Posted by matthewd on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

Up until last Sunday, my first two weeks in Sicily have been essentially stress-free. However, this all changed upon our rest stop on the way to Mount Etna. My naïve-self decided that I ought to take advantage of the rest stop, grab a coffee, a snack, and maybe use the restroom. Little did I understand the horde of people that I would need to battle in order to receive these simple amenities.

There were likely over 100 people in a small, cramped gas station. What is different about Sicilian gas stations is that they serve coffee and pastries, as opposed to simple American gas stations that are stocked with junk food and soda. I have even seen gelato in a few gas stations in Sicily. However, for some reason this Sunday every Sicilian, and every Sicilian tourist, decided to take a rest stop at this specific, yet random gas station.

I felt like some breakfast food, so I tried to order a pastry and a coffee. In order to do so, you have to pay first. While this seems like a simple task, it was made difficult by the various elbows in the gut as well as the fact that my Italian proficiency is that of an infant. Once I half-successfully ordered a pastry and a coffee, it was time to bring it to one of the two employees working as a barista and server. I don’t think I ever paid for the pastry, but I still got one because the staff was so stressed that they didn’t even look at my receipt. Afterwards, I waited for about 20 minutes for a cappuccino, but never received one and settled for an espresso instead. After this, it had been about 40 minutes since I got off the bus, so I decided to skip using the restroom that I probably would have either had to pay for, or show my receipt to use. Unlike in the US, using a restroom in Sicily comes at a cost.

What I learned from this experience is that even though for the most part Sicilian culture is slower and more laid back than in the US, when it is something they hold dear, like espressos and pastries, they are willing to be pushy and aggressive. Just like how Americans are for most things. Despite cultural boundaries, there are certain links that bring out inner human nature that can be seen across every culture.

All in all, I was successful in getting a pastry and coffee, and all the stress was 100% worth it because of how enjoyable our hike up Mount Etna was. The black soot and lava rocks were breathtaking, as were the views from 3,000 meters up. My favorite part was standing on top of one of the craters, where wind speed reached upwards of 70 km/hr. My hat went flying off and keeping myself grounded was a challenge in itself. The weather changed about 5 times, and my clothes got soaked, but it was all very much worth it.

In conclusion, despite cultural norms, there is certain human nature that is rooted inside each and every one of us. This human nature came out at the gas station, but even so, my experience at Mount Etna was one of my favorites so far, so I didn’t mind drinking an espresso instead of a cappuccino.

Busy gas station

Group walking on black soot

Panorama view

Me on top of the crater (70km/hr wind)