佛罗伦萨“早起的鸟儿”的早晨

在家里，我一直认为自己是一个“早起的人”." I feel the most energized in the mornings and I'm usually struggling to stay awake by 10pm. 不用说, I was a little intimidated when I learned how different Italian culture was, 特别是他们的生活有多晚. In 意大利, 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. 然而, I've found that when I'm surrounded by a culture that operates a certain way, 即使它和我习惯的不一样, 我慢慢跟上他们的步伐. 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. 这是其中一天的“生命中的早晨”!

This particular morning I wake up around 7am with the steady hum of our fan in the background (an 至关重要的 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. 除了周四, 我最早的课要到上午11:30才开始, 所以我经常把作业留到早上做. 反正那是我最专注的时候!

早上8点到8点半之间，我出去吃早餐. I would go earlier, but the cafe I have in mind doesn't open until 8am. 当我起得很早，真的很饿的时候, 我会事先在家里买些麦片, or there are other coffee shops that open at 7 or 7:30am. 然而, Caffi¨ Rainer is one of my favorites, so I don't mind waiting. 严格来说，这是一家奥地利咖啡馆, but it's close to my apartment and has a delicious assortment of unique croissants to choose from. 我总是点一份糕点和一杯卡布奇诺. 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, 还是很好吃! 准备好早餐, 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. 这样开始新的一天真是太好了, 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, 但我会尽量长话短说. 首先, it's very common to drink your coffee just standing at the bar instead of sitting down, 整个过程只需要几分钟. If you sit at a table, the prices are usually more expensive. 我在很多地方也发现了这一点, 吃完或喝完才付钱, 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, 我不小心付了两次! 最后, 尽管它们很好吃, 上午11点之后一般不会点卡布奇诺, 所以一定要早点买一个!

After finishing my breakfast, I pay up at the counter, and with a pleasant "buona giornata!咖啡师说, I quickly stop back at my apartment to drop off my school supplies and grab a grocery bag. 早上9点半左右, I'm back out the door and on my way to my second stop of the morning: Mercato Centrale.

这个市场是一个完整的感官体验. Stands of colorful fresh produce are scattered around the market's ground floor between vendors selling cheese, 肉, 海鲜, 甚至还有一个摊位专门出售各种蘑菇. 这是一个购物的好地方, 通常比杂货店里的便宜, 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, 当然，我得先自己尝尝. 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. 等我回来的时候, 现在大约是上午10:30, 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. 很多天我只是呆在公寓里, 有时我在叠晾着的衣服, 有时候写这些博客, and sometimes just lying in bed until I'm ready to get up (staying up late still takes it out of me!然而), 如果你和我一样是个早起的人, don't worry too much about how you're going to spend your waking hours. 你肯定能在早上找到一些事情做, and you might find yourself adapting to the later schedule quicker than you'd think.