Benefits of Living in the Italian Culture

Ever since I first got to Italy I have been picking apart differences between things the Italians do and things American's do and how they differ. I've decided to put my thoughts on paper (or screen) and point out four main things I think Italians do differently than American's.

I want to preface that these observations are based off my own experiences in each culture and may not be what others have experienced. I'd also welcome anyone to inform me of things that they experienced differently than I did. With that, let's dive in.

1- The pace of life is different This is probably no surprise. No one is rushing from place to place and if they are it's to get to a train or bus (been there, done that). Everyone walks around with an appreciation for where they are; living in the moment. In my experience in the US I feel like most people cant be bothered to walk leisurely or to look around and enjoy simple things like their walk to work. I know that's how I was. Always rushing, always thinking ahead, always somewhere else mentally. Meanwhile, here, people enjoy walking, sitting, being. Whether it's actively sitting down to enjoy a cup of coffee or leisurely walking to their next destination, life here is just slower. It's been very refreshing.

2- They all dress so well No matter the day or where you're going, Italians dress nice. One of the first things I noticed in this area is that athliesure wear is not a thing here. "Casual" dress is jeans, stylish shoes and maybe a graphic tee if you're wanting a bum day. At home I'd throw on a t-shirt and gym shorts to run by the grocery store real quick but not here. Speaking from personal experience, you will feel very out of place. It has been so fun to see the things people put together. I could (and have) just sit and watch people walk by examining their outfits for hours. Everyone here is so trendy. The three things I've noticed they do best here are: pants, shoes and sunglasses. I'm hoping to take some good pieces with me and get some inspiration to take back with me to the States.

3- The quality of food is amazing!! I have eaten more carbs than I ever have in my entire life and my waist line is almost the best it's ever been! (This is the part where I make enemies with every girl reading this) It's true, though. Granted, I walk or ride a bike everywhere so I am probably a little more consistently active than I would be at home in the US, but truly it has a lot to do with the quality of food here. It is the best feeling to eat a big bowl of pasta and not worry how I'm going to look later. I wish I could package all the food and bring it back for my friends and family.

4- People aren't on their phones everywhere I've seen and heard a lot in the US about how people are always on their phones and how it's "destroying our world," but I've come to see that it isn't the "whole world." In the US if you're somewhere and you have to wait longer than 5 minutes people are pulling out their phones. In their cars at stop lights, in lines at the grocer store, waiting to get their food at restaurants, etc. Whereas, here, I've noticed that people don't do that. They simply wait. They embrace their surroundings, maybe strike up a conversation with the person next to them, or just keep to themselves. But, phones aren't really as big of a distraction as I see them being in the US.

Needless to say, there are a lot of things America does well too! Customer service for instance. I have been learning that you will never find better customer service than what we have in the US. "The customer is always right" is not a mantra used here. And, obviously, Italy isn't perfect, but those are four of the most common things that have stuck out to me that I like that are just a little different than the way things are done in America.

I hope you enjoyed reading and if you have anything you'd like to add or share - feel free to comment or email me! I'd love to hear any of your thoughts.