The first night we got to our new home we were greeted by the friendly owner. We found a small studio apartment to rent for 2 months on Airbnb. The owner met us at the place and walked us through how to use the stove, washer, etc. etc. She was very nice and told us she did a high school exchange program in Wisconsin!!! Of course she then made jokes about how cold it was, and how she had tons of beer and cheese while there. She said she still keeps in touch with the American family that she lived with which I thought was sweet.
After our introduction our Airbnb owner left us and we decided to go to the grocery store. I remembered that in Italy, you need to wear the plastic gloves they offer at the grocery store before you touch the produce. In the US we touch with bare hands, but in Italy you put on plastic before touching.
To my misfortune, I had forgotten that in Italy you have to weigh the produce on a scale, then find it from a produce list on the scale screen, then print off the sticker and put it on the produce.
To our cashier’s dismay we forgot to weigh the produce and put on the stickers. So he begrudgingly muttered in Italian to us for our ignorance. All we could say was “Mi Dispiace!” He muttered something in Italian took the produce from our hands and sticker-ed it himself!
Since that first encounter we now know how to properly produce shop. This same cashier has seen are progression and offers a sly smile and a hello when we now approach his checkout line.
After we got schooled in groceries, we decided to get pizza for dinner. We walked to the local pizza place. I saw “pezzo” listed (meaning a piece of pizza) and “teglia.” I had no idea what teglia meant. Paul and I wanted to order an entire pizza to share. So I did not order a piece but went to the next size up – “teglia.”
Teglia in Italian means BAKING SHEET. We walked out of the pizza place with the biggest pizza I have ever ordered in my life.
Needless to say our first night in Firenze we were already learning how to live, eat, and grocery shop in Italy.
Savvy Roving 