April 15

Upon arriving in Florence, I was shocked--almost offended--at how Italians seemed to shove their way through the streets. Am I so touristy, so American-looking, so un-Italian I don't even warrant a "Scusa?" Now, I understand why the Italians are pushy. They are simply sick and tired of making their way through the masses when they have somewhere to be. Today, I was running late for my literature class (totally my fault, I was sucked into reading blogs and lost track of time), so I needed to high-tail my way to class. My usual 15 minute walk seemed to double, as I had to bop and weave through groups of slow-moving yet overzealous tour groups taking photos of the Duomo. I even brushed shoulders with a few people and found myself wanting to yell "Move people, move!" Does this make me rude? Or just embracing of the Italian culture? What has Florence turned me into?!