Europe, close but different
I arrived in Sicily after only a few hours of travel, no visas, no border controls.
It is still Europe, but it is different. Similar enough to not feel threatening, but different enough to quench my thirst for novelty.
Yesterday morning, when I pushed the door of the local bar for my morning café, the sound level reminded me immediately where I was. I know that I will need a few days to adjust my introversion to my new environment.
And the food! I always forget how fantastic it is here. Simple, yet consistently tasty. Once I have made peace with the limited choice of breads, everything else feels heavenly.
If this is not enough of a cultural shift, no need to look very far. Last night we drove to a remote Sicilian village to enjoy the traditional living Presepe. I found myself surrounded by Sicilians who have lived here for generations. They all know each other, they speak mostly Sicilian. Without the support of my Sicilian partner, I would not even have been able to order one of these delicious Ricotta Calda. Imagine if I had to move and live here.
In two weeks, I will be in Switzerland. Again, another language, another culture, other traditions. At first sight not as unsettling as a night in a Sicilian village, until you find yourself alone in a Swiss-German speaking mountain village.
A few hours away. Different, yet familiar.