Why English Manners are Different

Being polite in England means saying certain words in the right way at the right time. In Italy it's quite different. Here politeness seems to be actually caring about other people. Of course there are many things which are common to the ideas of politness in both cultures such as;

• DO learn to say "Good day", "Please" and "Thank you" in Italian before you arrived.

But not common to both cultures are a few other things;

• DON'T allow Italians to apologise to you for their English. When they say "I sorry for my English" don't say "That's OK" or something similar. Your in Italy for God's sake, why should they speak English to you! So apologise to them for your Italian first, and if you live here tell them that you are learning Italian by saying "Imparo Italiano".
• DON'T speak in the usual monotone you might use in Britain, because it says to an Italian that you really don't care. Animate your voice like they do and please smile, unless you really don't like somebody.
• DON'T think that Italians are just enthusiastic to help you, because they do. You need to understand that they are trying to build a good relationship with you which means you showing equal enthusiasm to help them when the oppertunity arrises.
• DON'T think that British sarcasm works in Italy. Italians find sarcasm disrespectful.
• DON'T behave badly because you are drunk. Italians do get tipsy but they don't sit in front of a table of empty glasses totally sloshed. Bad behaviour, rudness etc. are just as unacceptable when drunk as when not.
• In England shops and resturaunts chuck you out when its closing time, but in Italy they probably won't even tell you. It's up to you not to take liberties!

Some of this may be obvious so please forgive me if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.