"Our Paesani" is a column written by Francesca Di Meglio. Its purpose is to help bridge the gap between Italians in Italy and Italians throughout the world.

3 Winning Tips from Latin Lovers
You can have the power of Zia Concettina -- and my other Italian relatives. Whether you are as inexperienced as Britney pre-Justin or knocking your head against the bed post a la' Sex and the City's Samantha, you can learn a trick or two from my people.

6 Lessons Learned: What Do Our Italian Friends Teach Us?
Any journey to another country is an education. I try to keep pen and paper nearby whenever I go to Italy, so I can keep track of all the things I am learning. Here's a peek - just a peek - at what my Italian friends and family have taught me so far.

Can't We All Just Get Along? How to Get to Know Your Italian Relatives Better
Since I started writing this column, readers from all over the world have been sharing stories of how they discovered their Italian roots. But a few too many wrote to say that they were disappointed because language barriers, cultural differences and stereotypes prevented them from developing a lasting bond. Here, some tips on what you can do to improve your own personal foreign relations.

Case Study: The Stubborn Italian Man
I've sung the praises of Italian men before. And many of you have written to me to do the same over the years. But nobody's perfect. Even Italian men - a group I collectively refer to as God's gift to women - have their flaws. Lately, I've been noticing one major one. Many of them, especially those from the south, are stubborn as the mules they once rode in the Italian hills.

Crazy Love
It's easy to get lost in the arms of Italy - and an Italian. But modernity and a quickly evolving country are making l'amore downright complicated.

Family Still Means Something to Italians
Some people say that the big extended Italian family seated around the table on Sunday afternoon is a dead cliché that might never have truly existed. But I'm here to say that the big Italian family that is always together is alive and well - in my home and in Italy.

The Greatest Italian Generation
Today I witnessed the greatness of old-school Italians once again. These are the people who went all over the world in the years after World War II, when Italy as a country was struggling to get back on its feet. They came from an economy based on agriculture or fishing. They could work the land, raise and kill livestock, and work harder than anyone you've ever known.

How Nonna Helps You Stand Tall?
Nonna Francesca - buon' anima - was fierce and spunky. She was our leader, even though she let her husband, Nonno Giovanni Battista, think he was in charge. Now that I am older, I can truly appreciate the presence she had when she walked into a room self-assured and all-knowing.

How to Deal with Your Jealous Italian Love
I've written about the allure of the Italian man and woman, Italian beliefs on marriage, and even Italian weddings. But there's one dirty little secret that almost all Italian couples face: jealousy is often one of the biggest challenges to the Italian romance. Here, you'll discover why this is a problem for Italian couples - and what you can do about it.

Italian Men: Why Women Can't Get Enough of Them?
Why do women find Italian men atractive? Just what is the appeal? Here are five traits, as if you needed all five, that will have you pining for a paesano.

Italian Mothers Must Take Charge
Like Americans, on the second Sunday in May, Italians celebrate their mothers by giving her a day off from cooking and cleaning and offering her gifts like flowers and candy. But the Italian man's devotion to his mamma could seriously threaten Italy's future. Here's what you need to know.

Italian Songs for Mamma
Italian moms tend to have a tight bond with their sons. That's why when many Italian men get married, their moms tend to be a bit sad. But good Italian boys never forget their mamma - and they are sure to reassure her on their wedding day. Often, Italians living abroad - especially in the United States, where it's tradition for the groom to dance with his mother at the wedding - call on Italian songs to say what's on their mind. Indeed, I'm not sure any other country in the world can count so many songs that praise mommy on their top 40 lists, but Italy sure can. Here are some of Italy's most popular songs about le mamme.

Italians Love New York
Living right outside of New York City can make you jaded and unappreciative of your surroundings. When confronted with the same scenery every day - even if it's the magnificent skyline of the city that never sleeps - it's easy to take it for granted. But every time relatives or friends visit me from Italy, I'm reminded of the magnificence of my place in the world.

Italy Stays with an Immigrant Forever In Loving Memory of Michele Di Meglio
The eldest son, a pioneer, died at 1:20 a.m. or so on Saturday morning. He was strong and rugged - a hunter and gatherer in the literal sense. The last of the Italian cowboys. It was his brave heart that brought one branch of my family - the Di Meglios - from the small island of Ischia, off the coast of Napoli, to the big, burly United States. He was my Zio Michele. His recent passing proves that Italians might physically leave Italy but their first culture lives on in their hearts and minds to the very last moment.

Italy's Cheating Hearts
Many a woman has written to me to ask if Italian men cheat. Some women already know the answer and ask me why they cheat. I don't know if they cheat more than other men do, but the perception certainly is that Italian men can not be faithful. A completely unscientific poll I posted on my Web site showed that the majority of you thought Italians had more affairs than others. The events that have recently unfolded in Italy are only making the stereotype seem real.

Italy's Marriage Problem
Marriage in Italy is going out of style. It's been happening for sometime now. New opportunities for women, mothers sickly devoted to their sons, and the rising cost of raising a family have contributed to this serious problem. Some have called it a crisis. Maybe our worries are exaggerated. A little analysis might calm our nerves about the impending death of marriage in Italy.

Love, Italian Style, Part 1: Does Your Love Life Make You More Italian?
This is the introduction to a series of stories called "Love, Italian Style." Occasionally, as part of this column, I will write articles to help you understand how Italian beliefs about dating, marriage and sex influence your life - even if you live abroad and even as Italian attitudes about love evolve. At the end of this article, you can find out how you can help with the research.

Love, Italian Style, Part 2: Old-Fashioned Romance Lives in Italy
Italians seem to feel as though being the "world's greatest lovers" is their obligation, even part of their civic duty. On Valentine's Day, Arcigay, a group that fights for the rights of homosexuals, organized a kissing contest for gays and heterosexuals in Roma's Piazza Farnese. The idea was to get attention for the cause but also to try and break the Guiness world record, currently held by Chile, for number of couples kissing at once. Call it the perfect publicity stunt. Who would argue with Italians holding the title of kissing champions?

Love, Italian Style, Part 3: 5 Ways to Win Over an Italian Man
As the Italian national players gave up a beautifully executed one to nil lead against Sweden in the last 10 minutes of a Euro 2004 game last week, they forced me to ask: Are Italian men weak? Are they too sensitive? Do they always have trouble finishing the job? But, in a matter of moments, all doubt was eliminated. Sweaty, dirty, disillusioned - and they still looked good. With one look, the boys in blue - from Alessandro Nesta to Gianluca Zambrotta - can send women into a frenzy. It's not just because they're hot. It's because they're resilient.

Love, Italian Style, Part 4: What Italian Women Want In Their Men
Men the world over have been hot for Italian women ever since Sophia Loren made her way from Pozzuoli to Hollywood. Screen sirens -- from Gina Lollobrigida to Monica Bellucci -- have been turning heads and giving Italian women the mystique and lore necessary to dominate man's thoughts. The Italian woman is every man's fantasy because she is sexy and nurturing, strong and vulnerable, serious and playful. Here, four ways to win her heart.

Love, Italian Style, Part 5: Why I Fell in Love with an Italian Man
I've taken my own advice - and fallen head-over-heels in love with an Italian man. Antonio Gerenini, 33, is a native of Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples where my own family roots lie. The time has come for me to share my reasons for loving Antonio. The women who have been writing to me for advice about snagging one of Italy's finest will be able to gain some insight into the Italian male psyche. And, perhaps, Mr. Antonio will finally believe that he truly has won my heart. These are just some of the reasons why I'm sure he's the one.

Love, Italian Style, Part 6: How to Keep in Touch with Your Long Distance Love
About 4,500 miles lies between my boyfriend Antonio Gerenini and me. But that hasn't stopped us from seeing each other every night for the first year of our courtship. At 6 p.m., which is quitting time for me in New Jersey and midnight in Ischia, the Neapolitan island in Italy where Antonio lives, I scoot over from my company computer to my personal laptop. After logging onto an instant messenger service, I invite Antonio to virtually go on a date, a possibility thanks to our handy webcams. We talk about everything – from childhood memories to our dreams for the future. All the while, I can gaze into Antonio's glorious green eyes almost as if he were sitting right in front of me.

Making Your Children Italian
Teaching children about who they are and where they come from is tough for anyone, but it's even tougher for the children and grandchildren of immigrants and ex-patriots. How do you teach your children about their heritage? How do you make your kids Italian even if you live oceans away?

Mammas and Their Sons
Italian mammas have been on my mind lately. After spending a few weeks in Ischia with my boyfriend Antonio and his mamma Ilia, I returned home to observe my soon-to-be-married brother John and our mamma Regina. The dynamic between mothers and sons has always been the stuff of novels - and deep psychological analysis in some cases. But the rapport is usually even more profound for Italians.

Marry into an Italian Family
My parents went to a wedding last night with an Italian bride and an American groom. It got me thinking about how lucky most people are when they marry into a nice Italian family. Don't bother sending me e-mails about the bad seeds among us and how terrible your Italian mother-in-law is. I know that there is bad in every group. But, in general, the southern Italian families I know are lovable, strong in quantity and quality, and loyal to their brood.

Nostalgic about Spring
Spring is in the air, which means I'm waxing nostalgic about my family of Italian peasants. Sure, I'm a college grad who works from the comfort of her own home and writes for a living. But I come from a people with humble beginnings. On the island of Ischia, both sides of my family grew grapes, made wine, sold vegetables they grew from various plots of land that they saved up to purchase, and did whatever they had to do to get food on the table.

Requirements for Getting Married in Italy
As many of you know, I recently gave "parole" or "word", which means I technically got married in the civil service that is required ahead of a church wedding in Italy. When I got engaged to my fiancé Antonio Gerenini, a native of Ischia in Naples, Italy, I had no idea what kind of work lay ahead for me. There are all sorts of documents and papers that need to be prepared for foreigners before they can legally marry in Italy.

Searching for Valentine
My love is an Italian, and we live continents apart. My love is hard work. My love can be as pig headed as I. My love argues with as much passion as he dotes. My love makes me weak and crazy and sometimes even sick. My love is too powerful. My love can whisk me away with just one look. My love shows me my future in his eyes. My love won't celebrate Valentine's Day on principle. My love is just what I wanted – and ironically I have Saint Valentine to thank.

Seeing America through Italian Eyes
My boyfriend Antonio and my cousin Fausto came from Ischia, a small island in the Gulf of Napoli, to visit me. Before they returned home on December 20, they had been to the top of the Empire State Building, witnessed the emptiness of Ground Zero, visited the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, passed through Little Italy, experienced an Italian American Thanksgiving, and rode Space Mountain at Disney World in Florida. For me, however, the most interesting part of their journey was the chance to see my America - and Americans - through Italian eyes. Here's some of what I observed.

A Tribute to Italian Families
As I was packing my luggage for my trip to Italy (I leave this afternoon), I thought about the relatives I would be seeing in Ischia - and the ones in the United States who would be spending Easter without me. Most Italian families are like any other with their share of happiness and sadness, good and evil, love and war. Mine is no different. I always try to explain this to the babies born into the family. When one of my cousins and his wife had their first daughter, I wrote this poem for her. I thought I would share it with all of you as a tribute to my family - and yours.

25 Ways to Woo an Italian Man
Many readers continue to get in touch with me about a story I wrote more than four years ago about Italian men. Most of the people who write to me are women trying to win the heart of an Italian man. Finally, I decided that it was time to write an article on how to do just that. Some of these tips will serve you well in any relationship. Of course, some of these suggestions are based on generalizations about Italian men; you might want to modify the list for your unique Italian man. If you want to get started, read on to discover 25 ways to woo an Italian man.

What an Italian Man Thinks of American Women
Want to get inside the Italian man's head? Well, I've got the book for you. No Sex in the City (Cairo Publishing, 2006) by Mauro Suttora turns the tables on the American television show Sex in the City, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie, who - along with her three best girlfriends - searched for love in New York City. Instead, Suttora recounts how he, an Italian man separated from his wife, moves to New York City to work as a journalist - and attract Sex in the City-type women.

What Does Ti Amo Really Mean?
Americans have the phrase "I love you" to indicate their sentiments for their puppies, children, relatives and lovers. The English language has one of the biggest vocabularies in the world and, yet, there is just one phrase used to indicate a variety of sentiments – from the sweet devotion a mother has for her baby to the passionate, sexual feelings lovers have for one another. The Italians are a little more explicit than English-language speakers. There's "Ti voglio bene" or "I want you well" for puppies, children and family and "Ti amo" for when you're deeply in love. The difference between these two short phrases and the meaning behind each will surprise you.

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