About Italy And Other Addictions

Do you have that one place you feel you belong to?

There comes a moment in life when you have to leave the place you are in love with, where you feel you truly belong. Well, it’s been a week now since I’m back home in Romania and I cannot believe my experience in the Italic peninsula finished. Being an Erasmus student for one year in Padova came along with some of the most amazing things I’ve ever lived: making new friends from all over the world, getting to experience living abroad, improving my academic background, a lot of visiting and so many other things I call “addictions” during this article!

View of Verona city from San Pietro Castle

It’s so challenging writing about personal stuff, here on Estilo, but since we are all part of the same family, I consider that my adventure should be shared with our readers. I read some months ago an article posted on Facebook by one of my friends (also a student in Italy) about 39 reasons why studying abroad in Italy ruins your life, so I decided to make my own list of things that made me fall in love with Italy even more than I was before studying there!

Italians

The first thing coming to my mind is the face of the old man serving coffee in the coffee shop I frequented for so many months. Always saying “Hello! How are you?” and always giving me the “Have a nice day!” when I walkout out the door. It is amazing how a simple question and a smile can make your day: it doesn’t cost anything, but it offers so much. And..my Italian friends: always happy, always ready to help and to be kind. I feel blessed to have met quality people that will always be part of my life and my memories!

The owner of this Enoteca (Enoteca Cortes) let me take pictures inside, even invited me to come back anytime

The coffee

The second thing, after my friends, which I miss so much is the Italian coffee. Nothing compares with the Espresso Macchiato, or any other type (from a veeeery large variety) of coffee or specialty they are making. In Italy, coffee embodies their culture and there you are thought to appreciate the quality of it and to really enjoy your everyday sip of it! Drinking coffee in Rome

La Moda Italiana

Amazing, amazing, amazing..it’s just amazing what happens in terms of fashion in Italy. We are all aware of the fact that Milan is the fashion capital of Italy, but believe me, it happens everywhere. Italians consider fashion part of their tradition and cultural heritage and it’s normal since so many designers like Armani, Valentino Garavani and D&G are born there. Growing up in a country where being passionate about fashion is considered a little bit “shallow”, it’s been a revelation to live in Italy and see so many random people on the street dressed impeccably! Being there also gave me the opportunity to attend my first important event in terms of fashion, at Pitti Uomo in Florence, which was amazing and gave me the opportunity to meet people within the industry!

YOU CAN READ ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN FLORENCE AND ABOUT LARDINI AND NICK WOOSTER COLLECTION ON MALE EXTRAVAGANZA!

Nick Wooster and I at the WOOSTER + LARDINI Official Presentation at Pitti Uomo, in Florence

Thank you, Ivan Guerrero from Male Model Music Project for the photo!

Travelling in Italy

As I mentioned in the introduction, I lived in Padova, an amazing medieval small city in the northern Italy. The little paved streets, with coffee shops and small piazzas are incredible! During my stay I visited some other fascinating locations like Rome (my favorite Italian city so far), Venice, Florence, Ravenna, San Marino, Bologna, and before studying there: Trentino Alto Adige area, Milan and Naples. I am sure that there isn’t such a wonderful selection of incredible cities like Italy offers anywhere elso in Europe, all full of history and cultural background.

Innovative shoe display in Rome

Narrow street in Padova

Food

I love food and food loves me! I am a gourmand and where else can you find the most delicious food than Italy?! You can imagine my stay there was the best also because of these “little” addictions: lasagna, the popular pizza, the amazing tiramisú, ice-cream…but wait, we will talk about this one soon!

One of the simplest pizza toppings: margherita, yet the most tasteful in my opinion!

Photo source: Wikipedia

Gelato

Oh, God! I am still sensitive at talking about this delicate addiction (I am in recovery 🙁 ). Before going to Italy I wasn’t a big fan of ice-cream and even now, when I am back home, I don’t have a special desire of eating it. But, well..the Italian gelato is a totally different type of sweets. I fell in love with it at the first taste of “mascarpone and ciocolatto belga” bite and the feeling never went away…it continued with crema, zabaione and many others! It’s really addictive! If you are near Rome or planning to visit it, you may find this useful:

foodenthusiastmag.com

Venice

I guess Venice has a special significance for anyone visiting the marvelous city! Beside its incredible architecture and particularity of being a city on water, it’s the bohemian character of the city that makes you want to come back over and over again. Truly, for me, the first visit there was the best: it was the middle of February when my friend Nicoleta suggested to go in Venice (30 min by train from Padova). I don’t know why we haven’t been before there, but it was magic: no tourists, only locals. It was quite different from the Venice you normally visit in the summer, when it’s so crowded and suffocating. Since then, I’ve been there 5 times, even at night -at the Carnival- and it’s even more dazzling to walk those tiny streets in the middle of the night!

Venice in February

A festive day in Venice: St Mark’s Day, 25th of April

Riding the bike

I miss my bike so much! Unfortunately, I had to leave it in Italy. In Romania it’s quite a new trend riding a bike, but in Italy it’s a MUST! Alongside with the fact that it facilitated moving around the city really fast, it also helped me stay in shape! I can’t wait to buy a new one, here, at home. It represents a healthy way of doing your everyday activities and it’s also a fashionable accessory!

Well, if I would have had the space and time, I would continue this never-ending list. But these are the most important “things” that made my stay in Italy incredible and unforgettable! Every day was an adventure and I enjoyed it as it was my last because I knew my time there is limited. I will share with you some other photos I took during my last week there, hope you’re enjoying them!