Fieldnotes from Italy

Getting to Italy involved a 2 hour drive to JFK airport, an 8 hour red-eye, a 1 hour train ride from Milano Malpensa to Milano Centrale, and a 15 minute metro ride to the closest station near our hotel. We arrived at Maciachini station (pronounced MAH-kee-ah-chee-ni) to find ourselves carrying our belongings in heavy rain at a roundabout with no idea which exit led to our hotel's street. Was this the time to resist googling directions to avoid the $10/day international data plan fee? You bet.

Uncaffeinated, I decided to exercise my 1 week's worth of Italian and ask for directions. My Italian was bad, and the store owner didn't speak English. With the little I understood, we decided to walk in the general direction he waved towards. 

We navigated the morning rush hour traffic at the mercy of a tram driver who let us cross the street, and found ourselves at the other side of the roundabout. We were just as uncertain about our location as we were earlier. While waiting for the light to change, we asked a nearby pedestrian for directions. Yes! Her Italian was easier to understand! Alas, she was unfamiliar with the area, too. A bystander overheard and turned towards us. In a medley of Italian and English, he pointed us towards the exit we needed to take. In a flurry, an older woman near him also turned around. "Ah, Viale Edoardo Jenner? Vieni con me!"  

Turns out Clara lived on that street and was on her way home. She was our self-recruited guide for the next 5 minutes, smiling and waving her hand in a "Come, come!" manner when it was time to cross the street, pointing out the Esselunga supermarket around the corner (that we later visited), and beaming when she learned that we were "dall'america." If, at any moment, she felt hesitant about dropping off two foreigners, fresh off their flight during a pandemic, directly at their hotel lobby, she didn't show it. Despite the October chill and downpour, her repetitious "benvenuti a Milano!" warmed us to the bone. 

Growing up in New Jersey and New York, surrounded by a large Italian population and media exposure to Italian-American traditions (hello Joey Tribbiani, Giada DeLaurentis, Laura Vitale, George Costanza, Joe Longo, Jerry Russo), I came to associate Italian culture with strong familial ties, the arts, and, of course, a rich culinary heritage. The colors it made me think of were rosy and warm, vibrant and energetic. 

By in large our week in Northern Italy was studded with generous hospitality, the kind I had subconsciously intuited from my local Italian-American culture and half-expected after visiting Greece, Italy's Mediterranean neighbor. The Milanese pace seemed to live up to the "business forward" stereotype I heard about, but the people were polite and oh-so-elegant. The vendors in Bellagio and Varenna, get-away destinations for Italians themselves, were friendly and seasoned in customer service. But the Venetian vibe was a little different. 

Even her architectural charm couldn't mask this underlying friction I sensed between some locals and tourists. The occasional Venetian coldness was distinct from Milan's casual indifference, I'm sure of it. Over a few days, I noted headshakes in response to tourists dragging their noisy luggage over cobblestone streets to their hotel and stink-eyes lingering on overcrowded streets. I even experienced an unapologetically overt microaggression at a café. 

Wherever we go, we'll certainly encounter people who leave more kindness to be desired; that comes as no surprise, but I kept simmering on the frigidity. Inadvertently, while googling why Venetian souvenirs had a recurring motif of cats, I came across an explanation of sorts: "the cats are disappearing like Venetians are disappearing" (Culture Trip). 

Some of the Venetians I noticed (outside of the hospitality industry) seemed exhausted by how mass tourism has taken over their city, and understandably so - who else would want to navigate through bodies en masse when trying to get to the local produce stand? I can't blame them for being miffed by the cameras-on-phones-on-cameras obstructing their view every which way... but I was (still am?) peeved by the abrasive interaction I encountered while making a concerted effort to speak the local language. If you've been around for a while, you may have picked up that I'm a big Damon Dominique fan, and he summed up a bit of my tension quite well in I went to Venice before overtourism takes over again (8:11-9:13). 

We can't control how locals receive us, but I'm consciously trying to encourage myself and my family to tread as responsibly as possible, as eaters, customers, and travelers. There are myriad ways, like learning a few local phrases, engaging locals in a conversation and expressing curiosity about their culture, following local customs and laws (stick to the crosswalk!), familiarizing oneself with what's considered impolite and other faux pas (10:37), and seeking out local dishes over the convenience and comfort of fast food. VeneziaUnica, Venice's tourism board, also has a few recommendations to guide visitors along a respectful stay. 

Venice is used to "acqua alta," or high tide, and seems to have their prediction/response system down pat. Rising sea levels, however, are exacerbating the frequency and intensity of the floods (AP News). Unable to accept my invitation to COP26 as a Tufts delegate due to exorbitant last-minute costs (let's bookmark that, and the irony of thousands flying across the world for a climate change conference, for another time!), I've been following the events from home and feeling less than enthused about the progress (NPR). Policies can be effective, but gosh, the tempo. is. slow. For global visions of human and planetary health to come to fruition, I urge us all, when we're at home and abroad, to consider our individual capacities and commit to local actions in the now that can mobilize climate action and land us closer to equity. Need some ideas to start? Check out these suggestions from Consumer Reports about going green at home, quitting plastic, recycling, and keeping an eco-friendly lawn. 

My journal collected other interesting tidbits and observations, too:
(Interested in general travel tips that may prepare you for your next trip to Italy? Scroll down!)

• Many cafes and restaurants provided compostable utensils for gelato and take-out! Can we get on this trend?!
• When we sat down to eat, our utensils were almost always provided in individual paper bags - an assurance of sanitation?
• Do you ever stress over squirting something on your sleeve, the table, or - worst of all - another person, when tearing open ketchup and dressing packets? Me, too. Well, in Italy, single serving oil and vinegar containers are smartly designed with a spout so you don't over-dress your salads and your dining companions. 
• Interestingly, very few Italians wore homemade (fabric) masks. Most wore disposable surgical masks or KN95's, some of which had "Made in Italy" etched on the front. In Milan, nearly everyone wore a mask when walking on the streets, but with the exception of museum staff, restaurant workers, and business owners, few tourists in Venice wore masks.  
• Transportation restrictions are more relaxed in the states than they previously were during early-mid 2020, but in Italy, trams and buses continue to require patrons to enter from the middle or back doors, keeping the front doors closed for the conductor's safety. 
• Hand sanitizers are as ubiquitous as cafes. You'll find them throughout train and metro stations, and even on some trams and buses. Trains now have signs that they were sanitized "più volte" everyday. Within stations, floors are lined with signs that not only provide travelers with a better sense of direction to their desired train, but also direct people in singular directions for controlled traffic flow. Escalators and park benches have stickers that remind people to distance themselves at least 1m from others. 
• I saw that most establishments hung maximum occupancy notices on doorways - a new requirement secondary to COVID-19?

General tips for a richer and/or less stressful travel experience: 

COVID Restrictions:

• These are ever-evolving and it will be best to verse yourself with the most updated travel requirements on the US embassy site. 
• Getting a COVID test in Italy, a requirement before returning to the states, is no small task. There will be some locations that offer them for free to tourists during select hours of the day, but based on other travelers' reports and the advice of a few locals, I advise against that option. It's far more efficient to search online and sign-up for a slot at a local pharmacy before you depart for your trip. If you're in Italy and are having trouble finding a place to get your test, consult hotel concierges (even if you're not staying there!) for recommendations. Though COVID tests are ubiquitously offered across pharmacies in the US, we found limited help from the local pharmacies as their COVID testing system differs. I waited in line for about an hour at a red cross in Venice for a rapid antigen test (about $28 or 25€; prices for a rapid antigen test generally range from 20-35€). 

Dining:

• Coperto: I seldom noticed anyone tipping the service staff, but there's almost always a fee (coperto) of 2-3€/person for sitting down at a restaurant. This covers expenses like linens and utensils. Bread may be included or added on as an additional price. If you're looking for a less expensive option, ask if the food can be taken to-go, da portare or da asporto. 
• While the check is delivered to the table in the states, customers often go to a counter at the front of the cafe or restaurant to pay for their meal. 
• If you choose indoor dining, you will be asked to show your European Greenpass or American CDC COVID vaccination card before being seated.
• Many restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday nights. If you're looking to dine out, you may only come across expensive (as in "$$$$") options. On these nights, choices may be very limited in residential areas; seek out hotel restaurants or tourist-y neighborhoods for a wider variety.
• Alternatively, you may want to get prepared foods or groceries at a local market! When leaving a grocery store, you may have to swipe your receipt to exit the gates.
• Venice: It's a very, very tourist-y city, so don't bend over backwards looking for a hole-in-the-wall that only locals know about. I do, however, encourage you to avoid our mistake of eating at a restaurant with a "special lunch offer," and if you hold a menu that reads "some of our ingredients are frozen" (re: vegetables), go somewhere else. It is possible to eat a bad meal in Italy.

Language:

• Despite the volume of tourists, I was surprised that many in Italy, including those who work in the hospitality industry (i.e. hotel staff), do not speak English! Learning a few phrases will serve you well. 
• Basic survival phrases to arm yourself with: Hello, Goodbye, Thank You, Please, Sorry, Excuse me, What is that?, How much does that cost?, I like it a lot!, and your go-to coffee order. If you have the time, take it one step further and learn 49 phrases from this EasyItalian video! (9:08)
• Fake it 'till you make it! Learning a language is not easy, but even if you only know a handful of words, keep practicing. Most people appreciate the effort and the reward of connecting, just a little more deeply, is worthwhile. 
• Embrace the cultural immersion: Resist the urge to pop your headphones on. Listen to the dialogues around you - peoples' conversations, announcements on the metro, local music. You'll pick up new words faster than you realize. If you'd like some more tips, check out my language learning guide. 
• Multipurpose Italian words you'll hear left and right: Allora (so, then, well, in anycase, now, hmm), Prego (Sure, Please!, You're welcome, After you!)

Museums and Sights:

• Skip-the-line tickets, which may cost up to 3x the usual entry fare, may not offer the best ROI during the off-season. For example, we bought skip-the-line tickets ahead of time for il Duomo in Milan, but there was no line! Fortunately, in this case, the cost was only a few euros above the official ticket office's price, and yes, you must visit the rooftop! 
• On the other hand, in Venice, we waited for over 1.5 hours to enter Doge's Palace to avoid the steep skip-the-line fee. We did, however, successfully avoid an even longer line at St. Mark's Basilica by lining up 15 minutes before it opened on a weekday (photo below). 
• If you're in Venice for a few days, I recommend splitting the two between two days (weekdays, if possible). Line up for St. Mark's Basilica at least 15 minutes before it opens on one day, and do the same for Doge's Palace the next. There might be another location where you can pre-purchase Doge's Palace tickets and wait in a shorter line for entry, but I overheard this tip from a security guard who wasn't certain about the location of this alternative ticket office, herself. 
• At the time of writing (November 2021), online tickets for St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace were not available. 
• You may find it helpful to purchase some church or museum tickets ahead of time because some sell out quickly. For example, we were fortunate to have purchased tickets to see da Vinci's "The Last Supper" before we left for our trip. When we were exchanging our printed tickets for actual tickets, we overheard other tourists being turned away because the next available tickets were for the following week. 
• Verify what travel documents are required for your visit. You'll likely be asked to present your European Greenpass or CDC COVID vaccine card. It's a good idea to have an extra printed copy of your COVID card and a photo of it in your phone! (Same goes for your passport). 
• Venice: The VeneziaUnica city pass was not worth it. The dining and retail discounts were not very useful. Additionally, the museum discounts offered were A) no different than the ones already offered to people between 15-25 years old, and B) for special tours or lower priority sights that we did not have time to squeeze into our 3.5-day itinerary. 

Packing:

• Milan: Welcome to the fashion capital of the world! Usually, though I'm not terribly fussy about my outfits, I like feeling put together. But seeing the colorful glasses, sleek, long coats, and crisp shoes that Italians donned made me crave their simple yet sophisticated style. If you're going to get dressed up, Italy's the place to do it. 

Transportation:

• Don't forget to validate your train ticket before boarding (15 second tutorial).
• You'll need to hold on to your metro ticket to enter and exit the station.