Small etiquette for foreigners who want to make friendship with the Romans. Life & Style

3/12/2014 by Maurizio Guarini Italy


1 - The Romans often classify the person they face based on their reactions to a provocation. Be upset or offended means not pass the test. It is said "Go to stink." You must never offend you (or do not see), but always respond with humor, laughing and joking about, or raise with another provocation (sarcastic). This attitude will make you pass your exam.
2 - Never talk about money, salary, personal or household income. It is considered a very rude, comparable to ask if you have any venereal disease. (Rule applies especially to the Yankees.)
3 - The big question "And what do you do?" or its variant from Milan "What do you do?", must be the tenth question you ask a person just met. You have to strain to find at least nine other topics of conversation before trying to classify a person according to his work and to his presumed income. Also because of the twenties and thirties of Rome almost no one does the job for which he has studied, but all make do to remedy a salary at the end of the month.
4 - Never talk about politics, this argument is too hot, you are likely to argue seriously. First there was the contrast between reds, blacks and whites, that is, communists, fascists and democrats. Then for twenty years between people who vote for Berlusconi and people who want Berlusconi in jail. Now talk about politics is to speak of our politicians, that is like talking about flea that the dog has brought you indoors.
5 - A small list of the safe topics: food, movies, television programs, football, holidays, traffic, bureaucracy, opinions about Milan inhabitants.
6a - For foreign men who want to make friendship with Roman girls: do not count on alcohol to loosen their inhibitions. It does not work because the Roman girls drink very little, and when they drink then feel bad. Aim rather than on your socioeconomic status (indirectly) and the charm of your country. Many Roman girls can not wait to leave Italy.
6b - For foreign women who want to make friendship with Roman men: don't you be too easy, do not ever let them understand that you like and you'd like to be kissed or something. The Roman man loves to conquest, must be an enterprise for daring. You then need to be unattainable, but every now and give some hope. Then one night, at some point, you can pretend to be drunk.
7 - What to bring to dinner. Even if they tell you not to bring anything, brings you the same a bottle of wine (white or red is the same, but never a Merlot or a Lambrusco, something about 5-7 euro is fine) or a cake. What if you do not then you're the only one who presented himself empty-handed, and you feel like a shit.
8 - For the Italians everything that comes from the homeland is sacred. The criticisms are not welcome. If you have found flaws in Rome keep them for you. A Roman can talk bad of his town, a foreigner who does this only produces waves of nervousness.
9 - The same thing for the two soccer team, Roma and Lazio. Never talk about these teams if you are not certain if you are talking with a Roma fan or a Lazio fan. It's something like religion.
10 - Forget everything those rules and go! A smile or a joke will be always a good trick to resolve every situation, if you are a man. A beauty cleavage or two long legs, if you are a women.

Maurizio Guarini Italy


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