Culture Shocks as an American Living in Italy | Italian Culture Shocks
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- Опубликовано: 20 ноя 2024
- After living in Italy for over 2 years, here are some of the culture shocks I've experienced as an American living in Italy. By now, I'm accustomed to a lot of them, but there still are some that shock me. I love living in Italy, and it's important to remember that every place is different, it doesn't mean these things are good or bad, just interesting to note the differences.
Please remember that these are based on my own experiences. Things may be different in various parts of Italy, and I’m not generalizing and saying that all of Italy is this way. I love living here, I’m not criticizing the customs of Italy. This video just shares interesting differences I’ve noticed. So ridiculous unoriginal comments telling me to go back to where I came from are unnecessary, thanks!
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I pray that Italy and Europe don’t get more influence by the United States 🙏🏻 please Italy don’t change your beautiful human culture
I am Italian and I pray for that too .
We won't, don't you worry
😊Oh yes PLEASE dont,but thats the great thing about about Italy we don’t all want to be the same…..in Italy you just have to to go with the flow…don’t be different do as the Romans do and you will be fine.
@@theeditor8376 Unfortunately are many US influences on Italian or Western European culture already, mainly because of the English speaking hegemony. Yes, technically, English is a "global language" but whenever you go to RUclips, Reddit, Twitter or Discord when you learned English to communicate with the outside world, you'll get much more influence from specifically Anglophone countries (USA, UK, sometimes Australia or Ireland) than other ones, like India, Nigeria, Italy, Spain, France, etc. Because of that, everyone already takes US words and concepts for granted. Team building. Management. Shopping. Gaslighting. And that's not even mentioning the controversial political terms and concepts like "woke". I live in France but I would've preferred being influenced by Italy than by America, Italy is my neighbor (and for some French ethnicities like Corsicans literally brothers) while America is a foreign country I've never been to but bc of Hollywood, pop music and Reddit I know more about them than Italy. I would've prefered knowing about Italian culture, like Cipollino for example or Sarà perque ti amo etc than only English stuff. (BTW, yes, these are old, that's why I know about them, however they're still good, plus some new Italian music is influenced by American styles like pop, so that's why the old shouldn't be discarded, it was much more unique and less influenced by modern Anglo culture). I would've loved Italian culture to develop organically out of their own uniquely Italian styles, meanwhile it seems that sometimes they straight up copy USA states and genres because they feel it's the only way to be cool and "modern" (Music - Pop, Rock, Rap ; Danses - Hip Hop, Modern Jazz ; Movies - "Road trips", "Sitcoms"). It isn't really progress or modernisation, it's an unequal one sided borrowing from one culture to another, replacing the traditional styles that existed prior to that. Never the other way around.
1980 : the whole world listened to Italian songs, read Italian books and watched Italian movies (Adriano Celentano anyone?)
2020 : people IN ITALY sometimes create music in English
Yeah don't be afraid bro American culture definitely doesn't influence Italy 😒
What the US call “having a meal” would qualify as “filling up” in any country that has a decent food culture.
A/C is not a common thing to have in the whole of Europe not only in Italy, and we Europenas (I am German) are not used to the constant blow of cold air especially when directed to the face. I for example am getting always sick with a cold when cold air blows into my face and makes my nose and forehead getting cold. It happened to me in the US where in the hotels they have the A/C installed high on the wall opposite of the bed so it blows directly in ones face while sleeping. Made me sick more than once. But it happens also on long train rides in Germany when the A/C is on full blast in the compartments that I catch a cold. That is why I always carry a scarf with me even in summer to cover my neck and face from the A/C blasts, esp. when I am in the US and on train rides. Guess our bodies are just not used to constant artifiacial cold blasts and artificially cooled down rooms.
This is part of living more genuinly adapted to the environment, our bodies need to recognize and adapt to the 4 seasons...in the US as other nations with AC... it's unrecognizable to the body...freeze in high summer inside, hot outside....extremely hot inside in winter and freezing outside..... this kills the immunity...
Yeah I agree, I don't think it's good to have the AC super cold either, in the US they definitely overdo it. But I also think it's nice to have a little bit of cooler hair so you aren't sweating and miserable in your home. A balance would be good! Now I have AC here and I don't use it all the time, but when I do use it, it's not super cold. It's at least nice to have the option.
Sry but I am German too and I lived in Arizona and now in Spain. Many US and Spanish apartments do have A/C and I can remember that my Italian friends SUFFERED a lot last summer when it was 45 degrees in Italy and above. We need A/C in many parts of the US and Europe because it gets so hot and without it my dogs couldn't even stay in the apartment without being killed by the heat. All of our bodies are different and just because the general German is not used to A/C and it is not common in parts of Italy, doesnt mean that we dont need it and doesnt mean that other people are getting sick of it or dont like it. Every person is different. I only move into apartments in Spain where I have an A/C. If you would live in a region where it gets very hot, you would suffer too from the heat, especially when it is 40 degrees hot in your apartment. Have you ever been to the desert? Above 40 degrees comes close to it. People cant live more than a week like that in an apartment. Have some compassion for the people who are living in Europe and suffer from heat waves. We need A/C.
The top floor of my house is an attic, with exposed beams. So I need air conditioning in summer. This doesn't mean that, even if I put the "night" function on (a breath of wind comes out), I still can't get sick.
Heat and air conditioning are both torture.
If I take a plane or a train, I wear a pashmina too.
@@mariaagosti-pm7tk I am Italian, 45 degrees are rarely reached and even more rarely exceeded in Italy.
The highest temperature is around 40 degrees and lasts no more than 1 or 2 weeks.
I assure you that you can live in an apartment without air conditioning, the heat is certainly annoying but the fans help.
Personally a/c bothers me and gives me a sore throat, earache, cold, etc. So much so that I don't even turn it on in the car, I prefer the windows down.
What you call and feel as staring for us is just looking at people. We are doing it among ourselves, not only with tourists. There is absolutly no bad intention. We look , at animals, at buildings, at trees, at landscapes, at monuments. We do not make exceptions for people of any kind , gender or age. It is quite common to have friendly conversations with perfect strangers btw. The concept of privacy is quite different. In Italy it is common for instance that a random lady starts caressing and complimenting your child, giving him/her some candies whitout asking for your permission. It is also common for men to "argue" about politics or football with people they will never meet again. I know it looks odd since I am living abroad since 35 years and I had to adapt. But when I am in Rome, I behave like Roman.
The staring is a common thing in Europe. The Swiss are the worst at doing that followed by the Germans. By a North American standard its considered very rude lol Italians are better at it because they are genuinely just interested in the person. I remember when I lived in the U.S and felt so comfortable because people respected your space. Sitting on the train and no one staring at you is a blessing.
it is the same in Greece, just looking at the environment and whatever it includes
If what is written in the dictionary is correct, stare is "to look for a long time with the eyes wide open, especially when surprised, frightened, or thinking".
If someone just turn back and look at you for a short time it does not match this definition
@@AnyFile exactly. It is a matter of different perception. If somebody just look at me I do not consider it staring.
Touching your child and giving them junk food? No, I would stop that immediately, and I'm Italian
As an Italian, reading comments of other Italians who say people stare out of curiosity or denying they do ... I think its invisible for us cause we are so used to it. It took me living abroad to notice how people do not care at all about what people look like outside of Italy. Its like you becomw invisible. Here in Italy, we love people watching but we also love judging other people's clothes and appearances, which is embarrassing for me but also probably the reason people say we are so elegant, I guess. No one would go out in pjs here. No chance.
Wait a few years and Italins will go out in pj's piumino and sunglasses 😂😂😂😂
Abroad, whether we press or not, it's like eating a splendid pizza, with a badly leavened dough, (Vinavil glue) badly cooked and stuffed with half a kg of pineapple
no no, I was born in Italy and lived there 30 years long, I HATED every second of being stared my all life! luckily I moved, what a cringe
I know a couple of Australian women that went to Italy and Italian women were staring at them. Their British hosts in Italy told them it was because their clothing was out of season and they were wearing open toed shoes too early in the year.
It also depends from where you live: having been in Milan for almost 9 years, I can tell I felt completely invisible on the street, as everyone was to occupied staring at the point of their shoes while walking around.
Don't judge because some people stares: I have been in Japan a lot and while normal people have their noses glued on the glass of their phones all day, others, mainly old people, stare at you a alot. ...and judge...
We have (or had?) A kind of common sense of public dressing, where you don't want to flash out of the crowd, even when dressed very elegantly. Being a sore view, is considered disrespectfull of others, even if, nowadays, the young generation seems to take pride into offending everything sensible about dress code.
I think Zoolander was prophetic l, when they created the "Derelict" season fashion.
Don’t know if it’s still true but my biggest culture shock in Italy was the fact that a group of Italian friends and I had a 4 course meal with 3 or 4 bottles of really good wine in a restaurant in Puglia and the bill came out to like $25/ person. Where I’m from wit would’ve easily been over $100/person.
When I went to northern Italy as a late teen, as an American I was shocked that I was constantly under-dressed. Italians always looked amazing even in casual attire. I looked like a street urchin.
Yes! We had a 4.5 pound porterhouse that we got to pick out from the glass and they weighed right in front of us and threw it in the wood fire oven, 2 sides, appetizers, bottles of wine and dessert and water/ soda and the bill was €125. I could not believe it. AND this was in Florence (which makes me think there’s places even cheaper that this for the same meal outside the city which blows my mind ) In the US the same meal would be 125 a person AT LEAST.. probably more
You have to consider the difference in pay. An average monthly income is around €900-1,300.
Florence is so many things but not cheap.
But good food come with a price, good wine here can be relative cheap, because we have soo many grapes field.
But in italy almost every where you can find good wines🎉
@@Missinformed213
When I was in Italy I was surprised that the condo I stayed in had no screens. When asked about that the answer was that screens block the air. I had never thought about that .. I checked and sure enough screens block over 40 % of air flow. When I returned home I removed screens, from windows in my bedroom. ( we don't have many bugs in my area). Now I sleep comfortably without screens without a/c. We have sea breezes later in day.
Would you please kindly explain: what kind of screens are you talking about? Screen made to screen out what? Mosquitos / or the sunlight?
@@albertozaccagnini3031 Sono le zanzariere
I'm italian and I have lived in Italy since my birth, I absolutely have to install mosquito nets
Never Say NEVER 😎 Justin Bieber
Regarding the food in Italy: I was in Italy for about 6 months over a few years and I noticed my diabetes was easier to control because the food had fewer carbs. I was doing about 1/3 less of one insulin and about 40% less of the other. This, in spite of indulging myself in pizza feeding-frenzies multiple nights a week.
The pizza is very thin and the pasta is al dente. That's all you need to know.
Well done!
We don't say that Italian food is healthier because we want to sponsor ourselves.
We say because we know it is healthier.
And it's better for all the world, pride aside, to help Italians keep the original ingredients, recipes and diets alive.
Because if you realize too late, and than it's gone, it's gone.
Mediterranean sea had been called the crib of civilization for a good amount of reasons, including the climate, the food and the diet.
Not only Italians but generally all people living around the Mediterranean sea share similar characteristics.
And again, it's not an advertisement for making money, it's just a lot of history and knowledge along with the right place for cultivation and many other things.
I'm pretty sure most of the Americans have the wrong idea about Italy, because it's based on movies, stories and some immigrated people.
As long as I too tend to be critic a lot about my country, it is probably one of the best in the world.
I preferred the old Italy to the new one, culturally speaking tho.
But if you are looking for a jewel I'm the middle of Mediterranean sea, that's Italy.
Sometimes we just have to remember people, our people, to keep it clean.
I am not surprised. They don't have influential corn farmers (think, alcohol in gasoline and corn syrup in almost every processed food).
@@michaels3003 In italy we have less processed food
@@risatedarte5366 , I am not sure about that (I was in Italy a month ago and I did some grocery shopping), but it is most important what people actually eat and drink every week. Italians must have better eating habits plus they do a lot of walking compared to Americans. The 18% obesity rate is less than half compared to the U.S.
A short note for those visiting Italy. When entering a bar or small store, do NOT say ciao as a greeting. A simple buongiorno will be more appreciated and correct. If you know the barista well, then ciao is acceptable. The "Stranger in a Strange Land" feeling takes more than a few years to dissipate!
Literally everyone says ciao bro what are you talking about
@@SaadetOZTRK
Forse è più comune tra i giovani, ma a mio modesto parere è maleducato, in un contesto in cui non si conoscono bene le persone, dire ciao invece di buongiorno o, a seconda dell'ora, buonasera. Ma questa è solo la mia opinione.
@@WN-ff4qbÈ così, infatti. Anche i ragazzi dicono buongiorno nei locali pubblici. Ciao si usa solo se si conosce la persona.
That depends where you are living though. For example in Bologna it's really common to say "ciao" to everyone, even to older people when in their shop, but in Sardinia the greeting to shop workers is more common to be "buongiorno" or "salve", maybe "ciao" if it's someone younger or around your age (this has been a "cultural shock" for me when living in Bologna 😂)
the important thing is to say hello, good morning or hello or hello it's the same, no one will be offended. at the end you thank and say goodbye again simple and polite
A/C, screens and dryers are not common on rented apartments. The reason is simple: the landlord can easily find renters even without these things. For him to add these would be a useless cost.
However many people in Italy use screens; I couldn't live without them! I suggest you to buy some removable ones, unless you think to stay only for a limited amount of time.
For dryers and A/C the reason is the huge cost of electricity. However their number in Italy is steadily growing because new models consume less energy.
I have both, but I try to use them in a moderate way. I use dryers only in the winter when it rains or it is foggy, so that it would be useless to hang out the laundry and I turn on A/C only when it is umbearably hot (around 40° C). We use A/C machines which can also heat and so I use it a little also in autumn, before turning on central heating. For the same reason (the cost) when we turn on A/C we don't set temperatures like 20°C, but temperatures more natural, around 25 o 26° C.
20° is the temperature that we keep in the winter (the heating is generally based on gas, and gas is extremely expensive too) and we stay at home with a jumper. It would be ridiculous to set 20° C in the summer and staying at home wearing a jumper while outside is hot as hell.
poza tym nadużywanie suszarek i klimatyzacji nie jest dobre dla środowiska
I would say ut's more that screen are not very popular in cities and city apartments because there are usually very little bugs there (which is convenient obviously but also means there isn't much green arond nad way too pollution).
In the countryside where there is plenty of bugs most houses have them.
In Greece also we are looking at whatever the surrounding envorinment includes, people, animals, buildings, cars . trees the sea etc, not staring!
The only time I have been to the US I remember going around with a sweater even though we were in Georgia and it was August because of the shock my thermic system had every time I was entering somewhere. The difference in temperature with the outside was so high I was feeling cold. At night going back to the hotel the first thing I did every night was turning off the A/C. I very comfortably slept every night without it. The second thing that blew my mind was the size of food portions and that the majority of restaurants were chains and not like here in Italy where they are mostly family owned businesses. I felt as the variety I am used to in Italy was not achievable there. Here with the exception of the fast food chains, every restaurant has an identity and there are differences so it's a pleasure choosing one instead of another. I hope I sounded polite in my expression, if not please excuse my poor language.
Same for the AC. I've been in LA and NYC and both times I was shocked by the amount of cold I found especially in subway trains or buses... what a wild rides they were!
Your language is fine! Even as an American, I can't stand the way they keep buildings so cold with AC. It makes the outside heat feel even worse. Actually you can still find some family restaurants with variety but you usually have to be in established neighborhoods & older areas, not in the glitzy tourist locations.
Purtroppo per noi italiani nelle grandi città e nei grandi centri commerciali è stata introdotta questa orribile regola del "sempre aperto" proprio dall'America. Noi potevamo vivere benissimo con gli orari spezzati, come avevamo fatto da sempre. Oltretutto i piccoli negozi sono a gestione familiare, è impensabile che una coppia possa lavorare per 12 ore di seguito senza fermarsi mai. Eravamo tutti meno stressati quando ovunque si chiudeva alle 12:30/13 per riaprire alle 15:30/16
Il sempre aperto perché si tratta di catene di negozi, non di family business (che queste catene hanno disintegrato per altro).
You are soo right about everything you said about us Italian…I have lived in England for 10 years and when I got back here I was sooo annoyed about queuing up in Italy…we gather like sheep 🤦🏻.
I think the perfect way is always in the middle, America is very efficient in everything, but the high competition everywhere is driving people mad…here in Italy we are too much laid back…we need to meet all of us in the middle and everything would be perfect. Thank you Shea for the nice video 🙋🏻♂️ ciao
Assolutamente no. Forse per un'attività di famiglia, gestita sotto casa come una volta, andava bene. Ma ora pensa: tu sei dipendente di un negozio, e ti fai 30 minuti di macchina per andare al lavoro. Che senso ha avere due ore di buco (o più) non pagate in mezzo alla pausa pranzo? Tornare a casa non conviene, tempo e soldi sprecati. Qualche commissione? Certo, ma non tutti i giorni. E a causa di questo buco del cavolo devi rimanere fino a chiusura alle sette e mezza. E intanto chi te lo prende il figlio a scuola? E chi te la paga una babysitter fino alle otto, che è praticamente un altro stipendio? La chiusura pomeridiana è tempo perso e vita sprecata per molte persone. Molto meglio il cambio, chi fa l'apertura e chi fa la chiusura, ad orario continuato. Non è un'abitudine importata dall'america, è la società che è cambiata.
I piccoli negozi sono destinati a chiudere, mi spiace. Quasi nessuno può permettersi di pagare prezzi esagerati per qualsiasi cosa (come avveniva negli anni ‘60 e ‘70, prima dell’apertura dei supermercati). La classe operaia e impiegatizia veniva strozzata dai piccoli negozi con prezzi assurdi, benvenuta GDO.
@@giacomogranzottoQueing up for what? I don’t understand.
I'm a Brit living in northern Italy for many many years. Never experienced "staring"..... However, I'm really happy about the system of taking a number in most shops now as there is no danger of anyone "skipping the queue". I really have to say that really annoyed me. I remember being in a bank many years ago and the client who should have been behind me was actually standing right next to me....!!!! I did put him in his place as I found it very disrespectful. Even banks/pharmacies have had to put lines on the floor to separate one customer from the next...😮
Yes, queuing in the UK is a great institution. As a Brit living in Germany married to an Italian, I detest the elbow society in both Italy and Germany - yes, the ticket machines at the deli counters in italian supermarkets are a god send!
European English would definitely seem to be far more polite than Ametican-style; the use of the conjunctive being more widely spread. How often do I want to scream: "no, I b**** well won't" at the indispensable American institution called Amazon when reading in their service email: "will you rate our product 'xy'" - whereas a 'would' might well get a very different reaction, not only from me.
I'm Italian living in Northern Italy and the people that try to skip the queue annoy me too... a lot. I never let them pass, no way.
Bologna is not your typical Italian city, it is relatively small (for a big city, if you get my drift) and very much a University town, so everyday life is not what you can expect to find throughout the country.
Some counterpoints:
- While some shops do indeed still close for a lunch break, those that want to stay in business definitely open before 5.00 pm.
- Restaurants are a different thing, we have fixed times for meals and we stick to them.
- We do not have aperitivo between 5.00 or 6.00, those are working hours. 7.00 is a more typical time.
- Re tone of voice, Italian can sound harsh and probably comes off as people arguing. Fun fact, the same goes for Italians listening to Arabic.
- Italy invented "Slow Food", so there is that, but generally we consider food as something to be enjoyed, not nutrition.
- Most people actually have A/C in their own homes (at least in cities) and mosquito nets (where there are infestations), but if you're renting, that's another matter as landlords don't really need to care about you: it's a seller's market. Almost all stores and restaurants have A/C, but we keep temperatures at around 25°.
- We Italians are the most hypocondriac people in the world, but to be fair we do have very high life expectancies.
- Vacations: we have them. But we are learning to stagger them and you do find at least some people in August. You should have seen what it was like between the 1960s and 1990s :-)
Do Italians Favor Direct Communication as in Dutch Directness or They prefer Beating Around The Bush just like British people ❓
@KamBar2020 mmm, in my opinion, neither.
Stereotypical Dutch flat frankness and directness would be considered very arrogant and confrontational.
But we're genetically incapable of the stereotypical British politeness, diplomacy, and tact.
Stereotypical Italians are vocal, extrovert, love to express their feelings, what they like and don't like, escalate the conversation into banter, debate and clash for the fun of it, and take it easy afterwards.
The British way to avoid friction and awkwardness in conversation would feel suspect - insincere, condescending, even snobbish.
Italians think that they really want to know what you really think.
But if you dish it out like a Dutch, direct, dry, and unadorned, they'll most likely take offense with it.
You've got to read the room and find a clever way to do it, with the right amount of flair and empathy.
I guess you could see it as the best AND the worst of both worlds, depending on the circumstances.
Usiamo poco l'aria condizionata, mangiamo pasta a pranzo ma difficilmente a cena, abbiamo più ferie all'anno, i nostri alimenti non sono geneticamente modificati, viviamo in media cinque anni in più che negli USA!
Usiamo poco i condizionatori perché non ci piace trasformare le nostre case in frigo, per non aggravare i costi energetici e quelli climatici. È assurdo che in USA ( lo dico perché ci sono stata) d'inverno si stia in casa o in ufficio in t-shirt e che in estate si viva in un frigo : questo è spreco energetico, è consumismo! Come lo spreco di cibo, lo spostarsi sempre in macchina invece di usare treni, autobus, bici. Come i megamarket fuori città e le città senza negozi alimentari e il tremendo fast-food ordinato guidando. I cibi OGM, i cibi superprocessati.....Noi avremo difetti ma.....
@@Lulibag In a restaurant in Ohio, in a hot day during summer, there was an empty room with A/C running at arctic temperatures and a fireplace. An actual, burning, gas fireplace. For a room with zero people in it.
Crazy.
@@toffonardi7037
Non capisco che vuoi dire.
Se ti spieghi, mi spiego.
@@Lulibag purtroppo ci metteranno un po' a capire...
Beh ogni paese ha le sue abitudini non per questo deve essere considerato peggiore di un altro, se agli americani piace il fast food e il football mica dobbiamo obbligarli a seguire il calcio e mangiare la pasta..
Colpo d’aria is a real thing! Cold blast of air against a muscle can cause it to seize. Been there. Looking forward to relocating to Italy!
colpo d'aria is an italian invention, it does not exists, so it has no translation in other languages. Cool air doesn't harm anyone.
@@solaccursio if you cool down a muscule too much and too quickly it goes into spasm
questo fatto che non la ragazza non abbia mai provato fastidio con l'aria condizionata di notte mi lascia basito... incredibile. Boh, sarà questione di abitudine...
@@Crismont22 scusa di che fastidio parliamo? Io di solito cerco di limitarla e metto il timer... così alle 3 o alle 4 si spegne... e io ho caldo, mi sveglio e la riaccendo, altrimenti col cavolo riesco a ridormire... mi da fastidio eccome, ma quando smette! 😁😁
@@solaccursio indolenzimento, poi mia moglie ancora peggio 😂. Mi ha colpito il fatto che possa essere solo una cosa psicosomatica ascoltando il parere basito della ragazza. Bello confrontarsi!
Dryers are expensive to run and not environmentally friendly. Far better to dry clothes by sun and wind, or your apartment heating if it is cold. Screens would reduce the air circulation, which you need with no AC.
"Environmentally friendly" is a term most Americans don't understand… 😉
@@noctilux7799clearly not. This girl is from Arizona where can cook an egg on a rock and can’t wait to go back to her dryer in US..
Strange! My mother always taught me that people never stare or point at each other! So I think it's just lack of education! I'm Italian and I don't stare at anyone...
I agree, its part of education but also culture. Italians are more extroverted and naturally will talk to you, that also include they stare at you more often because they are more engaged with their surroundings. Its not a bad thing when it comes from Italians because they are genuinely kind people.
they do teach that but, coming from another country, I felt Italians stared a lot.
I think it is her psicologica problem
maybe they where too loud or acting strange
Infatti è la prima volta che lo sento, forse perché essendo un a bella ragazza attira attenzioni
Culture shock I encounter in the US was going grocery shopping, which takes three times as long as it does in Italy. Most things are locked, so you have to ask staff to access them, which is really unpleasant.
Yeah grocery stores are much larger. It depends where you are though, only certain areas have things locked due to theft or other reasons, but in a grocery I wouldn’t say “most” things are locked in the US, the foods aren’t, but some other products may be. The various states I lived in never had food locked, just some toiletries or pharmacy products.
Wow, I've never been to a grocery store in USA where food was locked up. Where were you and what was locked?
And, at least at a drug store, the clerk doesn't trust you and hands the item themselves to the checkout counter.
What was locked in a US grocery store? I live in the US and I think cigarettes and infant formula are under lock, but everything else is on the shelf in the states where I have lived. Do some states lock up more things?
@spewky2955, interesting. I saw many security guards in stores in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I was very surprised.
I'm italian and in my experience people don't stare at other people unless they are rude or too loud. I live in center Italy and we do a lot of things on line like phone or internet contracts or utilities contract and we receive the bills via e-mail or through the postal service.
Nope people stare especially men and some women do it too . If you look like you aren’t local and they don’t recognize you they will stare out of curiosity. And sometime they stare out of jealousy.
@@deannaolivieri1791 If you think so.
People stare at people who are different as well. But sometimes woman are just insecure all over the world… some Italians do stare at foreigners and visitors and they aren’t always welcoming stares , New York City we don’t stare at people on the metro for example. Italians can be judgy I remember being stared at by a woman in Rome when I was I with my ex bf who is italian . i live in napoli where there are usually less snobby people
@@deannaolivieri1791 in qualche paesello, se vai in una grande città specialmente del nord non ti si fila nessuno, magari qualche borseggiatore o borseggiatrice in metropolitana possono interessarti a te e magari qualche Italiano che non si fa i propri interessi (fortunatamente) ti avvisa che ti stanno derubando, fuori dell'Italia (dove ci sono borseggiatori come da noi e ladri) se ne fregano e non ti guardano in ogni caso, neanche se ti stanno ammazzando.
@@deannaolivieri1791 Maybe because an American tourist walk through the town in slippers and pajama?
Regarding the in person/online services, I'm Italian and I move frequently and i have never had to go to an office to do anything. Like changing contracts, bills, wifi, whatever. I've always done those online or with a phone call. I get that maybe for you not being a citisen some things may be more difficult, but look more into it, because you're definitely the one complicating your life this way
In all my experiences sometimes it was the fact that I’m not a citizen, in others it was because there was an issue that required me to go into the office. Or someone made a mistake that required me to then have to go into an office, which is incredibly frustrating. Or for example, picking up the trash card absolutely requires that you go get it at an office, at least where I live. And then for my immigration procedures which yes, only impacts me as a non-citizen, of course everything is in an office. Trust me, I tried to research and do things online because I would love for my life to be less complicated, but often times it was out of my control and I was required to go into an office, even my landlord told me to do so. Everyone has different experiences based on where they are, I’m sure it’s not the same everywhere in Italy.
@@SheaJordan here in Rome you can now do many things online thanks to the infamous lockdown. My cultural shock was, in 2006, in France... people paying their groceries with a check! 😄 And, even though i lived in a nice gated community in Côte d'Azur, I wasn't able to get internet until 2015 (but I love France and I'd go back anytime if I could)
@@nicolettastrada5976 as they are in any country when you are a foreigner - immigrant...
@@barbaradandrea5995Ti garantisco anche a bologna puoi fare quasi tutto on line. Riguardo alla tessera da lei nominata al momento dell'attuazione è stata consegnata a casa personalmente da addetti per un periodo di tempo, chi non la riceveva doveva andare a ritirarla, in alternativa cè anche u app per usare il telefono al posto della tessera. Evidentemente non si è informata bene o non l'hanno informata bene
@@SheaJordanmi piacerebbe sapere cosa succede a un italiano che va nel tuo paese per fare le stesse cose. Le fa on-line come un americano?
Wen you get to a queue in Italy it is customary to ask who is last. and then you know when it is your turn. This way there s no need to stand in the same spot and you can move about stretch your legs or maybe smoke a cigarette So Easy. In public places you just pick up your ticket and wait for your number to come up on the display. People don t usually stare unless somebody acts in a peculiar way to attract attention. Most things are done on line except perhaps police matters like permits and things of the sort Also opening a bank account. All banking is done on line with the exception of elderly people who may not not be familiar with the internet.
What you describe is the same as in Spain!
w Polsce podobnie, zawsze pytamy, kto jest ostatni
😎👍🏻@@humblebee3018
The things you said about staring, long meals, stop for lunch, and greeting everybody are based on the same behavior roots where people prioritize, family, social and community importance, versus individualism, overachievement, efficiency and money in US. Both are neither right or wrong, they are just different. It is your choice on what you prioritize, and how you want to live.
Yeah, that’s accurate. That’s why I enjoy my life here in Italy. I was never a person who focused on my individual success or working my way up in a career like many other Americans do. Those aren’t my priorities in life. Even some people back home ask me when I’m going to come back to America and get back to “real life”. I guess some people prefer the hustle and like that aspect of the US, but I just enjoy a different way of life, like the one I found in Italy!
For sure, but Italy is the 8th biggest economy in the world and second biggest manufacturing economy in Europe after Germany. I think too many Italians get obsessed with the small town life ways of Italy and forget about the big city culture, achievements, history, and economic diversity of Italy. Remember as well, Italy is a G7 country.
The fact that Italy is a G7 country is not a thing to be proud of to me... (I'm italian and I live there ) they are a group of criminal led by Us now in a cultural and economic decline
I'm not Italian, but la Dolce Vita makes my day or my holidays, and I'm from the South of Europe.😏
Small town America has that slower paced life. I lived in a small town grew up in a small town. The people who lived there were very friendly and welcoming everyone knew everyone not all US towns are the same fast paced living you spoke about, but you sure will find that life in the bigger cities,just like you will in Italy. Glad you found your happiness.✌🏼
It's the first time i've heard that in italy we stare at people!!! I personally don't stare and never stared at anyone!!!!!☹️🤷♂️
Yeah I mean of course not everyone does. And l’ll say it usually seems like it’s much older people who have no shame in staring. So, maybe it’s just a generational thing haha I don’t know.
Years ago my American friend told me about this staring thing, but I still have absolutely no idea (!) if I would be classified a starer or not.
American women think if you glance anywhere in their general direction you are "staring" at them.
My question is, is staring considered rude to Italians?
@@Tabatha437 yes it is!!my guess is they where loud doing weird stuff or the ppl staring at them where not Italians
about the A/C. Last month I visited USA (Colorado, Texas, NYC) and the A/C is totally INSANE. You can step into a shop and face a termal excursion of 15-20 Celsius Degrees. The sweat could
freeze on your back, you're completely crazy
Hanno perfino gli stadi con l'aria condizionata...😮
As italian I can say that the devil himself is not the AC but the bureaucracy, which is more than a nightmare! Certainly the US have much to learn from Europe on labor laws and worklife balance, but it is also true that Italy should learn a lot from the US in terms of simplification of procedures and systems.
Interactions between different cultures are useful precisely for this: everyone learns from others and tries to improve themselves and their country.
This is probably the best comment I’ve received on this video. 😊 It’s true that we can all learn something from different cultures, I don’t intend to be critical or say American culture is in any way “better” as some people have somehow interpreted from this video and left angry comments. And yes I do agree the bureaucracy in Italy is truly a nightmare! I think Italian culture has great ways of life and balance like you said that Americans should try to incorporate into their lives. But anyway, thank you for this comment. 🙏🏼
This was so, so interesting and made me laugh! A lot of these cultural differences are the same for places other than Italy. The one about the AC and the wet hair are soooo true! I had a friend in high school who was from Poland and her mother would literally not let me go out with wet hair if I spent the night & took a shower in the morning. I would say no, its fine, and she would absolutely insist! I love learning about cultural differences, so please do more videos if you want! ❤
Shea, I am going to Italy in July for my first time. I’ve never left the US and I’m so excited! Your videos have made it less scary and more approachable.
Welcome here anytime!
@@beaconeersofthesevenmaps3467 Thank you! 🙏♥️😊
Haha I’m glad you enjoyed it! That makes me so happy to hear that my videos have eased your worries a bit. You will love it! It’s a beautiful place and a great travel spot to go for your first trip out of the US!
@@panterone1769 lol 😂 I guess it sounded dramatic, but it was very intimidating traveling to a foreign country. I think Europeans have a different perspective but a lot of Americans really don’t get to leave the US that much, if ever, and I heard so many scary stories about pickpockets and other things. I just got back a day ago and had the best time ever, all of my fears were for nothing.
@@lisaturtle13 Europeans cities, even the worst, are much, MUCH safer than a lot of neighborhoods in many cities in the US... And I mean MUCH safer... Thanks mainly to welfare.
Two reasons for the "A/C will make you sick" thing: 1: changes in humidity and temperature mess with the pressure in your sinuses. I can get a migraine from going into a cold supermarket, for example. While a migraine is not technically the same as being sick from germs, it incapacitates me pretty seriously, so I think it counts.
2: Mold in the A/C units can easily cause sickness, pneumonia, etc. from the toxins in the mold and from the inflammation in the lungs as the body's immune response generates phlegm to try to carry out the mold spores. If Italy is at all humid, mold is probably a problem that you, having come from one of the drier parts of the US, probably don't think of. I'm in New Hampshire, which is wet and rainy for a few days pretty much every week, and yes, my A/C has mold. It's bad.
Thank you for this, those reasons make sense! I’ve heard of the mold issue and actually I had mold in my Italian apartment unrelated to AC 😓 but anyway, these are good explanations. However when I ask Italians they really just explain something about the colder air hitting you and I don’t think are thinking this technically 😂 But I appreciate this answer instead because cold air simply making you sick doesn’t satisfy me haha
@@SheaJordan "Cold air makes you sick. Everybody knows that." They don't think to question where the knowledge comes from, lol.
Cold air from A/C has made me sick MANY times, the most recent one last week.
Cold air is the unhealthiest thing you can have, and if it comes from an A/C unit it's twice as unhealthy, due to the germs thriving in it.
Of course I could be wrong but another problem I thought about it is the temperature gradient that A/C causes between indoor and outdoor, adapting to these sudden changes can be a problem for the body.
Living in the desert I learned that what breaks rocks and bodies is the temperature gradient between night and day.
The pros of La Dolce Vita far outweigh the cons. I can’t say the same of life in America. Hey Shea, let’s switch. You move back here to my house in Seattle and I’ll come live in yours in Bologna. Love that city. Stare away! Makes me feel like a movie star!
Ugh, making holidays somewhere and really living somewhere are two different things. In many parts of Italy are very poor, as well as here in Spain, there arent a lot of jobs and life oftentimes isnt really convenient. You are blessed for living in the U.S, trust me. Everything is available, there are many jobs and careers, beautiful nature, the U.S has everything that Italy has too. Maybe there is more crime and the aesthetics arent that pretty in some parts of the U.S, but come on, do you know how many people would do everything to move to Seattle and have a house there?
@@mariaagosti-pm7tk have you ever being in the USA? trust me there's a lot of poverty there and don't forget criminality !!
@@mariaagosti-pm7tkare you serious? maybe you are from the south and something is missing, you go to the north especially Bologna and what you have in America you also have here and it is more accessible. go and live there, see what the reality is, work since 50 and spend hours a week without holidays, social assistance, public health, are you talking about nature? they have everything spread across thousands of kilometres, everything is closer and more accessible, they certainly don't have our sea, cuisine, history.
@@mariaagosti-pm7tk, FYI Seattle has very expensive real estate. Also unusual climate.
I know you’re speaking for yourself.😂🤣
I’m surprised by the staring. I’ve been making trips to Europe for many years and I’ve never been stared at to my knowledge. Maybe it’s just women that are the targets. When I’ve gone to China I was constantly stared at, especially 20 years ago, but that’s more understandable because I looked completely different than everyone else. As for meals, it’s traditional in France and Italy to have the largest meal at midday and then have a small meal at night, but it seems to be gradually changing. Also my Italian in-laws never used the air conditioning in their car and didn’t get air conditioning in their bedroom until they were in their 80s and went through a summer heat wave in the 90s (F) and even then they wouldn’t use it unless absolutely necessary. Air conditioning or any cold breeze is basically a death sentence.
Yeah, it’s unfortunately probably just women who get stared at. Haha I also remember being stared at in Taiwan and Seoul but yeah, I understood that a bit more. As for the AC, even though I have it now, I don’t use it all the time, only when it really does start to get very hot in my apartment and airflow from the windows isn’t good enough. Yeah the heat waves here get bad, so I think it’s good to have the option.
I think it can happen when you are in a little town where people are not used to seeing strangers
One of the most shocking things I saw when returning to USA after living in Italy for a year, was the weekly monster sized trash bags we had compared to a weekly bag about the size of a small shopping bag of trash in Italy.
Also I loved driving - on a two lane road, if you want to pass , you just drive down the middle of the road- both lanes simply move over a bit to let you through. 🤗❤️
Also, when I acidentally hit a car (very small dent/scratch) the fellow looked and said no problems!
Once I saw a disagreement between two cars at a one-way tunnel; one guy got so mad he banged into the fender of the other guy, they carried on a verbal argument but it finally ended in hugs, the guy backed up and let the other pass.
What I found mind blowing is the enjoyment Italians find in life - in food - in art - in people. If only we could all live the way Italians live.
It’s says a lot when the fact that people actually have lunch breaks, and that people are polite, is a “culture shock”
Italians dont use many screen’s because Italians close their windows in the daytime,its kind of dark in your house with the shutters like that and in the evening they open them ….and don’t forget its fairly cool because they are stonehouses….there are not many flies in the house
Italians do not use clothes dryers, because they value their clothes, which can get ruined in dryers. Hanging your clothes to dry is the ONLY way to protect the investment of clothing!
When my clothes dryer broke I had to hang dry for a few days. Everything was scratchy and stiff. Clothes dryer makes everything fluffy and soft.
Thank you for sharing these, very interesting to hear about your experience. Love your content ❤
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
"italian people staring" is a new thing to me 😮 I'm sorry you've had that feeling in Italy, that must be awkward. Breakfast habits have been changing a lot lately. Many Italians have now a savoury breakfast, especially people who are in the gym but until few years ago it was strictly forbidden to have a breakfast other than cookies, croissants or corn flakes 😂 I stick to my sweet breakfast but trying to make it healthier by adding fruits. Well, you said that, A/C is the worst enemy, it just makes me sick. I'd rather sweat lol
I grew up in Scandinavia, and one of the things I was taught as a child was never to stare at people, it is considered rude where I come from, but not in Italy 😂It is mostly women scrutinizing other women. Now I have gotten used to it , but you pointed out a lot of culture shocks that I have experienced too, when moving here.
If people rent apartments, they usually don’t equip them with screens because they are optional, you put them in if you want them🤷🏻♀️ it’s an expense not everyone is willing to make. Same with air conditioning, plus most Italians don’t like AC. In Italy almost everyone likes to hang their clothes in the sun! So rarely do you find a dryer. The reason l have all three, is because l live in my own house. Meantime you could put up some soft screens which have tape to stick around the window/door and magnets to hold them down👍 You can find them at “DIY” shops!
Thank you! Yeah unfortunately I don’t have a balcony or a railing or anything to hang my clothes from outside, so I just have to put them on a rack inside near a sunny window. It kind of works the same, but would be even better if I had a spot outside. And unfortunately the windows I have now are long and tall so I would have to get huge screens 😂 but it’s fine, I live on such a loud street I don’t really like to open them anyways, so 🤷🏼♀️
@@SheaJordan I think that's actually one reason why window screen are more widespread in the US: you tend to have smaller windows (at least the "standard" type with glass that slides), and fewer balconies. In Italy windows come in all sorts of sizes and where I am now for instance, pretty much every "window" is actually a door to balconies. That said, it's not *impossible* to install window screens on any kind of window, and I do wonder myself why they're so rare here, as someone who really doesn't love bugs.
Some cities do have bureaucratically related stuff digitalized, when my brother moved back to Italy (Torino) he got all his utilities hooked up online, even booking medical appointments can be done online. But so true that going to the post office is always an adventure, since so many things can be done online I hardly ever go anymore. Great video, I’ve been living in Italy for many years now so I’ve become very integrated in the lifestyle, but still many things still get to me 😂.
- 00:00 📺 Welcome: Shay introduces her channel and mentions she's been living in Bologna, Italy for 2 years.
- 00:36 🕒 Business Hours: Shops and restaurants in Italy often close in the afternoon, usually between 2 and 4 PM.
- 01:50 🍽 Dinner Time: Italians have dinner later, around 8 or 8:30 PM, unlike in the US where it's common to dine at 6 PM.
- 02:53 👀 Staring: Italians tend to stare more openly, which is noticeable to foreigners.
- 04:15 🚶♂ Lines: Italians don't form orderly lines; instead, they crowd around, which can be anxiety-inducing.
- 05:10 🔊 Arguments: Italian debates sound intense due to their passionate nature, but it's not usually hostile.
- 06:03 🍝 Long Meals: Italians take longer meal breaks, often enjoying social time during lunch.
- 07:40 🤝 Politeness: It's customary in Italy to greet people when entering a store or cafe.
- 08:58 🌬 No Screens: Italian homes often lack window screens, resulting in more bugs inside.
- 10:13 🚿 No Dryers: Clothes dryers are uncommon in Italy; most people air-dry their laundry.
- 11:28 🏢 In-Person Tasks: Many tasks in Italy, like setting up utilities, require in-person visits rather than being done online.
- 14:03 🍝 Pasta Daily: It's normal to eat pasta daily in Italy, typically for lunch, as it's seen as a good source of energy for the day.
Hello, Italian here! Watched your video out of curiosity, and I was positively surprised by your accent. Brava!
Regarding screens and A/C, we do have them: especially in the inland big cities I would say they are far more common than in your experience. It is (sadly) possible however that rent apartment owners go cheap with the "extra expenses", even though in the summer A/C is becoming a necessity
Shea, I’d recommend you state your State rather than American or in USA because listen our culture is not the same in all 50 states. In New York or LA people are in fact having dinner till 8. There’s so many of these videos out there, I’m giving my two cents about over generalising.
Spent time in Italy traveling. I learned much of the culture of the area before I went. Cities in Europe have different living conditions from smaller towns in the USA too. We have many culture shocks throughout our large country.
It was easy to "settle into" the places I visited.
Transportation was better than US . Even small town restaurants were better than home. I used cash everywhere. Air conditioning was mostly unavailable. Clothes dryers at laundromats were cheap and faster. .
Real estate tax are 90 % less then Usa. Health care is free, just a little co payment. No guns in the school .
Higher income and sales taxes, by the way. You must add plenty of public transportations in middle sizes cities (and bigger ones, obviously), that can allow a family conveniently own just one car.
Also, I was born and grew up in Bologna, and it's true it gets deserted in summer. Everyone is at the beach! I;ve always loved that about my town. And I used to love being home in mid-august, and enjoy the city center, totally empty... so lovely
You are spot on in your culture shock assessment. I have been living in Sicily since 2022, and adjusting is taking me some time. Don't get me started on driving in Sicily.😆🤣
I'm Italian, at first I was surprised about the people staring thing, but then I realized it's something people actually do here. I can tell you it's not because you're blonde; there are many blonds here. it's because they are nosy 😂 and you are either well dressed or have an interesting appearance. Here's an idea: stare at them back, see if they hold your gaze, or look away. it will be a silent way of saying 'What are you looking at?'. And honestly, if they are rude enough to stare at you, you deserve to do the same.
Also again for the people not staying in line: there are some rude people around and this particular behavior is largely spread, personally it makes me angry. Feel free to call them out on it 'There's a line, this is my place' or 'I understand you have less stuff to pay for, but I've been waiting here for a while and this is my turn' if you manage to be polite and friendly about it they might listen to you. Still, I have to be honest with you: there's a big chance they will start to complain and act petty and childish about it 😂
I agree that a lot of things aren't efficient and overly complicated, it's so frustrating and stressful.
It used to be more common to eat a salty breakfast with cured meats, bread and cheese once, because you woke up early and had to farm the fields and you needed the energy. Now things are different and it's common to drink milk, tea or coffee and eat cereals, a cornetto or cookies for breakfast, even though it's not necessarily healthy. Overall the concept of breakfast is that you don't eat a lot because you can take a break in the middle of the morning and eat a snack, 'merenda' or you can skip even that and then have a filling lunch.
The wet hair is not much for right after the shower and you stay home, I do that too. But if you go somewhere and you have wet hair it's seen as not very presentable and also with the wind and the air there is the belief that you might get a cold, it's true.
We have techniques to keep the house cool without using air conditioning (probably they are not very common, just like dryers, because they use a lot of power and our homes have so much less electrical power than American ones). First of all you close windows and blinds on the side of your home where the sun hits and open the ones that are in the shade, then whenever there's cool air or after the rain (not during or humidity gets in) you open everything up to let the cool air in.
I suppose we usually use August and the summer months for vacation because it's so hot that it's hard to work. Cities empty out because they become very hot and everyone either escapes to the mountains, the sea or the lake or many that can afford it travel around the world.
It was very fun and interesting to hear your perspective! I hope that despite the ups and downs you had a good experience, also I don't know how long you've been speaking Italian, but your accent and pronunciation are perfect, good job!
Nice video!! As Italian I also hate the bureaucraziness, with even more hatred because I am software developer. Those systems are so easy to make these days! But they don’t do them! We are losing so much money on this that doesn’t make sense. Oh, and yes, people beside you in the queue are 100% trying to jump ahead. Stare back at them. Really. That will put them in the right place.
From what you say about air-conditioning, I understand why when I was in the US, it was a nightmare for my husband and I to get into the hotel: it was June, it was fine outside, it was not excessively hot, I would say a mild temperature. But we walked into the hotel and it was like being in Siberia! We would run from the entrance to the lift and quickly enter the room so as not to freeze to death!
Then there are what we call ‘commonplaces’, that is, labels that are put on to identify behaviour that is actually very subjective: I know very few people who eat pasta every day, it is a very traditional way that is no longer part of today's custom. I, for example, eat a few dozen grams a week, and only wholemeal and with matching vegetables. At parties, dinners with friends, etc., however, pasta, in the form of stuffed or baked pasta, is among the traditional dishes.
Often in America you have the idea that certain traditional behaviours are still part of today's culture: in reality they belong to some, but not to all.
It is true that many Italians shout, do not respect the queue and talk passionately, but then there are those like me, many, who have a low voice, respect the queue and hate those who do not!
We then have substantial differences from region to region, here in Liguria people are very wild, in the sense that they are not as communicative and sociable as they are in Naples, and also in Bologna.
Look, Italy is a small but very heterogeneous country, so it is really difficult to create stereotypes. For every stereotype created, there will be a lot of people who disprove it in reality, with completely opposite behaviour.
The problem with a/c is that electricity is more expensive , no nuclear plants (because of the referendum in the 90’s) . Also if you noticed the main circuit breaker is rated very low around 3kw when in the us is common to have 20kw in a house (even a small apartment). There is also this apparent fear of getting sick but it is driven by the fact that people are used to withstand the humid and hot in summer because of lack of A/c because of lack of infrastructure !
Hang drying clothes is the way to make them last longer. A dryer will ruin clothes over time!
12:15 - Unfortunately bureaucracy is one of the things we can't resolve and it's hell for us too. Anyway...nice video!!!
So I’ve heard 😭 I’m so sorry it’s like this. Thanks for watching! ☺️
Regarding things that make you sick - wet hair. I've lived in Texas my whole life, and I am of mostly Irish descent. Have I ever gotten a stiff neck from wet hair? Yes, I have. Why? Well, I have naturally thick hair that is very heavy. If I grow it out and wear it long, it gets even heavier, often giving me serious headaches (so I usually keep it short). If I get it wet, it gets still heavier. If I leave it wet for long periods of time, it will definitely cause me to get a stiff neck. I see you have fine, thin blonde hair. I doubt you realize just how heavy hair can get. I literally lose several pounds when I grow my hair out and then cut it short. I imagine if this is a cultural norm in Italy to the point they have a special word for this issue, then they also have very thick hair naturally. Lol
Cara Signorina Shea come va? Riguardo le asciugatrici penso: ma non è meglio essere fuori, o con finestra spalancata,sferzati dalla brezza, riscaldati dai caldi raggi del sole, a stendere i panni? Piuttosto che in un buio antro a riempire una asciugatrice ed a consumare energia elettrica😊? In inverno si possono poggiare i panni vicino i termosifoni. (P.S.: cosa sono gli 'screen' alle finestre? Le zanzariere?) Buona vita!
si, parlava delle zanzariere, quelle alle finestre, che in effetti sono rare ma alcune volte servirebbero davvero. anche se ho notato che tendono a far entrare molta meno aria. devo dire che da quando ho l'asciugatrice gli asciugamani e il resto del cotone viene mooolto meglio, morbidi e senza bisogno di stirarli, mentre a stenderli diventano dei blocchi di carta vetrata e si è obbligati a stirarli se si vogliono usare senza scarnificarsi... però altre robe non ha senso usare l'asciugatrice, sopratutto d'estate. ps avevo preso l'asciugatrice perchè ho un bnb, per facilitare il tutto, ma la uso anche per le mie cose (cotoni come detto)
Io vivo a Milano e le zanzariere ce l ho in tutte le stanze e nel mio paese le hanno messe tutti anche nel terrazzo non è bello che entrino zanzare e mosche che ti infastidiscono giorno e notte poi quelli che danno in affitto le case dovrebbero avere questa accortezza visto che se sei provvisorio non puoi installartele tu.. L aria condizionata negli USA è veramente esagerata sopratutto nei centri commerciali e negli aeroporti..chi va si lamenta del troppo freddo ci vuole una via di mezzo
I'm Italian but I've lived in London for 40 years where people do not stare! If someone stares at you in Italy (and I hear in France, Spain, etc.) I would just wave or say hello!
Just love the way Italians manage their hours of work and eating. We could all learn a lesson from them
Definitely!
The more you go toward the South of Italy the later the dinner time is, and the opposite the more you go toward the North of Italy. We can stand to have dinner so late because we use to have a snack around five o’clock, usually a sweet snack and we call it merenda. To give children a merenda is considered mandatory!
@@toffonardi7037 When I went to Trentino Alto Adige the dinner was at five p.m.
Hello Shea, this video was so fun to watch. Thank you for sharing! I would love to see another video similar to this. Could you touch on the "wine" situation please? I live in the USA (West Coast). My friends think Italians drink tons of wine, HOWEVER my Italian friends (in Italy) don't really drink at all and neither do my Italian/American friends. What is your opinion or experience? Thank you for all your posts, so enjoyable!
Haha yeah I think this is a common misconception. All the Italians I know drink less than the Americans I know. 😂 I think it’s more common for Italians to have a small glass or half glass of wine at a weekend lunch, like when I have Sunday lunch with my boyfriend’s family, we drink a little wine with lunch but it’s honestly such a tiny amount. And then maybe at dinner you also have wine but again, Italians don’t drink a lot of it, it’s mainly to just compliment whatever meal you’re eating. So maybe Americans who visit Italy always see wine on the tables of restaurants but really I wouldn’t say Italians are drinking a ton. I feel like they drink in moderation and only smaller amounts if they go out or have a special meal with family at home.
@@SheaJordan infatti, il vino, il buon vino accompagna il pasto, non è un abuso sfrenato. C'è un aspetto culturale diverso. In tanti paesi del nord europa e del nord america c'è una repressione verso la vendita di alcolici. Probabilmente l'uso e il consumo è differente.
My culture shock as an italian when I went to the US is people drinking tons of soft drinks instead of water, they are so unhealthy, it's like eating a cup of sugar every day and also the food portions are bigger than really needed and the food seems mostly industrial processed. About air conditioning I think in Arizona you are going to die without lol, I imagine Arizona like a desert.
What you say refers to Bologna and Emilia-Romagna, in Lombardy, where I live, we all have screens on the windows, almost all of us have a dryer at home. For digitalisation we are certainly ahead in Lombardy in comparison with Emilia-Romagna.... and speaking of technology in the US you are further behind us for many things, starting with the electrical and telephone cables that we've placed underground 25-30 years ago, all LED lighting of villages and cities, trains that reach 300 km/h and many other things.
sei sicuro ? non generalizziamo, dipende da dove uno abita, io abito vicino a Bergamo da 64 anni, nella mia zona non vedo zanzariere, e lo stesso vale per l'asciugatrice. Probabilmente chi vive in un condominio ha esigenze diverse.
@@claudiofoiadelli8721Friuli.. 90% hanno zanzariere, 100% aria condizionata, ascigatrici non molto se hai una terrazza, centrale termica, giardino.. Io ho asciugatrice ma la userò due volte all'anno!!
Brava,the american dream is over.
@@claudiofoiadelli8721 Dato che anche lei parla come se tutta l'Italia non avesse quelle cose ci ho tenuto a precisare che da noi in Pianura Padana le zanzariere sono in tutte le case. Le asciugatrici sono presenti in molte case, d'Inverno è impossibile fare asciugare i panni fuori.
@@giannigimondi1789 Il sogno Americano non è mai esistito....
I love Italian culture. I have some Italian friends who are amazing. I'm Spanish and it's so amazing how through centuries cultures, they diversified. Even though we come from Romance languages, I love my roots. ❤
I wouldn’t interpret anything sinister in people looking at you. I think it means you’ve got something interesting going for them. I would take it as a compliment. 👍
I see what you mean, but I don’t really see it as a compliment. I’d prefer to be able to go out in public without people staring. A quick glance is fine haha but I think staring just makes someone uncomfortable. 🤷🏼♀️
@@SheaJordan yeah, you’re completely right.
@@SheaJordan enjoy it while it lasts dear.....
Oh, dear... When I used to leave in London it took 2 weeks to dry the clothes in my room. 2 days is a luxury 😂
you're so right, here in Italy people have strange ideas about what is harmful... fresh air ("colpo d'aria" is a non translatable italian word based on the conviction that cool air will make you sick), wet hair (I am almost 57 and never used a hairdryer in any season, and my neck is ok), bare feet on the cold floor will give you a stomach ache... cropped shirts will also give you a stomach ache... all things that I personally never experienced) and I just can't live in summer without air conditioning, aspecially at night. I'll wake up every 20 minutes drowning in sweat...
w Polsce jest słowo "przeciąg" i jest to równie groźne :D starsze pokolenie zawsze starszy przeciągiem :) co do chodzenia z mokrą głową, rzeczywiście ze względu na pogodę u nas, poza porą lata, może się to skończyć chorobą
I laughed out loud at the Italian fear of sleeping with A/C. I know that many European homes don’t have screens. I panic if a window screen gets a small hole - I need to get an immediate repair!
As an italian the line thing is so true and i hate it. I m not very confrontational and some people always try to cut me off, expecially old people. Some times is just better to let me go and save energy instead of fighting them
Yes! Once I was in line at a store and an older woman just came and cut everyone in line and I think people just let it happen because she was elderly. But still, it’s frustrating and I also am not confrontational. 😢
@@SheaJordan hahaha exactly. They "take Advantage" (maybe thats a bit harsh😅) of their Age and try to guilt trip you... But you know.. let them have IT.. 😅
@@sasharama5485 hahah I figured that’s why she thought it was fine. 😂 Maybe one day when I have the courage, but for now I would be way too scared to confront an older person especially in Italian 😂😂
nowadays for post office you can book the number online (at least mine and the towns around, all have ticket queing and you can take te number online) and jump the line of old people with tecnology. We are late but tecnology is coming. i can do all online. utities for the home, bank, phone thing. mostly. not evrithing ofc. we are still in italy, the land dominate by the old
@@russko118 thats the Ideal scenario until you meet some Kind of obstacles like "sorry there must Something wrong with x,y ,z ". In my small Town the ticket machine was often broken and some worker Needed to manually hand out the Tickets ( which defeats the entire purpose of the automat).. people just leaving the line, creating caos when their number gets called... You know... Just the normal italian stuff... We never learn
Ciao Shea, I've been living a bit south of you in a small town in Umbria for over a year. So through much of your video I was nodding along, saying "yep".
I'll comment on the bureaucracy. Very true that to get things set up can be a pain, and though there are still things which are not online, at least the basic utilities can be set up for paperless payment. It took more than a little "head scratching" and patience, but I got water, electric, TV and internet all working without office visits. The only thing I do have to travel for (as you mentioned) was the (TARI, or TEMU?) garbage tax.
I just learned that in July all the clothing stores have sales. As you know the Italian sun can roast you in the summer, so wearing dark colors would likely draw a few stares. And I think that is part of the reason for some stares. There is something here in the culture of which even the Italian people may not be aware. Though they may or may not gossip outright about "stranieri", it is not too many centuries now when the germans and french were considered barbarians. So it is just my guess that something persists in culture to this day. I don't think of it as anything against the stranger, but more locals looking out for each other, and having something to add to the conversation.
I'm sure you've heard some impassioned discussions about food. This seems to be 90% of the conversations around here. The D.O.C. regulations and the fact that you can get nearly all of your food grown within 50km of your house may be a factor in food healthiness. Not planned at all, I eat less here than I ate in the US. It just seems more satisfying somehow. The enigma is you can eat very well, not even trying to diet, and still lose weight. Everything can be traced to it's point of origin.
I love your videos from Lebanon ❤❤My dream is to go to Italy one day, I was born in Roma but I have lived all my life in Lebanon. Now I am studying Italian at the Lebanese University and I fell in love with this language. Thank you for your videos, you inspire me since I am a polyglot, I speak arabic ( the lebanese dialect only), english, french, I am learning italian, and german on my own.
I have a question, are Italian people racists ? Yes I know I was born there and I have the Italian nationality, but I don't know if because of what I see on social media, I feel very uncomfortable.I am 19 years old and I am an overthinker, I am very scared and all the time I think about if people will like me or about racism. ❤
🤣
Lebanese can be pretty racists as well:)
You are very well spoken! I really don’t understand why so many Italians are so defensive about Americans and American culture. I am an Italian who lives in the US and I appreciate both countries for what they can offer.
comunque rimanere scioccati perchè gli italiani sono gentili ed educati è veramente allucinante. In america si sparano direttamente?
molto probabile
Nice video, thanks! As an Italian (living in Milano, Bologna and now Fano), I have to say you have really a perfect pronunciation of the Italian words you used in the video. Good job!
lei risparmia sui consumi elettrici non utilizzando l'asciugacapelli noi non utilizzando l'asciugatrice 😄😄😄.Per quanto riguarda le zanzariere molti scelgono di non istallarle perchè nelle giornate molto umide frequentissime in molte parti d'Italia ridurrebbero moltissimo il passaggio dell'aria . Meglio godersi che ne so il ponentino a finestra spalancata al costo di qualche puntura di zanzara che soffocare . Con rispetto
Basta mettere un fornellino per le zanzare!😂😂😂
@@gabrielesantucci6189 che pare sia un po' tossico
le zanzariere si possono aprire o chiudere
Aperitivo is like our happy hour here in Italy. You can do it after work or also one hour before lunch with your friend in a bar or in family at home before lunch time.
That is quite an accurate picture, but We also have some faults 😂😂
Italians will stare and stare and if they have something to say will approach you and let you know you are beautiful, or if you are doing a faux pas. Its part of the culture. Its great to be acknowledged. When I was in the Philippines I found out that if you stare at someone its a sign of aggression, saying you want to fight. People in the beautiful weather and cities of Philippines are missing out by not sitting around people watching. Now that was strange.
In casa mia c'è l'aria condizionata ma dormire tutta la notte con l'aria accesa è da pazzi! Schiena e collo a pezzi
gola...
As an Italian, in Rome, I can tell your video is 100% accurate.
Some experiences are related to an average Italian scenario, but some other are unwritten laws, like the "queue" thing.
Next, if you owe a driver license, try to drive in Rome: that'll be an hell of experience!
The lines thing is so real, I had the same realization in Spain… lines are sacred in the US, we are so uptight about it 😂 but I’d never even thought about it before!
Haha oh also in Spain? Yeah idk I guess I just really appreciate a good single file 😂 I like organization hahah
There's no need to queue up if there are number systems. Smaller shops and even bakeries use them. Pick your number and wait it to flash on the screen. In all places they are using queue number systems
@@boytiti5446 yes, i understand number queues 😆 most places I went to did not have them
@@joreneelanguages yeah exactly, I wasn’t referring to number queues either, we understand how those work. They definitely don’t use them everywhere
I remember being in San Francisco at the airport, it was SO crowded but the lines were working so well, people were so respectful. Americans in general are very respectful in public places!! I admire the U.S a lot.
As for the dryer, oh I suffered 😂 a tip that worked for me though was to reduce the laundry load and the washing machine drys the clothes to a very acceptable level to be air dried quickly
Don’t feel so bad, Italy and all Europe are the same, I am an Italian living in the states for over 50 years and I’ll go back almost every year for vacation and nothing has changed, still the same little bit more modern, you are exactly 100% correct, fortunately for the US it’s the New World we like to live in more comfort way ahead of time, Italians are set on their way of living and it’s understandable. 👍😊💖
😂Per quanto riguarda i pasti la regola è che dal sud al nord si tarda sempre più per cui in Trentino si cena alle 19 al massimo ma in Sicilia anche dopo le 21! Ma il vero shock culturale che dovresti segnalare secondo me è che semmai avessi bisogno di un medico, vai in azienda sanitaria e ti iscrivi col medico che preferisci, oppure se, speriamo mai, dovessi avere una urgenza sanitaria, puoi avere l'ambulanza e l'assistenza al pronto soccorso, nonché il ricovero se servisse, del tutto gratuito! Qui, ancora per poco, Meloni permettendo, abbiamo l'assistenza sanitaria universale, cioè pagata con le tasse. Ci sono i furbetti che dimenticano di pagare le loro tasse ma poi pretendono ugualmente il servizio sanitario e gli altri servizi e quelli sono ladri matricolati ma questa è un'altra faccenda. Ma l'importante è che in Italia tutti hanno accesso alle cure mediche e questa è civiltà! Finché Meloni non lo sfascia!
ovvio si ceni anche dopo le 21, se stacchi di lavorare alle 20 fra il il tempo di tornare a casa, darti una rinfrescata e metterti comodo si fa quell'ora. Cenare alle 18 per avere i crampi all sotmaco 21 sino a che non vai a letto? E' per quello che alle 17/18 si fa un piccolo spuntino/merenda e poi si cena.
Cara Caterina cosa può peggiorare nella sanità la Meloni che non abbiano già abbondantemente fatto i compagni sinistri?
@@marinascalone6044 ti auguro di non doverlo scoprire mai! Qualcuno invece sta già scoprendo l'effetto che fa
Sei ossessionata dalla Meloni?😮
@@alfredodallalibera5091 con una famiglia che include un'alzhaimer, un tumore al polmone, un melanoma e una demenza senile, penso di avere un pochino di esperienza per affermare, senza incertezze, che la sanità negli ultimi 10 anni è gradualmente precipitata...per questo non do la colpa all'attuale governo(per adesso!)
Wow, I feel invisible while walking around. I did NOT feel starred at at all. Maybe because I am a brunette and older. They are starring at you probably because you’re young and attractive. 😊
Apparently, Norwegians also have some kind of prejudice against sleeping with air conditioning on, EVEN THOUGH they have a lot of respect for sleeping with a window open even in winter. They just say, "it's unhealthy, it's artificial, bad air." So much nonsense. And yeah, they also have a holiday month, though it's in July instead. Don't come for a business trip to Norway in July!
Hahaha that’s so odd. 😂 and sleeping with the window open in winter!? Wow 😳
In towns with mosquitoes they install at least homemade screens. Even as a student in May I would go to the store to buy a piece of wood and make a frame, cover it with a net and place it in the window. Some with more money and motivation than a student had them professionally done.
Air conditioning are more common where the temperature is higher. If you compare Bologna to Siracusa you will be more likely to have more air conditioning units in Siracusa than in Bologna, even if installed in one room only. I visit Italy often, and whether in an Airbnb on at a friend house, for the last 15 years, I do not remember being at single house without some kind of air conditioning.
As far as clothes dryers, when I mention it they look at me like I am crazy: why would one need a clothes dryer when you can air dry your clothes. That conversation goes nowhere, so I just gave up on the subject.
Absolutely true about lines: I am italian, I live in Italy and I am still not used to this. Nobody will join the line behind the last but they will try to innocently "flank" the last. Lines in Italy do not form as a "line" but as a (as you correctly said) a "group". Then you need to devolope a counterstrategy: watch who came after you and memorize each of them, when they will try to steal your turno at the counter or desk complain imediatlly. It rarely bring to a "oh sorry" but to an argument that will need to be set up aggressively and fast. Very uncivilzed of us.
LOL!
Thanks for your observations! I was a student in Bologna in the mid-80s and am going back in the spring with my wife. E una città così bella e adoro la cultura italiana!
Oh yeah, and when I first went to Italy back in 2008, we made the mistake of going in August -- LOL! We had no idea, we were just there on a family trip for my father-in-law's 60th birthday! We went to Rome and then spent about a week and a half in a small town in Tuscany (with a side trip to Florence) and, yes, IT WAS A GHOST TOWN everywhere. So many things were closed! Mistakes were made!
@@Gianluca- Yeah, not sure about rural America, but in the cities, the work/life balance truly suffers here. You're lucky to get any vacation days, so everything is always open. Capitalism sucks.
I haven't set foot in a post office or bank for at least 10 years: like many Italians, I have invoices domiciled directly in my current account and I do any transaction (bank transfers, payment of fines, show and stadium tickets, etc.) via home banking. Of course, if you need to renew your passport or identity card or open a bank account you have to go to the offices in person, but for the rest... Rather there is the opposite problem: now everything is done online, if you have a problem particular and you need a face to face appointment in some public office, you have to sweat to get it...
ci sono negozi che forniscono servizio di lavaggio, asciugatura ei vestiti, lo fai da te
About stiff neck, it's a grandmothers beliefs, which is transmitted to the next generations.
About getting sick with wet hair, that has to do with the fact that homes were cold in the winter and holding wet hair could give you a cold. Be aware in Italy HUMIDITY is like a beetlejuice 😂
About screens for windows and air conditioning: in the past we didn't have much need for it, just in the summer and in some places, but now with climate change, seasons are heating up and therefore insect are becoming permanent and not seasonal as before.
This is a fantastic video! I definately experienced all of these as well when I lived in Florence. I also made the mistake of spending August in sweltering Florence because I didn’t get the memo either! Haha. Live and learn. All and all we love Italians! 🎉
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes whenever I hear people say they're planning to visit Italy in August I'm like oh nooo! Don't do it!
D'accordo sulla burocrazia, e sulle code. Per l'aspetto alimentare dipende dalle proprie abitudini. Per l'orario dei locali anche in US dipende se parli di New York o di una località più lontana dalle grandi città. E dipende molto anche dal clima, penso che in California sarà differente rispetto all'Ontario. bye
As Italian living abroad I have laught so much at this video haha... All very true, about the mosquito nets I would say that they are common in the houses of Italians, maybe you were living in some old building? Cause also living abroad in Europe in other countries in mostly old houses I have noticed that there aren't mosquito nets anywhere and bugs really are a problem these days😂
Haha I’m glad you liked it 😂 Yeah I don’t know some of the buildings were definitely old, but some newer! I rarely see screens on the windows in the center or Bologna, so maybe it’s for aesthetic reasons. But yes, bugs are always getting in my house! Bees and wasps scare me and I hate when they get in 😭😭
The A/C thing reminded me of when we were in Bologna about a month ago (we were the 'train trauma' couple who missed their stop and went all the way to Rome -- LOL), we had to adjust to not only needing to use a hotel key to turn on the power in the hotel room, but also because of that:
a) the A/C would not be on while we were out for the day to cool off the room for when we got back
b) when we'd open the window in the room at night to help cool things off when we'd gotten back to a warm room, the A/C would automatically shut off if the window was open
c) we couldn't blast the A/C even if we wanted to, as it had a limit to how cold we could set the thermostat (I want to say we couldn't seem to get it below about 80F or so).
Definitely an adjustment coming from the very hot and humid American South (Atlanta) where everyone pretty much blasts their A/C whenever it even gets a little hot! I mean, thankfully, it was still the end of Spring, so it wasn't SUPER HOT, but we definitely struggled to keep our hotel room cool in Bologna.
(Though, tbf, in Milan we had a small wall unit -- kinda like the little ones in Japan -- and that kept the room cool there, so obviously it can depend where you're living/staying).
Yeah, most accommodations like hotels and B&Bs always have AC because they understand that travelers want it, but if you live here long term, a lot of apartments don’t have AC units because they make utilities more expensive. That’s why a lot of hotels don’t want you to keep the AC running all day if you’re out, which I understand, it could be very expensive for them and I doesn’t make sense to have it constantly running if you aren’t in the room. Now I have those wall units (one in my bedroom one in the living room) and it’s getting hot but I try to only use them for a bit because I am worried about the cost. 😂😅
I have a bnb and my ac is already built with a sensor that if nobody is in the room for half or one hour it will automaticly go in sleeping mode (not completly off but going almost to zero) because you shouldn't go outside and leave the ac on, you wait 5 minutes when you come back to make the room cool
Staring is rude here in Italy too …and the fact you’re blond doesn’t mean anything cause you coild be Italian , it’s not like blond is something unusual in Italy like apparently abroad is thought .
Vive la difference!
The closure of shops, restaurants happens in most hot countries. Its called siesta time and its done for obvious reasons to combat the heat and possibly the reason they eat later. The eating of salad is different in various countries. In England in 60s and 70s the salad was eaten before the main course, now it tends to be beaten together, just different cultures. Im sure if you qanted it served differently they would oblige.
yeah I find your analysis quite accurate, and some things actually still cannot be done online even for citizen, I've had the need recently and it required an in-person approach.
About dinner, yeah true mostly 8 to 9 pm, but in my home town we have it around 7 pm too because we don't like to go to bed with full stomach 😄
Thanks! Of course I’m sure it varies by city, but yeah I’ve noticed a lot of things required me to go into an office. Yes! I also prefer around 7, eating too late doesn’t feel great if you go to bed full.
@@SheaJordan Yeah that's true, not so healthy either in my opinion... what is curious is when I speak with my mum she said in her generation everything was earlier, even going out I see now people are not outside before 22 - while when she was young she said they used to go out at 6 pm 😄
Americans call it ‘stairing’. The rest of the world call it ‘looking’.
Staring , no and it’s different than looking. men and women stare at me in Italy all the time . I know why the men do but I don’t get the women .. I’m Italian American. I agree with most of what she says and I’ve lived Italy for 7 years . I was raised by Italian grandparents so lots of it doesn’t shock me.
Minute 14:47 - Exactly. I eat pasta every day at lunch, with some vegetables, while I never eat pasta for dinner except for special occasions