Italian/American Differences

Pretty much says it all in the title. Here we go.

1. Italians are much, much more laid back than Americans. I think it's that the concept of time is so different. I doubt anyone ever uses the phrase "time is money" here. From 1:00pm-4:00pm is siesta time- all the shops close because people go home to have lunch and nap. Walking on the street, eating, drinking, everything is done at a relaxed pace. Even the laundry takes its time- a cycle can last up to six hours and the clothes are hang-dried. When walking on the sidewalk, I have to remember this when it seems the people in front of me are moving at a snail's pace. It's a different speed of life- the atmosphere is contagious since no one seems stressed out. I suspect this is one of the main reasons the Italians live so long, not just the Mediterranean diet and all the walking.

2. Italians dress more modestly and formally than Americans. I'm not saying they walk around in fancy clothes, but I have only seen one person wearing sweatpants, and no one wears t-shirts (unless they're walking around in a tour group). The one exception seems to be the beach. Every beach is a topless beach, some are nude, and speedos and thongs are all over the place.

3. Everyone smokes.

4. Italians are much more personable at shops and restaurants. I remember the first night, at the API welcome dinner, when not many people ate the dessert (we had already had an appetizer and 2 courses!), the chefs came out to talk to one of our program advisors about why no one finished the dessert, and if they should make another one (we were a group of 75 people). In Italy, when the waiters come out and ask how your food is, they really want to know! If you don't finish your meal, be prepared to be asked why not, and for weird looks (even a refusal) if you ask for a to-go box.

5. A bar in Italy is completely different from a bar in America. An Italian bar is pretty much a little restaurant, sometimes outside, where people will order some wine or something and hang out. Italians do not drink to get drunk, they drink slowly and in moderation (see #1). If you see a loud, drunk person, that's probably an American study abroad student...

6. Traffic lights are more like...guidelines. Crossing the street with a "Walk" light certainly does not mean that someone isn't going to keep on driving down that road. On the flip side, pedestrians cross whenever they feel like making their way through a couple lanes of moving traffic. So, not sure what those silly lights are for.

7. The American first floor is the Italian ground floor, and the American second floor is the Italian first floor, etc.

8. Paying at restaurants (I use this term generally to mean any place that serves food, haha) can be confusing... First, there is sometimes a sitting fee, usually around 2€. This is instead of tip. Then, the bread they bring out to you may or may not be free. It depends on where you are. In Rome, the bread could be free, or else you might get hit with a 9€ charge on your bill at the end of your meal to split among everyone. When my roommates and I were in Sorrento, no one touched the bread- it looked and smelled delicious, some kind of focaccia, and we all stared at it longingly. When the waiter came by, he looked at us with a really confused look and asked why we didn't eat the bread. Turns out it was free- he laughed, and we demolished the bread. Also, water is never free. You have to specify mineral water senza gassata (without gas) or else you'll probably get the natural bubbly kind, and always without ice! (Ps. places don't open for dinner until around 7, and even then you'll be the only one in the restaurant!)

9. At an Italian supermarket, the customers are supposed to bag, weigh, and price-sticker their own fruits and veggies- but don't think about touching the food without a plastic glove!

10. You've never seen PDA until you've been to Italy.

Well, that's all I can think of for now! I feel like I've gotten used to to many of these differences already, and some of them were hard to think of because they already don't seem that odd. I pretty much love the Italian culture. I'll update later about my weekend, and I'll post more Italian/American differences as I think of them! :) Ciao ciao!