Ciao again from Italia everyone!
I have been back in Italy for approximately three days and have already had a creepy Italian man experience. I had gotten really used to not being harassed as much by creepy Italians last semester since I had Andy by my side most of the time. Not that I had forgotten that Italian men are the most horny people on the planet, I had just become complacent, I guess. Anyhow, I went over to Lorenzo de'Medici today to pick up my paycheck from last month and check in at the office, but of course both were closed, being 4 in Italy. I know, I should have gotten my butt over there much earlier, but I am still recovering from jet lag, slept till almost 1 today, and didn't even make it out of my pajamas until 3. Just one of those days! So I left LdM, where I did have the pleasure of running into my old student Jordan from UNC who is now studying here in Florence. I was in quite a good mood, it being a sunny day in Florence (which were few and far between last semester), so I decided to go shopping and check out the sales. Good thing I hadn't brought any cash or cards with me, because it totally would have been hard to resist, since this time of year everything is at a minimum 50 % off for the twice yearly sales. After checking out a bunch of my favorite places, I made the trek back to my apartment. While crossing Piazza Sant'Ambrogio though, someone called out "scusa". I thought it was for someone else, so I kept walking, but I had the suspicion I was being followed. Eventually, whoever had called out scusa came up to me and asked "Sei italiana?" which means "are you Italian?". I said no, that I was American, thinking maybe the man was going to ask me for directions or something along those lines. He proceeded to say (loosely translated) "I just wanted to tell you that you are absolutely beautiful and stupendous," then looked me up and down from head to toe. I said "grazie" (because what else can you say in those kind of situations) and turned to walk away, but the man wasn't done yet. The man asked me in terrible English where I was going, if he could come with me, and if I was married. I told him I was on my way home and that I was "fidanzata". The term "fidanzato/a" means "fiance" in Italian, but is used whenever you are in a serious relationship that lasts longer than a month. I think the man actually got the hint because he said how my fidanzato was a lucky man and walked away. This incident has happened to me many times before, but I felt angry this time. Even though the guy left me alone, most times Italian guys say "oh, that's okay, you aren't married, come out with me and let me take you to my car and rape you" or something along those lines. Sometimes I just want to say back to them "what makes you think these lines are going to work?" I mean, American girls have the reputation of being easy and slutty over here (a stereotype that many of my students upheld last semester), but not all of us want to jump into bed with skeezy Italian men. While I was at home for break everyone kept asking me we I hadn't broken up with my American boyfriend for a romantic Italian man, and it's incidences like these that make me certain that I am much better off in my loving relationship with my non-creepy American boyfriend.
Disclaimer: Not all Italian men are bad, and some make very good boyfriends. The good ones are a bit hard to find though.
