Once you go from being on vacation here to living here, the dolce vita get a little more bitter. Not always easy to not understand what is going on around  you. I had a really hard time not being able to communicate and sound like a three year old when  I was trying to get even the most simple things done.

Florence doesn’t really have dialect as they speak pure Italian, but sometimes in the small towns nearby they have another word for something.

I remember trying to by lipstick and having to ask for colore for my lips labbre as I had not learned the word yet for lipstick!  rossetto.

Then there are the things that have a name in Italian and another in dialect.

When I was waiting tables, someone asked for toothpicks after having their steak. Stuzzicadenti. Then another person asked for stecchini- same thing!

It is all the little things that are frustrating and every new word learned is so satisfying.

Daily life is a struggle when you don’t speak the language and move into a new culture.

Let me know if you have had any problems or have any questions.

Benvenuto!