After a month of working at the winery, I've had some of the best days and have laughed so much, but I've also had some hard days. Living and working in another country has definitely been an adjustment, but it's been one I'll never forget.
A brief update on my visa process. After finally bringing my Italian coworker to the post office with me, I was able to submit my permesso di soggiorno application and received my appointment for September 11. It feels so far away, but at least it's progress!
I've been working some days in the vineyard maintaining the vines, which mainly involves cutting off shoots that aren't needed so the vine can focus its energy on producing higher-quality grapes, along with trimming the vegetation underneath. We start at 5:30 a.m. and work until 12:30 p.m. because by then the sun is so intense that it's nearly impossible to work. This heat wave has almost killed me, and waking up at 4:40 a.m. has definitely been a transition. The afternoons off to relax, cook, and recover have been much appreciated.
One thing I definitely wasn't expecting was how bad my allergies would be. Some days I'm constantly sneezing while working in the vineyard, and I've become so familiar with hearing "Salute!" every few minutes that I think it's one of the first Italian words I've truly mastered.
On other days I work in the tasting room helping prepare food and wine tastings, serving guests, and cleaning. My favourite part is doing the bar tastings and introducing visitors to the wines. Surprisingly, most of the tourists I've served have been from North America, so it's been fun hearing familiar accents while sharing wines from Tuscany.
With the temperatures we've been having, I also can't bring myself to drink red wine when I go into town. Instead, my go-to has been a crisp Vermentino, which has become my summer favourite. I never thought I'd say that while living in Tuscany, but sometimes it's just too hot for a glass of red.
This first month has taught me that winery life is so much more physical than I expected. Between the vineyard work, the tasting room, the early mornings, the heat, and trying to navigate life in Italy, every day has been different. Some days are harder than others, but I feel like I'm slowly finding my rhythm.
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