There are undoubtedly differences between American and Italian culture! Here are 5 things that Americans do that surprise Italians!
1. Eating dinner early
The average time to eat dinner in America is around 6 pm. In contrast, is not uncommon for Italians to eat dinner as late as 9 pm! To many Italians, the time that Americans eat dinner is the time that they have a snack!
2. Going far away to college
Today, it is a part of American culture to go away to college but in Italy, this is not the case. When Italians go to University, they often stay at home or do not move far from home at all.
3. Way of drinking coffee
Italians do not wake up every morning before work and run to Starbucks or Dunkin’ to get their Trenti Iced Macchiato fix. Instead, they have a simple espresso that they often make at home.
4. Eating salad before the meal
Although it is very common to eat salad before the meal in America, even at Italian restaurants, this is not how Italians do it. In Italy, the salad is almost always eaten last. Furthermore, while Americans drench their salads in Ranch and other cream dressings, Italians keep it simple. They use olive oil, balsamic vinegar or wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Eating salad last helps cleanse one’s pallet and aids in digestion.
5. The way Americans dress
It is very simple for Italians to spot an America tourist, even in a crowded street. Italians often consider Americans “half-naked tourists” when they visit during the summer months.
Sources:
- Main Image: Photo by Tyler Casey on Unsplash
