For example, as a regular to a local cafe we are able to more easily navigate through some of the varying practices. An interesting thing here is that some cafes require you to pay and order first, then give the receipt to someone else to redeem it for say a coffee or a sandwich. Others ask you to order, receive the food, and then pay before sitting. Still others request you to order, get the food, eat the food, the pay on the way out.
Rob and I are early into it, but we're working on establishing ourselves as regulars at a nearby cafe to avoid this confusion and to provide a layer of comfort and familiarity. We're hoping it helps us avoid situations like our first encounter at said cafe. It went something like this...
(Preface: I studied a phrase book and was eager to try out a simple sentence...)
Kipp: posso avere una bischotti, per favore? [Internal monologue: holy sh*t, that came out way better than expected!]
Cafe worker: (looking slightly impressed) si.
Cafe worker: (something fast, something italian, and something asked directly at me)
Kipp: uh... (Deer in headlights)
Cafe worker: (repeats phrase and a mischevious grin begins to form)
Kipp: (confidence plummeting like a scoop of ice cream heading for the pavement) ...uhhhh...[Stay cool man, staaay cool!]...whaaaaaaat? [Sh*t!!!]
Cafe worker: eat here or take away?
Kipp: oh, um...here...um...per favore. [Real smooth dipsh*t!] (Moves, defeated, to the register where a thoroughly unimpressed cashier awaits).
Cashier: pay after...
Kipp: (still struggling to stay in italian mode) what? [C'mon me! At least say "que?"]
Cashier: pay after...
Kipp: [think man - what could he be saying...think!] Um...what?
Cashier: paaaaaay aaaaaafter
Kipp: [well why didn't he just say so!] Ah! Ok. (Rob and I proceed to sit down)
Kipp: so...that went well. (Pause) Did you hear me totally nail the first part though?!
Rob: yeah you blew me away...and then she talked back...and I laughed because I knew you were done for.
My point though is that when we go back in today, things can't go nearly as badly...right? And everytime after it will get even better. By the time we leave we might even have a couple new friends.
Now you might think this concept is silly, but what I haven't mentioned is that the cafe is our second regular game. Our efforts towards our primary goal are already bearing fruit!!
Two nights ago we went back into the irish pub. We talked a bit more with the bartenders and the owner and we met a cool woman named Whitney. By the end of the night the owner was chatting with us and giving me a hard time for drinking too slowly and talking too much! Sounds like somebody knows me!! :).
Yesterday Whitney went to see the David with us and then shared a few recommended places to get some gelato as well as a great place for dinner that we all ate at that night.
We finished off the night back at the irish pub (english speaking salvation after a day of pointing, gesturing, and being embarrassed). I ordered the first round and the female bartender (different person than the owner) responded with "hey you guys are back! Oh man, it's already 11, think you can finish this pint by 1 when we close?!"
Next we bumped into and received a happy hello from another bartender hanging out while on his day off and an American woman we met a couple days earlier (the one we saved from an anti-bush, anti-gun rant). She has lived here for a long while and gave us a few more tips of things to do..
The kicker though was when I finally did finish my pint, the female bartender spotted me across a packed bar and yelled, "look who finished their beer!!! Yaaay!" I got a scattered round of applause...
It's all about being a regular baby (and maybe a little about being the only people who tip). :)
P.S. The tracker is back up...
P.P.S. Rob's Aunt Joyce, we're getting a ton of sleep... Siestas are in full effect and I think Rob has claimed two 14+ hour nights of sleep.
P.P.P.S. Found a free wifi hotspot! If we can find it again, pictures and blogs will flow!!!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
4 comments:
Way to go guys! You are getting good. I just followed Brenna around like a puppy and she directed me, did all the talking and I said "grazie" and "por favore" a lot. Not suprised about the tipping, I don't think people much if at all in Italy so you must be very popular Kipp!
no matter how many times I read this I laugh my ass off. Way to go!
Awesome!
Good job getting into the mix of things.
So Justin forwarded me the blog link, with the comment that "the entry about being regular is hilarious". One little letter, one little word, and he gave me the entirely wrong idea about the subject of this post. I was so ready to read about cappucino, gelato, and regularity. I wouldn't even put it past you to combine posts about being regular and "a" regular. :) Anyways, keep up the notes!
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