Differences

Since coming to Florence, there have been many culture shocking differences that I have noticed between being here and being home, some more intense than others. One drastic difference that I have noticed are the "courting rituals" that the Italian men use towards American women. For example, we were out to dinner one night and Michael got her hair stroked by an Italian man. Also, there was one day when we were walking home from the train station and a guy straight grabbed for her crotch. Other instances like this have occurred from bystanders when we walk down the street. Telling me I look like Barbie, or commenting on whether my roommates breasts are artificial or original. Although I am told that this is just Italian culture and to roll with it, I really wonder what the men who are making this gestures are thinking. American men barely ever even come up and talk, or say hello, nevertheless yell sexual inuendos at you. It makes me wonder whether they are solely doing it to be obnoxious or whether they think that by yelling at us, it makes us feel flattered and appreciate them more. I also wonder how they act towards Italian women and if those women put up with this behavior.
Another difference that has stood out to me has to do with money in Italy. Personally, money isn't something that I throw around freely. I know when I get losen the purse strings, but I also am very concerned about where I spend my money and making sure I am getting what I pay for. I have noticed that in Italy, money is less crucial to the people who are making it. When I work, I want to make sure I get every cent for what I did. However, in the markets, you are able to bargain with sellers for merchanidise. Also, I have rode in two taxi's in which it was taking the girls and I a longer time to gather our change and figure out what we owed the driver. One time the total was $15.75 and the other time it was $11.50. In both instances, the driver rounded down. The first time, Lauren was truly upset that we couldnt find the change and eventually found it, and he still didn't make us pay. It just seemed like this would never happen in America. If you got in a cab and werent able to pay for it, youd probably be driven right back to where you came from.