5 gallant and gruesome things Italian men do

The Italian man is the greatest charmer in the world, on the surface at least. Emancipation is a word that I believe cannot be translated into Italian, or it is simply not really used. Time and again, I am amazed by the little things, which can sometimes be gallant, but sometimes also extraordinarily tiring. I can already check off all these things for this week, and they are daily fare in Italy.

Things that Italian men do

1. They always pay for drinks for a woman
Whether you like it or not. I have now become a master at quickly handling my phone and Apple Pay, much to the dismay of the average Italian man, who is not. Old-fashioned customs stand in the way of evolution, I think.

2. They do not pay for drinks for her friends
Even though I absolutely do not lose sleep over someone paying for a drink for me, I find it downright scandalous that only a potential prey gets hydrated (or dehydrated). It is not gallant; it is the shameless display of the hunting instinct.

3. They always hold the door open for a woman
Which can lead to awkward situations, because I automatically start sprinting, and you do not want that when it is forty degrees, and besides, I am also very good at opening doors myself, so it is really not necessary, but I have learned to smile very kindly and say grazie.

4. They always let a woman go first
Just as the door works for the Italian man, so do road narrowings. Merging on the sidewalk or in the hallway? Assume that you, as a woman, have priority and put that smile on your face, then you prevent the awkwardness of who gets to go first.

5. They always help a woman if she looks helpless
For example, if you are standing with four bags of trash at the trash can without a trash can key. Impatient wife calling from ten meters away or not, the gentleman opens every bin (there are quite a few, the trash is thoroughly dismantled in Italy before disposal) until your hands are empty again. Those are bonus points, you know.