To say that any day in Italy is a typical day is, I realize, a complete and utter paradox.  (Sort of like saying that you ate a plate full of jumbo shrimp.)   But the truth of it is, when you stay in a certain place for an extended period of time like I am in Sorrento, certain daily activities become ‘typical’—not typical as in boring, but just typical as in ‘everyday.’

During these first several weeks I schedule my days around a two-hour language class in the morning, followed by a cooking class and dinner beginning mid-afternoon.  That leaves me time in between for my ‘typical Sorrentine day.’  I usually grab my walking shoes, my sunscreen, and my hat after my language class and take a long one-or-two hour walk around Piano di Sorrento, or even into Sorrento proper.  What a joy to be able to explore the different neighborhoods, hidden gardens, and browse in shop windows on la Corsa d’Italia when the weather permits.  This is also the time when I might stop in il supermarcato for some groceries, drop by the post office to mail a letter, or sit on a park bench and observe the typical weekday of the Sorrento residents.  Returning back to my Hotel, I usually have time at this point to update my blog, study my Italian, or dive into the latest Italian magazine I have purchased from the nearby newsstand.

An extended stay in any region of the world is a true gift; it is the best way to immerse yourself in the local language and familiarize yourself with the day-to-day routines of that specific culture.  You immediately break free from the comfort zone of your own daily routine at home, and for a split second, find yourself lucky enough to be a part of a ‘un giorno typico’ wherever it is that your travels have landed you.

Tagged: externship, Italy, Sorrento