I am a native English speaker (US + UK

I am a native English speaker (US + UK) and spend a lot of time in Sardinia. I speak pretty good Italian but of course my English is much better. Sometimes I get frustrated and embarassed in conversation with Italian speakers as I know I am making mistakes, especially when expressing more abstract concepts. And then in my embarassment I apologise for my errors and thank the listener for their patience. People often respond with "don't worry, we can understand you". Yesterday someone actually said to me "what kind of person do you think I am that you need to apologise and thank me for speaking with you? I am just enjoying and valuing having a conversation with another person, exchanging ideas". This has caused me to wonder - do Italians have a greater tolerance for language difference as so many regions have their own dialect? Are they less likely to be grammar snobs or language police in just ordinary conversation than eg British or American people?