Grocery Shopping and Laundry in Florence

As a 21 year old who has been living on my own for the past few years, I would like to think that I have been mildly successful at “adulting.” However, since arriving in Florence, I have realized I have a lot to learn when it comes to accomplishing day-to-day tasks.

After getting settled into our new apartment, our first adventure was a trip to the supermarket. Being someone who would include grocery shopping on my list of hobbies, I felt like a kid in a candy store upon entering the Italian version of my favorite space. The shelves were full of cheap and delicious-looking delicacies. I was impressed to discover that upon grazing the aisles there was a miniscule amount of preservatives and processed foods. The food quality was high and the price was low, a welcomed culture shock. In Italy, it is common to frequent the markets as a place to shop and for the social experience. The lack of preservatives means that Italians have to purchase it in smaller amounts and more often to ensure that what they are eating is fresh and nutritious. Now it makes sense why all of the meals we have had in the past week left us feeling light and refreshed!

While I was excited by the beautiful produce surrounding me on our excursion, I quickly remembered that grocery bags come at a price. In order to decrease waste, shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags and are charged a fee for plastic sacks. Having forgotten to bring bags to store my groceries, and not wanting to pay one euro for a plastic sack, I happily stuffed my purse with two loaves of French bread, stuck my bottle of juice under my arm, and trekked on.

We also visited the Mercato Centrale, which is an indoor market offering local Tuscan favorites to bring home, and/or enjoy while there. See below a photo of the second floor of the Market (a space similar to a food court, where people can enjoy pizzas, meats, cheeses, pastas, and more).

The second unexpected learning experience of the day came in the form of laundry. This might not seem like a daunting task, but don’t be fooled (as I write this, my roommate is trying to negotiate a hostage situation between the washer door and her freshly laundered clothes). Our washing machine is located on the back patio and washes in much smaller loads than what we are accustomed to at home. The beauty of this is that we are required to go outside more often, which will hopefully lead to meaningful interactions with our neighbors who lounge outdoors.

A common occurrence in Italy is to save energy by not owning an electric dryer. Instead, we have a drying rack and clothespins located in our backyard. This is a small way of ensuring that no electricity is being wasted on something that can easily be done without. After some trial and error (and a quick google search), I think that doing laundry the Italian way will be a breeze.

These new experiences have not only been a fun and easy way to acclimate to Italian culture, but have shown me just how much I have to learn about my new surroundings. These small examples show ways that Italians are conscious about not only their health, but the health of the environment. I am excited to see how the rest of my six weeks help me grow!

This post was written by Hannah Calvert, a senior majoring in Political Science and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. She aspires to be the Mayor of Muncie, Indiana and have a career in public policy.