I'm writing one final list of observations on life in Italy, here it is:
- On eating out: Most places have the same menues within a given region. In the U.S., we highlight creativity of dishes, in Italy (and many parts of the world), perfection of the standards is what is pursued.
- On eating in: Groceries can be very cheap. The quality of produce is high, though the selection of what's available is low. The fresh pasta and cheeses were also cheap. Basically, the staples are cheaper than they are in the U.S., for what Italians consider staples. The types of food that are available greatly influenced my meal style. I usually made a single serving of fresh pasta with some sort of store bought sauce tossed with fresh vegetables, pre-prepared veggies like roasted red peppers, or cheese crumble for dinner along with a quick fresh salad with my home-made dressing. I could make that dinner in 10 minutes or less. Other times I would roast fresh veggies like cauliflower or asparagus, steam artichokes, or have simple bread with cheeses, olives, and veggies. Good ingredients with simple preparation was the order of the day.
- On eating out vs. eating in: Take-out or delivery can be affordable and fast in Italy, but otherwise eating out is more expensive and time consuming than the U.S. On the other hand, eating in is really cheap.
- Typical Milanese eating habits: Breakfast, an espresso, and maybe a brioche (croissant) or some breakfast biscuits; Lunch, order a pizza (only individual pizzas exist in Italy) or take out a panini, unless you have a reason to go out to lunch. This happens at 1pm or even 2pm; Dinner, either grab aperitivo (a drink and some nibbles) around 7 or 8pm then head home for a meal, or dine out at 8 or 9 with your friends. Definitely drink wine; Snacks, none. However, multiple espresso breaks during the day.
- Fashion: Italians (at least the Milanese) are more fashion-conscious than Americans, but that said they stick to the main trends. Individual dressing is a rarity, despite Milan being a fashion capital. Everyone looks good in a somewhat conformist way. For young people, like college students, the look is hip-prep. Sweaters, tight jeans, bold glasses, usually plastic frames. In general, men care about hair products and shoes much more than the typical American man. They talk about shopping and go shopping with their guy friends.
- Environmental Window Dressing: Italians like to think that they are environmentally conscious, but reusable bags aren't really happening yet, and recycling bins aren't around on the street. People buy energy-efficient appliances, but don't really think past that part of it. (Luckily, energy efficient washing machines and fridges actually make a difference.)
- Exact change: There is a fixation on exact change in Italy, that surprised me greatly. If you are spending 16.57 Euros at a store and you hand them a twenty, they will ask if you have 1.57, if not that then 2.07. If you have 1.55, they are likely to take that and short the register two cents so they can just give you a 5 Euro bill. It's something that Italians seem to be compelled about.
- Swearing: Italians can swear in all but the most formal situations. You can't swear at your boss, but it is perfectly acceptable to swear in front of them. And different swears have matching hand gestures.
- Atitudes toward foreigners: Actually, Italians are pretty good. Italians are friendly, and if you are in trouble, they want to help you. I felt safe pretty much everywhere, and other people stuck up for me if I had trouble.
- Laid-back attitudes: Yes, things happen slowly in Italy. Lines seem unnecessarily long in many places. Italians are always trying to negotiate things, and even if things are going well, they want to jaw a little. People dodge emails. If you don't talk to someone in person, you can't assume that anything will happen. In the U.S., I got used to the idea that something that could be a 15-minute task might not get done the same day. In Italy, you have to ask at least three times for it to get done, and it might take more than a week. Sometimes two or three. I am still waiting for some replies to emails. I will be following up for at least a few more months on deals I was negotiating, documents I was collaborating on, reimbursements, and more.
- Enjoying life: Italians love to complain, to talk loudly, and yell, and it's true that a lot of things there are incredibly frustrating. Bureaucracy rules. But, on the other hand, Italians do seem to enjoy a lot of things. Every occasion is a social one. If you go to someone's house for dinner, expect to spend hours drinking coffee and chatting after. Italians take a lot of vacations and weekend trips. Since things are close together, it's easy to go to the mountains one weekend, Rome for a city vacation the next, and then the beach another.
- Vacation ease: The large number of vacation days enjoyed by most Italians mean that there are lots of easy and cheap vacations. Cheap hotels abound in Europe, even in cities. It's possible to find reasonable accommodations even during the busy times, like Carnivale in Venice. Public transportation, like buses and trains, gives good coverage. There are lots of cheap flights to nearby countries, with lots of discount carriers out there. I flew round trip from Milano-Bergamo to Frankfurt-Hahn this summer for about 50 Euros round trip.
- Family: Italians are involved with their families. Many college age students and young professionals still live with their parents. If they live in a different city than their parents, people visit with their parents a few times a month. If you are older and have retired parents, you may have them move to be near to you. And family vacations are the norm, especially in the summer.
- America: While I would characterize Italians as being conservative in a lot of ways, many have liberal politics, especially when it comes to American politics. They still think Americans are cool, and that America is a place they really want to visit. New York is the top choice of where Italians want to visit. They are also excited by Florida (Miami especially), and California. They like American brands, like Levi's, Coke, Ralph Lauren, Timberland.
- Sexism: Yeah, it's true, Italy can be sexist still. But, it's not a place where they think women are worthless. Men like to make racy jokes, and buy your coffee for you. The cat-calls mostly came from non-Italian men. North Italian women, especially Milanese, have a reputation as being "wooden" and picky. They're city girls and don't put up with BS.
- iPhones: Android isn't that big yet. If someone has a fancy smart-phone, it's an iPhone. Many people have plain old dumb phones, though. There's a lot more you can do on a dumb-phone in Italy. For example, you can get a train ticket sent to your dumb phone.
- I am sure I am forgetting something. Living in Italy was fun, and visiting can be even more fun... so go if you have the chance!
