I thought it was an interesting title--it came to me the first time I attempted to shave my legs in our shower. As you can note from the picture, our shower is tiny. (Thus, the answer being "because their showers are so small!") Yes, it was a little disappointing getting off the airplane after over 24 hours of traveling, only to open our bathroom door and discover that it looks exactly like an airplane's bathroom. I don't know who designed the color scheme, but they surely liked red.
But that's something I've noticed about Italy--things here are a lot smaller in proportion. It's very noticeable coming from the US, where materialism is key, and we value our personal space. So naturally, we always take more than we ever need. It's a cultural thing in a way, but of course I never fully realized this until you spend some time away from it all. And not going to lie, at first, it freaked me out. It's the sort of psychology when you know you have limited air, so all of a sudden, you can't breathe, or you start to breathe really heavily. These next few examples are really corny, but it's things I notice.
One: we eat family-style here at the center for lunch and dinner. We have four courses, as is the way Italians eat. They bring out only enough to feed everyone at the table, with ideally, very little or none left over. Can you conceive that?! Only what you need. At first, it was a little getting used to--even though you were still hungry, only taking a little portion of the first and second courses to make sure you had room for the later ones. Also, to make sure everyone else at the table got some as well. We are just so used to taking what we need, not thinking of anyone else (because in the land of excess, there is always more for others, they just have to get it themselves), and satisfying our immediate desires (we're hungry now, so we fill up right away). To the Italians, meals are social, and in a way, require an art to the way you eat. They enjoy the food, and the wine, and the company. Being full is a secondary thought--a bonus, if you will, of the art of eating.
Two: their roads are narrow, their hallways narrow, and their cars are tiny! (They have so many scooters, Smart Cars, and even one-seater cars, which are the funniest things in my opinion.) You also have to rely a lot more on public transportation, and especially your own two feet. They really are a healthy bunch. And I find it interesting to note that their fashion also coincides with practicality--at least, the mass fashion. Fashionable boots that are durable and waterproof AND comfortable; jackets that are stylish and extremely warm; in general, they dress for the weather and work with their enviornment rather than forcing it to work with them. I mean, they live in a beautiful country, so what do they have to complain about?!? :)
The first is a smart car that is so tiny, you can park it in sideways, and it fits! The second is the UPS mail "smart car" lol. It's adorable! And we're pretty sure it can't carry too many packages... (PS, these pictures were taken in Rome)
But when I first realized the whole there's-not-enough-oxygen-to-breathe phenomenon was walking down our stairs. They are wooden/stone stairs (they change material about halfway) and have carpet on them, which was intended to be walked on, of course. I found myself unnaturally concentrating on walking within the space permitted--I almost felt like I was being confined to this narrow strip of carpet, and it would be considered rude to not use it properly. Then I would find myself getting unnaturally frustrated with this little strip of carpet. I had to walk down up and down it every day, multiple times a day, and I was getting really annoyed at how narrow it was! I'm being completely serious--this is so ridiculous, I know. And I remember thinking, "Italians! In America, the carpet would at least be twice this wide, so we didn't even have to think about walking within the lines!" And immediately the next thought process followed: but do we actually need that wide of a carpet? Is that just a waste of material, money, and energy? Because if I really pause to take into account the space I occupy as I walk, it's not really that much...in fact...it's actually pretty close to the width of that stupid carpet they have on the stairs.
Lesson learned? I think so. At least, the differences were more pronounced. You can get by with a lot less than you think. You hear that all the time, and in theory it makes sense, but to live for an extended amount of time with...less, is different. And at the same time, aren't you actually living more because of it? Same goes for traveling--you really can only bring exactly what you need, because you don't want to be carrying that stuff all the way to your hostel and on trains, planes, etc. I'm actually considering this a game, now. To try to see exactly how few things I can get by on. It's a learning experience, especially about myself! And it tests my creative juices; have to come up with an effective alternative if you don't have the necessary requirements nearby (such as, uh...laundry.) But I do find myself living more, and worrying less about material goods. But being in Europe could also be part of it all.
Other things to note about Italy: They LOVE Nutella here. They don't have peanut butter, and they have these vats of Nutella. Also, they eat fruit for dessert--so as a whole, not a very sweet-tooth focused country, though they do love their nutella crepes and gelato.
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