My mother is Italian, and drank some wine at every meal--very occasionally a gin and tonic. I never saw her either drunk or even high. The attitude towards alcohol in all the English-speaking cultures is to get stoned: Canadians, Brits, Irish, Australians, Americans all like to get drunk. Italians don't like to get drunk. I think they use alcohol more as a digestive aid and as a way to be more relaxed. Alcohol is considered a food, rather than a drug.
As an italian, this is actually one of the best videos on topic. you made me laugh my ass off! It is so true everything you said. My favorite part is that italians are never on a rush except when they get behind a wheel. I totally lost it!
As an American who just visited Italy for only a few weeks, I picked up on most of these immediately. A huge one for me was how Italians don't point out errors and don't care about mistakes as you mentioned. I'm very self critical, a perfectionist and with that, I can be socially anxious sometimes. My first night there, being tired and jetlagged, I tripped up a flight of stairs. I felt so embarrassed, but I looked around and no one even reacted except for one person who asked if I was alright. I continued to notice this as we went around and I made silly mistakes here and there and slowly, but surely, my first instinct to feel embarrassed and stupid started to go away. It was really freeing. By the end of my stay there, I wouldn't say I was careless, but a lot more carefree and relaxed. I will admit that people are more willing to be blunt as you also mentioned, but I ended up enjoying that because I never felt like anything anyone said was mean or judgmental. In fact, I felt like most of the time, people were just trying to help. I felt the least socially anxious I ever have in my life, in a new country where I barely speak the language and didn't know how anything worked oddly enough. I took a lot of the new attitude and perspective back with me back to the states and I'm so much more relaxed because of it. Italy taught me how to live more happily and healthily in so many ways. I'm glad I wasn't just imagining a lot of the demeanor differences because I was afraid it was just wishful thinking on my part, but it was cool to hear you reaffirm many of the differences I noticed that I love. I can't wait to go back!
As an American Expat, who has been living in Italy for over 50 yrs.!! I find it very disconcerting when l visit family in the U.S. at how driven and money conscious everyone is parading wealth and possessions 🙄 they NEED to have more than their friends and neighbours!! Such a fear of LACK is really astonishing 😟l have always felt more European in that sense, and find it really hard to relate to my American friends, with their HUGE homes and HUGE cars. They tend to feel bad for me and my “tiny kitchen” but l actually cook ALOT more than they do!!😂
I don't agree with this or many of the points.Plenty of Italians love money and it is important to them. I also find Italians to be ANYTHING other than blunt. The communication is very subtle, it is hard to know what they are thinking and what they actually want. EG It is very rare for an Italian to say NO to any request, they will say yes and then not do it until you understand they mean no. I think a lot of these points maybe limited to Northern Italy, and also the people you meet. We are all human with different ways of thinking, even within a culture.
oh man. Lived in many countries in my life. Few years in the usa, and now living in italy (i am european). I wrote a comment on a video how couldnt live in NYC anymore and the hatred i got...that america is the greatest country on planet...etc. I mean depends on priorities. If you wanna make money and business definitely.But If you wanna live a life then europe and specially italy. People will never get that in the states where they live in a materialistic bubble. I am retired at age 42 and my american friends surprised that i live in a small house and i drive a very good, but affordable japanese car. For them retirement is 4 bedroom house and a TESLA or AUDI kinda car living in a riviera. well good luck with that by tha age of 70 or ever. I am happy with my simple life, living not the most glamorous place yet beautiful. People in the US will rarely understand that. Different mindset and society entirely.
I guess you don't live in Milan hehe, the workaholic and hustle culture is basically how Milan is stereotyped in the rest of Italy: people are generally always is a hurry and obsessed with money
@@bellicapelli8155 well compared to rest of italy yes of course, but compared to US? Not even close 😄 There is a funny story when our Milano consultants arrived for a meeting 2 hours late. Everyone waiting (few C level and board member people)with an important presentation (they nailed it and was a great work btw). The reason: the two milanese consultants first went to the hotel to check in and for lunch. After the lunch and coffee they came to the meeting apologised about being late. This would never happen in the US 😄😄😄 (Yes I live in the middle/south not far from Rome)
@@flaviusvespasian As an Italian, I completely agree with your point on this topic. It's very frustrating when people don't do what they previously promised. Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone, but there are lots of people who tend to act like this.
Bravo . Almost correct and accurate . May be except from the smiling. Yes : We think is vulgar and rude to live only to make money and to talk about money . Money is an instrument and not a purpose. This is a huge difference with americans about the values for the life .
More Americans are thinking that way now, especially because of the pandemic. I have American friends that have walked away from their jobs because they said they are tired of the work hours and it is no way to live life. Companies in U.S. are going crazy because so many people are quitting their jobs for more family time, and there are "help wanted" signs and job openings everywhere.
Well in America you must hustle and have money or life can be miserable. No socialized healthcare. No maternity leave. I've had many a female coworker go into labor at work because they can't afford a single unpaid day then they're right back exhausted at 16 weeks. You get a medical issue and your savings can be depleted overnight. I had a miscarriage, insurance was lapsed and my ER bill was over $5,000 USD. So of course we are money obsessed here. It's miserable but we have no choice.
I'd agree we're probably equally loud, because when Americans are loud, they're REALLY loud, and Italians are more loud consistently, but not as loud as Americans can be. Haha
I’m Italian from Rome, I can say that’s true, every Italian can cook, I learned how to cook from my grandma when I was 4 and today I’m 26 and I can cook everything, I can prepare homemade pasta, pizza, desserts, cookies and so on. It’s a real passion for us and for those like me it’s almost a religion. Cooking is relaxing, it makes you happy and it’s a genuine way to express your creativity. As I say “there’s nothing better than eating what you like with the taste you like and that’s why I cook”
all us southern Europeans who have grown attached to our wine over millennia don't get hammered drunk all the time, it's the same with Spaniards, French, Portuguese and Greeks. We are "trained" to drink wine since childhood, watering down wine, mixing less water little by little, until you're old enough or confident enough to handle and enjoy wine like everybody else. That also teaches us to not drink to get drunk, but to just enjoy a glass with each meal so that it doesn't get wasted for frivolous reasons, but actually gets enjoyed, and considering all the work that gets put into making wine (or any alcoholic beverage), it's also a matter of respect. Also as far as the flavor of the food, i've been told by not just americans that it can sometimes be kind of "bland" but those complaints only come from people who come from cultures who are used to highly spiced food, like India.
I think for Americans we're often used to over-seasoned food and way too much sugar, so when we first get to Europe everything tastes "under-seasoned" and "not sweet enough." After living there for a few years, I started to prefer less sugar and I felt like I started to taste the real ingredients more. It was good for me!
@@tlacorp.3813 Welllllll... Not really😂. I live in Veneto, the region of Italy where people drink the most, and we are able to get the Russian drunk before us! Spaniards are however great drinkers, i really like party with them! (Sorry for my english🥺)
Pretty much spot on. 6 years in Italy with the USAF between 1968 & 1978 and back for about a week almost every year since 2001. I spent my time with the locals instead of other GIs and had an absolute blast. Love the country.
About the food not being diverse: we are just not a nation that based its growth on "new" immigration. Of course we had giant migrations, and invasions, etc. and our culture and cuisine got influences from all sorts of different cultures, but it got watered down throughout a couple of thousand years and completely assimilated. If you study all the regional different styles of food (same goes for regional dialects and languages) you might find out they have Greek, Balcanic, Middle Eastern, North African, Northern European, even American origins. They have just all become "Italian" over many many centuries. 🙂
I love the story of my Grandma's home town, Valsinni, in Basilicata. The town has traditionally seen itself as an "upper" town and "lower" town. Grandma came from the "upper" town. The people in that neighborhood cooked with butter not olive oil and no garlic. The Lower Townsfolk used olive oil, garlic and more typical Southern ingredients. The two halves spoke different dialects and couldn't really understand each other unless they used their Standard Italian, learned in school. We think the Upper Townsfolk were probably refugees from the north, probably Jewish, fleeing some sort of persecution. Grandma was very fair and actually resembled Queen Elizabeth to a great degree. She was always taken for German in the US.
Abbiamo già un botto di varietà di cibo e di culture nella (appunto) cultura Italiana… di certo non abbiamo bisogno del cibo messicano. Anche se ora l’Italia è pure piena si Kebabbari
My wife and I both have walking disabilities. When we were in Roma we got around by taxis. The taxi cab drivers were hilarious! Driving very fast on very narrow roads, casually conversing the whole time with us. Super friendly people but not nosey. In 5 trips to Western Europe Italy is on the top of our list for everything.
Did a trip to Italy this pass March and I’m from Buffalo, NY so very used to the cold… it was 65° and sunny so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt lol people thought I was insane. However one of my favorite things is how the tax is included in the price you see! You actually know what your total will be BEFORE you check out! That’s just awesome.
Awesome!? That way Italians get used to paying high taxes. The value added tax in Italy averages 22%. WShat is awesome about hiding the taxes the government wants you to pay!?
As you said in the intro, there are lots of difference between nord, middle and south italy. I would add every single region or province it's a little different part of italy, but this is a common point: "italians are never on a rush except when they get behind a wheel" this is a milestone of our culture :D
Dude I'm Italian that was such a nice and wholesome video. Respectful, fun and interesting, definitely one of the best of his kind. Very good job, I hope this comment helps your channel!
We love living in Italy! We've got dual citizenship (USA/IT) - we're lucky. We left crazy and came to beautiful Italy. We just love living here. You're so right about the air conditioning!
Spot on. We live in the South in the States and went to Italy a few months before COVID. Oh my goodness, the food!!! Natural unprocessed food that actually tastes like food from God. I miss the evening meals at the small villa in which we stayed. I fell so much in love with the Tuscany area, that we were thinking of buying a second home or apartment there. The only thing I disagree with you on is the smiling. Everyone smiled at me. As a Southern lady, it is just ingrained into me to make eye contact with everyone and smile. I’m not talking about over the top, just a subtle look and smile. As a Southerner, I hope you know what I mean. It seems to make people’s day to be smiled at, and the kids would smile back and giggle. I’m a teacher, so I love children. 🤷🏻♀️💕 Great video. I’m subscribing. Please bring more of Italy via your channel.
Thanks so much! There are more Italy videos coming! I know what you mean about smiling at people. Being from the South, I grew up that way, and it's true some people do smile at you in Italy and throughout Europe (if you smile first)! Tuscany is a beautiful area. We love it there!
Its always interesting to see the perspective of someone who comes from another country, a huge "cultural enrichment". Now it's for sure the best time to think about buying a property in Italy, a lot of beautiful houses under 50,000 €. Cheers from Rome 🤗
@@jbr2991 sure!! Contact me on Instagram, you can find me as the_busy_travelers😊 it will be easier to chat there so you can ask me what you are interested in😉
@@valentinasalvati2139 Thank you so much! We thought about it! We had heard that the houses often sell for more than people can afford in monthly payments. Most of the people we know who own inherited the house. But if the right deal came along, we'd consider buying!
I was stationed in Sardinia in the navy. Early 90’s. It seems not a lot has changed. I would say the drinking age in Italy is when Mama says so. You can be 35 and if Mama says no drinking the local bar will not serve you😄. A American friend and I were talking about drinking games with an Italian. He asked if we were crazy. He could not imagine drinking that much. I believe it is much better to teach people to drink first than drive. That way they know their limits. Getting a cab ride across Naples is the best roller coaster you will ever be on.
Beware that from Sicily to Veneto the things change A LOT. I'm Italian, living near Milan, and I'm a 46yo now. I remember when I was like 28 and went down to Sicily to spend some 2 weeks with a girl there. I've been invited to a dinner from a guy I knew for other reasons in Palermo, kind of a well enstablished family of dentists, so middle to higher class. I was perfectly fine (not drunk at all) for what I've drunk during that dinner, but the other guys there were surprised by the amount of alcohol I drunk that evening (which were just sume 3/4 glasses of wine and 2/3 small glasses of Limoncello): in general in the south they drink much less than here in the north.
L'Italia è bella perché anche le pietre dei centri storici sono monumenti; Tu cammini e vedi natura o monumenti, neanche te ne accorgi. Non potrei vivere lontano da così tante traccie di civiltà, mi fanno rendere conto che il tempo passa velocemente e quindi io devo approfiittare dei momenti belli: amici, amore e famiglia. Adoro organizzare pranzi in montagna a casa dei miei antenati, cucinare per tutti, il mio amico che suona, rilassarmi sotto un albero... oppure prendere da bere nei centri storici e farsi sempre tante risate.
I was living and working in India - as a European expat - for several years. I think it tells a lot about Italy that the Italian Cultural Institute in New Delhi includes a great restaurant, very popular with both Europeans and Indians. One needed to become a member of the cultural institute for a small annual fee to visit the restaurant (but could then invite guests). I was a very faithful member, admittedly in the first place for the excellent food, but then also benefited from cultural events organised by the institute. (I had my favourite Indian restaurants as well of course).
Cause who actually decided Italian was the best? Have you been to literally each country in the world? Italians are so narrow minded (and I'm fron Rome)
@@luzka5422 lo hanno deciso le varie classifiche mondali che puoi trovare tranquillamente in rete! TI basta scrivere "migliori paesi cibo" e vedi che ti esce!
Many Italians are unaware that there are types of cuisine all over the world capable of making the taste buds dream. They don't know what they're missing.
I was there in 2016. You nailed it! I would move there for the food alone, especially the gelato! I would also move there for the beaches and mountains as well as all the beautiful history/ art. Italy here I come! Also half Italian.
We have a house in Umbria in the countryside, and I would add that you can't really get much done between 1:00 and 4:00, so you might as well have a nice lunch and relax. As Americans, we were always so hyper to "get things done", but we've since learned to relax a bit! Love Italy!
I have relatives in Italy whom I have visited several times and I would have to say, you are spot on with the differences. One of the funniest things is that people who are not use to being around Italians can think that they are yelling and mad when actually they are just very passionate about what they are saying. Even though I’m a patriot, I still appreciate the beautiful Italian culture as well.
Italian Americans generally are actually quite different from Italians. First of all because modern Italy is really a union of 2 completely different cultures: the north and the south - these not just two similar cultures, they're actually completely opposite from each other. Northern Italy has really Germanic proclivities while southern Italy is very Mediterranean. It's like oil and water encapsulated in one country. The difference is way stronger than any variation you see in America. Italian Americans tend to have a fossilized southern Italian culture from the 1800's that is mixed with modern American culture. Most of what Americans think of as "Italian Culture" is actually southern Italian. Problem is that it's Northern Italian culture that really prevails in Italy today. The northerners dominate the southerners so you're seeing the culture become more and more like northern Italy and less and less like the Italian American memory of Italy. Ciao ciao from an Italian of Italian-American descent 😉 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Growing up in an Italian/American I was shocked to learn the differences between us and Italy. There were differences in food, some words and more. They did keep many of the cultural ways , thank God
you are correct as to the food being fresh. To me the freshness reducing the need for excessive seasoning. The town squares on the weekend fill up with all of the locals and the families and neighbors gather together for hours.
Here in the USA we have spaghetti and meatballs. In Italy meatballs are served as an appetizer or on the side with an entree. Here we eat pasta as a main meal there is usually just a small portion
I spent several years living in Rome when I was very young. I've been back several times. I've noticed some things have changed but mostly what you've described is exactly how it was when I first went there! It's a simpler life in general but a lot less stressful too! Thanks for sharing this.
As an italian, i just say bravo to you. You have got something not everyone get of us and you have nit picked stereotypes. Not everything is 100% correct but is a really good work. Just remember, italy is not only north and south, there are central regions too (i'm from Tuscany) and every region is different from others. Is not really easy to understand every difference, 4 years just are not enough 😂. Btw you have depicted us like nice people and i appreciate that. Thank you. ☺️
I am also in Tuscany and it is and we are different than other parts of the country. In many ways I prefer a bit of the monotony to the extremes of other cities that I might prefer to live in. While on the surface Milan might seem like a big city or Rome for that matter - they are not in terms of culture and outlook. For me Naples is the only "big city" in Italy that has both the feel, culture and drive - despite its numerouns shortcomings!
Me and my wife are about to finally take our honeymoon to italy after it fell through in 2020 when covid hit. This is a great video....very insightful.
i love living in Abruzzo,great views,clean air,wonderful food,genuine friendly people,even the cops(carabinieri) are civilized and courteous and living cost is very affordable(200 a month rent for a 2 bedrooms and furnished),it is refreshing for me as an american to see that the USA is not the best place to be..didn't hear about anyone shot in 2 years,oh i everthing is closed for lunch for 3 hours,they live their life ,unlike the us where you work work work..the Dr laughed during my first visit when i asked how much i owed,..zero,for the visit..the US is the riches country in the world and can't "afford" free healthcare..shame on us
I’ve been visiting and working in Italy for 35 years and I’d agree with these. I did an informal survey 20 yrs ago asking Italians how many times they’d been drunk in their lives. Most looked at me like I was crazy, and said Never! A couple of others differences: Parents can send their kids out to buy wine. That’s starting to change though. Elevators are usually tiny. The huge doors to get into buildings. In most hotels you can’t have unregistered guests in your room. No driver’s license until 18 and it’s very expensive to get. Soon even your toilet paper will have to be notarized. Italian officials are wild-eyed for official stamps and notaries on documents. Don’t get me started on the post office. Lol lol Often no toilet seats! Ok, I’ll stop. Great video!
Thanks so much! I can picture the look on most Italians' faces when you asked them about being drunk. Haha. Great points!! As far as driving, it actually seems like most countries are 18 except for some of the States in the US. I'm not so sure 18 wouldn't be a better age. Lol. And the post office, yes!!! I've had my horror stories at Italian post offices!
@@FreedomSprout in Italy 21 was the over age till 1978... better like this, maybe till 20 years ago. I think it should get highened till 25 as the over age now, because us young Italians need to be considered under age till 25 as we are now, so much different from the young 16-25 Italians 20 years ago.
@@LeeWall1992 I actually have an Italian friend who is going through issues with their 22-year-old child because of the decisions they are making, so I know what you mean.
i love going to italy-my other homeland. italians are not in a rush-at all. when i was in positano i saw a group of5 older men sitting on a bench talking. so i sat down and slowly i got into the conversation and before i knew it 3 hrs passed! i loved it. my girlfriend was mad so i asked her to sit down, reluctantly she did, and we and all the man and some women got into the talk(8 in all). thats what its all about! la vita dolce!
We have been to Italy twice and observed many of the same things you talked about. One difference I might add is I think Italy has more respect for there Duomo's then we do our churches. They dress nicer and will be more quiet and respectful inside.
True dat. Last time I was in an American church, the kids were literally munching Doritos and swigging Coke in the back pews while the sermon was underway. I was disgusted.
You did a really respectful, broad, and humorous overview of some differences. I really like it. We have five children too. I teared up when you pointed out that Italians generally have one child, maybe two. I'm sad about their low birthrate...The world needs more Italians.
@@vittoriovedli4819 I am Italian living in the U.S. now. Same is true here. Most American families only have 1 or 2 children now. When a family has 4 or more children, other people make comments on them in public. Like "Why you have so many children" in negative way.
@@tancreddehauteville764 A mixture of self-loathing after the crimes and horrors of WW2, and the oppressed status that women used to have in those countries before 1945, which meant that after society became 'Americanized' somewhat from 1945 onwards, the women in those countries were determined not to live lives like their mothers and grandmothers had. I know Italy and Japan very well, and trust me what I have just explained is a MASSIVE factor behind the plunging birth rates.
"They don't smile at strangers like we do in the States". SO true. I'm Italian and my nature is to smile at strangers. But they always looked at me like I was crazy. Here in the US I finally found my people!
also in Italy there are many restaurants with different cuisines, but in big cities. In Rome you can find many different restaurants, for example African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Texmex, Mexican, Greek, Filipino, Hawaiian and many more.
I would add that there is a big difference between America and Italy in terms of town layout. Americans are so car-centric and this results in what I consider unsightly and pedestrian unfriendly commercial sprawl even around relatively small cities. In Italy and most of Europe more commerce happens in the town center and urban gives way to countryside much more rapidly.
True!! I love how easy it is to navigate the towns in Italy on foot. Where we lived in Italy, it was more like America because we lived in the middle of nowhere haha, but when we visited the small towns around it was nice to park and walk everywhere in the town. :)
As an Italian who has lived in Texas, DC, Germany and UK, Italy is the place I've worked longer hours for less money 😬 Also, Mexican food is often not that Mexican in the US as well, it's more Tex-Mex or some variation to adapt to the American taste.
I appreciate so much that you just launch into the topic and save yourself a long-winded intro! You also have a good balance of positive and negative points without making the negative ones actually sound negative. Great video!
People from new countries, like all of America, Australia and Canada, do not understand that within each country of Europe there is a world. It is not only the differences between the North and the South or between the West and the East, each town is different from the neighbor, there are different customs, foods, festivals, wines,... There is not a single Italy, or a Spain or a Germany, there are many Italys, Spains,...
From an Italian girl: this is a super interesting video! I loved to hear the differences, and the things we do that are so normal for us, but not for Americans, really, I loved this list so much. Thanks for sharing :3
I grew up overseas and currently living in the States. I think it’s so wonderful to teach children to cook from a very young age. My kids always start as soon as they can stand on a stool to watch. They eat more variety of foods as well by snitching mushrooms and veggies off my cutting board. They are chopping the veggies by age 2-3. It would be wonderful to see a video on living intentionally in a smaller square footage home if that was your choice. We are currently in 1800sq ft and always looking for new ways to make it work better.
I will definitely do that video! In Italy we had a 1500 sq ft house. Here in Japan, it looks like we will be in a larger home, so around 2200 sq ft, but there isn't really any storage so a lot of that sq ft is the open, large hallways and entry way, etc. I will do a video about that once we get moved in. I'm going to do a walk-through video of our Italian home as well, but unfortunately I took the video after our stuff was out of it.
As an Italian I have to say 2 things: 1. A/C units are becoming more common especially after this year (45 C or 113 F where I live was the record, but in Sicily it peaked at 50 C or 122 F) 2. In the South people hate the cold, yes, they would prefer 40 C or 104 F to -2 C or 28,4 F. However, in the North you’ll see people going around with a hoodie and a T-shirt underneath with 18 C or 65 F, like myself. Obviously it’s very subjective. In the Alps 65 F is considered warm…
Won’t let me edit so here I am. Everything else he said is just basically facts, especially CARS. Thanks to speed traps people are more calm nowdays (in the 70’s everyone was Ayrton Senna basically) but going 90km/h (55mph) or even 100km/h (60mph) on a small country road is absoltely normal. 90km/h is actually the speed limit on most main roads, whilst on highways it’s 130km/h (80mph), but you’ll see easily people going, 140 (87), if they’re taking it calmly, 150 (93) of they’re on a normal day or 160km/h (100km/h) if they’re in a hurry. This obviously applies to people that have cars that can handle those speeds (the Fiat Panda won’t pass 140). Then you get the crazy guy with the Porsche going 200km/h (124mph) at 1:0p in the night. Another thing worth noting is that if there is a speed trap or a TUTOR system (it calculates your average speed and then fines you if you’re 5km/h over the speed limit) people will do exaclty 130km/h, because money. Also, in Naples traffic lights are completely ignored. First car to get to the junction goes
the states and Italy have some common differences such as customs cuisine music movies and of course the English and Italian languages are multicultural and you can easily converse with a native of these countries
In Turkey, we smiles strangers as well, next level (acquaintance level) people like to touch each other, handshaking-kisses from cheek, joking a lot, using hand gestures. Everyone call each other ''brother, sister, uncle etc'' , we love stray animals, and no homeless ppl around, even u cant work to feed yourself somebody surely help you out (social solidarity) ... tourist & foreigners got culture shock initially... '' he/she orders me food or drink free in charge, why ? why are they so friendly ?'' ... Mediterranean people resemble each other, so i found many similarities with Italians and Greeks. In America individualism is so high (side effect of high capitalism i think) everyone for himself, no one care others, nothing is without a return. Objectively, individualism can be positive in many ways but also got huge downsides.
Italians had the reputation of being great savers, even though they knew how to enjoy the small pleasures of life. At least in the North (but not only) accumulating savings rather than squandering them to make useless purchases just to show off was considered a virtue (not surprisingly, rich families for several generations were generally stingy; the vulgarity of consumerism and waste was more typical of the enriched). Regarding talking casually about your money, my grandmother used to say: "Children show their butts while stupid people show their money" :-)
From my time in Italy and when trying to explain this to students, I argue that Italians dress more for the situation. There are expectations about how to dress for the beach, a specific wardrobe for funerals, etc. Americans focus more on comfort than anything else. If we can make it look good, that's a bonus, but we prioritize comfort when we are shopping for clothes.
Man, so accurate, polite and true, nr. 15 just killed me. They should grant you immediate citizenship only for this video. Thanks for sharing! (I'm Italian btw...)
What a fantastic video, thank you very much! Many of these points are the same here in France. As Americans living permanently abroad, somethings were definitely a culture shock lol. But we’ve loved every minute of it and are looking forward to moving to Italy in a couple of years. It’s nice to know there won’t be a lot of changes between France and Italy so thank you again for all the information.
I’ve been to Italy twice, to Rome and Italy, and notice how smartly dressed they were and the late dinners at night. I’ve noticed a lot of graffiti on buildings, even more so then America or England ( where I have been living for the past 30 years ). The appliances in England are definitely ( refrigerators, stoves and washer/dryers ) smaller then America! Had a hard time when first using washing machine, had a tendency to overload it. Thank you for pointing out the differences, some I noticed and some I didn’t know.
"Italians are never in a hurry... until they get in the car" I laughed hard at this. Anyway, just a couple of personal notes. I don't know where you have been, or where have you lived, but in 30 years i have never seen anybody having pizza with pineapples on it. I mean, I might even try it, but honestly, I've never seen it on the menu. Tap water is not free on restaurants, that's true; but it's free in bars (like, if you want to drink it before your coffee, or breakfast, you can ask for a glass of water without being charged for it) Apart for that, the points on the list are pretty much truthful :D
Haha thanks for watching! We've seen pineapple on pizza all over, from Venice to Naples and even in Sicily, but to be honest, we were always looking for it (not because we eat it, but because of the stigma and curiosity lol). I do admit it's usually only in touristy areas, with a few exceptions. And good point about bars, I have noticed free water there.
@@FreedomSprout Yes, probably for tourists. A real person from Napoli would go nuts if you put pineapple on their pizza. I live in the U.S. now, and it is funny. Some Americans like it, some think it is the most disgusting thing ever.
Thanks for your video! Here are my thoughts - Italians do not drink all day - perhaps on holiday but not everyday - a normal family won’t have wine with dinner everyday. Their food too is different at home than when they eat out on special occasions , they eat a lot of fresh veggies and fruit, small amounts of meat, flavorful pasta but not with all the thick sauces and cheese we have. They also don’t drive much - there are often small markets on every block and often vegetable markets close by. Italians stay healthier than Americans because the walk a lot.
Italian here. I congratulate you for the observations, as a person who loves to travel I share many of the feelings you have described. Unfortunately, Italian culture is disappearing: among the under 40s there has been a sort of contempt for what is Italian and this is reflected in many aspects of everyday life. Concepts such as "tradition" and "cultural identity" are often derided or defined " populists ". In a few years the peculiar characteristics of our culture will be diluted and mixed with the cultures of the peoples we are welcoming from Africa and other areas of the world. I hope not to offend anyone, I think this consideration is quite analytical. Hope you enjoy our country!
Italian culture is endangered, not from poor people who are eager to become italian but from global consumistic greedy oriented lifestyle. for example Halloween or McDonald don't come from Africa.
This is being encouraged by the EU, throughout Europe. They want to dilute the people, the culture, and the religion, and turn it into a confusing mess. Fortunately, countries like Hungary, are standing up to this evil.
This is so accurate! You made my day Hahaha and also, being a southerner myself, I did notice some "typical italian things" you described that are actually a little different down here, as you said at the beginning. Have you had a chance to visit south Italy? :) You still have quite a lot of weird italian habits to discover :D
Thanks!! I would love to discover all the weird habits! Haha. We've only taken one trip to Sicilia. We've been to Napoli a few times. We loved both places! But since we lived so far north, by Venice, we weren't able to make it down there as much as we had hoped. Our next trip to Italy will include a lot more south though!
As an Italian living in Asia for many years, I'm happy to see that many people are having a good time in Italy. I admit that one of the things I miss the most from Italy is certainly the food and the ingredients. Especially when it comes to cheese, which costs an eye in Asia, but in my hometown (a quiet, peaceful town in the Friuli region, northeastern of Italy) it's something you can grab anywhere for cheap and you are exposed to a large variety of cheese. Red wine is also a big thing in my hometown and some old people like to have breakfast with only wine early in the morning :)
@@scaredylamb Oh, the famous star fortress city ... (And the go to location to buy electronics in former times :) ) Greetings from under the Collio / Brda
I, too, am an American living in Italy, in the mountains (not the alps, though) and have been coming here since I was a kid, as all 4 of my grandparents were born, here, and in the mix, I got left a house....and lots of land. I have lived here, permanently for 11 years, now. So much of what you say is true...and as my husband was listening and was born here, though in the south, he was objecting to this and that and I kept reminding him that you were not speaking about all of Italy, as you stated, but what you've observed. There are lots of wonderful reasons to live here, or pretty much anyplace in Europe...but for me, it's the history, culture. When you mentioned how people pay attention to how you look, I mentioned to my husband how, at times and when rushed, I would make a quick dash to a supermarket for something I'd forgotten, just throwing on a sweater and he simply looked at me saying, you are strange people. Maybe we are. I don't know. Take people from every corner on earth and put them in one country, mixing languages, cultures, politics, etc..and you have the USA, for better or for worse. It is an ongoing experiment at which we do well, or fail completely and it has all happened so quickly, since WWI, more or less. Anyway, thanks for posting what you did...and please, might you expand on what you spoke about at the beginning...a "family" association or group or way of life? I am unclear. Thanks...! Ciao! Am back to edit...just followed your link to intentional children....and am clear, now, about what it is. Thanks.
@@FreedomSprout you probably never had actual spanish food, they're pretty different (I'm not a hater, i loved your video, but even the main ingredients you can find in spanish and mexican cuisine are different)
@@angrydurian814 You're absolutely right, they are two totally different things when you just compare the two. And while I prefer Mexican food (probably mostly because it's what I grew up on), I still enjoy Spanish food. While they are two totally different types of food, there are a lot of similarities, especially when I'm craving Mexican food and often Spanish food was the only option. Lol. But I see what you're saying. They are very different, for sure. But compared to my typical option of Italian vs. Mexican, Spanish food was the closet thing I had sometimes. Lol. And thanks for the kind words!
Hey Freedom Sprout, I’m from Vicenza ( I’m sure you know Caserma Ederle)and I have been living in the US for 22 years now. I gotta give it to you, that was excellent. All good points, most of ‘em accurate, except for the smiling one, I think we smile more than you think. With that said, enjoy your time there and thank you for your service 💯
Im not Italian nor American but when he said, "Italians talk loudly." i was laughing. In my country, we always say... you hear an American before you see them😂. To us, they are so loud, too loud. They dont evdb lower theur voices in restaurants etc. Im assuming bc he is American himself, that he has no idea how loud Americans actually are.
You are right, I am as surprised about what he said about Italians being loud. I’m a Turkish myself living in the U.S. and I’m tired of people yelling at my face from 2 meters away
Great video! As an Italian, one difference we notice a lot, is how big portions are in the US, also packets of food in supermarkets sometimes look "family size" to us, totally agree about the lack of condiments, we normally use salt and olive oil or maybe vinegar, but we don't have salad dressing in our supermarkets
We have so many different regional cuisines... what you find in Piedmont is different from what you find in Lazio or Campania. Generic restaurants have the most common dishes but the regional specialties are to die for.
Italians and Europeans in general don't like the phony American smiles especially when speaking but Italians will show friendliness and care in other ways. I gave myself a black eye the first night I was in my apartment in Sicily. The next day I went to the open market and the veggie guy, whom I'd never seen in my life said, "what happened, your husband didn't do that did he?" He looked like he would have come home with me and beaten my husband up if I had one and he had done it. He was really concerned but very relieved when I told him the weird way it happened. And the tripping thing also happened to me although I'm generally agile. In the same market a different day, I was entering a shop that had a basalt step. The way the light hit it, I didn't see the difference with the street. I tripped and a guy who just happened to be standing there was so fast, he caught me in his arms and kept me from falling. Too bad he was half my age ;)
Good video. well structured too. I enjoyed this! Yeah, my one year old daughter gets lots of attention from people! AC in houses is more common here than when I moved to Italy in 2009. Oh yes! I will never agree with them and what is cold! I hate the small fridges here and as soon as we get a new house I am insisting on a big US style fridge. Roundabouts are not common in CT. I still think in the US system. That's a good point about the tripping. I actually prefer to trip here in Italy because it's not considered funny and when I go back to the states and someone laughs at me (or if I drop something) my gut reaction now is to ask them "cazzo ridi?!".
about the drunk part, well, you are right "legally" it's 18 years old, but it's actually pretty normal for kids to start drinking at around 14. no one bats an eye, it's just culturally accepted here, so we get a lot more used to alchol. only thing that i'm not really sure about is the everything in italy is small, i think that it's not in italy that is small, it that everything in america is huge compared to the rest of the world.
Until 10 years ago the legal limit for alcoholic drinks was 16 yo, even if it was just for drinks under a certain alcohol threshold. I still remember being able to purchase beer for 6 months in 2012. Then it changed and couldn't buy any more for 18 months, it felt pretty odd 😅
@@moussa2949 yes small towns, like mine, are a whole different story. The take-away pizzeria of the village was owned by my friend's father and my friend worked there since he was 14. I was easily offered a free beer to take home even at 14-15 yo, no one cared.
Italians ignore speed limit signs on highways. We drove in Sicily and Sardinia and everyone was doing around 100 - 140kms on freeways with 40 and 80 speed limit signs. They collectively determine the appropriate speed and seem to know when a speed sign is legit... also it is accepted that motorcyclists will go faster than cars and overtake them at every opportunity - it’s why you have a motorcycle.
Really? Try to go above the Speed limit on the sign on the roads outside Rome and see, you will get caught immediately by the autovelox sistem and get a huge fine.( same in all the regions from Rome to the Alps and from Rome to the Adriatic Sea).
@@patriziaalma7498 Thank you and I get that it is different in Rome etc. In Sicily and Sardinia it was confusing for me - I was with friends from Rome on holiday and they also drove over the speed limits on the highways and roads outside the towns like everyone else.
If you'd like to try different restaurants, look for the immigrant communities. There's more and more restaurants from all over, just not everywhere. I believe there's some places that offer South American (brasilian, peruvian, I even went to a sushi place that incorporates Ecuadorian food) cuisine in Genova, for example, because there's a lot of South American immigrants over there.
That sounds awesome! Thanks for the suggestion! I love trying food from different cultures - especially Central and South America. I want to check that place out!
im a spaniard from south america and been to italy many times and actually italy and japan are my favourite countries in the world , and i must say your spot on with your comments, but its the same throughout europe . driving and eating in italy is a artform , driving through streets and approching a traffic light they treat it as just a decoration but i drove most of europe and i find them to behave respectfully to others unlike in north america they give you the finger.
I could see that! Eating and driving are definitely art forms. I actually enjoyed driving there. Felt like I was racing haha. Now I live in Japan so we'll see if I feel the same as you. Italy is one of my favorite countries and it always will be. Japan is becoming one of my top countries as well!
Italian men are adept at flirting while driving, I mean when you're in a different car. haha. Years ago, I was driving from Firenze to Sienna and this one guy would speed up and pass, then slow down so I could pass. this went on for several Kms. It was like a dance.
I stayed in Rome for a little over a month at my family's small apartment. If you have ever heard of kids getting water thrown on their heads for being too loud during siesta- that is a THING. happened more than a handful of times. and yes they do close down for a few hrs in the middle of the day! The 3rd lane had me laughing, they have the craziest roads!
Americans may not know this, but there is a HUGE difference between northern Europeans and southern Europeans' attitudes to drinking. It's basically 'wine culture' Vs. 'beer culture'. As most (white) Americans are descendants of either German, Polish, Scandinavian or Scots-Irish immigrants, I find Americans are more 'beer culture' oriented, which means they 'binge drink' more often, and drink quickly to get drunk quickly. I'm not knocking that, it's your culture, but please remember that when you come to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, etc., such behavior is usually frowned upon and not considered 'cool' or 'funny'. Btw, I'm from Finland, and we are terrible binge drinkers too, so I'm not bashing you guys.
I find this to be true too! I've noticed the drinking culture in the US aligns more with that of Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium, etc. I think you're spot on and it does seem like that binge drinking spawns from being more beer-oriented.
@@FreedomSprout Hey, thanks for replying! I see from your latest videos that you're now in Japan - how is it going?...I've been living in Tokyo for 25 years, married with kids here, time goes so quickly!
@@thadtuiol1717 That's awesome! We love Japan so far. Planning a trip to Osaka soon. We've been there a few times, but there's so much to see. The same applies to Tokyo of course.
I agree with the Food availability. This also includes the wine list. You will find many regional wines, but you may find it hard to find a French or Bulgarian one. The Reason is culture. Italian cuisine is diverse and in the USA we probably get only 5% of what they have there. There is no need to try other cuisine as the Italian menu is so vast and diverse. I agree about car racing and also about money. Italy is not purely competitive as the US and they do have strict controls on gauging ( aggiotaggio). Comclusion? It's about what you said: If you enjoy life, Italy is a place to be: If you like money, then you should come to America. Finally , one last comment: Stress. Americans are far more stressed . Italians are more relaxed.
another thing is " smiling". You usually approach an Italian and smile to them. They will not exchange smile. They are reserved people. They will only smile at you once they know you.
My mother is Italian, and drank some wine at every meal--very occasionally a gin and tonic. I never saw her either drunk or even high. The attitude towards alcohol in all the English-speaking cultures is to get stoned: Canadians, Brits, Irish, Australians, Americans all like to get drunk. Italians don't like to get drunk. I think they use alcohol more as a digestive aid and as a way to be more relaxed. Alcohol is considered a food, rather than a drug.
We usually Say "dignitosamente Brillo"
becouse u never talked to an italian without kid
For us alcohol is a pleasure. We drink wine because we like it for its taste not because it make us drunk or help us to digest
untrue, come in Italy e you'll see....my grandfather have a couple of grappa for breakfast every single 5 (at 5 AM)
@@stefanodigiacomo828 ahahahahahh grandissima citazione
As an italian, this is actually one of the best videos on topic. you made me laugh my ass off! It is so true everything you said. My favorite part is that italians are never on a rush except when they get behind a wheel. I totally lost it!
Haha glad I could brighten your day, my friend! Thanks for the feedback!!
I live in Milan and we're always in a rush.
@@FreedomSprout I can say in a worldwide dimension: if you do never drive a car in Italy... you won't be able to learn how to really drive a car!
si è vero, le ha imbroccate quasi tutte! bravo.
@@luigidallagnese2056 ma di che parli?
As an American who just visited Italy for only a few weeks, I picked up on most of these immediately. A huge one for me was how Italians don't point out errors and don't care about mistakes as you mentioned. I'm very self critical, a perfectionist and with that, I can be socially anxious sometimes. My first night there, being tired and jetlagged, I tripped up a flight of stairs. I felt so embarrassed, but I looked around and no one even reacted except for one person who asked if I was alright. I continued to notice this as we went around and I made silly mistakes here and there and slowly, but surely, my first instinct to feel embarrassed and stupid started to go away. It was really freeing. By the end of my stay there, I wouldn't say I was careless, but a lot more carefree and relaxed. I will admit that people are more willing to be blunt as you also mentioned, but I ended up enjoying that because I never felt like anything anyone said was mean or judgmental. In fact, I felt like most of the time, people were just trying to help. I felt the least socially anxious I ever have in my life, in a new country where I barely speak the language and didn't know how anything worked oddly enough. I took a lot of the new attitude and perspective back with me back to the states and I'm so much more relaxed because of it. Italy taught me how to live more happily and healthily in so many ways. I'm glad I wasn't just imagining a lot of the demeanor differences because I was afraid it was just wishful thinking on my part, but it was cool to hear you reaffirm many of the differences I noticed that I love. I can't wait to go back!
That's such a cool story! I'm so glad that you not only noticed that, but you took the valuable lessons back with you. That's inspiring!
Ti aspettiamo
In Italia to say that a thing isn't done very well we say:"at italian way".ciao.💚🤍❤
As an American Expat, who has been living in Italy for over 50 yrs.!! I find it very disconcerting when l visit family in the U.S. at how driven and money conscious everyone is parading wealth and possessions 🙄 they NEED to have more than their friends and neighbours!! Such a fear of LACK is really astonishing 😟l have always felt more European in that sense, and find it really hard to relate to my American friends, with their HUGE homes and HUGE cars. They tend to feel bad for me and my “tiny kitchen” but l actually cook ALOT more than they do!!😂
I don't agree with this or many of the points.Plenty of Italians love money and it is important to them. I also find Italians to be ANYTHING other than blunt. The communication is very subtle, it is hard to know what they are thinking and what they actually want. EG It is very rare for an Italian to say NO to any request, they will say yes and then not do it until you understand they mean no. I think a lot of these points maybe limited to Northern Italy, and also the people you meet. We are all human with different ways of thinking, even within a culture.
oh man. Lived in many countries in my life. Few years in the usa, and now living in italy (i am european). I wrote a comment on a video how couldnt live in NYC anymore and the hatred i got...that america is the greatest country on planet...etc. I mean depends on priorities. If you wanna make money and business definitely.But If you wanna live a life then europe and specially italy. People will never get that in the states where they live in a materialistic bubble. I am retired at age 42 and my american friends surprised that i live in a small house and i drive a very good, but affordable japanese car. For them retirement is 4 bedroom house and a TESLA or AUDI kinda car living in a riviera. well good luck with that by tha age of 70 or ever. I am happy with my simple life, living not the most glamorous place yet beautiful. People in the US will rarely understand that. Different mindset and society entirely.
I guess you don't live in Milan hehe, the workaholic and hustle culture is basically how Milan is stereotyped in the rest of Italy: people are generally always is a hurry and obsessed with money
@@bellicapelli8155 well compared to rest of italy yes of course, but compared to US? Not even close 😄
There is a funny story when our Milano consultants arrived for a meeting 2 hours late. Everyone waiting (few C level and board member people)with an important presentation (they nailed it and was a great work btw).
The reason: the two milanese consultants first went to the hotel to check in and for lunch. After the lunch and coffee they came to the meeting apologised about being late. This would never happen in the US 😄😄😄
(Yes I live in the middle/south not far from Rome)
@@flaviusvespasian As an Italian, I completely agree with your point on this topic. It's very frustrating when people don't do what they previously promised. Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone, but there are lots of people who tend to act like this.
Bravo . Almost correct and accurate . May be except from the smiling. Yes : We think is vulgar and rude to live only to make money and to talk about money . Money is an instrument and not a purpose. This is a huge difference with americans about the values for the life .
Molto esatto. L'ossessione per il denaro, alla lunga, porta a disastri mentali e comportamentali. E di certo non è la via per una vita piena.
E X A C T L Y.
I thought he was right on about the lack of smiling-at least in Northern Italy.
More Americans are thinking that way now, especially because of the pandemic. I have American friends that have walked away from their jobs because they said they are tired of the work hours and it is no way to live life. Companies in U.S. are going crazy because so many people are quitting their jobs for more family time, and there are "help wanted" signs and job openings everywhere.
Well in America you must hustle and have money or life can be miserable. No socialized healthcare. No maternity leave. I've had many a female coworker go into labor at work because they can't afford a single unpaid day then they're right back exhausted at 16 weeks. You get a medical issue and your savings can be depleted overnight. I had a miscarriage, insurance was lapsed and my ER bill was over $5,000 USD. So of course we are money obsessed here. It's miserable but we have no choice.
The biggest difference is: if you need to go to the hospital we don't ask for the insurence number. That makes a big difference.
As an Afghan living in Italy, I love this country. I started traveling it❤
I loved my 4 years in Italy. I wish I could live there forever. I loved the culture, food, history and the Italian family and friends we have now.
Same! To all of that!
Amen to that brother!
I've found Americans to be louder than Italians, actually. In restaurants, citiy streets, and what not.
At best, i'd say that we're equally loud.
I'd agree we're probably equally loud, because when Americans are loud, they're REALLY loud, and Italians are more loud consistently, but not as loud as Americans can be. Haha
I agree
@@FreedomSprout I would say Italians are theatrical rather than loud, but they are louder than most Europeans except the Spanish.
Americans will be loud publicly but then to lower their voices indoors. If you're loud inside people think you're angry and will try to disengage you.
I was typically talking with my hands one day and a coworker accused me of threatening her. I wasn't even that close to her and we were sitting.
Italy, unforgettable country. Love and Genius, beauty, art, culture, fashion...❤️
I’m Italian from Rome, I can say that’s true, every Italian can cook, I learned how to cook from my grandma when I was 4 and today I’m 26 and I can cook everything, I can prepare homemade pasta, pizza, desserts, cookies and so on. It’s a real passion for us and for those like me it’s almost a religion. Cooking is relaxing, it makes you happy and it’s a genuine way to express your creativity. As I say “there’s nothing better than eating what you like with the taste you like and that’s why I cook”
cool
all us southern Europeans who have grown attached to our wine over millennia don't get hammered drunk all the time, it's the same with Spaniards, French, Portuguese and Greeks. We are "trained" to drink wine since childhood, watering down wine, mixing less water little by little, until you're old enough or confident enough to handle and enjoy wine like everybody else. That also teaches us to not drink to get drunk, but to just enjoy a glass with each meal so that it doesn't get wasted for frivolous reasons, but actually gets enjoyed, and considering all the work that gets put into making wine (or any alcoholic beverage), it's also a matter of respect.
Also as far as the flavor of the food, i've been told by not just americans that it can sometimes be kind of "bland" but those complaints only come from people who come from cultures who are used to highly spiced food, like India.
I think for Americans we're often used to over-seasoned food and way too much sugar, so when we first get to Europe everything tastes "under-seasoned" and "not sweet enough." After living there for a few years, I started to prefer less sugar and I felt like I started to taste the real ingredients more. It was good for me!
@@FreedomSprout tbh when i visited the US i noticed more the difference in the portion sizes than the taste of the food.
Spaniards drink a lot more than Italians.
@@tlacorp.3813 Welllllll... Not really😂.
I live in Veneto, the region of Italy where people drink the most, and we are able to get the Russian drunk before us! Spaniards are however great drinkers, i really like party with them!
(Sorry for my english🥺)
Exactly! I was so used to it, turning "of age" was no big deal and no reason to go out and get drunk. Why would anyone WANT to get drunk on purpose?
If you want to have food diversity in Italy you just need to move 10/20 km and the cuisine and the beverages will "magically" start to change ;)
Very true!
Yes
Pretty much spot on. 6 years in Italy with the USAF between 1968 & 1978 and back for about a week almost every year since 2001. I spent my time with the locals instead of other GIs and had an absolute blast. Love the country.
The USAF is what took me there and now has taken me to Japan!
@@FreedomSprout Aviano, I assume? I had 2 tours there and 2 others at comm sites that no longer exist.
@@FreedomSprout come back living in Italy! I hope you loved my homeland. Lots of stranger get their hearts conquered by Italy.
@@LeeWall1992 Vero. Sono quasi Friulano adesso.
@@mjordan812 in che senso? Friulano o giuliano?
About the food not being diverse: we are just not a nation that based its growth on "new" immigration. Of course we had giant migrations, and invasions, etc. and our culture and cuisine got influences from all sorts of different cultures, but it got watered down throughout a couple of thousand years and completely assimilated. If you study all the regional different styles of food (same goes for regional dialects and languages) you might find out they have Greek, Balcanic, Middle Eastern, North African, Northern European, even American origins. They have just all become "Italian" over many many centuries. 🙂
I love the story of my Grandma's home town, Valsinni, in Basilicata. The town has traditionally seen itself as an "upper" town and "lower" town. Grandma came from the "upper" town. The people in that neighborhood cooked with butter not olive oil and no garlic. The Lower Townsfolk used olive oil, garlic and more typical Southern ingredients. The two halves spoke different dialects and couldn't really understand each other unless they used their Standard Italian, learned in school. We think the Upper Townsfolk were probably refugees from the north, probably Jewish, fleeing some sort of persecution. Grandma was very fair and actually resembled Queen Elizabeth to a great degree. She was always taken for German in the US.
Abbiamo già un botto di varietà di cibo e di culture nella (appunto) cultura Italiana… di certo non abbiamo bisogno del cibo messicano.
Anche se ora l’Italia è pure piena si Kebabbari
My wife and I both have walking disabilities. When we were in Roma we got around by taxis. The taxi cab drivers were hilarious! Driving very fast on very narrow roads, casually conversing the whole time with us. Super friendly people but not nosey. In 5 trips to Western Europe Italy is on the top of our list for everything.
As an Italian living in the US, I approve this video - respectful and to the point. Great job, I wish you and your family a pleasant stay in Italy!
Thank you!!!
Did a trip to Italy this pass March and I’m from Buffalo, NY so very used to the cold… it was 65° and sunny so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt lol people thought I was insane. However one of my favorite things is how the tax is included in the price you see! You actually know what your total will be BEFORE you check out! That’s just awesome.
That’s how it is all over the world, some American customs are simply weird…
Awesome!? That way Italians get used to paying high taxes. The value added tax in Italy averages 22%. WShat is awesome about hiding the taxes the government wants you to pay!?
And tipping is optional
As you said in the intro, there are lots of difference between nord, middle and south italy. I would add every single region or province it's a little different part of italy, but this is a common point: "italians are never on a rush except when they get behind a wheel" this is a milestone of our culture :D
How true .
Dude I'm Italian that was such a nice and wholesome video. Respectful, fun and interesting, definitely one of the best of his kind. Very good job, I hope this comment helps your channel!
Thanks so much! This comment definitely made my day!
We love living in Italy! We've got dual citizenship (USA/IT) - we're lucky. We left crazy and came to beautiful Italy. We just love living here. You're so right about the air conditioning!
I am working on my dual citizenship.
Spot on. We live in the South in the States and went to Italy a few months before COVID.
Oh my goodness, the food!!! Natural unprocessed food that actually tastes like food from God. I miss the evening meals at the small villa in which we stayed.
I fell so much in love with the Tuscany area, that we were thinking of buying a second home or apartment there.
The only thing I disagree with you on is the smiling. Everyone smiled at me. As a Southern lady, it is just ingrained into me to make eye contact with everyone and smile. I’m not talking about over the top, just a subtle look and smile. As a Southerner, I hope you know what I mean. It seems to make people’s day to be smiled at, and the kids would smile back and giggle. I’m a teacher, so I love children. 🤷🏻♀️💕
Great video. I’m subscribing. Please bring more of Italy via your channel.
Thanks so much! There are more Italy videos coming! I know what you mean about smiling at people. Being from the South, I grew up that way, and it's true some people do smile at you in Italy and throughout Europe (if you smile first)! Tuscany is a beautiful area. We love it there!
Its always interesting to see the perspective of someone who comes from another country, a huge "cultural enrichment". Now it's for sure the best time to think about buying a property in Italy, a lot of beautiful houses under 50,000 €. Cheers from Rome 🤗
@@valentinasalvati2139 Do you mind sharing information about where to buy?
Love your country!!!💕💕💕💕
Thank you
@@jbr2991 sure!! Contact me on Instagram, you can find me as the_busy_travelers😊 it will be easier to chat there so you can ask me what you are interested in😉
@@valentinasalvati2139 Thank you so much! We thought about it! We had heard that the houses often sell for more than people can afford in monthly payments. Most of the people we know who own inherited the house. But if the right deal came along, we'd consider buying!
I was stationed in Sardinia in the navy. Early 90’s. It seems not a lot has changed. I would say the drinking age in Italy is when Mama says so. You can be 35 and if Mama says no drinking the local bar will not serve you😄. A American friend and I were talking about drinking games with an Italian. He asked if we were crazy. He could not imagine drinking that much. I believe it is much better to teach people to drink first than drive. That way they know their limits. Getting a cab ride across Naples is the best roller coaster you will ever be on.
Beware that from Sicily to Veneto the things change A LOT. I'm Italian, living near Milan, and I'm a 46yo now. I remember when I was like 28 and went down to Sicily to spend some 2 weeks with a girl there. I've been invited to a dinner from a guy I knew for other reasons in Palermo, kind of a well enstablished family of dentists, so middle to higher class. I was perfectly fine (not drunk at all) for what I've drunk during that dinner, but the other guys there were surprised by the amount of alcohol I drunk that evening (which were just sume 3/4 glasses of wine and 2/3 small glasses of Limoncello): in general in the south they drink much less than here in the north.
Were you by chance in S,Stefano (Palau)?
L'Italia è bella perché anche le pietre dei centri storici sono monumenti;
Tu cammini e vedi natura o monumenti, neanche te ne accorgi.
Non potrei vivere lontano da così tante traccie di civiltà, mi fanno rendere conto che il tempo passa velocemente e quindi io devo approfiittare dei momenti belli: amici, amore e famiglia.
Adoro organizzare pranzi in montagna a casa dei miei antenati, cucinare per tutti, il mio amico che suona, rilassarmi sotto un albero...
oppure prendere da bere nei centri storici e farsi sempre tante risate.
I went to Italy on vacation, love their food, their towns, the Mediterranean sea. I am planning to return soon, finger cross
I was living and working in India - as a European expat - for several years. I think it tells a lot about Italy that the Italian Cultural Institute in New Delhi includes a great restaurant, very popular with both Europeans and Indians. One needed to become a member of the cultural institute for a small annual fee to visit the restaurant (but could then invite guests). I was a very faithful member, admittedly in the first place for the excellent food, but then also benefited from cultural events organised by the institute. (I had my favourite Indian restaurants as well of course).
Italian be like: Why searching for the total variety of foreign cousine, when your cousine is THE BEST? ahahah!
Cause who actually decided Italian was the best? Have you been to literally each country in the world? Italians are so narrow minded (and I'm fron Rome)
Italy is the best 🇮🇹😗😗
@@luzka5422 lo hanno deciso le varie classifiche mondali che puoi trovare tranquillamente in rete! TI basta scrivere "migliori paesi cibo" e vedi che ti esce!
Many Italians are unaware that there are types of cuisine all over the world capable of making the taste buds dream.
They don't know what they're missing.
@Bali Breeze I'm Italian.
I was there in 2016. You nailed it! I would move there for the food alone, especially the gelato! I would also move there for the beaches and mountains as well as all the beautiful history/ art. Italy here I come! Also half Italian.
Awesome, thank you so much! We got there at the end of 2016! And yes, the gelato!!
I italy from everywhere you can go ,in only two hours, to sky, and in same time to beaches.
@@FreedomSprout I'm Italian American from NYC...and really wasn't impressed with the food in Italy nothing I couldn't get in NYC
We have a house in Umbria in the countryside, and I would add that you can't really get much done between 1:00 and 4:00, so you might as well have a nice lunch and relax. As Americans, we were always so hyper to "get things done", but we've since learned to relax a bit! Love Italy!
So true!! Living in Italy helped me calm down a little. You're absolutely right, we stopped trying to do anything during riposo. haha
That's why you should sleep, it's in the middle of the night ;)
I dream of a move there for all these reasons
I mean, you're welcome here 😊
I have relatives in Italy whom I have visited several times and I would have to say, you are spot on with the differences.
One of the funniest things is that people who are not use to being around Italians can think that they are yelling and mad when actually they are just very passionate about what they are saying.
Even though I’m a patriot, I still appreciate the beautiful Italian culture as well.
ADD TO DEMEANOR: Italians have NO SENSE of personal space- theirs AND /or yours. Right in your face - Right smack. Up close. NO 6’ OF SEPARATION
I'm an Italian American and you literally described my family. Can't wait to move to Italy!! Thanks!
Italian Americans generally are actually quite different from Italians. First of all because modern Italy is really a union of 2 completely different cultures: the north and the south - these not just two similar cultures, they're actually completely opposite from each other. Northern Italy has really Germanic proclivities while southern Italy is very Mediterranean. It's like oil and water encapsulated in one country. The difference is way stronger than any variation you see in America. Italian Americans tend to have a fossilized southern Italian culture from the 1800's that is mixed with modern American culture. Most of what Americans think of as "Italian Culture" is actually southern Italian. Problem is that it's Northern Italian culture that really prevails in Italy today. The northerners dominate the southerners so you're seeing the culture become more and more like northern Italy and less and less like the Italian American memory of Italy. Ciao ciao from an Italian of Italian-American descent 😉 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
The real Americans are the brown people of Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, etc.
Thanks as italian..I didn’t realize, we have such positive points.
You definitely do have a lot of positive points!
@@FreedomSprout thanks 🙏🏻 bro
Growing up in an Italian/American I was shocked to learn the differences between us and Italy. There were differences in food, some words and more. They did keep many of the cultural ways , thank God
you are correct as to the food being fresh. To me the freshness reducing the need for excessive seasoning. The town squares on the weekend fill up with all of the locals and the families and neighbors gather together for hours.
Here in the USA we have spaghetti and meatballs. In Italy meatballs are served as an appetizer or on the side with an entree. Here we eat pasta as a main meal there is usually just a small portion
I spent several years living in Rome when I was very young. I've been back several times. I've noticed some things have changed but mostly what you've described is exactly how it was when I first went there! It's a simpler life in general but a lot less stressful too! Thanks for sharing this.
As an Italian who's been living in the US for 25 years, I can say your analysis is right on the dot.
You nailed each and every point, buddy.
As an italian, i just say bravo to you.
You have got something not everyone get of us and you have nit picked stereotypes.
Not everything is 100% correct but is a really good work.
Just remember, italy is not only north and south, there are central regions too (i'm from Tuscany) and every region is different from others.
Is not really easy to understand every difference, 4 years just are not enough 😂.
Btw you have depicted us like nice people and i appreciate that.
Thank you. ☺️
I am also in Tuscany and it is and we are different than other parts of the country. In many ways I prefer a bit of the monotony to the extremes of other cities that I might prefer to live in. While on the surface Milan might seem like a big city or Rome for that matter - they are not in terms of culture and outlook. For me Naples is the only "big city" in Italy that has both the feel, culture and drive - despite its numerouns shortcomings!
Me and my wife are about to finally take our honeymoon to italy after it fell through in 2020 when covid hit. This is a great video....very insightful.
i love living in Abruzzo,great views,clean air,wonderful food,genuine friendly people,even the cops(carabinieri) are civilized and courteous and living cost is very affordable(200 a month rent for a 2 bedrooms and furnished),it is refreshing for me as an american to see that the USA is not the best place to be..didn't hear about anyone shot in 2 years,oh i everthing is closed for lunch for 3 hours,they live their life ,unlike the us where you work work work..the Dr laughed during my first visit when i asked how much i owed,..zero,for the visit..the US is the riches country in the world and can't "afford" free healthcare..shame on us
I’ve been visiting and working in Italy for 35 years and I’d agree with these. I did an informal survey 20 yrs ago asking Italians how many times they’d been drunk in their lives. Most looked at me like I was crazy, and said Never!
A couple of others differences:
Parents can send their kids out to buy wine. That’s starting to change though.
Elevators are usually tiny.
The huge doors to get into buildings.
In most hotels you can’t have unregistered guests in your room.
No driver’s license until 18 and it’s very expensive to get.
Soon even your toilet paper will have to be notarized. Italian officials are wild-eyed for official stamps and notaries on documents.
Don’t get me started on the post office. Lol lol
Often no toilet seats!
Ok, I’ll stop.
Great video!
Thanks so much! I can picture the look on most Italians' faces when you asked them about being drunk. Haha. Great points!! As far as driving, it actually seems like most countries are 18 except for some of the States in the US. I'm not so sure 18 wouldn't be a better age. Lol. And the post office, yes!!! I've had my horror stories at Italian post offices!
@@FreedomSprout in Italy 21 was the over age till 1978... better like this, maybe till 20 years ago. I think it should get highened till 25 as the over age now, because us young Italians need to be considered under age till 25 as we are now, so much different from the young 16-25 Italians 20 years ago.
@@LeeWall1992 I actually have an Italian friend who is going through issues with their 22-year-old child because of the decisions they are making, so I know what you mean.
@@FreedomSprout really?! But... what about you back to Italy, maybe right in Rome?
@@LeeWall1992 We have several friends in Rome, so we plan to go back as soon as possible! :)
i love going to italy-my other homeland. italians are not in a rush-at all. when i was in positano i saw a group of5 older men sitting on a bench talking. so i sat down and slowly i got into the conversation and before i knew it 3 hrs passed! i loved it. my girlfriend was mad so i asked her to sit down, reluctantly she did, and we and all the man and some women got into the talk(8 in all). thats what its all about! la vita dolce!
That's what happens and it's beautiful!
In France the "family Lunch" Took generaly all the afternoon, mainly spend in chating between family members
We have been to Italy twice and observed many of the same things you talked about. One difference I might add is I think Italy has more respect for there Duomo's then we do our churches. They dress nicer and will be more quiet and respectful inside.
True dat. Last time I was in an American church, the kids were literally munching Doritos and swigging Coke in the back pews while the sermon was underway. I was disgusted.
No one goes to church in italy; easy to think that there's respect cause only 3 people still go so seems like a big deal
You did a really respectful, broad, and humorous overview of some differences. I really like it. We have five children too. I teared up when you pointed out that Italians generally have one child, maybe two. I'm sad about their low birthrate...The world needs more Italians.
We are the country with the lowest birthrate in the world, sadly. The risk, is that soon or later, italians will be no more italian.
It's the same in Germany, Japan and a number of other countries like Hungary. Mainly the former Axis nations, for some strange reason.
@@vittoriovedli4819 I am Italian living in the U.S. now. Same is true here. Most American families only have 1 or 2 children now. When a family has 4 or more children, other people make comments on them in public. Like "Why you have so many children" in negative way.
@@markantony3875 Yep, when I tell people I have 5 grandsons from one daughter, they are incredulous.
@@tancreddehauteville764 A mixture of self-loathing after the crimes and horrors of WW2, and the oppressed status that women used to have in those countries before 1945, which meant that after society became 'Americanized' somewhat from 1945 onwards, the women in those countries were determined not to live lives like their mothers and grandmothers had. I know Italy and Japan very well, and trust me what I have just explained is a MASSIVE factor behind the plunging birth rates.
"They don't smile at strangers like we do in the States". SO true. I'm Italian and my nature is to smile at strangers. But they always looked at me like I was crazy. Here in the US I finally found my people!
Omg so funny 😂😂😂😂😂 made me 😂😂😂😂
Americans smile a lot and then massacre children in schools on an almost daily basis. Bravi!
also in Italy there are many restaurants with different cuisines, but in big cities. In Rome you can find many different restaurants, for example African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Texmex, Mexican, Greek, Filipino, Hawaiian and many more.
Not as many or diverse as NYC
one can find all kind of restaurants and cuisines in Milan too, but it is a relatively recent phenomenon, it developed let's say in the last 20 years
I would add that there is a big difference between America and Italy in terms of town layout. Americans are so car-centric and this results in what I consider unsightly and pedestrian unfriendly commercial sprawl even around relatively small cities. In Italy and most of Europe more commerce happens in the town center and urban gives way to countryside much more rapidly.
True!! I love how easy it is to navigate the towns in Italy on foot. Where we lived in Italy, it was more like America because we lived in the middle of nowhere haha, but when we visited the small towns around it was nice to park and walk everywhere in the town. :)
As an Italian who has lived in Texas, DC, Germany and UK, Italy is the place I've worked longer hours for less money 😬 Also, Mexican food is often not that Mexican in the US as well, it's more Tex-Mex or some variation to adapt to the American taste.
Also Italians do not confuse Spanish and Mexican food. Spanish is quite similar to Italy. Mexican far less so. Italians know this.
I appreciate so much that you just launch into the topic and save yourself a long-winded intro!
You also have a good balance of positive and negative points without making the negative ones actually sound negative.
Great video!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words!
People from new countries, like all of America, Australia and Canada, do not understand that within each country of Europe there is a world. It is not only the differences between the North and the South or between the West and the East, each town is different from the neighbor, there are different customs, foods, festivals, wines,... There is not a single Italy, or a Spain or a Germany, there are many Italys, Spains,...
100% facts!
A cool, unbiased look at differences delivered in a balanced, serious way !
ok
I am Italian, you made a perfect analysis.
Thank you!
From an Italian girl: this is a super interesting video! I loved to hear the differences, and the things we do that are so normal for us, but not for Americans, really, I loved this list so much. Thanks for sharing :3
I grew up overseas and currently living in the States. I think it’s so wonderful to teach children to cook from a very young age. My kids always start as soon as they can stand on a stool to watch. They eat more variety of foods as well by snitching mushrooms and veggies off my cutting board. They are chopping the veggies by age 2-3.
It would be wonderful to see a video on living intentionally in a smaller square footage home if that was your choice. We are currently in 1800sq ft and always looking for new ways to make it work better.
I will definitely do that video! In Italy we had a 1500 sq ft house. Here in Japan, it looks like we will be in a larger home, so around 2200 sq ft, but there isn't really any storage so a lot of that sq ft is the open, large hallways and entry way, etc. I will do a video about that once we get moved in. I'm going to do a walk-through video of our Italian home as well, but unfortunately I took the video after our stuff was out of it.
As an Italian I have to say 2 things:
1. A/C units are becoming more common especially after this year (45 C or 113 F where I live was the record, but in Sicily it peaked at 50 C or 122 F)
2. In the South people hate the cold, yes, they would prefer 40 C or 104 F to -2 C or 28,4 F. However, in the North you’ll see people going around with a hoodie and a T-shirt underneath with 18 C or 65 F, like myself. Obviously it’s very subjective. In the Alps 65 F is considered warm…
Won’t let me edit so here I am. Everything else he said is just basically facts, especially CARS. Thanks to speed traps people are more calm nowdays (in the 70’s everyone was Ayrton Senna basically) but going 90km/h (55mph) or even 100km/h (60mph) on a small country road is absoltely normal. 90km/h is actually the speed limit on most main roads, whilst on highways it’s 130km/h (80mph), but you’ll see easily people going, 140 (87), if they’re taking it calmly, 150 (93) of they’re on a normal day or 160km/h (100km/h) if they’re in a hurry. This obviously applies to people that have cars that can handle those speeds (the Fiat Panda won’t pass 140). Then you get the crazy guy with the Porsche going 200km/h (124mph) at 1:0p in the night.
Another thing worth noting is that if there is a speed trap or a TUTOR system (it calculates your average speed and then fines you if you’re 5km/h over the speed limit) people will do exaclty 130km/h, because money.
Also, in Naples traffic lights are completely ignored. First car to get to the junction goes
the states and Italy have some common differences such as customs cuisine music movies and of course the English and Italian languages are multicultural and you can easily converse with a native of these countries
In Turkey, we smiles strangers as well, next level (acquaintance level) people like to touch each other, handshaking-kisses from cheek, joking a lot, using hand gestures. Everyone call each other ''brother, sister, uncle etc'' , we love stray animals, and no homeless ppl around, even u cant work to feed yourself somebody surely help you out (social solidarity) ... tourist & foreigners got culture shock initially... '' he/she orders me food or drink free in charge, why ? why are they so friendly ?'' ... Mediterranean people resemble each other, so i found many similarities with Italians and Greeks. In America individualism is so high (side effect of high capitalism i think) everyone for himself, no one care others, nothing is without a return. Objectively, individualism can be positive in many ways but also got huge downsides.
I’m and American that lives in Italy for four years with my family. Your observations are spot-on!!!
Thank you!
Probably becouse you were a soldiers of One of the 140 bases that are occupying My country since 1945.
Just coming back from Italy and all this is correct!
You get yelled when driving in the slow lane with 140km/h.
Italians had the reputation of being great savers, even though they knew how to enjoy the small pleasures of life. At least in the North (but not only) accumulating savings rather than squandering them to make useless purchases just to show off was considered a virtue (not surprisingly, rich families for several generations were generally stingy; the vulgarity of consumerism and waste was more typical of the enriched). Regarding talking casually about your money, my grandmother used to say: "Children show their butts while stupid people show their money" :-)
From my time in Italy and when trying to explain this to students, I argue that Italians dress more for the situation. There are expectations about how to dress for the beach, a specific wardrobe for funerals, etc. Americans focus more on comfort than anything else. If we can make it look good, that's a bonus, but we prioritize comfort when we are shopping for clothes.
Man, so accurate, polite and true, nr. 15 just killed me. They should grant you immediate citizenship only for this video. Thanks for sharing! (I'm Italian btw...)
Haha thanks so much! I appreciate the kind words. I'd love to be a citizen lol
Thanks for your forthright video! I really enjoyed it!
Thanks for watching!
What a fantastic video, thank you very much! Many of these points are the same here in France. As Americans living permanently abroad, somethings were definitely a culture shock lol. But we’ve loved every minute of it and are looking forward to moving to Italy in a couple of years. It’s nice to know there won’t be a lot of changes between France and Italy so thank you again for all the information.
The real Americans are the brown people of Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, etc.
I’ve been to Italy twice, to Rome and Italy, and notice how smartly dressed they were and the late dinners at night.
I’ve noticed a lot of graffiti on buildings, even more so then America or England ( where I have been living for the past 30 years ).
The appliances in England are definitely ( refrigerators, stoves and washer/dryers ) smaller then America! Had a hard time when first using washing machine, had a tendency to overload it.
Thank you for pointing out the differences, some I noticed and some I didn’t know.
"Italians are never in a hurry... until they get in the car"
I laughed hard at this.
Anyway, just a couple of personal notes.
I don't know where you have been, or where have you lived, but in 30 years i have never seen anybody having pizza with pineapples on it.
I mean, I might even try it, but honestly, I've never seen it on the menu.
Tap water is not free on restaurants, that's true; but it's free in bars (like, if you want to drink it before your coffee, or breakfast, you can ask for a glass of water without being charged for it)
Apart for that, the points on the list are pretty much truthful :D
Haha thanks for watching! We've seen pineapple on pizza all over, from Venice to Naples and even in Sicily, but to be honest, we were always looking for it (not because we eat it, but because of the stigma and curiosity lol). I do admit it's usually only in touristy areas, with a few exceptions. And good point about bars, I have noticed free water there.
@@FreedomSprout Yes, probably for tourists. A real person from Napoli would go nuts if you put pineapple on their pizza. I live in the U.S. now, and it is funny. Some Americans like it, some think it is the most disgusting thing ever.
Thanks for your video! Here are my thoughts - Italians do not drink all day - perhaps on holiday but not everyday - a normal family won’t have wine with dinner everyday.
Their food too is different at home than when they eat out on special occasions , they eat a lot of fresh veggies and fruit, small amounts of meat, flavorful pasta but not with all the thick sauces and cheese we have.
They also don’t drive much - there are often small markets on every block and often vegetable markets close by. Italians stay healthier than Americans because the walk a lot.
Italian here. I congratulate you for the observations, as a person who loves to travel I share many of the feelings you have described.
Unfortunately, Italian culture is disappearing: among the under 40s there has been a sort of contempt for what is Italian and this is reflected in many aspects of everyday life. Concepts such as "tradition" and "cultural identity" are often derided or defined " populists ".
In a few years the peculiar characteristics of our culture will be diluted and mixed with the cultures of the peoples we are welcoming from Africa and other areas of the world. I hope not to offend anyone, I think this consideration is quite analytical. Hope you enjoy our country!
Italian culture is endangered, not from poor people who are eager to become italian but from global consumistic greedy oriented lifestyle. for example Halloween or McDonald don't come from Africa.
This is being encouraged by the EU, throughout Europe. They want to dilute the people, the culture, and the religion, and turn it into a confusing mess. Fortunately, countries like Hungary, are standing up to this evil.
You really nailed it! Congratulations!
This is so accurate! You made my day Hahaha and also, being a southerner myself, I did notice some "typical italian things" you described that are actually a little different down here, as you said at the beginning. Have you had a chance to visit south Italy? :) You still have quite a lot of weird italian habits to discover :D
Thanks!! I would love to discover all the weird habits! Haha. We've only taken one trip to Sicilia. We've been to Napoli a few times. We loved both places! But since we lived so far north, by Venice, we weren't able to make it down there as much as we had hoped. Our next trip to Italy will include a lot more south though!
I lived in Italy for 14 years and your “analysis” is very very correct 👏👍
As an Italian living in Asia for many years, I'm happy to see that many people are having a good time in Italy. I admit that one of the things I miss the most from Italy is certainly the food and the ingredients. Especially when it comes to cheese, which costs an eye in Asia, but in my hometown (a quiet, peaceful town in the Friuli region, northeastern of Italy) it's something you can grab anywhere for cheap and you are exposed to a large variety of cheese. Red wine is also a big thing in my hometown and some old people like to have breakfast with only wine early in the morning :)
Asian food is delicious
@@letsgomets002 yeah it's one of my favorite
O, from Friuli, where are you from? I live just near to Gorica / Gorizia ...
@@jernejq1651 I grew up in Palmanova, near udine :)
@@scaredylamb Oh, the famous star fortress city ... (And the go to location to buy electronics in former times :) )
Greetings from under the Collio / Brda
I, too, am an American living in Italy, in the mountains (not the alps, though) and have been coming here since I was a kid, as all 4 of my grandparents were born, here, and in the mix, I got left a house....and lots of land. I have lived here, permanently for 11 years, now. So much of what you say is true...and as my husband was listening and was born here, though in the south, he was objecting to this and that and I kept reminding him that you were not speaking about all of Italy, as you stated, but what you've observed. There are lots of wonderful reasons to live here, or pretty much anyplace in Europe...but for me, it's the history, culture. When you mentioned how people pay attention to how you look, I mentioned to my husband how, at times and when rushed, I would make a quick dash to a supermarket for something I'd forgotten, just throwing on a sweater and he simply looked at me saying, you are strange people. Maybe we are. I don't know. Take people from every corner on earth and put them in one country, mixing languages, cultures, politics, etc..and you have the USA, for better or for worse. It is an ongoing experiment at which we do well, or fail completely and it has all happened so quickly, since WWI, more or less. Anyway, thanks for posting what you did...and please, might you expand on what you spoke about at the beginning...a "family" association or group or way of life? I am unclear. Thanks...! Ciao! Am back to edit...just followed your link to intentional children....and am clear, now, about what it is. Thanks.
Thank so much for your insightful and well-thought-out comment! I love Italy so much!! I'm glad it got cleared up!
seems pretty logic that we don’t have a lot of Mexican food since we don’t have Mexicans, as you in the States
The European equivalent would be Spanish food, but yeah..
@@FreedomSprout not really an equivalent since there are not many Spaniards in Italy and Spanish food has nothing to do with Mexican food at all 😂
I’m assuming you’ve never had Mexican food if you think Spanish and Mexican food have nothing to do with each other lol
@@FreedomSprout you probably never had actual spanish food, they're pretty different (I'm not a hater, i loved your video, but even the main ingredients you can find in spanish and mexican cuisine are different)
@@angrydurian814 You're absolutely right, they are two totally different things when you just compare the two. And while I prefer Mexican food (probably mostly because it's what I grew up on), I still enjoy Spanish food. While they are two totally different types of food, there are a lot of similarities, especially when I'm craving Mexican food and often Spanish food was the only option. Lol. But I see what you're saying. They are very different, for sure. But compared to my typical option of Italian vs. Mexican, Spanish food was the closet thing I had sometimes. Lol. And thanks for the kind words!
awesome vid, Very informative. I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this upcoming schoolyear and now am very excited.
That's awesome! You should be excited. Florence is amazing!!
Great video dude, as an Italian I can confirm you have been 99% accurate, keep on!
Thank you!!!
Hey Freedom Sprout, I’m from Vicenza ( I’m sure you know Caserma Ederle)and I have been living in the US for 22 years now. I gotta give it to you, that was excellent. All good points, most of ‘em accurate, except for the smiling one, I think we smile more than you think. With that said, enjoy your time there and thank you for your service 💯
I love this video: fast, short, to the point and very accurate :D
9:53 yea that’s because we already have an enormous variety of food from our culture.
Im not Italian nor American but when he said, "Italians talk loudly." i was laughing.
In my country, we always say... you hear an American before you see them😂. To us, they are so loud, too loud. They dont evdb lower theur voices in restaurants etc.
Im assuming bc he is American himself, that he has no idea how loud Americans actually are.
You are right, I am as surprised about what he said about Italians being loud. I’m a Turkish myself living in the U.S. and I’m tired of people yelling at my face from 2 meters away
Great video! As an Italian, one difference we notice a lot, is how big portions are in the US, also packets of food in supermarkets sometimes look "family size" to us, totally agree about the lack of condiments, we normally use salt and olive oil or maybe vinegar, but we don't have salad dressing in our supermarkets
Who needs a lot of different restaurants when we have the best cuisine ever? 😉
You're not wrong! I definitely wouldn't consider multiple cuisines a need. :)
We have so many different regional cuisines... what you find in Piedmont is different from what you find in Lazio or Campania. Generic restaurants have the most common dishes but the regional specialties are to die for.
@@den2k885 nailed it
Italians and Europeans in general don't like the phony American smiles especially when speaking but Italians will show friendliness and care in other ways. I gave myself a black eye the first night I was in my apartment in Sicily. The next day I went to the open market and the veggie guy, whom I'd never seen in my life said, "what happened, your husband didn't do that did he?" He looked like he would have come home with me and beaten my husband up if I had one and he had done it. He was really concerned but very relieved when I told him the weird way it happened.
And the tripping thing also happened to me although I'm generally agile. In the same market a different day, I was entering a shop that had a basalt step. The way the light hit it, I didn't see the difference with the street. I tripped and a guy who just happened to be standing there was so fast, he caught me in his arms and kept me from falling. Too bad he was half my age ;)
Good video. well structured too. I enjoyed this!
Yeah, my one year old daughter gets lots of attention from people! AC in houses is more common here than when I moved to Italy in 2009. Oh yes! I will never agree with them and what is cold! I hate the small fridges here and as soon as we get a new house I am insisting on a big US style fridge. Roundabouts are not common in CT. I still think in the US system.
That's a good point about the tripping. I actually prefer to trip here in Italy because it's not considered funny and when I go back to the states and someone laughs at me (or if I drop something) my gut reaction now is to ask them "cazzo ridi?!".
Thank you so much! Your gut reaction! Haha.
A hahaha now you are 100% Italian, just because of that "cazzo ridi"
@@aldeonuwu2634 😎😎😎.
Thanks for posting this. Hope to head to Italy soon 😁
I hope you have a great time there!
about the drunk part, well, you are right "legally" it's 18 years old, but it's actually pretty normal for kids to start drinking at around 14.
no one bats an eye, it's just culturally accepted here, so we get a lot more used to alchol.
only thing that i'm not really sure about is the everything in italy is small, i think that it's not in italy that is small, it that everything in america is huge compared to the rest of the world.
Until 10 years ago the legal limit for alcoholic drinks was 16 yo, even if it was just for drinks under a certain alcohol threshold. I still remember being able to purchase beer for 6 months in 2012. Then it changed and couldn't buy any more for 18 months, it felt pretty odd 😅
@@RickZanardiand in small towns i could easily buy beers at 16 now im 19 in a big city and they ask for id
@@moussa2949 yes small towns, like mine, are a whole different story. The take-away pizzeria of the village was owned by my friend's father and my friend worked there since he was 14. I was easily offered a free beer to take home even at 14-15 yo, no one cared.
@@RickZanardi yeah i envy you, perché stiamo parlando in inglese se siamo entrambi italiani non lo so 🤣
@@moussa2949 mah che vuoi che ti dica ahahaha 😂 video internazionale lingua internazionale
We moved to a medieval Norman-Invasion era village in Campania. We left 'crazy' and arrived in calmness. Thanks for your video.
Italians ignore speed limit signs on highways. We drove in Sicily and Sardinia and everyone was doing around 100 - 140kms on freeways with 40 and 80 speed limit signs. They collectively determine the appropriate speed and seem to know when a speed sign is legit... also it is accepted that motorcyclists will go faster than cars and overtake them at every opportunity - it’s why you have a motorcycle.
Really? Try to go above the Speed limit on the sign on the roads outside Rome and see, you will get caught immediately by the autovelox sistem and get a huge fine.( same in all the regions from Rome to the Alps and from Rome to the Adriatic Sea).
@@patriziaalma7498 Thank you and I get that it is different in Rome etc. In Sicily and Sardinia it was confusing for me - I was with friends from Rome on holiday and they also drove over the speed limits on the highways and roads outside the towns like everyone else.
Thank you! This is very helpful for my study abroad in Rome coming up.
If you'd like to try different restaurants, look for the immigrant communities. There's more and more restaurants from all over, just not everywhere.
I believe there's some places that offer South American (brasilian, peruvian, I even went to a sushi place that incorporates Ecuadorian food) cuisine in Genova, for example, because there's a lot of South American immigrants over there.
That sounds awesome! Thanks for the suggestion! I love trying food from different cultures - especially Central and South America. I want to check that place out!
im a spaniard from south america and been to italy many times and actually italy and japan are my favourite countries in the world , and i must say your spot on with your comments, but its the same throughout europe . driving and eating in italy is a artform , driving through streets and approching a traffic light they treat it as just a decoration but i drove most of europe and i find them to behave respectfully to others unlike in north america they give you the finger.
I could see that! Eating and driving are definitely art forms. I actually enjoyed driving there. Felt like I was racing haha. Now I live in Japan so we'll see if I feel the same as you. Italy is one of my favorite countries and it always will be. Japan is becoming one of my top countries as well!
Italian men are adept at flirting while driving, I mean when you're in a different car. haha. Years ago, I was driving from Firenze to Sienna and this one guy would speed up and pass, then slow down so I could pass. this went on for several Kms. It was like a dance.
Fantastic job! I love the illustrations!!
Thanks brother!
Yes. You are right on all these points. I'm Italian-American from New York City. And even here, my family has always followed these rules.
I stayed in Rome for a little over a month at my family's small apartment. If you have ever heard of kids getting water thrown on their heads for being too loud during siesta- that is a THING. happened more than a handful of times. and yes they do close down for a few hrs in the middle of the day! The 3rd lane had me laughing, they have the craziest roads!
Best description I have heard so far of the differences. I appreciate you get to the point.
Americans may not know this, but there is a HUGE difference between northern Europeans and southern Europeans' attitudes to drinking. It's basically 'wine culture' Vs. 'beer culture'. As most (white) Americans are descendants of either German, Polish, Scandinavian or Scots-Irish immigrants, I find Americans are more 'beer culture' oriented, which means they 'binge drink' more often, and drink quickly to get drunk quickly. I'm not knocking that, it's your culture, but please remember that when you come to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, etc., such behavior is usually frowned upon and not considered 'cool' or 'funny'. Btw, I'm from Finland, and we are terrible binge drinkers too, so I'm not bashing you guys.
I find this to be true too! I've noticed the drinking culture in the US aligns more with that of Germany, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium, etc. I think you're spot on and it does seem like that binge drinking spawns from being more beer-oriented.
@@FreedomSprout Hey, thanks for replying! I see from your latest videos that you're now in Japan - how is it going?...I've been living in Tokyo for 25 years, married with kids here, time goes so quickly!
@@thadtuiol1717 That's awesome! We love Japan so far. Planning a trip to Osaka soon. We've been there a few times, but there's so much to see. The same applies to Tokyo of course.
I enjoyed your video and agree with basically every point you made here✌️
I agree with the Food availability. This also includes the wine list. You will find many regional wines, but you may find it hard to find a French or Bulgarian one. The Reason is culture. Italian cuisine is diverse and in the USA we probably get only 5% of what they have there. There is no need to try other cuisine as the Italian menu is so vast and diverse. I agree about car racing and also about money. Italy is not purely competitive as the US and they do have strict controls on gauging ( aggiotaggio). Comclusion? It's about what you said: If you enjoy life, Italy is a place to be: If you like money, then you should come to America.
Finally , one last comment: Stress. Americans are far more stressed . Italians are more relaxed.
another thing is " smiling". You usually approach an Italian and smile to them. They will not exchange smile. They are reserved people. They will only smile at you once they know you.
True.