What is the most common stereotype remark you hear about Italian people? That they are loud when they talk, and they move their hands a lot which to some may deem as too much or even rude but they are not rude. Italian people are very expressive when it comes to speech, music, food, and that is why it is only natural for them to have body movement and a wide range of intonations in their words. Italians use hand gestures to enliven conversations, strengthen their point, and communicate on a non-verbal level.

When I reached the B&B (Bed & Breakfast) hotel in Rome,I greeted by a pretty Italian girl working at the hotel. Besides showing me where the shared bathroom and the kitchen is, she gives me a map showing me the location of the hotel by circling on the map and then points with her pen and telling me how to get to each major tourist site from the hotel and where to take the train and bus to the city centre.

After she has done explaning, she repeats the whole thing again! YES! Repeat the whole thing from the very beginning by telling me, “So, this is the hotel…. *she circles it again… from here you can take the bus to… *points her pen along the route to show me…”

In the end, I have lost count on the number of times she repeated the whole thing but it’s at least twice if it’s not thrice. Please don’t get me wrong. I truly appreciate it because it makes thing very clear and she doesn’t want the guests to get confused and forgot what she said if she only explains it once. I love her personality and her service to the guests.

Another thing I like and admire about the Italians are the ones working in retail shops and restaurants. They will greet you “Buongiorno” when they see you and they will say, “Grazie” when you pay. Even the mail man, the guy who delivers newspapers to every house on the street will greet me. I was not very comfortable at first with strangers greeting me because in my country, people don’t do that. I know, it’s not very polite but that’s how it is.

The Italians make you feel welcomed, they can get friendly with you almost instantly, easy to warm-up kind of people. Below are some common Italian stereotypes that are actually true.

1. Italians can’t live without pasta. 
2. Italians talk with their hands. 
3. Italians are all about “La Famiglia” (family is so important to Italians that they either live close to their parents or in the same house. The ties that bind families together are undeniably strong. Families often gather weekly for a meal or stay in close contact.) 
4. Italians love good cappuccino. (They will travel blocks to find the best cappuccino.) 
5. Italians are obsessed with fashion. (While everything doesn’t have to be designer, Italians like to wear high-quality fabrics. Individualism is also valued in Italy, and men aren’t afraid to wear bright colors. In fact, don’t be surprised if you see men wearing orange, blue, or pink pants.) 
6. Italians aren’t afraid of public affection (I see many couples hugging, kissing on the street, in shopping malls, in the park, everywhere.) 

A good example on how friendly and helpful the Italians are can be described in two incidents of mine while I was in Italy. After pressing on the screen of the ticket machine, I was ready to insert the money but was shocked seeing so many compartment holes. While I was trying to figure out which slot to insert the money, I heard a man saying loudly, “the green one”. I turned my back to see who was shouting and to whom he was talking to.

There was no one around except me and that guy and then I realize he was talking to me when he looked at me and said, “the green one” again. I thanked him and gave a few nods to show my appreciation for his help. He was standing at the entrance and I was standing inside the station at the ticket machine so it was quite a distance, that’s why he has to raise his voice in order for me to get his words. How thoughtful of him to help a stranger even though he’s standing so far away.

Another incident is when I get into a bus, I have to insert my ticket into a machine to validate my ticket. In other words, your ticket must be stamped by the machine or else it is considered invalid and if you’re caught, you will be fined on the spot. As I was trying to insert the ticket into the machine, my card just wouldn’t get in. A lady who just got into the bus saw my predicament and helped me by taking my ticket and said, “Come, let me show you. Put it upside down. See? It went in.” See how thoughtful the Italians are.

I love how friendly and how kind and thoughtful the Italians are when they see you in trouble. They will never hesitate to come forward to help you without you asking. And don’t get me started with the food. Italian food (pizzas, pasta, cheese, coffee) are the best! I would definitely visit Italy again for more good tasty food. To all my Italian readers who are reading this, I love your country and the food there!