I'd like to start a thread on this one so I can hear all of what you girls
have to say too! And Guys!
We all have filled our own pockets with experiences with our Italian men.
One of mine is that many are not truely independent, and would like a wife that takes the place of his mother.
They have a way with words, and have ripe emotions to give away, with a good way of being-- they treat you like family, as though you are very special, even if you are just friends.
They, all of them must try with you-- if you are female, and do not understand how you just want to be friends; they tell me it's an American defect. Any other views on this?

Ah, one of my favorite subjects!

Italian men... very charming, funny, can be quite forward (but in a friendly way) and they know what they want. And, of course, they have the beautiful Italian language and the accent going for them.

In all seriousness, there seems to be less inhibition in Italy, and men will often just sit down next to a woman they find attractive, buy her a flower or a drink, ask her about herself and where she is from and where she has traveled, and then tell her their life stories.

I met a number of men on my last two trips there (oddly enough, most of them named Max) and they each introduced themselves to me at different cafes. The conversations were nice, the men laughed at but helped me with my Italian language skills, and they seemed to take it for granted that I would be interested in spending more time with them, alone time. I know a number of them seemed surprised when I wouldn't go 1) to the country to see the family villa, 2) to the beach to meet the cousins, 3) to dinner to discuss my fascination with Italian art, 4) to walk around the piazza at midnight to look at the stars and see what we could see, 5) to Florence to show me David, and so on.

All very exciting possibilities, but I didn't go -- various reasons including boyfriend, my own hesitations, level of comfort -- and I was happy to see that none of them reacted negatively or stopped being nice when I said no. Many of them simply gave me their card or email address, sat with me for another hour or two, and then left me with a kiss on the cheek and a whispered "ciao" against my ear.

Speaking strictly from my own experience, then, the interested Italian men I've met have been aggressive, but very nice. They know what they want, they pursue it without the kinds of games one sees in the USA, and then they go on about their day with no hard feelings. One I met in 2005, named Max of course, has been in contact ever since via email. He didn't quite get the 'just friends' thing at first, but he came to understand it.

The reality is, many women (all people, really) on vacation do a lot of things they wouldn't usually do, so it may be that in places where many women visit on their vacations (like Rome, particularly), the odds are probably pretty good for a lot of Italian men who want to meet a foreign woman, spend some time with her, then kiss her passionately goodbye at the airport a week later. The cool thing, as far as I can tell, is that there seems to be a bit less BS going on in the midst of it all. I could be naive, and maybe they're professing undying love and not meaning a word of it, but I have found less of that kind of thing in Italy than here in the USA.

What do you think?

Teresa

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I'm sorry for my bad english but i want to say what i think about that because i'm an original one ;-)
I think in Italy at this time, men are in crisis because they like stay with their family for a long time and they never grow up.
But I think we put passion in everything we do........and so if we talk to a lady for us in that precious moment she is a princess and we fell good.
I think i take care about people and about what i'm doing, maybe this is the difference.

See you joniosea

Ha!! Women!!

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Teresa that was a very good expression of what goes on in Italy, and I think too, no-- I know, that the men do mean what they are intending. They feel, have emotions that are shared and usually are geniune. It is far easier to start a relationship in Italy than in the US or Canada etc. The men take you under their wing, and right, there are no hard feelings what- so- ever if you turn them down, anzi, they still like you--as U said, they'll even give you their card, and are always still hoping that one day you'll change your mind and see them.
The men in Angolo saxon countries to me, personally, are not so in touch with themselves, are afraid to touch a womanly relationship for fear of a 3rd degree burn, and are always trying to prove themselves--to whom? Maybe in gara with other men ? I do not yet know. I feel at home with Italian men, and for the most part, they treat women like princesses, even if they are so natural at caring for someone else along the way, in some other way they are devoted to you regardless of what happens in this humanly world.
Joniosea, keep writing ..we need to hear what Italian men are thinking!

MEN / UOMINI:
1 It's important to find a man that helps around the house and in heavy jobs and who has a good job.
2 It's important to find a man of spirit, who has a sense of humor and who makes you laugh.
3 It's important to find a man on whom you can count, in whom you can have faith and who never lies.
4 It's important to find a man who is good in bed and loves to make love.
5 It's important that these four men don't ever meet each other.

Verita' sugli Uomini:
1 - E' importante trovare un uomo che ti aiuti nei lavori domestici e nei lavori pesanti e che abbia un buon impiego.
2 - E' importante trovare un uomo di spirito, che abbia senso dell'humor e che ti faccia ridere.
3 - E' importante trovare un uomo sul quale si possa contare, nel quale tu possa avere fiducia e che non menta mai.
4 - E' importante trovare un uomo che sia bravo a letto e che ami far l'amore.
5 - E' importante che questi 4 uomini non si conoscano mai.

Ah, a man after my own heart!
The challenge will be in finding those four men in one place. Even Italy might not have one of each.

Joniosea, it is great to hear the view from Italy -- keep writing!

Jacqueline, you hit it right. I have always been treated perfectly by Italian men, and the same can't be said for men in the USA. Not sure that's a fair comparison since I have spent most of my time in relationships here in the USA so haven't given the Italian men a chance to be anything other than gentlemen, but I can compare the reactions to a "no, thank you." Much more favorable in Italy.

What is it that attracts us to others? Some say opposites attract -- that would work for me, I'm blonde and I like dark haired men, i.e., Italians. Some say you have to have things in common -- also works for me... I like Italy and things Italian, and, well, Italian men fit the bill. Some say it's the unknown that attracts us... again, there is something exotic and exciting about men from a culture not my own. Maybe it comes down to basic chemistry no matter who you're talking about.

I wonder what Italian men (and women) think of American women (and men). Anyone have an idea about that?

Teresa

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It's important that these men don't meet each other Paolo, but it's important that I meet all four of them wrapped up into one!

A fat majority of them, (what we are familiar with hearing) " Mammone" mamma's boys...and I have to side with this. Many need a woman to follow in the footsteps of their dear mothers, to cook, clean, make decisions, make the bed and leave nothing for them to do.
Wrong!! Italian women may except this more readily, not all of them, but women from many other countries would stomp on them quickly!
In the south it's worse, as they are even more traditional--the Catholic religon doesn't help so much either--you'd be lucky to find a mother-in-law that is more liberal. The artists to my experience, are much more with it and open! There are many more bad Italian-Men habits to add..
DISCLAIMER: Before someone beats me up on this one, I have to say that we all have faults, this is just to spark up a different slant of discussion.