Culture Norms

I had the most difficulty adjusting to the restaurant norms in England, France, and Italy. In America, waiters and waitresses come whenever to take your order. They are even border-line annoying in their insistency. However, in European countries waiters wait and wait and wait to take your order. They will not approach your table unless the menu is closed and placed on the table. Once my family and I waited to place our orders for forty minutes before realizing that our menus were wide open. As soon as we closed them, the waiter came running. This norm took at least four days in Italy to comprehend, and I soon realized that I liked it better. In America, waiters pester you to no end until you finally order. I've once been asked four times in fifteen minutes to place my order --- No, I'm not ready yet!