How to Blend in in Italy

      After living in Siena for about 3 months now, I have started to notice some interesting characteristics about Italians. Some of them are funny, some of them are just weird but all of them have taken some getting used to. So if you want to come to Italy and pretend to be an Italian, follow these few simple tips. I promise that you will seem so Italian that tourists will start coming up to you asking if you speak English so they can ask you directions.

Be terrified of the rain:
         Siena has a regular rainy season. You would think that by now people would have accepted the fact that they will get wet every once in a while. FALSE. Sienese people seem to walk around in a perpetual state of worrying whether or not it will rain. An umbrella is a daily accessory, even if the sky is clear blue. My advice, if you are in Italy and it starts raining, duck into the nearest shop and try your best to impersonate the faces of Italians around you who are clearly startled by the sudden inconvenience.

Make sure to take seconds... and thirds at dinner:
          When you travel to a country that is famous for it's cuisine, you have to expect that eating is going to be a major part of your trip. Above all, pasta is really the crowing glory of Tuscan food and you much expect to eat it often. You must also expect to eat more than you usually would. If you are being served dinner by an Italian woman you must always eat enough to please her but not so much that you can't try every single thing that she has offered you. This is tricky because she will probably hide the food in the kitchen and bring each dish out one at a time. My advice, forget about trying to eat in moderation, eat what she serves you and never slack on the compliments. Chances are, what you are eating is probably the most delicious thing ever so you probably want to eat the whole plate anyways.
 
Never leave the house with wet hair:
           I have not quite figured out the reasoning behind this one yet. As far as I can tell, Italians think that if you have wet hair you will get a cold. More than that though I think it is just not socially acceptable to be in public with wet hair. My advice, don't ask why, and just dry your hair if you want to avoid the weird looks.

Don'e be afraid to show some love in public:
           Italy is known as a romantic country. I am convinced this is because no one holds back when it comes to expressing their love in public. No joke, I have been walking down the street and a couple in front of me just suddenly decided to get all up on each other right in front of me. Anything that is considered inappropriate in the United States is probably totally acceptable here. After telling some High School students here that people are not so open in the United States, they responded by asking "Well, how do you meet someone to marry??" So my advice, if you are in Italy don't hold back. After all, that random guy you decided to make out with in the piazza is totally going to become your husband. Right?

Pretend to fight with everyone you talk to:
           To a random passer-by it may seem like all Italians hate each other because they yell at each other a lot. In fact, I believe that most normal conversations are held at volumes much higher than any American is used to. Don't be alarmed, their voices are just louder because they have important things to say! If you have to ask where someone is going, you might as well yell it right? Also, your hands are another way to express your thoughts that we Americans do not use nearly as much as we could. My advice, when holding a conversation, start interpretive dancing and you will probably look just like the Italian next to you.


When you go to live in a new country, there will always be times when you wonder "why do they do everything differently?" and "why can't they act the way I am used to?" These questions will inevitably come into your mind even if you are someone who is extremely open to experiencing new cultures. After the initial confusion and possible frustration, you will eventually realize that you are a guest in this country. No matter what you think about the way they do things, you have to accept that nothing is better or worse, just different. When you get to the point of acceptance, you can sit back, relax and have a quiet laugh every so often when Italians act so utterly "Italian."