Advice for working in a group full of Italians from Statin Island / New Jersey?

Hey guys, I recently lateraled to a legacy group that was acquired by and now sits within an UMM bank on Wall Street (Think Piper Jaffray's acquisition of Sandler O'Neil but smaller). My group is the only banking group in NYC associated with our firm, that I know of, who is officed in Brooklyn instead of the parent company location in Midtown (Think 1251 Ave of Americas, 745 7th Ave, etc.)

I really like my coworkers and I think the VP/MDs definitely are trying to be nice with me and mentor me, but it's a SUPER Italian firm and I'm having some culture shock as a Chinese national.  

For example; they're always "Bustin' ya balls kid". I'll ask my MD where the bathroom is and he'll tell me there isn't one. Then break out into a loud howling cackle followed by "I'M JUST BUSTIN YA BALLS KID AHAHAH". Often times when this happens one or more MDs will begin slapping one another on the back and start howling things like "AH LOOGADA (Italian for look at the) POOR KIDS FACE" 

Another aspect I am having trouble with is that they don't use typical finance slang. The other day when we were discussing transaction fees my MD shouted at me "Make sure Brian knows we need at least tree' pounds ah' da gabagool offa' dis one" I later found out that a pound is a percent and gabagool is money. Tree is three, but I already knew that. 

Possibly the toughest part about it is they're always borrowing money from me but get really upset when I ask for it back. "Hey Ching-Chong, Ima get me a slice at the pizza-dia on Broadway, lend me some gabagool, I spent it all watching PPVs of Sinatra in Vegas" but then when I say "Um, excuse me Tony, don't you still owe me 50 gabagools from last week?" it's always "OHHHH! Marone! Fogeddaboudit I'm just breakin ya balls kid!" then he'll pat me on the head and not pay me back the gabagool he owes

Even more is the way they all dress. Loud, pink country club polos with chest hair hanging out of their unbuttoned collar, and all-gold watches from Canal Street. I'm making good gabagool over here, I just feel like I don't fit in. 

Anyone ever been in a similar scenario where you've had to adjust to culture shock? Any advice?  

 

When they introduce you do they refer to you as "A friend of mine" or "A friend of ours"? 

If you're still a friend of mine it means you're not slated for a VP promotion. 

 

That sounds like an awesome group lol just chin up and shoot the shit back to them, that's how you gain respect in those types of circles. Biggest thing is not showing weakness and definitely stop lending them money if they're not paying you back. Feel free to PM for further advice

 

It’s kind of sad how American corporate culture is that of uniform soulless drones. We have lost any sense of individuality by becoming too PC and sensitive. I can imagine so many people reporting OP’s coworkers at a regular bank for a variety of reasons forcing everyone to be like robots.

Array
 

Associate 2 in IB-M&A

"OHHHH! Marone! Fogeddaboudit I'm just breakin ya balls kid!" then he'll pat me on the head and not pay me back the gabagool he owes

Even more is the way they all dress. Loud, pink country club polos with chest hair hanging out of their unbuttoned collar, and all-gold watches from Canal Street. I'm making good gabagool over here, I just feel like I don't fit in. 

Anyone ever been in a similar scenario where you've had to adjust to culture shock? Any advice?

Good first cut at mocking the Italians.  A couple-tree comments/questions below: 

1) pg 1 - pls fix spelling to "Madone"

2) Head down to Milano's and pick me up a nice mortadell & muzzarell sub...and get Paulie some fresh peppers and braushute 

3) Global comment / clarifying question: what am I, an asshole?!?

I come from down in the valley, where mister when you're young, they bring you up to do like your daddy done
 

I use monitoring software to track time spent on work and other activities.

Track your time effectively with WorkTime! https://www.worktime.com/increase-employee-productivity-worktime
 

This is fake. Italians don't say tree, that's Irish. You mixed Brooklyn slang (forget about it) and Boston slang (saying kid every sentence). Gabagoo is a tik tok term, you definitely wrote this, no way adults were saying this. I call BS.

 

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