An "Early Bird's" Morning in Florence

Back home, I always considered myself an "early bird." I feel the most energized in the mornings and I'm usually struggling to stay awake by 10pm. Needless to say, I was a little intimidated when I learned how different Italian culture was, specifically how late their days are oriented. In Italy, people often have dinner between 8-10pm, if not later. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to adapt to this later schedule. However, I've found that when I'm surrounded by a culture that operates a certain way, even if it's unlike what I'm used to, I slowly match their pace. I've gotten better at staying up later and many days I don't get up as early as I do at home, but some days I return to my early-bird roots and try to make the most of my mornings. Here's a "morning in the life" of one of those days!

This particular morning I wake up around 7am with the steady hum of our fan in the background (an essential for staying cool as many Italian apartments don't have air conditioning!). After brushing my hair and picking out clothes for the day, I walk out to our living room to get some homework done without disturbing my roommate. Other than on Thursdays, my earliest class doesn't start until 11:30am, so I often save my homework to do in the morning. That's when I'm most focused anyway!

Between 8 and 8:30am, I head out to get some breakfast. I would go earlier, but the cafe I have in mind doesn't open until 8am. On days when I'm up early and really hungry, I'll grab some cereal at home beforehand, or there are other coffee shops that open at 7 or 7:30am. However, Caffi¨ Rainer is one of my favorites, so I don't mind waiting. It's technically an Austrian cafe, but it's close to my apartment and has a delicious assortment of unique croissants to choose from. I always order a pastry and a cappuccino. Today I decide to try a cinnamon roll instead of a croissant, and even though I'm not sure if that's a typical Italian breakfast, it's still quite tasty! Breakfast in hand, I sit down at one of the tables where I do a bit more of my Italian homework while I drink my coffee. The cafe is abuzz with people coming in for a bite to eat or a quick shot of espresso, chatting briefly with the barista before heading on their way. It seems like such a lovely way to start the day, and I wish my Italian was good enough that I could join in on the conversations.

The coffee culture here is one aspect of Italian mornings that I've come to love. There are so many differences that I could write a whole blog on coffee alone, but I'll try to keep it brief. First of all, it's very common to drink your coffee just standing at the bar instead of sitting down, the whole process taking just a few minutes. If you sit at a table, the prices are usually more expensive. I've also found that at many places, you don't pay until you're finished eating or drinking, at which point you just go up to the counter and tell them what you ordered. It's all a bit confusing for me - the first time I ordered at a cafe, I accidentally ended up paying twice! Finally, even though they're delicious, cappuccinos are typically not ordered after 11am, so make sure to grab one early!

After finishing my breakfast, I pay up at the counter, and with a pleasant "buona giornata!" from the barista, I quickly stop back at my apartment to drop off my school supplies and grab a grocery bag. By around 9:30am, I'm back out the door and on my way to my second stop of the morning: Mercato Centrale.

This market is a full experience for the senses. Stands of colorful fresh produce are scattered around the market's ground floor between vendors selling cheese, meats, seafood, and even one stand devoted to a variety of mushrooms. It's a great place to get your grocery shopping done, often for cheaper than in an actual grocery store, but this morning I'm on a specific mission to find parmesan cheese. I'm planning to bring some home as a souvenir for my family, but of course I have to try some myself first. One freshly cut block of parmesan later and I am on my way back to the apartment, the crowds dissipating as I get a bit further from the very center of the city. By the time I get back, it's about 10:30am, so I put away the cheese and pack my bag so I'm ready to leave for class by 11.

This is just one example of a morning in my life, and they're certainly not all this busy. Many days I just stay in the apartment, sometimes folding the laundry I hung out to dry, sometimes writing these blogs, and sometimes just lying in bed until I'm ready to get up (staying up late still takes it out of me!) However, if you're a morning person like me, don't worry too much about how you're going to spend your waking hours. You can surely find something to do in the mornings, and you might find yourself adapting to the later schedule quicker than you'd think.