It is a common stereotype that most American's don't know much about any other culture other than their own. It is also a stereotype that Americans are stupid. These American foreign exchange students in Italy managed to prove both cliches correct in one fell swoop.

According to La Nazione, the students were studying abroad in Florence when they commited what is basically an Italian felony. After placing the pasta directly into the dry pot, the pasta caught fire almost immediately, obviously, considering spaghetti noodles are not meant to be seared.

What's really hard to understand about the whole situation is how, exactly, they managed to do it. Even without adapting to the culture of the place that you're currently living in and even without making an effort to understand other cultures and cuisines other than your typical burger, hot dogs, fries. It's pasta! How did they make it so far without knowing that pasta requires water? There are literally two steps and 'add water' is the first one. Not to mention that pasta is one of those things you eat everywhere, it's famous, and gross restaurants like the Olive Garden love to make you crappy, microwaved versions of it! Americans eat that shit up, no pun intended.

Additionally, the pasta cooking was apparently a 3 person job -- meaning, more than one person approved the idea of cooking the pasta without water. Three people put their heads together, thought "This is a great idea!" and had to end up calling the fire department. Three 20 year olds, to be exact. 

PSA: When you're abroad, you're representing your country, and we don't need this perception of Americans. They proved all foreigner's opinions about Americans exactly right. And the comments, translated by Munchies, proves that. 

“[F]rom one of those three could come the next US Secretary of State...or the next president!”  One commenter wrote. True. We've already proven that literally any buffoon can get into office.

“Return to the USA to eat hamburgers & chips from [McDonald’s],” another commentor wrote.

Instead of deporting the students from the country, which one would assume would be Italy's response to such a hilarious disgrace, Florentine chef Fabio Picchi actually invited the students to 4 hours of cooking lessons in one of his restaurants. 

Though we're unsure whether or not that's enough time to fix stupid, we're happy this story had a happy ending. Buona fortuna!