Fun Things I Noticed

• When you flush the toilet, the water doesn't swirl; it just goes straight down. As a result, the toilets use more water and are generally less clean after one flush.
• There are some large doors that have smaller doors cut out. So to get out of the building, you just have to open the smaller door. Not sure if this is meant to save energy (building or personal) or if it's less strain on the hinges.
• There are little divots in the asphalt sidewalk, where it got too hot and motorcycle kick stands melted the sidewalk and created an impression.
• Round-a-bouts are pretty big here
• There are espresso vending machines (that can also give you cappuccino and all sorts of other coffee drinks), just like candy or potato chip vending machines in the US.
• A "macchiato" is espresso with a little bit of milk, not some of the crazy drinks at Starbuck's
• Italians don't really eat bread with olive oil or mozzarella with balsamic glaze, as we Americans think they do.
• Lots of "pizza+kebab" places
• Processing foods - they're not so good with removing all the bones from frozen fish fillets, also there was a feather on one of my eggs
• Instead of simply chomping on an apple or peach, Italians cut the fruit fresh. So at lunch, they take out a knife and peel and cut, all without a cutting board. Same with tomatoes, they don't really cut it beforehand. It probably tastes better since it's fresher. Sometimes, people whip out a pepper grinder too. Seems like they value freshness over convenience?
• Popular fruits that are also grown in Italy (during my time here): cherries, apricots, kiwi
• When gossiping or recounting what someone said, the people in my lab like imitating the voice of that person, instead of simply report "he/she said..." So both the pitch and their peculiarities - fun to listen to!
• The stop line for cars is labeled "stop" in English, even though all other traffic signs are in Italian. Maybe since Milan is such an international city? Or is it easier to print than "arresta"? Has English become so ubiquitous here? I actually saw this in Geneva too (see photo below)