Constant State of Confusion

As you may remember from a post awhile back I have been in a state of confusion over how to obtain a visa. It was brought to my attention that I do not need a visa to stay less than 90 days (which works out perfectly these first three months as I have to return to attend Stacey and Ian's wedding). I was told that in order to go back I will need to obtain a visa. To obtain the visa I was told I needed to obtain "paperwork" from Italy authorizing me to stay here. When I arrived I worked with Raffaella and we thought the "paperwork" I would need to obtain would be the permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay), which you must apply for within eight days of arriving in Italy. I spoke with Raffaella and she indicated I should go to the post office on Monday to obtain the paperwork.

I went to the closest post office after lunch and waited in line and they told me I had to go to a different post office. I went to the post office the woman told me to go to and when you arrive there is a machine where you press a button to obtain a ticket. Now there are at least five buttons which you can press as the post office also functions as a bank and I am not even sure what else. I see the AMICO symbol (which literally translated means friend) and I push that button. I wait in line for about an hour before I have to return to the office for a conference call but my number is not called. I arrive at the post office before it opens on Tuesday morning and wait on the steps. As Erich Parker says "people don't respect the que" so I get ready for some shoving when the doors open. The doors open and it is like the start of Country Thunder (except without the lawn chairs and cowboy hats). People are shoving their way to the machine. I hold my ground and get a ticket and only have to wait about thirty minutes before my number is called. I pick up the packet I need to fill out and return to the office. I completed the packet and reviewed it with Raffaella. There were some questions that we had but she was unable to find any answers online or by phone. We decided that since time was running out (Tuesday was my seventh day) I should try to turn in the kit and see what happens.

First, I have to go to the Tabacchi shop to obtain a stamp that is needed for the kit (by the way the Tabacchi shops sell just about everything...stamps, subway tickets, actual tobacco). I muster up enough Italian to get the stamp. I arrive at the post office and pull the ticket for the AMICO but I also need one for another "bill" I have to pay to file the kit. Monica and Raffaella told me to chose the button with the Euro sign...problem is there are three buttons with the Euro sign. I pull them all and hope for the best. Now the post office is sort of like the DMV. A bunch of stations where numbers light up and you find the station where your number is. You have to be on alert as you have about ten seconds (depending on the attendant) to arrive at the station before they call the next number...which of course happened to me. After about thirty minutes they call one of the numbers I am holding for the Euro station. I grab my stuff and dash over but of course they have switched numbers. I was lucky in that the person who had the next number had not arrived so I was able to have my spot. I have no idea if I was at the right station for what I needed but he allowed me to purchase the ticket. I then went back to wait for the AMICO and to turn in my kit. Finally after a LONG time (and another mad dash in which the next number was already called...seriously it was like five seconds) I try to hand in my packet. Of course they tell me that I need to go somewhere else and obtain something else in order to hand it in. As she is talking to me I pick up a few words and ask her to write down what I need. I return to the office and work with Raffaella to try and understand what they are asking. The woman has written down and address where I need to go so we decide that I will go Wednesday morning as it is only open from 0900 to 1130.

I arrive at 0830 on Wednesday morning and wait. There are a bunch of different lines and corrals and then there are people just walking in. Of course I have no idea what is happening. At about 0910 a man comes out and opens the doors and starts calling names. I am so confused. I think he sees the look of pure confusion on my face and comes over to help me. He tells me I have to go to another place and obtain a form, fill it out and return. He tells me they will help me fill out the form. I go to the next location I am directed to and take a number (it is about 0930). The woman at the desk tells me that I can not apply for the permesso di soggiorno without a visa. I am so confused as I thought that I needed the permesso di soggiorno to obtain the visa. She realizes that we are not understanding each other so I indicate I will return with someone who speaks Italian.

I return to the office after feeling very defeated (kind of like losing a game on the last shot or when the other team comes from behind and wins in the bottom of the last inning). I ask Enrico if he would be able to help me and he is not busy so I'm very happy. We look at the information and he is confused as to fill out the form that I have been told I need so we decide to go back to the last place and ask for help. I tell him I will go there and I will call him when it is almost my turn. I return at 1030 and they are still six numbers away from the one I pulled at 0930. I try to call Enrico and since I have no idea how to make an international call I get a woman who tells me (in Italian) what I can only assume is "We are sorry but your call can not be completed as dial. Please hang up and try your call again". I compose an email to Enrico and of course I have no service so I have to go outside and restart my phone. Enrico arrives about an hour later (I told him it would be awhile) and we wait. The place closes at 1200 (and does not open in the afternoon) and at 1159 I begin to get worried as I am still two numbers away. Enrico reads the sign and it says "taking a number does not guarantee that you will be seen if times expires". Wonderful. At 1210 a woman calls the number before mine and recognizes me from the failed exchange this morning. She and Enrico speak and he is told the same thing...I need a visa to apply for the permesso di soggiorno. She is very kind and helps us by telling us that we need to apply for a different permit and prints out some information (sorry to the boys from Peru whose number was before mine) for us. We return to the office at 1230.

Four hours and limited progress! This process is exhausting! It sounds like I am allowed to be here until I leave for Stacey's wedding. We are going to work on obtaining the right documentation that I will then bring back to the Italian Consulate in Chicago to obtain my visa for the second part of my stay!