Italian Stereotype

• love their mother tongue => passionate speakers; use gestures a lot; speak louder than other people - what may seem to be a fight is actually a friendly chat!; and don't speak foreign languages well: "If the 'crucial' body-parts are busy with work, Italians move their shoulders or anything that would emphasize their active participation in the conversation."
• love sharing meals with others and discussing at the table (*see dinner scene!)
• fashion victims; attractive; tanned all year round
• really enjoy romance and the stereotype of the Italian lover is still alive and moving "in the direction of blonde ladies, mostly”

Contrast with Germany:

"Nothing in Italy is well-organised or easy to use. You have to use your gestures and mimicry or everything you have to get the smallest scrap of information. Don't be surprised if you notice Italians jumping the queue to be served first or fighting to get into the buses. Italians have nothing to boast to Germans with regarding their chaotic life, however, the pleasant bonus is that it made the passionate expressive Italians even more pushy and resourceful."