We have learned a bit about the Italian lifestyle and narrowed it down to three main rules that Italians seem to follow religiously.

Coffee
Coffee is an important part of Italian culture. It is usually consumed at the end of every meal. There are specific types that are drunk at particular times of the day. For example, cappuccinos are only for breakfast and not after a meal because the milk content is too heavy whereas espressos are the Italians’ coffee of choice and can be consumed during any time of the day. Italians visit a bar to get coffee to consume at the counter rather than drinking it at a table and they never ask for take-away!

Waste Separation
Although back in America some attempt to separate trash from recyclables, the Italians have a very orderly system to make sure that their trash is disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. Located on the streets are large trash receptacles. There are four bins each labeled so to categorize waste, they are “Residual waste,” “Multi-Material,” “Organic,” and, “Paper, cardboards, etc.” Our apartment came with multiple trash barrels for this purpose of waste separation so that as American students we could become more conscious, as the Europeans are, of proper waste disposal and recycling.

Energy Conservation
Unlike Americans, who are not conscious of the amount of power and energy utilized on a daily basis, the Italians are more conservative in their consumption. You will find that in their homes it is very uncommon to have a drying machine or a large washer. For this reason, smaller loads of laundry are done and clothes are dried on a hanging rack. Upon moving into our apartment, we were instructed to be more considerate about the amount of power utilized. We learnt to be energy-conscious and, for instance, take short showers and turn off the lights when leaving a room.

Victoria Dixon (UConn), Keyana Pietraszek (RWU), Helen “Rosie” Pontius (RWU)