For most of his life, James Duggar never traveled more than a few miles from his parents’ compound in northwest Arkansas.
Today, however, the 21-year-old is making up for lost time with a trek across the globe that would make Carmen San Diego jealous.
Fans were surprised when James flew to London, apparently on a whim, as the Duggars generally don’t show much curiosity about the world outside of America.
Or outside of Arkansas, for that matter.
Little did they know that this was just the beginning of their intercontinental world tour!
After London, James met his sister Jana in Rome.
The siblings seemed to be having a great time, but they recorded one moment that really rubbed fans the wrong way.
Before we continue, we must remind you that the topic we are about to discuss is a sensitive one.
It’s the sort of thing that tears two families apart, and it’s likely to cause many first dates to come crashing to a sudden stop.
We’re talking, of course, about the unpardonable sin of eating pizza with a knife and fork.
The controversy started when James posted an Instagram Live where he and a friend sampled the local fare.
“When in Italy… #foodies,” she wrote in the clip.
“Don’t eat pizza with a knife and fork,” one person commented, according to the British tabloid Sun.
“You don’t eat pizza with a knife and fork,” he added.
Some commentators were even more outspoken, calling James’ actions “disgusting”.
In another clip, James and his friend Elijah enjoy a taste of home by stopping by McDonald’s Italy.
“Who goes to Italy to eat at Mcdonald’s? These people should not leave Arkansas, because they will not leave their comfort zone, no matter where they go,” wrote one commenter.
Others defended the move, saying that the European McDonald’s experience was different from the American one.
“I’m not defending these people, but I go to McDonald’s in other countries. Not for every meal, but at least once,” wrote one person.
“McDonald Europe is a completely different experience,” added another.
Of course, James is an evangelical Christian, so the real highlight of his global odyssey was his visit to Israel.
“It was an amazing privilege to stop and pray for a moment in the Garden of Gethsemane where our Lord prayed the night before his crucifixion,” James told fans.
The pious moment is very different in tone from James and Elijah’s visit to Switzerland, where the young bucks party with the locals during a raucous pre-Easter carnival.
“So apparently there’s a carnival that only happens once a year and we’re in the middle of it!!!” Elijah reported on his Instagram page.
So James at least sowed the wheat on this trip.
And if he embarrasses his family a bit – well, your early twenties, right?
Pretty much any crass behavior can be forgiven at that age.
As soon as James learns to pick up a slice of pizza and eat it with his hands, he’ll be fine!