So as week 2 comes to pass many here are amazed I have stuck it out so far. For them, dealing with the crazy Italian bureaucracy is a way of life and they fully expect nothing to happen as it should...at least quickly. That said, having tested my patience,my ability to comprehend Italian and just my disbelief in the lack of common sense,people were fully expecting me to either leave or go postal. I cannot ever remember thinking to myself "are you kidding me?" so many times in the span of 2 weeks.
But I not only have survived but even impressed my "it's not possible" friends..the speed in which I have arranged an apartment , utilities,scooter,and now a car with insurance is becoming legend. Since I arrived with no real plan for housing or transportation I think I did ok.
So now that I have settled in, figured out the quickest way around town to my favorite cafes',and where the daily markets are for food I'm starting to have some fun. Not that I always don't when I'm here but it so different when you think..wow, I live here. You're not rushing trying to cram stuff in before your vacation is over...just letting life slow down a bit and enjoying it. The scene here forces you to kick it down a notch.I love SB but sometimes you seem like you have to stay on the gas to keep up. Hard work if fine but having passed the half century mark a few years ago, I want the next 50 to take it's time . So for now it's "tranquillo" and ciao for now...
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Una settimana
So, one week into the adventure and I'm still here..if. I thought the airplane madness was bad,nothing could prepare me for the trials of Italian paperwork . Just trying to get basic stuff for the apartment was an exercise in patience. So, three major things are controlled by one office..gas,water,trash..not sure where the electricity comes from but it's on!
Ok, arrive at the offices first thing..excellent,there is like only 5 people in there. I tell the guy handing out the numbers that I need to get these 3 things set up. No problem,they are all here..just 3 different people. So I have to take 3 separate numbers. Hmmmm. Within 1 minute the first number dings..blue233. Wow, that was fast! As I get up the next number I have dings ..red 107. Damn how do I do this? So I go to blue guy and he is the trash man..first question..where is a copy of your rental contract? Good question..don't have it yet as it is being processed. He says " no contract,no trash" so I call the agent and he says I don't need it..uh,right. I hand the phone to trash guy and then words fly. Next thing I know I'm on my way to the agents office for a copy of the contract. 1/2 hour later I'm back in the office.. Take my 3 numbers again..amazingly,trash guy dings first. Ok..here ya go bud, the contract. He replies "ok,looks good but you must first have gas service to get trash" ...are u kidding me? So I go back out and wait for gas girl to ding me. She does within minutes....her first question is" who was the last tenant in this building?" like I would know that.....another call to the agent..he doesn't know but will try to find out. Great..
While I'm waiting, gas girl suggests I go to water girl while I am waiting for a reply. Cool, these guy are figuring it out. Arrive to water girls cube..first question.."what year was this place built?" really!?!?
Another call to secret agent,who by the way, told me I would not need any additional paperwork when I left his office the day before and put 500€ cash in his hand. Ok get info, water girl hooks me up and says water will arrive later today. Gas girl dials me in and say gas will be turned on in the am..and my friend garbage guy? He goes over every inch of the contract, the floor plan(even measuring each room with his ruler in case someone lied about room size) and finally say I have right to put trash in the community dumpster out back.
By noon the next day, everything is rockin' and things are lookin up.now to stock the fridge and pantry.
Next adventure...getting some wheels!
Ok, arrive at the offices first thing..excellent,there is like only 5 people in there. I tell the guy handing out the numbers that I need to get these 3 things set up. No problem,they are all here..just 3 different people. So I have to take 3 separate numbers. Hmmmm. Within 1 minute the first number dings..blue233. Wow, that was fast! As I get up the next number I have dings ..red 107. Damn how do I do this? So I go to blue guy and he is the trash man..first question..where is a copy of your rental contract? Good question..don't have it yet as it is being processed. He says " no contract,no trash" so I call the agent and he says I don't need it..uh,right. I hand the phone to trash guy and then words fly. Next thing I know I'm on my way to the agents office for a copy of the contract. 1/2 hour later I'm back in the office.. Take my 3 numbers again..amazingly,trash guy dings first. Ok..here ya go bud, the contract. He replies "ok,looks good but you must first have gas service to get trash" ...are u kidding me? So I go back out and wait for gas girl to ding me. She does within minutes....her first question is" who was the last tenant in this building?" like I would know that.....another call to the agent..he doesn't know but will try to find out. Great..
While I'm waiting, gas girl suggests I go to water girl while I am waiting for a reply. Cool, these guy are figuring it out. Arrive to water girls cube..first question.."what year was this place built?" really!?!?
Another call to secret agent,who by the way, told me I would not need any additional paperwork when I left his office the day before and put 500€ cash in his hand. Ok get info, water girl hooks me up and says water will arrive later today. Gas girl dials me in and say gas will be turned on in the am..and my friend garbage guy? He goes over every inch of the contract, the floor plan(even measuring each room with his ruler in case someone lied about room size) and finally say I have right to put trash in the community dumpster out back.
By noon the next day, everything is rockin' and things are lookin up.now to stock the fridge and pantry.
Next adventure...getting some wheels!
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