Culture Shock

Last semester i studied abroad in Florence, Italy. Italian culture is very different from American culture in many ways. Different parts of Italy have different cultures. Italy is separated into many different regions. Florence is located in the Tuscany region. Italians have many specialties that they are known for, such as: style, food, soccer, and wine. One thing for sure is that Italians know how to dress. Even their pajamas have to be in fashion. Italians value their food very highly. Especially, in Tuscany where they are known for their simple but exquisite foods such as extra virgin olive oil or bruschetta di Tuscana. Unlike in the U.S, soccer is like a religion in Italy. The Florence soccer team made it to the champions league in Europe while i was there, so the experience was a one of a kind, when Florentina defeated Liverpool in the champions league match. The Italians cherish Italian wine so much that they sell wine everywhere. Tuscan wine such as Chianti classico(red) or san gamigniano (white) are popular all over the world. An interesting cultural characteristic in Europe especially in Italy is that personal space is not respected like it is in America. It is part of their culture to speak to someone they have not even met very close to their face. At first it made me feel very uncomfortable but eventually i got used to it.