I have noticed several differences between Oregon [where I live] and Paderno Del Grappa, Italy in the northeastern Veneto region [where I study]:
There is much more walking to be done in Italy than in Oregon because there are not so many cars.
Walking is by no means evil because it is a form of exercise; it is good for you. I have remarked at least once that "Italians are skinny because they walk everywhere and they smoke!" (They also don't eat as much or as often as we do - good for them!) In a tiny town like Paderno you don't need a car anyway because walking across town takes under five minutes. Most of the automobiles you see are ambulances, buses or police cars. Lots of people have cars, but in a very small town like Paderno there are no traffic jams. Portland is all about traffic jams. Paderno's speed limit is much more generous than Portland's, and drivers are not afraid to drive very close behind the car in front of them. I have not seen any fender benders so I suppose it works just fine.
The cafeteria food that we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner is 'high-end' cafeteria food, similar to that of an American school.
It is very nice to have meals prepared for you, but cafeteria food is universal in quality. Most of us say the food is bland and boring and that they prefer eating at the pizzeria in town, but it is enjoyable because of the variety. We have spaghetti, penne, gnocchi (a potato-noodle combo) and ravioli with or without meat sauce. Parmesan (which I love) is provided. There are fruit and rolls and pudding and yogurt that keep meals interesting. We eat our meals in a ballroom style room with paintings of Venetian boats on the walls and tubular chandeliers on the ceiling. It's very classy.
There is an obvious difference between Italian sports and American sports
We like football, they like soccer (soccer and other sports are a common interest). To watch American sports you have to stay up until 7 PM (1 PM Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.), 10 PM (4 PM EST), 11:30 PM (5:30 PM EST) or 2 AM (8 PM EST) depending on what time an event starts in the U.S. Last night we watched Iowa come back and beat Indiana, Kansas fall to Texas Tech, and Oregon dismantle USC. The USC-Oregon game started at 1 AM, and those who are devoted stayed up to watch the entire thing. I went to bed at 6 AM this morning (and got up at noon for lunch) because after the Oregon game was over we watched the Yankees beat the Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series. What a night.
I have not seen a huge group of Italians in Paderno crowded around a TV for a soccer match, but I have seen it in Cinque Terre. I believe you don't see huge groups of people watching soccer because a) there are not so many people in Paderno and b) there are not so many venues in which to crowd around a TV, save the sports bar (but I have not seen this happen yet).
Italian food in general is much more culture-specific, made with many more rules for preparation
It would seem to me that Italian food, as it has had centuries to develop, is a fine art that must be given special attention in order to be made. American food is made quickly (I'm not talking about fast food) without so much demand for perfection. Many cultural food styles are borrowed from other countries. There are very fancy American restaurants but I suppose Italy has history on its side in comparison.
American fast food caters to the host country's preferences, so you will see hamburgers styled to what Italians like.
Young Italian people can compliment each other in ways different than in the U.S.
Young men in Italy often call each other 'bello' (handsome) in everyday conversation. In Italy this is a custom. It is perhaps similar to an American saying "Hey, handsome!" to one of his friends. A man regularly calling another man handsome in America is permissible if a) the two men are related romantically or b) there is a joking nature to the gesture. In the U.S. Option A is nothing to think twice about given romantic intent, but B, even humorously, will attract a few strange stares and a degree of uncomfortability if it happens too frequently.
There is also the custom of girls holding hands as they walk down the street. The same rules apply in America as the previous case: it's considered a sign of romantic interest. American girls hug when they are happy, but the hug ends after a brief moment. Anything beyond a few seconds is considered romantic.
An Italian kiss on each cheek upon greeting is a sign of respect in Italy and the U.S., but permission must be granted for an American to let it fly. Americans are territorial and you must be given clearance to make contact. High-fives and fist bumps are the American standard of physical greeting because there is minimal contact, and they are fun!
Italian business hours are very strange to an American
Italy, like Spain and other Latin countries, enjoys a siesta (the word varies from country to country), a mid-day break of about three and a half hours in which every shop and restaurant will shut down. This is the most frustrating cultural difference for Americans. The local tabacchis (general stores, as I call them) in town close from about noon to about 3:30 PM. These times can be exact or subjective because the owner decides when to come back. My American peers in Paderno are not big fans of this because between noon and 4 o'clock is the most productive time of the day. It is the opposite of what we want. The office on campus does the same thing to try to be fashionably Italian, but it is most often annoying (not to say that I hate the office) because we have to wait a very long time to get mail or drop off forms or get laundry tokens or do other such important things.
Paderno and its tiny (yet very classy) neighbor towns up and down the street are geographically like Eastern Oregon
The land in these towns is flat and dry with huge mountains (The Dolomiti, at the foot of the Italian Alps) in the direct background. There are piny trees and lizards that climb stone walls and trees. Just like in Eastern Oregon the mosquitos are out in force. This is in no way comparable to Paulina Lake in La Pine, Oregon, where the mosquitos hear you coming and won't give up until they've had their fill. At Paulina Lake you can see swarms of mosquitos from one-hundred yards away.
It has been a constant 60 degrees Fahrenheit every day since we've been here, and it's very cold at night. It has rained only five or six times since I have been here, and when it rains it literally pours. Early in September it rained very hard for two or three days. Most people complained, but not the Oregon people: we love the rain! I have an umbrella but it shall remain unused (until further notice). Where I come from rain is only water, and we have sweatshirts to stay warm. There is a saying in Oregon: umbrellas are for Californians!
You will not find screens on Italian doors and windows. Rather, there are wooden shutters
Wooden shutters are very stylish but do no service to keeping bugs out. I have seen stinkbugs, giant grasshoppers, bees, mosquitos and ladybugs (as of a very recent infestation). All of these invaders are insanely attracted to flourescent lighting in my stone-and-wood room. Mosquitos are worst offenders. It is never cold for long enough, so they never die! The way to get rid of insect invaders is to ignore them and let them die, or swat them. Bugs will cling to walls, waiting for the light and forgoing food until you get rid of them.
Conveniences that Americans are used to are not so readily available
- Ketchup
- Ranch dressing
- Couches and comfortable chairs [I miss laying around and watching TV / playing video games / watching movies!]
- Popcorn
- Driving a car
ETC.
Being in Italy is like staying in someone's house for three months. That might be the most obvious statement ever, but that's exactly how it is. You can't truly make yourself at home because things are done differently than how you would like them to be done. The best thing to do is smile and say thank you
Language
I was not afraid of the language barrier until I tried to have an actual conversation with someone who speaks no English. It's not so easy when you have to think of words for yourself
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