Pizza, Pasta, Gelato – oh my!
We know Italy for its great food, fashion and architecture, but there's so much more to explore.
By understanding more about our Italian exchange students’ lives back home, it will help you gain insight into their culture and background and prepare you for a successful hosting experience.
Let’s start by learning about what’s typical in Italian communication, home life, education and food, as described by our program participants.
Educational system
In Italy, students attend classes Monday through Saturday.
Most school days begin at 8:30 am and end at 1:30 pm.
Students generally return home for lunch.
Italian students can choose which type of secondary school they would like to attend.
Traditional high school options include classic, scientific, human sciences, artistic and linguistic studies.
Italian students can begin learning a foreign language in middle school.
The most common languages offered are English, French and German.
Convalidation, or the ability to receive academic credit for an exchange year in Ireland, is vital to Italian students.
It allows them the ability to study outside their home country.
Communication style
Friends greet each other with a hug or by kissing on both cheeks.
It is common for Italian students to be very talkative, loud and animated when they speak.
Using hand gestures when speaking is incredibly common in Italy, especially in the south.
They may even communicate with their hands instead of words.
Italian parents and their children talk a lot!
Parents, especially mothers, are very involved in their children’s lives.
Food habits
Food is a huge part of Italian culture!
Most families eat dinner together every evening.
Dinner time is anywhere from 7 pm to 9:30 pm depending on the region.
Italian dinner generally consists of three courses: pasta, fish or meat and a vegetable. Spaghetti and meatballs is actually not a typical Italian meal.
Pizza is a typical Italian food. But Italian pizza is generally less rich and very thin.
When Italians finish eating, they do not leave the table until everyone has finished.
A meal with guests may last up to four hours.
Home life
Italian families are often very large and many have multiple generations living under the same roof.
It is likely that Italian students may not be used to doing chores, as their parents usually take care of household tasks.
Social interactions are very important to Italians and they will do what they can to not to miss a party or celebration.
Italian parents are very involved and supportive of their children, and in turn, the children are dedicated to their parents.