Life & Manners

For Americans in Italy, that is the question that’s bigger than a few euro; it’s a clash of cultures. My father once told me, in reminiscing about his days abroad in the 50’s, that a British expat approached him one day somewhere in Spain to say, “You Americans are ruining this place for the rest of us.” The man was referring to the tips Americans gave liberally. Apparently, the locals were coming to expect them when they’d been perfectly happy without them before the Yanks

As I've mentioned earlier, Italians love to scold. They'll shake their heads, wag their fingers, cluck their tongues at you for all kinds...

I've just been looking through old notes about my experiences years ago in Florence, when I took an 8-week crash course in Italian...

The more time I spend in Italy, the more I’m aware of what a stranger I am, culturally. It’s funny to say that because I think of Italian...

According to Italian mothers, which of the following threats to life and limb is MOST to be feared? a) drafts b) damp skin (from...

There are certain observations Antonio or I will make in the other’s presence that never fail to trigger a lightly combative response,...