The Way Things Were (I'll Have a Beer, 11)

una birra media, rossa

Ordering a beer with my Italian friend in Chicago was never easy.  He simply said, "I'll have a beer."  When asked what kind, he could never answer.  I'd struggle to help the frustrated waiter, apologize for my friend and explain that you can't just order "a beer".  Not in the US anyway.  But in Italy that's just what you do.  La birra comes in three sizes: piccola, media and grande.  There's a slim chance the subject of dark or light will be mentioned, but it's slim.  "I'll have a medium beer, please."  I dare you to try it the next time you go out for a burger.










The Beginning of The Way Things Were
Call me what you will, but I call myself an emigrant....an emigrant who should stop talking about her homeland every day.  (Expat has too many rich, white person connotations and immigrant is what my Italian friends call me.)  Many years ago, my foreign (expat) friends in Chicago continually pointed out the differences between life in their countries and life in Chicago.  I might be mistaken, but their use of the word 'different' often sounded a bit like 'better'. 

Not long after moving to Italy (about three hours) I started doing the same thing.  It has finally dawned on me that if my friends in Italy think like I used to think (if it's better in your country why don't you go home?) it might be wise to keep my American mouth shut in Italy and share my thoughts with the other side of the world.  Hereafter, when I notice something different, be it better or just different, I'll (try to) hold my tongue and add it to my list of The Way Things Were.

My goal is to keep it simple with a few words and a photo,  giving the readers the choice of better...or just different.   With more reflection I'll probably realize that some of the "betters" are here and some of the "betters" are there.  In the end maybe they really are just "differences."