In Italy, the very act of saying good-bye can be an act of love. The farewell “dance” will sound very familiar to native Italians or anyone who has lived in Italy for a period of time, and Michael describes it with his characteristic generosity and gentle humour.

Transcripts and classroom activity worksheets can be downloaded at https://elt.oup.com/feature/it/tea/

Every journey contains endless material for storytellers, and the astute observer can detect significant cultural twists in even the most mundane interactions. Michael shares anecdotes from his travels in Italy and Japan.

Transcripts and classroom activity worksheets can be downloaded at https://elt.oup.com/feature/it/tea/

Rules may be rules, but people from different cultures take different approaches to obeying them. In this episode, Michael shares his experience of being stuck between a rock and a hard place as a good law-abiding citizen.

Transcripts and classroom activity worksheets can be downloaded at https://elt.oup.com/feature/it/tea/

How do you ask someone out to dinner? How do you politely decline? In this episode, Michael talks about how his style of invitation has changed over his years in Italy, and how misunderstanding certain idioms can lead to indigestion.

Transcripts and classroom activity worksheets can be downloaded at https://elt.oup.com/feature/it/tea/