What does it mean to be Italian-American vs Italian? I'm an Italian-American who has been living in Italy for more than three and a half years and I find myself facing this question regularly. Even traveling to Italy before moving to Italy was the beginning of this cultural exploration and opened my eyes to a very different perspective than what I grew up with. Especially since moving to Italy as an Italian-American dual citizen, the idea of what it really means to be Italian has been something I find myself delving into. Living in Italy is always an adventure no matter what your background is, but as an Italian American, you find there can be some unexpected educational moments teaching you what it means to be Italian vs what is considered Italian American. 'Are you an expat in Italy?' 'Are you an American expat in Italy?' 'Where is it that you fit in with your cultural identity?'