Get to Know Your Local Barista!

During the first few weeks of class, whenever we were given a ten minute break to get cappuccino I wandered around the streets popping in and out of different cafés. By about the fourth week though, I decided to just pick one bar in order to become familiar with the barista and cashier. Dante’s Bar is located a few steps from our school, and the two old men behind the counter are extremely jovial and pleasant. Day after day I would stop in and before long they were grabbing my cappuccino before I even spoke the words. The lady who worked the cashier opened up to me as well, and we began to hold regular conversations. A few days ago, I entered the bar, drank my cappuccino, and made small talk with the bigger gentleman because it was not particularly crowded. As I began to pull out my wallet, he yelled something in Italian to the woman adding up my bill. She said, “prego” back to him and “ciao” to me. My java was on the house, and I had finally made some Italian friends! I thanked them both multiple times and ran out of the bar ecstatic. This is what a local bar is all about. It pays to pick one friendly café and get to know the people who frequent it. Dante’s is the place for me!