An Indian in Italy: Why I Fell in Love with the Country
I’ve been living in Italy now for about 2 years and I have to say, I am madly in love with this country! From the food to the sights to the culture - everything about it has taken over my heart and I have already decided that Italy will be my home from now on! Below you will find why I fell in love with Italy and why you should visit this beautiful country too!
Introduction
Traveling to new places is always exciting, but it’s even more exhilarating when it’s your first time traveling to a place where you don’t know anyone. The ability to be able to travel across Europe without worrying about what someone might think of you was truly liberating. In fact, when my friends asked me why I moved here and not any other country, my response was simple — I want to be comfortable. And that's exactly how I felt whenever I visited a new town or city. It just felt right; home away from home!
The Food
Italian food is a bit like Italian culture—it’s all about getting as many dishes on a single plate. Spaghetti and tomato sauce, penne all’arrabbiata, lasagna bolognese, and carbonara are just some of my favorites. For vegetarians like me, there are numerous options for filling your stomach. What really makes it worthwhile, though, is sharing it with friends and family. Nothing beats sitting around an outdoor table on a warm summer evening sipping Chianti or listening to O Sole Mio while feasting on pasta and cheese until you can barely move your arms... OK maybe that part is difficult (and a tad unhealthy), but good food always brings people together.
The People and Culture
The people are beautiful. Italians strike me as very classy and sophisticated (despite what some news channels make them out to be). And many of them have passion for what they do—whether it's selling clothes, cooking food or designing a website. They're incredibly friendly and helpful, too. And if you don't speak Italian, that's OK; everyone speaks English here! You could meet someone from Milan on Monday, Rome on Tuesday and Venice on Wednesday—and they'd all understand you when you said Ciao! (hello) or Prego (please). Besides getting to learn new dialects, one of my favorite things about living in Italy is being able to eat authentic food without feeling bad about myself later.
The Experiences
There are a million and one things to do while visiting Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa or any of Italy’s many picturesque villages. Wherever you end up traveling to there will be unique experiences waiting for you! Traveling alone doesn’t mean there won’t be people ready to show you around their city. We found most Italian families were more than happy to show us around their village and introduce us to locals. Throughout our journey we have been taken into many private homes and shown endless hospitality by hosts who wanted nothing in return. One of my fondest memories from our trip was when an 80-year-old man took us on a tour of his vineyard.
I fell in love with Italy, but ...
Traveling to Europe was a big dream of mine, and if someone had told me four years ago that I’d be living there one day, I would have laughed. The idea seemed impossible at best. But that was before my college graduation, when backpacking through India, Nepal and Bhutan changed my perspective on life. After those two months in Southeast Asia passed by like a flash, it didn’t take much convincing for me to explore Europe for three months. If you ask anyone who has visited India or lived there (like me), they'll tell you that traveling throughout so many different countries is an experience like no other ... especially as an Indian yourself.
Conclusion
Ultimately, my visit to Florence was such a joy because it allowed me to see another country through fresh eyes. A foreigner’s perspective of Italy will always be different from an Italian's perspective, and that’s okay. As long as you are passionate about something—be it your country or your career—you'll have plenty of opportunities to fall in love. Just don't forget to open your heart and be present!