The Bar Scene

Terminology varies wherever you are -uptown, downtown; East coast, West coast; American, Europe.

One such difference has been rather difficult for me to get used to: In Italy, bars are not the center of nightlife, full of drinking and dancing. Bars are what Americans would call a cafe - a place to get coffee or a light meal, sit, and enjoy people's company.

Italians take the term bar literally - a long counter where beverages and food are served. The coffee culture isn't a sit down and chat while sipping a venti iced frappuccino kind of scene; it's a let me slurp down a cappuccino while I have a fifteen minute break from class while standing at the counter.

I always do a double take when a teacher says, "take a break, go to a bar. be back in fifteen..."