be sticking to contemporary styles... and notes below F5.

I picked up an adorable little book in Florence that I’d love to recommend you. My friend noticed it first. We were browsing the stunning Giunti Odeon bookshop (within a cinema!) and she quietly read the blurb before announcing ‘this sounds cute.’ I picked up the same book and the immediate impression it had on me made me reply ‘we have to buy this!’ The book I am talking about is Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop: A Memoir by Alba Donati. Translated from Italian to English by Elena Pala, the book is a romantic re-telling of a bookshop that sprouted in the tiny Tuscan village of Lucignana. It is poetic and honest, yet curious. Reading this in Italy may have influenced my love for this book, but Alba’s ability to perfectly capture countryside scenes and inject them into my imagination makes me think that whenever I read this, I’ll always feel like I’m in Italy. It’s a really unique layout, one which I haven’t read before. Alba’s view on life - appreciating the small things - really inspired me. I hope that you too will love this book, or at least learn something from our Italian friends and their way of living.

Thank you for coming with me to revisit my Italian summer. I hope you’re inspired to rest, to eat good food, to spend time with loved ones, to see live performances, to stay active when you can help it, to read good books, and to continue helping yourself. In my next blog I will be talking about the benefits of helping yourself through the practices of mindfulness and meditation. Until then, go enjoy a spritz or two!

Caitlin xx