Expat here.

I always thought that the perception of a country in foreign eyes is due to the contact with people of said country.

I try to remember every day that the perception that my friends and collegues abroad have of Italy is due in some small part to my own actions as a representative of that country.

So please, let's try to avoid generalizing. Not all Italians abroad are mercenaries or quitters that shit on they country they were born in.

I would say that most of us aren't.