Italian vs. Scottish
After spending a year in Scotland and then a year in Italy, I dare to compare these 2 nations. Obviously, it is just my humble opinion after a detailed observing of 730 days. However, it is a generalized comparison where not every single person of Scotland and Italy would fit.
First of all, there are appearance differences between the Scottish and the Italians. But you would know that even without me saying so, right? :) I think I have seen like more or less 10% of Italians with blond hair and/or blue/green/grey eyes and not typical brown/black hair and eyes. The exact opposite are the Scottish – a great majority are blond with eyes of any colour but dark. Then the skin of the Scots is kind of transparent, very light and difficult to get tan (after sun exposure gets reddish instead), mostly covered with freckles. I guess there is no need to describe the Italians’ skin. Just want to add one more thing to the topic – suntanning do cause skin aging and more wrinkles around the eyes.
Young
Scottish girls really love bright colours. When I say bright, I mean garish pink, yellow, orange, green and blue. At least during a night out they do not have to be scared of not being seen when crossing a road. Hi-viz style! In comparison, Italian girls prefer decent dark colours, black and grey. The same rule applies to make-up. The former ones use bright eye shadows while the later ones just black eye liner and mascara usually. Here I am somewhere in between. My life has to be colourful but no hi-viz colours please!
Italian women have to stay very elegant even when they travel, so you will see them in a skirt, dress or very nice tight pair of jeans pulling a huge LV bag behind them. Make-up and hair done, and high heels are a must. On the opposite, Scottish girls mostly travel with sweatpants on and hair in all directions (like I have all the time at home), without anything added on the face. I prefer to travel wearing something comfortable, so on the side of Scottish here.
A different story is when getting ready for some drinks. While Italians will go wearing the same normally elegant jeans as when during a trip, the blond girls from the North of UK have to go princess-style. I do not think I have ever seen a Scottish girl going out in jeans or any trousers, it seems the only thing allowed to a bar/pub is a dress. And the shortest one you have (without half of the arse out looking at the club visitors you would maybe not get into the club). What I find really stupid is that they do not wear tights sometimes in winter and not even a jacket, just a minidress and high heels and a small handbag in 5 Celsius degrees. Take care of your health, girlies! Seriously, I love minidresses and miniskirts a lot. On me almost everything looks mini anyway. But although not enjoying tights at all, still better with them than to get sick easily in cold weather.
Talking about high heels, less than 10 cm are just not excepted by Scottish as heels. Who cares that when you walk (if it’s possible to call that shaking of legs, walk!), you look like a funny clown on stilts trying not to fall every 2 minutes. I thought you go out to enjoy, not to spend all the energy on walking without killing yourself. I so hate heels. Thank God i am tall enough so do not need them.
I have to say Italian girls have quite lovely hair, it is just so natural and look very healthy and thick. Or because they do not dye it, or because they spend a lot of money at hairdresser’s. The Scottish ones instead use the straightener all the time, so logically the hair gets damaged. I was shocked the first time I entered a club toilet in Scotland. Guess what was there on the wall just next to the condom machine? Right, a hair straightener – just throw some coins in and straighten again. What still remains a mystery for me how can all the hair stay in the same place without moving at all? It is like a helmet even with such a strong wind outside that it almost blows me off my feet, but the hair of Scottish girls does not move. AT ALL. Not even one. I do not use hair straightener, going natural is better. Do not like to waste time playing with my hair, love others playing with them, though. So Italian girls win in this one.
A night out is different for guys, too. While the Italians prefer chat with friends over a delicious dinner or have one or two beers at a club with live music, the Scots shout watching a football match with a Scotch in one hand and a pint in other until they are kicked out of the club or a friend has to walk them home or lay them down in a taxi.
When it comes to clothes, the Italian men (unlike the women) wear very often light colours like purple or red, including a red bag and/or a red jacket. Plus if you add pretty tight pair of jeans and huge sunglasses, unfortunately instead of looking stylish, they can look a bit gayish. On the contrary Scottish men must look as manly as possible (with some gross language). Hm difficult to decide here. No comments!
What I personally did not like in Scotland was that getting totally wasted is the only reason of a night out. It was all about drinking till you are half dead first and then all about disgusting ‘kisses’ with a total stranger (both so drunk I bet sometimes they cannot even recognize if the person they kiss is of the same or opposite sex; and the following day do not remember what happened anyway). Being a non-drinker I felt like a weirdo there so I stopped going out even though I do like it. But I honestly do not understand that the Scottish girls want to look sexy and then they just lie down on the table and vomit and straight after this grab the closest guy and stick the tongue into his mouth. Yuck! I know life is about enjoying, especially when you are young, but come on! There are nicer ways of CARPE DIEM!
One more difference between these two lovely countries, Italy and Scotland. While Italy is more dirty on the streets, Scotland is unbelievably clean with no rubbish, mostly not even cigarette ends. Most of the North European countries are very very organized with nothing on the ground which is not supposed to be there. However, after the Scottish parties it all changes. Beer cans, cigarettes, alcohol bottles, unfinished slices of pizza, chips and sausages everywhere in a club area. This does not happen in Italy. Personally would like no rubbish on the streets all the time.
Family
I do not know why but during a year in Scotland I got the opinion that young Scottish people just want to have a stable job and a family, do not really have any higher aims in life. They are very home-people. So having the same boring job for years and years, if it’s possible, is what they need. I do not know many Scottish girls who travel or who would at least dream about traveling. Boys travel more, but still mostly around UK, as I have noticed. The Italians travel a little bit more. Travel as much as you can is my answer.
Once having a family with children, The Italians do not go on holidays abroad that much like the Scottish people do. It is logical, they have sea and some stunning beaches in their own country, Italy. So the Scots then have no other option than to jump on the plane and spend a week or two somewhere warm and nice. Another thing are the prices of the beach holidays – much cheaper in Scotland than in Italy so naturally the Scots make the best of it and go. Again the same answer, travel, travel, travel.
What was a social shock for me when I moved to Scotland were all the young pregnant girls. Honestly walking on the street (for example when I went shopping), it was full of 20-or-less-year-old lassies (girls in Scottish) expecting a baby, pushing a pram or both, having a baby already and being pregnant again. The worst is that each time I saw any of them, they were having an argument with their boyfriend/husband/father of the baby. Not even once I saw a happy couple on the street or in the shops. So sad!
Unlike in Italy, people tend to have children later in years, 30 – 35ish. Sometimes I see a child with older people and only when the child says daddy or mommy, I realize those with him are not the grandparents, but the parents. Too extreme as well. Being in my 26, I cannot follow any more the example of the Scottish girls having a family very early (which I am really happy about!) but on the other hand loving children so much I hope not to wait until I could be confused for an Italian nonna instead of a young sexy mum.
It is widely known what kind of meals Italians eat and what Scottish do, too. I see it every day, even at work, that the Scottish parents buy a lot of junk food to their children, including pringles, chocolate bars, chips etc. Not just one, many. On top of it, guess what the children and adolescents in Scotland have for lunch? Junk food again, the parents give them money and they go to McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, or any little junk food shops and all they eat is something deeply fried full of fat. The Italians are different, a child can get one thing and that’s enough. Healthier! I remember going to McDonald’s was once a year matter in Slovak families and only allowed when on holidays and when the children behaved properly like some kind of a reward. But when it comes to chocolate bars, I was maybe even worse than the Scottish. Can’t help it, chocolate has been my obsession since childhood.
David
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I agree with almost everything you said….but😊….. I disagree that Scotland is cleaner…..the rubbish on the streets of Glasgow is disgusting and it is not much better in other towns either. By the way, I’m moving to Italy from Scotland in two months…..wish me luck.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Hey David, many thanks for your honest comment :) I was comparing those 2 countries years ago so I guess now it got worse in Scotland too, or at least in bigger cities for sure. Such a shame! But enjoy Italy :)
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Comment@ Donza:
What a great comment Donza. I spent a year in Scotland and went to a few expensive restaurants so shared my experience of course. There are many friendly Scottish people, you are right :) Good luck with the Italian guy! Definitely agree with visiting the beautiful Scottish nature.
Donza
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Scottish food is not just all sausage and chips or deep fried crap! Did you ever eat out in a good restaurant ? A lot of home cooking is traditional food like steak pies potatoes and veg or fish potatoes and veg. I know that being Scottish myself i was brought up on home made soups Scotch broth, lentil etc chicken or beef roast on a sunday followed by desert which would range from ice cream and fruit to a homemade triffle. I will agree though that since i’ve grew up the traditional food has been replaced by takeaways. Prob more become more like America. What you do not seem to understand is that fast foods have taken over the world and not just in Scotland! So to say that all Scottish people eat is sausage and chips is a wee bit narrow minded if you ask me! In my opinion most tourists that come to Scotland only see what they want to see, they do not get to know the real Scotland and its people. As for Italy i do not have much experience with although i have just started to date an Italian guy who lives in Scotland so maybe i will learn more as time go’s by :) …Scottish people like a laugh, we are friendly people if people are friendly to us. One thing about Scottish people is that we do not take no shit lol .. You will very rarely win an argument with a Scottish person! lol we can be some what witty very like the Irish! Scottish woman/men make great lovers! We are a very passionate nation. Take time to get to know the real Scotland and you will have more fun, Instead of looking at all the negative. Bare in mind every country will have a negative side to it. One thing i will say about Scotland/UK is that we do have major drud issues which is all down to poverty,kids being under educated in our schools and at home. Who do we blame for this ? Our Goverment or our generation before us ? …Scotland will rise again never doubt us , and do not judge us on our dress sense or deep fried crap that is mostly sold by Italians or Americans anyway lol… We do enjoy our drink maybe bit too much but that does not go for all scottish people mostly the younger generation but the Warning signs are now out there in big writing! Maybe in time Scotland and its people will change for the better! Maybe just maybe an Independent Scotland is just around the corner for us! All ia cn say is never judge a book by it’s cover when you visit Scotland Get to knwo the real Scotland Visit the Higlands & Islands too not jst the towns. You may enjoy it more than you think :)
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Giulia:
Giulia, we have SO many things in common, that’s why I like you :) And you are right, you are not a typical Italian xxx
Giulia
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I lived in Scotland too… and I didn’t like the “getting wasted and making out with a random guy” thing too. I loved Scotland though!
I am not a typical Italian, if fact I don’t own a LV bag and don’t intend to!
And I also don’t like heels…
Chocolate is my obsession too…
Ok maybe we are sisters! Haha :)
Seriously, you are right on everything in this post. Brava!
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ dean C:
Dean, so what is the Scottish food then? As the one I mention is NOT Scottish, it do come from the other countries like you said, but it is the only food you can find at the street and restaurants, unfortunately (unless it is an Italian, Spanish, Chinese etc. restaurant).
dean C
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The food u r referring to, chip shops/kebab shops and all other take aways are not scottish food. You must have realised it is all foreign people that own them no? italians, turkish and so on. It is not scots to blame for the crap that gets sold here but people from other countries who make and sell the food!
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Veronica:
Good luck with your Scottish guy then :)
Veronica
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I’m half Trinidadian and half white American. I’m dating a Scot, and he’s very passionate. :) I am a chef, so I’ll be shaking up the neighborhood with my food soon. :) Sottish women sound a lot like American women. Italians are interesting like every other person from different countries.
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ A Scottish girl:
Thanks for your comment! I used to live close to Glasgow but traveled around Scotland for a year. Unfortunately, all the foreigners I met in Scotland had the same opinion like me … but obviously not everyone is the same. You could for example say that Slovak people don’t travel which is mostly true but I travel all the time = an exception ;)
And I still think that Scottish food is really unhealthy!
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Sylvia:
I don’t know then but my personal experience with most Scottish girls was they were so fake! But definitely the Italian cuisine is the best!
Sylvia
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CommentMarie Biagi wrote:
I second that. Italians like to put on a facade. Many of the Scottish people I know are very genuine and sincere (and passionate about life and what surrounds them).
I personally don’t even think Italian women are that well dressed. Most of the tourists I see where I live seem like they’re dressed to go grocery shopping to the local fish market. No real style or class.
Food-wise though the Italians are the best.
Marie Biagi
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Scottish people are more sincere than Italian people
I am Italian
crazy sexy fun traveler
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You think so? I know so many Scottish but would not say so! Maybe they are sincere but they do not say what they think to the person they should, but just to all the others haha
Tomo
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interesting story. i heard the food in scotland isnt tasty in general. was that true?
crazy sexy fun traveler
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You are right, Scottish food was just sausages and fish and chips :D