You've been in Italy too long when...

[Maciamo]

After the series about France and Belgium, here comes Italy. So you know that you've been in Italy far too long when :

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met.
2. You can have a conversation with a stranger comprised entirely of facial expressions, hand gestures, and no words.
3. You can't imagine not wearing a black down jacket and black sunglasses most of the year.
4. You keep honking at the traffic, not at anyone in particular, just to keep the flow moving...
5. You have become an expert in parking your car in the narrowest space and driving while talking on the phone and having a conversation with other passengers at the same time.
6. You don't hesitate to overtake a car blocking the street through the pavement/sidewalk.
7. You automatically ask for the vino della casa (house wine) when you have a casual lunch out.
8. You can convey all your feelings with a single "maa..." or "boh".
9. You refuse to go out if it is raining, even a bit, and wear a scarf whenever it's not over 25°C.
10. You don't raise an eyebrow when you are asked to apply for your application at a government office.
11. You don't even check for opening hours and schedules anymore as you know they don't mean anything.
12. You only have coffee for breakfast, then if you feel a bit peckish get a pastry at 10 am with more coffee, in between two other morning coffees.
13. You don't cringe at the idea of having offals for lunch.
14. You can't imagine having lunch before 1 pm.
15. You dip your bread in olive oil - even at home.
16. You know that a true espresso shouldn't contain more than a few drops of extremely concentrated coffee, which can be diluted with sugar.
17. You know that Starbucks isn't real coffee but you go anyway because of it's trendy and American, and they have free Wi-Fi.
18. You start calling your mother every day, sometimes several times a day, although you never did before.
19. In a queue, you constantly keep an eye for line jumpers - unless it's you !
20. You have twenty favourite flavours of ice cream, because you have to be selective.
21. People back home think you speak too loudly.
22. You understand that when someone tells you that it's impossible, he is just asking for you to negotiate.

[julia90]

After the series about France and Belgium, here comes Italy. So you know that you've been in Italy far too long when :

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met.
2. You can have a conversation with a stranger comprised entirely of facial expressions, hand gestures, and no words.
3. You can't imagine not wearing a black down jacket and black sunglasses most of the year.
4. You keep honking at the traffic, not at anyone in particular, just to keep the flow moving...
5. You have become an expert in parking your car in the narrowest space and driving while talking on the phone and having a conversation with other passengers at the same time.
6. You don't hesitate to overtake a car blocking the street through the pavement/sidewalk.
7. You automatically ask for the vino della casa (house wine) when you have a casual lunch out.
8. You can convey all your feelings with a single "maa..." or "boh".
9. You refuse to go out if it is raining, even a bit, and wear a scarf whenever it's not over 25°C.
10. You don't raise an eyebrow when you are asked to apply for your application at a government office.
11. You don't even check for opening hours and schedules anymore as you know they don't mean anything.
12. You only have coffee for breakfast, then if you feel a bit peckish get a pastry at 10 am with more coffee, in between two other morning coffees.
13. You don't cringe at the idea of having offals for lunch.
14. You can't imagine having lunch before 1 pm.
15. You dip your bread in olive oil - even at home.
16. You know that a true espresso shouldn't contain more than a few drops of extremely concentrated coffee, which can be diluted with sugar.
17. You know that Starbucks isn't real coffee but you go anyway because of it's trendy and American, and they have free Wi-Fi.
18. You start calling your mother every day, sometimes several times a day, although you never did before.
19. In a queue, you constantly keep an eye for line jumpers - unless it's you !
20. You have twenty favourite flavours of ice cream, because you have to be selective.
21. People back home think you speak too loudly.
22. You understand that when someone tells you that it's impossible, he is just asking for you to negotiate.

very true; those in bold i consider more veritable , according to my view

[Riccardo]

After the series about France and Belgium, here comes Italy. So you know that you've been in Italy far too long when :

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met.
2. You can have a conversation with a stranger comprised entirely of facial expressions, hand gestures, and no words.
3. You can't imagine not wearing a black down jacket and black sunglasses most of the year.
4. You keep honking at the traffic, not at anyone in particular, just to keep the flow moving...
5. You have become an expert in parking your car in the narrowest space and driving while talking on the phone and having a conversation with other passengers at the same time.
6. You don't hesitate to overtake a car blocking the street through the pavement/sidewalk.
7. You automatically ask for the vino della casa (house wine) when you have a casual lunch out.
8. You can convey all your feelings with a single "maa..." or "boh".
9. You refuse to go out if it is raining, even a bit, and wear a scarf whenever it's not over 25°C.
10. You don't raise an eyebrow when you are asked to apply for your application at a government office.
11. You don't even check for opening hours and schedules anymore as you know they don't mean anything.
12. You only have coffee for breakfast, then if you feel a bit peckish get a pastry at 10 am with more coffee, in between two other morning coffees.
13. You don't cringe at the idea of having offals for lunch.
14. You can't imagine having lunch before 1 pm.
15. You dip your bread in olive oil - even at home.
16. You know that a true espresso shouldn't contain more than a few drops of extremely concentrated coffee, which can be diluted with sugar.
17. You know that Starbucks isn't real coffee but you go anyway because of it's trendy and American, and they have free Wi-Fi.
18. You start calling your mother every day, sometimes several times a day, although you never did before.
19. In a queue, you constantly keep an eye for line jumpers - unless it's you !
20. You have twenty favourite flavours of ice cream, because you have to be selective.
21. People back home think you speak too loudly.
22. You understand that when someone tells you that it's impossible, he is just asking for you to negotiate.

Oh yeah! =D
I add that you'll start to eat pasta once a day and if you're young you'll start to ask your mamma "where's my pasta?", if she didn't cook it in the last 24 hours!
The one of the coffee is really true! Even line jumpers and stereotypes about traffic are really Italian!

[Sybilla]

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met. I have been invited once for a coffee by a girl I had just met.​ It's true that you could be invited to stay for dinner if you are guest in a house, but it happens also abroad.
2. You automatically ask for the vino della casa (house wine) when you have a casual lunch out. Sometimes I do because house wine is cheaper.
3. You can convey all your feelings with a single "maa..." or "boh". True.
4. You refuse to go out if it is raining, even a bit, and wear a scarf whenever it's not over 25°C. No, my region can be very cold in winter, yet I go out with a t-shirt and a jacket. Scharf only if there are less than 10°C.
5. You only have coffee for breakfast, then if you feel a bit peckish get a pastry at 10 am with more coffee, in between two other morning coffees. False, I have never drunk coffee in my life. Rather I prefer tea or a cup of cold skimmed milk for breakfast with a toast with nutella or more often buscuits. I am very careful about my bodyshape and don't like sweets that much.
6. You can't imagine having lunch before 1 pm. False, if I am not working I have lunch at 12:00-12:30.
7. You dip your bread in olive oil - even at home. False, I try to avoid extra fats so I never dip my bread in oil. Actually I eat few bread too.
8. You know that a true espresso shouldn't contain more than a few drops of extremely concentrated coffee, which can be diluted with sugar. No as I don't drink coffee.
9. You know that Starbucks isn't real coffee but you go anyway because of it's trendy and American, and they have free Wi-Fi.When I take coffee (3-4 times a year) I choose American coffee because it is longer and lasts more.
10. You start calling your mother every day, sometimes several times a day, although you never did before.False. I have lived in Australia for some months and I used to call my mom no more than 1-2 a week, sometimes even less.
11. In a queue, you constantly keep an eye for line jumpers - unless it's you ! True, but I never jump the queue.
12. You have twenty favourite flavours of ice cream, because you have to be selective.False. I eat only randomly ice-creams and my favourite tastes are chocolate and huzelnut. But I repeat, I care about my bodyshape so I eat ice-creams only 5-6 times in summer.

[qualityliving]

i am strongly agree with some points that you had mentioned about Italian people.

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met. Yes i am agree with you because the people of Italy like to invite people on dinner.
2. You can have a conversation with a stranger comprised entirely of facial expressions, hand gestures, and no words. But some people behave rudly.
3. People back home think you speak too loudly.
4. You understand that when someone tells you that it's impossible, he is just asking for you to negotiate.

[Cambrius (The Red)]

i am strongly agree with some points that you had mentioned about Italian people.

1. You consider accepting the dinner invitation at the house of someone you just met. Yes i am agree with you because the people of Italy like to invite people on dinner.
2. You can have a conversation with a stranger comprised entirely of facial expressions, hand gestures, and no words. But some people behave rudly.
3. People back home think you speak too loudly.
4. You understand that when someone tells you that it's impossible, he is just asking for you to negotiate.

Number 4 is especially true. LOL!