It’s a bit confusing the first time you hear it — the way Italians pronounce “Cheyenne,” that is — but after a few times, you might find it charming, spicy even. That’s because, ’round these parts halfway around the world from Wyoming, Cheyenne sounds more like cayenne, thanks to the silent “h” in the Italian language.

Pronunciation differences aside, spending a day in Voghera, Italy — one of Cheyenne’s five international sister cities — may feel surprisingly similar. Hay bales dot the fields on the outskirts of town. Neighbors greet each other while having coffee. The center of town has many empty storefronts, and young people who grow up there often leave for greener pastures elsewhere.