Thread 2838183

Fit 27-year-old here. Great great grandparents were from Naples so I know that makes me about as Italian as Pizza Hut in your eyes, but I at least don't stand out in a crowd visually.

Only time I've ever been in Europe before was a week in London. I'm going to live in Cefalu for five months, which I know is rather tourist/expat territory, but I plan on lots of daytrips around Sicily and southern Italy.

I've been trying to learn Florentine Italian for the past year so I have a basic level of speaking, though listening can be hard for me, especially with dialect changes.

What should an American do to both respect and get the most out of your country? I know not to call myself "Italian" or run my mouth about politics. Which areas of people are pretty welcoming there? How do women feel about American dudes? What should I see that's not on the typical sightseeing list? What should I wear? Do I need to buy/rent a vehicle?

Let me know how I can not be an asshole.

>>2838183 (OP)
>amerimutt
You'll be the Whitest person in Southern Italy. Women will throw themselves at you

>What should an American do to both respect and get the most out of your country?
The same things any foreigner should do when moving to a strange land: try not to stick out too much, stay humble, don't make a fuss about all the inconveniences and culture shocks that naturally come with moving to a foreign country, try to pick up on a many social cues and habits as you can, from the small things (e.g. no ordering cappuccino after noon) to the normal things an adult needs to do to be taken seriously in Italy (e.g. dressing appropriately. If you go around in public settings weating pajama pants, like I've seen some people do in America, people will think that you're either a crackhead or a hobo. You don't need a suit and tie for an appointment to the Questura or a hangout with friends, but you do need smart casual if you want to make a good impression). People will appreciate that you can speak Italian. If somebody makes fun of you for the accent, as is likely to happen, take it in good spirits.
>Which areas of people are pretty welcoming there?
That really depends on what you're coming to Italy for. Are you here to study? University people tend to be generally pretty chill and welcoming towards foreigners. You mentioned that you're fit: the gym is usually a good place to make friends.
>How do women feel about American dudes?
You are going to move to a small city in one of the most socially conservative regions in the country, which may cause some difficulties compared to, say, one of the big cities in the North. In general, women tend to date within their social circle. With that said, unless you're ugly or awfully autistic, I'd say to have decent chances. My first gf was Sicilian. Man, the memories.

1/2

>>2838216
>What should I see that's not on the typical sightseeing list?
Even if you stick to Sicily and the general South, you could spend every day sightseeing and still have stuff left over to see at the end of the five months. You could spend an entire week sightseeing in Palermo and its immediate vicinities alone (like Monreale). You could also go island hopping in the Eolie, Pantelleria or even Malta. Or you could get on a ferry and go to Calabria and Basilicata, which are the real wild west of Italy. They're the poorest region by a margin, mostly untouched by foreign tourism and with plenty of weird stuff to see/do. Come back and report when you've had the peak Calabrian experience of eating a nduja sandwich and washing it down with Brasilena during a snowy day in the middle of the Sila mountains.
>What should I wear?
The climate in southern Italy tends to be very mild. As I mentioned earlier, try to be always smart casual if you want to make a good impression, don't look like a maranza.
>Do I need to buy/rent a vehicle?
Yes. Public transport in southern Italy is notoriously dogshit. A motorbike is a decent option if you know how to ride one. Buy a good alarm chain lock too.