Water, bread and asking for the check

Unless you go to a posh restaurant when you go to eat out you usually choose where to sit. Once at your table the waiter will come, greet you and take your order. Don’t expect a cheery waiter. They are usually helpful but quiet.
If you want water you will need to ask for it. The waiter will give you a choice of natural or carbonated water (¿con gas o sin gas? —with or without gas?) and you’ll pay for it, usually as if it were a soda. And if you want bread, you will also ask for it and be charged for it.
There are some restaurants that charge you a “silverware fee” (derecho de cubierto) and that includes the bread and butter. So don’t be surprised if it comes with your bill.
Once I ate at a nice restaurant in Miraflores called T’anta, one of the eateries owned by Gastón Acurio, the most renowned Peruvian chef who also owns restaurants in Latin America, Spain and the U.S.
I chose an “Ají de gallina” (pictured left) and it was delicious. I asked for bread and I found that I was charged 1.50 soles for it (around fifty cents.) Curious about the name of the restaurant, I asked the waiter what T’anta meant. He answered, “It means bread in Quechua” and I added with a smile, “And you charge for it?”
One more important thing: Waiters won’t come to ask you how you are enjoying what you are eating; not even once. And when you are finished they won’t come with the bill until you request it. It is considered extremely rude to interrupt or to bring the bill without asking for it. It would mean that they want you to leave.
So get ready to enjoy a delightful meal without waiters coming to cut into your conversation every five minutes. Love it.

The Argentinean kiss

In Latino cultures, kisses on the cheek as a greeting are commonplace, and they typically occur between people of opposite sexes (unless a young boy kisses his dad, of course.) But in Buenos Aires, men greet men friends with a kiss on the cheek.
I was invited by a colleague to give a presentation at the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. When he greeted me, he smiled and kissed me on the cheek. It caught me by surprise and I tried to cover it up by giving him a hug.
After the class, he invited me to his house for dinner. He introduced me to his wife and children, two boys and a girl. There were kisses for everybody.
My friend said: “Here, we greet with a kiss; I noticed you felt awkward when we met.”
I enjoyed a delicious empanada dinner with the family, along with lots of laughter and red wine. When I said good-bye, I was completely comfortable with man-to-man kisses.

Do I want a wimpy ice cream?

Just like businesses in other countries, Argentinean companies like to use foreign-sounding names sometimes. I ran into two examples that made me laugh. One was an ice cream store next to the Plaza del Congreso named Wimpy. I wondered whether the store’s owner knew what the word “wimpy” would mean to Americans.
While walking in the posh Retiro area, there was another store that caught my attention: Breeder’s. It’s not a fertility clinic or a sex store; it’s an upscale furs goods store.
Translations for English speakers can also lead to misinterpretations.
When you exit the Cathedral in the main plaza (Plaza de Mayo) where the Casa Rosada (the presidential house) is located, you’ll find a box asking for money to support the worship. They have translated worship as “cult.” Quite different.

A shadow will follow you

We can't escape the stereotype of the ugly Americans.
Florentines are thankful for the goodness of tourism and what it does for their economy. But deep down, they don't really like to be invaded day in and day out, especially by loud, inconsiderate visitors.
I have seen several American tourists expecting the Italians to speak English or to bring you a glass of water as soon as you sit down in a restaurant. We are in a different country, a different culture.
Unfortunately we can't escape the image we have worked on for years. We are loud even when entering a church. Underage US teens are eager to consume alcohol. We like it when Italians hit on us for a quickie. Loud, drunk, promiscuous. I know, it's unfair. Not all of us do that but some of us do.

Cappuccino, the morning drink

In the United States we love to have a cappuccino, that foamy coffee and milk hot drink, sprinkled with cocoa powder. We have it anytime during the day and I have seen a lot of people asking for one during their afternoon breaks and even after dinner.
Last weekend while visiting the Corriere della Sera offices (the main Italian newspaper) in Milan, my host, design editor Bruno Delfino and foreign affairs editor Paolo Lepri took me to the cafeteria of the famous paper to have an espresso, in order to “wake” up.
“What about a cappuccino?” I asked mischeviously. Paolo smiled and said: “If you ask for a cappuccino after 12 [noon] we know you are a tourist.”

One, little two, little three, little dishes

Antipasto, primo, secondo, contorno, dolci and caffè would be the food order in Italy.
It seems like a lot of food, but remember that they come in small portions.
On a daily routine, Italians have a primo that it's usually pasta and a secondo which is some kind of protein: beef, chicken, fish or cheese. The contorno or side-dish comes separate, so get prepared to pay for it additionally when you go to a restaurant. Everything comes on a different plate.
This order can be a little confusing for other westerners. To have a salad not as a first dish but after the secondo? To have cheese after the pasta?
Well, I have learned to follow the host country habits because it makes for a more authentic cultural experience. I would rather not be singled-out or laughed at because of my ignorance. Before coming to Italy I did some research about the culture.
I would recommend not to even think about asking for chicken cacciatore or Chicago pizza. You can always go to McDonald's (if you get really desperate) which has become quite popular.

Your clothes say who you are

I was talking to an American student about how to blend with the Italians in Florence and realized it is not an easy task.
That so-called “European look” seems to be true. Tighter and more stylish clothes, a supposedly casual hairstyle that does not exaggerate in its preciseness and a smooth and confident walk could describe some of the Italian characteristics. Also, the Italians I have observed are thinner and some of their clothing accessories can be flashier.
Despite this flashiness, women tend to cover up a little more than we do in the U.S. Their sexiness comes more from their attitude than from their uncovered flesh.
If you are trying to blend in, avoid wide t-shirts and sweat pants. Leave your jewelry for your piercings at home, and cover your tattoos.
Men wear long pants even in the oppressive heat of summer. Light jackets seem to be the compliment to the pants. I just can’t be an Italian in the summer… no jackets for me.

Caffè, coffee anyone?

I was raised with coffee. I think my mom mixed coffee with the milk in my bottle when I was a toddler.
So Florence is a paradise to me; coffee shops everywhere.
When I came to grad school in the US my coffee experience kind of sucked. Back in the early 90s coffee was weak and bitter. My Mexican friend used to call it “sock water.” I am very glad for the Starbucks revolution.
But there is a difference in Florence, well, in Italy. People drink a lot of coffee but in small —and strong— amounts. Don’t look for the tall, grande or venti versions. I haven’t been able to find them.
Coffee, call it espresso, macchiato, corto, lungo, cappuccino, ristretto, caffè latte, come in small cups, and if you have it sitting down at a coffee bar, at more expensive prices. Yes, sitting down in a café costs more money. I guess you are using the little space they have available in this old city.
Taking a rest during one of these tiring days walking around the city looking for unusual images I had an espresso at a coffee bar in Piazza di Santo Spirito, on the Oltrarno (the other side of the Arno river.) 2.50 Euro. Do the math. $4.25 dollars for a shot of coffee. If you go to the famous Caffè Gilli in Piazza della Repubblica you would be paying 4 euro. Ouch.
So, I have my “venti” caffe latte at home every morning, much cheaper and fulfilling. Or in moments of “need” for that extra oomph, I pay 30 Euro cents for a macchiato, from a coffee machine at the Lorenzo de’ Medici school.
Don’t cringe. The coffee is decent despite coming in a plastic cup.