In this video I’m basically doing a reverse culture shock chat after moving back to Scottsdale, Arizona, after a few years living in Bologna, Italy. I share the biggest day-to-day differences I noticed right away—like how much more space there is in the U.S. (bigger grocery stores, bigger showers, bigger parking lots… and yes, the lifted pickup trucks that I still think are insane and unnecessary). I also talk about how Americans are way warmer and chattier than I remembered, and how different “personal space” feels compared to Italy. I get into lifestyle stuff too: the overwhelming amount of choice in the U.S. (and the weird pressure to buy more, like the whole water bottle trend situation), plus food routines—Italian breakfast culture vs my need for a real breakfast, missing Italian coffee, and why my body just couldn’t do pasta for lunch every day. I also talk about driving (I missed it so much), thrift/discount shopping in the U.S., and fashion—how I love that in America you can wear whatever you want without getting stared at. Lastly, I share some more personal observations about identity and confidence in a second language, and body image differences—especially how direct Italians can be about weight and how much more empowered I feel in the U.S. with an athletic build. As always, these are just my experiences living in Bologna and then coming back home—not “facts,” just what I noticed.