Some cities are museums; Rome is a sitcom with ancient set design. I spent a summer there working from tiny cafés, weaving through Vespas like a video game, and trying (failing) to blend in when ordering coffee.
I left sunburned, sorbetto-fueled, and with a running list of Italian quirks that still make me laugh—in the affectionate, “of course it’s like this” way. Here are the 9 that pop into my head whenever I hear a scooter horn or smell tomatoes blistering in olive oil.