Italian men and other past times...

Most of you know that I have a weakness for Italian men. Lately, however, this affection has spread to encompass the greater Mediterranean area. It’s only natural that since I study Classics, I give equal opportunity to both the Roman and Greek worlds.

There are two things that everyone keeps asking me about Italy: How is the food, and have I met any Italian men?

Foodwise, you probably won’t believe that I, EmilyUK, have lost my appetite. I know it is sort of tragic, but honestly I haven’t been that hungry. I’ve cut out coca and haven’t done much on the gelato front lines. One good bolognese or pizza does me just fine, as long as there is an espresso and cornetto in there somewhere. I’ve tried to combat scurvy (a childhood fear from reading too many sea adventures) by having fruit and vegetables as necessary. But this has only been since I ate that entire jar of Nutella with a spoon: this phenomenon may be short-lived.

One of the first things that we were told in our orientations (both the logistical and academic) was that Italian men are very aggressive and forward. Most of the girls spent the first week afraid for their lives. It was a bit of overkill if you ask me.

It IS different here but there are several reasons for it. The most important reason is the concept of La Bella Figura. You’ve probably heard of it. It means your exterior aesthetic, the part of you that you present to the world, and in the context of putting your best foot forward. As soon as you walk out of your house, you are inviting people to observe you. Both men and women will look you up and down. Little old women on the tram, taxi drivers, teenage girls...they won’t give you a thumbs up or down, but they take it all in. I’ve been told that my eyes wander when I’m in conversation with someone at a café or a venue with lots of people passing. I think I am just Italian by nature and I’m interested in la bella figura.

With that said, not only is it common for men to openly check out women, but when a group of college girls are clustered together, drunk and screaming in English, it’s like an open invitation for men to talk to them. I think you’ll agree that it’s highly likely for this to happen in the states, minus the language factor, but obviously, American girls are more conspicuous in this context. I pretty much avoid any situation where I might find myself drunk and screaming with a bunch of girls. Since arriving, I have only once had dinner with a crowd of American girls. But cooking, drinking wine, and dropping the girls at the club on my way home hardly puts me at risk.

Several girls have asked me if I’m afraid to be alone in my apartment or walking to school. To the many things of which I am afraid, these are not even related (think scurvy). In LA I am afraid neither of being in my apartment alone nor walking to school. I have found that doing what I usually do in LA works just fine. Don’t talk to people who are trying to hit on you. This will, I assume, insure that, just like in LA, I will never meet any men.