Italian Stereotypes

My professors keep asking me how being here has disproved Italian stereotypes for myself. At first, all I could think was, what stereotypes? I thought about this episode of South Park where they went to the museum of Tolerance to learn about stereotypes, and I could not remember any Italian stereotypes. Of course, I conclude my knowledge of life to whatever is on South Park. 

Anyway, I started to think. There are plenty of Italian stereotypes - They're loud, in the mafia, they eat pizza and pasta, drink a lot of wine till they're drunk, womanizing, etc. 

There is an issue  have with feeling like these aren't true portrayals of Italians. I'm living in Florence, a city that has lost it's identity to pave way for the Italy that tourists want to see in what was described to me as "abroad Disneyland". So yes, there is a lot pizza, pasta, and bars advertising drink specials or what not. Sometimes I have to say, where are all the Italians at? 

Not every Italian is loud. They aren't constantly screaming at each other. Sometimes I feel like the one who needs to tone it down around them. 

Here's my favorite - Italian men are womanizers. Yeah? But they're all super attractive so that's okay, right? Laugh out loud. Not every Italian man I pass looks at me like I'm a piece of meat and they're ready to eat me up. I usually ignore them when it's night time and I'm walking down the street, and I hear them saying "buona sera". Um no, grazie.  Usually, a stank face with a look in the eye that says "I will tear you apart and leave the pieces in the street" get's them off my back.  But I am in Italy, and I do want to talk to the people. Because somehow, even though I have seen some of the most attractive men here, only the weird ones approach me. Older men or men with a receding hairline, even a Jonah Hill look a like offered to buy me a drink the other night. I mean dang, if they're supposed to be womanizers, can't I get a cute one to talk to? 

What my professoressa said about the drinking here is true. It's so common to see people having a beer or a glass of wine at lunch or dinner. Maybe split a bottle at dinner. It surprised me because some people are drinking with their lunch and it's not even noon yet! But they aren't drinking for a feeling. They're drinking for the overall experiences of tasting the food and drink. They aren't getting crazy and drunk.