what celebrations are important? Italian holidays are shared with all the western world for example Christmas or New Year's Eve. Their national holiday is Epiphany.The Epiphany is celebrated on the sixth of January and it originally symbolized the birth of Jesus. The first of May is celebrated in most of the world as Labor Day, in Italy, it is not just a workers' holiday, but a day for left political parties to hit the streets and protest their cause. The climax of every First of May celebration is the free music concert of Piazza San Giovanni, in Rome, where the most important Italian singers and performers, as well as many foreign stars perform before a festive audience.
who eats with whom and where? Many Italians have breakfast on their way to work, stopping off in their favourite bar for an espresso or a cappuccino with a cornetto (sweet pastry often filled with jam, cream or chocolate).Lunch is typically the main meal of the day with Italians often returning home to have a meal with the family.The first course (“primo”) is normally pasta in one version or another and cooked in different ways with a variety of sauces.The main course (“secondo”) usually features meat or fish with vegetables or salad. This is often followed by fresh fruit or perhaps a dessert at the weekend. The evening meal is typically lighter (soups, salad, cold meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruit) but in the larger cities many people are not able to return home for lunch and may now have their main meal in the evening when the whole family can gather round the table and discuss the day’s events.
what type of education? Free state education is available to children of all nationalities who are resident in Italy. Children attending the Italian education system can start with the Scuola dell'Infanzia also known as Scuola Materna (nursery school), which is non-compulsory, from the age of three. Every child is entitled to a place. For example they have:
Scuola Primaria (Primary School) Scuola Media (Middle School) Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado (First Grade Secondary School) Scuola Superiore (High School) Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado (Second Grade Secondary School) Liceo Classico (Classical High School): Liceo Scientifico (Scientific High School): Liceo Artistico (Fine Arts High School): Istituto Magistrale (Teacher Training School): Istituto d'Arte (Artistic Schools): Istituti Tecnici (Technical Institutes): Istituti Professionali (Professional Institutes):
how do people greet each other? When one first is introduced to a person, one always uses the formal lei,until the Italian says to you diamoci del tu, which means, that you are now on informal terms but the standard code is to wait until they say it, unless you really know the social codes of Italy.
what type of physical contact is acceptable in public? For social occasions, it is normal to shake hands with people whom you do not know well, particularly for men and mixed couples. Women usually kiss, as from the farewell of their first meeting. On subsequent meetings,if they are more than aquaintances by now, they will usually kiss you hello and goodbye. In central and Southern Italy, it is normal for men to kiss each other as much as they do women. This is often more a ritual than a display of genuine affection. However the degree of warmth of greeting is also subject to the occasion especially if you have not seen them for a long time. For Business appointments please keep your kisses to yourself!!! or maybe you could try kissing the ring of your prospective client!! No I am just joking!!!