Member-only story
5 Things I Didn’t Know About Italy Before Moving Here
Think you know Italy? Think again.
Though I knew a fair amount about Italian culture before moving to Calabria last year, I’ve learned a few things that have surprised me now that I’m here.
1. If It’s Your Birthday, YOU Pay
In the U.S., we are used to being spoiled by friends and family for our birthdays, aren’t we?
Here, it’s the opposite. You, the birthday girl, are supposed to take out your loved ones to celebrate you. I think it’s to offset the cost of the gifts that they give you.
This year, I avoided breaking the bank by having a party at my house instead. But I almost made a faux pas by offering to split a meal the day after my birthday with my “Italian mamma” until I remembered this strange cultural norm and quickly went to pay for our lunch.
2. Wet Hair is Taboo
I have never been big on blowdrying my hair, but in Italy, I get raised eyebrows.
It turns out, Italians believe in what they call a colpo d’aria, literally a hit of air. It causes, or so they believe, headaches, colds, and a litany of maladies. And having wet hair invites it.
