What Italians Really Think of Americans: Personal Space

"Here in Italy our homes are much smaller than in America, so we have become very comfortable existing in close quarters. There are no wide sidewalks, no enormous 30-person elevators, and hardly any of the ridiculously huge cars like Americans drive. When you are waiting in a store, don't be surprised if Italians stand very close to you. If there is something we want to see, we have learned that if we don't push through to see it first, we'll never see it. If you are walking towards us on a sidewalk, we probably will not move. If you don't move out of the way first, you will get a bumped shoulder... we stand our ground. We have so precious little space when compared to you Americans where you have more than the space you actually need. We appreciate the closeness--you don't."