Before I left for my semester abroad, I was told countless times to prepare for the differences in food culture; Italians eat much later, they make their meals an event to enjoy, they do not tip in the same way as Americans, and so on. I had even been told to get excited about a true Italian pizza, as it is one of the most famous plates, and it is bound to be the best in a city like Rome. I had not been warned, though, that Italians eat their pizza with a fork and knife.
On my second night in Rome, I headed to a restaurant with some friends for our first meal out to eat. All of us ordered the exact same thing– a Margherita pizza. When the pizzas arrived whole, we all exchanged confused looks. It was not long before one of my friends spoke up, realizing that she was told ahead of time that Italians eat their pizza with a fork and knife, particularly in sit-down settings.
Initially, I was a bit confused, as I have always eaten pizza with my hands. No matter the restaurant scene, from casual to sit-down, folding up my pizza to make it easier to hold is what I knew. While this took away from the familiarity of this comfort food, I was excited to try a new way of eating. I realized it may be less messy, and actually more manageable to eat pizza with utensils. It was tempting to cut the pizza into typical slices myself, and then still eat it with my hands afterward, but I resisted the urge.
This helped me see from the Italian perspective, as after just a few weeks in Rome I began to understand just how much Italians value culinary traditions. This delicate way of eating pizza reflects the emphasis on savoring a meal. But also, it aligns with the preference to maintain cleanliness at the dining table. Soon after, I discovered that if any restaurants in Rome do serve a pizza pre-cut in such a setting, they are more than likely a tourist trap. To an Italian, eating pizza with your hands may be seen as disrespectful, perceived as treating the food too casually or messy.
This experience increased my knowledge of the cultural significance of ordinary actions, demonstrating that what may appear to be insignificant in one culture may hold importance in another. I am glad this moment occurred almost immediately after my arrival, as it helped me approach the rest of the semester with an open mind. This awareness helped me navigate future cultural differences in a proper way, always aiming to see the perspective of the host culture. I took this lesson with me to all of the countries I traveled to during my semester, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to do so.