Italy is famous for its charm, warmth, and hospitality — but when it comes to customer service, the experience isn’t always dolce. In this episode of Voices of Italy, we dive into one of the country’s most misunderstood and rarely discussed cultural quirks: Italian-style service.

Why do some waiters act like you’re interrupting their day? Is the grumpy barista part of the charm? And how do expectations around service differ from country to country?

Through personal stories, cultural reflections, and a touch of humor, we explore what makes Italian customer service feel so unique — sometimes frustrating, sometimes unforgettable, and often deeply human. From the retail floor to restaurant tables and call centers, it’s a candid look at the unspoken rules, contradictions, and cultural context behind service in Italy.

🎧 Whether you’re Italian, an expat, or just someone who’s ever waited a suspiciously long time for their cappuccino — this one’s for you.

In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most iconic and complex expressions of Italian identity: Made in Italy.

Is it just a label? A global brand? Or a cultural mission?

To explore this, I’m joined by journalist, storyteller, and cultural ambassador Patrizia La Daga, founder of Italiani Ovunque and International Network Development for the Made in Italy Community. Speaking to us from Barcelona, Patrizia shares her perspective on what Made in Italy means today, the challenges of representing Italian excellence abroad, and the importance of protecting the values behind the label — beyond marketing, nostalgia, and cliché.

We talk about:

• What “Made in Italy” really represents in 2025

• The gap between Italy’s image and reality

• Why storytelling is key to cultural identity

• The role of the diaspora in promoting Italian values globally

• How institutions could do more to support Italian talent

If you're passionate about Italian culture, branding, soft power, or simply want to understand modern Italy from a fresh and global point of view, this episode is for you.

📚 Check this out:

🔹 Patrizia's Book: Quando potevamo ballare per strada – A powerful dystopian novel by Patrizia La Daga about memory, identity, and cultural loss in a future where freedom no longer exists.

💬 Let’s keep the conversation going!
Follow me on Instagram at @voicesofitaly, and don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.

Ciao everyone!

This week, we’re diving into the aftermath of Italy’s most recent failed referendum (June 8–9, 2025), which didn’t reach quorum—again. But this isn’t just political commentary. It’s a deeper reflection on what this means for us as Italians, and why we often seem to be our own worst enemy when it comes to change.

Inspired by a conversation with my very American boyfriend—who said Italy often feels like a place that turns you pessimistic—we break down what happened, what didn’t, and what this says about our relationship with politics, authority, and civic duty.

We touch on:

• Why Italians don’t vote, even when they deeply care about the issues (like job insecurity and workplace deaths)

• How fascism’s legacy still shapes our distrust of authority

• The contradiction between our love for “la dolce vita” and our deep dissatisfaction

• Cultural cynicism, and our national addiction to complaining

• What leadership even looks like in a country with so little political continuity

This episode is a blend of after-fight commentary, social critique, and cultural introspection. If you’ve ever wondered why referendums in Italy fail so often or why Italians sound so frustrated yet stay home on voting day—this is the one for you.

🗣️ Let’s connect:Follow me on Instagram at @voicesofitaly to join the conversation. Let me know what you think—Do you vote? Why or why not?

#VoicesOfItaly #ItalianPolitics #ItalianCulture #Referendum2025 #WhyItaliansDontVote #ItalyVsItaly #Precarietà #MortalSulLavoro #ItalianCitizenship #SouthItaly #ItalianSociety #PoliticalApathy #LeadershipCrisis #GiorgiaMeloni #ItalianStereotypes #LaDolceVita