What do tourists think about Italians? By I’M TEAM
To understand what is unusual in Italy for those who were not born and raised there, we talked to a few people who emigrated from various corners of the world. The question we asked them was: "What shocked you the most about Italy when you arrived?"
I'M Italian Issue 11 January 2021
There is one thing about Italian culture that perplexes me but at the same time reserves me some advantages: for Italians the aspect (of themselves and of others) counts a lot. The best example is when I go to the local supermarket to get milk or a bottle of water — it's funny to see how the staff treat me depending on how I look that particular day. If I am well dressed and made up I get nice smiles (from women), some good ones (from both genders) and also some "tastes" (certainly from men). But if I am not in order, perhaps because I only went out for a few minutes, the staff act as if they have never seen me before (and as if they have no intention of seeing me again), acting as if I should be grateful to them for having received this. I was looking for. The positive side? On the streets of Milan you always see well-groomed people - Mi Dong, China
What impressed me the most about Italian culture when I came here was the morbid attachment of many of my peers to the family. In Albania, as soon as a boy has a job he leaves home — not because he doesn't love his mother and father, but as a matter of independence. I still remember when I was living alone and how a lot of people would tell me, "But you are so young, why are you living alone?" I was 22 and had a job. Vasjon Hoxhalli, Albania
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