This was news to me. That I had heard. While female students studying abroad here rarely complain about a scarcity of Italian men, their male counterparts lament the seeming absence of Italian women on the prowl. The possibilities are then endless, though admittedly limited both to the types of guys at bars and to the scope of their intentions.
Here, on the other hand, to meet each other, an Italian girl and an Italian guy need to be properly introduced by a mutual friend or acquaintance, they need to be presentati, presented to one another. Apparently, even a potential mate need be recommended. Once the proper introductions have been made, I imagine the possibilities are endless for them as well.
This difference in customs may not seem significant, but while we foreigners complain about how hard it is to meet people in our respective countries, Italians have it that much harder. They have to wait to be introduced.
They have to wait to be met. My first Italian teacher here, obviously in frequent contact with foreigners, understood the problem, and, being in the unusual situation of having a boyfriend as well as a bevy of male friends, had taken upon herself the crucial responsibility of introducer, of matchmaker.
Little did she realize that her nickname, Miss Match, did not bode well for the matches she was making! For the most part, gone are the days of dance halls and small, tight-knit communities, in which you married your high school sweetheart or the boy next door.
